Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies using Andes mint chips? Yes, please! Recipe is from the back of the Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips bag, found with the regular chocolate chips in your baking aisle. :)

Ingredients:
1/2 c butter (Blue Bonnet)
3/4 c dark brown sugar*
1/2 c white granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 pkg (10 oz) Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
2-2/3 c all-purpose flour

*Don't have brown sugar? No problem! Add molasses to white sugar at a ratio of 1T:1c! I don't even buy brown sugar anymore because it's always hard when I want to use it, despite all of the tricks I've tried!

Directions:
Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed. Stir in Andes baking chips and then flour.
Chill approximately one hour in refrigerator before baking.
Spoon onto baking sheets and bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
The recipe says it will make 4 dozen cookies. I made half the recipe and about 3 dozen cookies.

Nutritional Info: (based on 72 cookies for the whole recipe)
Calories: 61
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated: 1.5g
Carbs: 10g
Protein: 1g

Snickerdoodles

Yes, they are vegan. See?

Ingredients:
1-3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
4 oz vegan margarine, softened (Like Earth Balance)
3/4 c sugar + 2 T
1/4 c soymilk
1 tsp vanilla
 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
To make Cookie Dough:
2. Mix together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in bowl. Beat margarine in separate bowl with electric mixer until soft. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in soymilk and vanilla extract 30 seconds or until smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat 30 seconds or until smooth.
To make Cinnamon Sugar:
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon on large plate.
4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar*, and place 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies look dry on tops and are lightly browned on bottoms. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store in airtight container.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

*The original recipe calls for 1/2c sugar and 3T cinnamon. This is WAY TOO MUCH. I mixed all of that and barely used any. The 2T/2t is an estimate. If someone else makes this, let me know how accurate I was! :)

Nutritional Information:
(per cookie)
Calories: 68
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated: 1g
Carbs: 10.5g
Protein: 0.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Chewy Raspberry Almond Bars

I got this recipe from my cousin. They were actually supposed to be Chewy CHERRY Almond Bars, but I got raspberry preserves instead.

Ingredients:
1 c butter, softened
2 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
2 c all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
2 c regular rolled oats
1/2 c sliced almonds
1-12 oz jar (1 c) cherry preserves (My jar was 11 oz, raspberry preserves)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13x9x2" baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease foil; set pan aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the oats, and almonds.
Remove 1/2 cup of the dough and set aside. Press the reamining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over preserves layer.
Bake in the preheated oven  about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, life the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars.
Makes 36 bars. (I only cut mine into 20, but they are pretty big. 30 would have been better.)
To store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container (mine are in 2 layers separated by wax paper); cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days of freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutritional Information: (20 bars first, then 30, b/c next time I make them I'm going to cut them into 30.)

Calories: 290, 193
Fat: 10.9g, 7.3g
Saturated Fat: 5.8g, 3.9g
Carbs: 54.5g, 36.4g
Protein: 3.4g, 2.2g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4

Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

I got this recipe from Paula Deen! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/magical-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:
1 c peanut butter (Meijer natural creamy peanut butter)
1-1/3 c Splenda (1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c powdered sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup splenda, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in splenda to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining splenda. (I didn't do this). Cool slightly before removing from pan.

(I made 21 cookies.)

Nutritional Information: (one cookie)

Calories: 110

Fat: 6g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Carbs: 10g

Protein: 4g

Ratings:

Kristen: 4

Dave: 5

Variety Sugar Cookies

From cookbook: 100 Years of Domino Sugar Classic Recipes

Ingredients:
2-1/2 c all purpose flour
1-1/2 c Domino Confectioners Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter or margarine, softened (Imperial 1/3 less fat)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Domino Granulated Sugar for sprinkling (red sugar sprinkles)

Directions:
In large bowl, stir together flour, confectioners sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter, egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly until well blended. Shape dough into ball; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours or until chilled.
Heat oven to 375F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into thirds. Roll 1/3 at a time on a lightly floured surface to 3/16" thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on prepared cookie sheet; sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Makes about 5 dozen (2-1/2") cookies.

Nutritional Information: (from Domino)
Calories: 61
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 7g
Protein: 1g

Rating:
Kristen: 5 (And I did eat them all day, which is why there is no picture.)
Dave: 4.5