The Best Ever Cookie Food

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves in a large bowl.
• Mix the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and pat to 1/2-inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick, dusting with flour if needed. Cut into 3- to 5-inch cookies with a gingerbread man cutter or desired shape. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• Bake the cookies in batches until they are golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat in 6 tablespoons of water until well combined and you have stiff glossy peaks, adding 1 tablespoon more water at a time to reach a smooth pipeable consistency. Mix in food coloring as desired. Fill pastry bags fitted with tips. Decorate the gingerbread cookies with the icing.

THE BEST EVER GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the butter ( I melt it in the microwave) and cream cheese ( I mix by hand with a wooden spoon, but any spoon would work).
• Add vanilla and the egg mix together.
• Add the Butter flavor cake mix.
• Put in the frig overnight.
• The next day.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Spray cookie sheet very lightly ( if you use parchment paper don't spray cookie sheet, I prefer the parchment paper).
• Roll dough into balls (about the size of a walnut), roll into powdered sugar.
• Put onto cookie sheet ( I put them 3 in a roll and space out, and only have 4 rolls).
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Let stand on cookie sheet for a few minutes.
• Then remove and let cool.

THE MOST WONDERFUL GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
• In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
• Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
• Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
• Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.
• Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
• Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
• Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.
• Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
• After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
• I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST COOKIE RECIPE EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar. beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; stir into the sugar mixture to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

WORLD'S BEST COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the shortening and sugar.
• Add egg, canola and vanilla, beat well.
• Mix in oats, cornflakes, coconut and walnuts.
• Stir well.
• Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add to creamed mixture and stir well.
• Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Drop rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart.
• Press down with a fork, dipped in cold water.
• Smooth any cracks around the edge with your fingers.
• Bake at 325°F degrees for 12 minutes (You can half the recipe but why?).

THE WORLD'S BEST COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
• Stir in egg, oil, vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt.
• Combine with egg mixture until well blended.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet into balls the size of walnuts and flatten with a fork in criss cross pattern.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing.