Cookie recipes, part 2

Last Monday, I posted recipes for three of my favorite cookies - chocolate chip, Mexican wedding cakes, and spritz.

Today, I'm going to give you the recipes for my oatmeal, snickerdoodle, and peanut butter cookies. I'm going to have to bake some cookies when I finish here - my mouth is watering!

Gus and Buddy really like my oatmeal cookies. My secret ingredient is a package of Quaker Cinnamon & Spice instant oatmeal. The spices are perfect for a cookie!

Oatmeal Cookies
(makes 30-36 cookies)

1/2 c. butter-flavored Crisco
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pkg. Quaker Cinnamon & Spice instant oatmeal
approx. 3/4 c. uncooked oatmeal (I use Quaker regular oatmeal)
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. raisins (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, cream Crisco and sugars; add egg and vanilla; mix well. Pour the package of Cinnamon & Spice oatmeal into a 1 cup measuring cup, then continue filling to the top with the regular oatmeal. Place the oatmeal in another mixing bowl, then add the flour, baking soda, & salt; mix well. Add dry ingredients to first bowl, mix together well. Add nuts & raisins, if desired.

Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. If you want them to be really chewy, don't allow the edges to brown too much.

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Gus really likes my peanut butter cookies, too. The ones with the chocolate kisses in the center are usually a hit - but he likes his plain. My secrets for these cookies are: Jif peanut butter; don't press the cookie down too far; and sprinkle the tops lightly with granulated sugar.

Peanut Butter Cookies
(makes 36-40 cookies)

1/2 c. butter-flavored Crisco
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. Jif peanut butter
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Hershey's kisses, unwrapped (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, cream Crisco and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and peanut butter; mix well. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients together, then add to first bowl; mix well. Roll dough into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Using a fork (it's best to dampen it with water), lightly press down on dough - then turn fork 90 degrees and press a second time - so that the fork marks criss-cross. Sprinkle tops lightly with granulated sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cookies edges should not be brown - if the edges brown darker than a golden color, the cookie is usually burnt on the bottom.

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The last cookie recipe is for snickerdoodles. This recipe came from my Grammy - and they are the best cookies ever! They are best served from the oven; only cooling them enough to keep them from breaking when you hold them. Mmmmmmm!!

Snickerdoodles
(makes about 60 cookies)

1 c. butter-flavored Crisco
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
cinnamon & granulated sugar mix

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, cream Crisco and sugar. Add vanilla and egg, mixing well. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together; add to first bowl.; mix well. Shape dough into small balls (I use a heaping tsp. of dough to make a ball about 1 1/4 inch in diameter). Roll balls in cinnamon/sugar mix, then place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

I do not allow these cookies to brown at all - not even on the edges.

For the cinnamon/sugar mix: you can buy premixed bottles at the grocery store in the baking aisle, but I usually make my own. I don't really measure - I have a container that I use for mixing and it holds about 1/2 c. sugar. If I had to guess how much cinnamon I add, I would say it's 1-2 tsp. You can vary it according to your taste.

Enjoy!! If you try any of the recipes, let me know!