Sunday, November 2, 2008

Healthy Cookies???

We all love cookies, but if you are looking for ways to make our favorite treats healthier check out this website. http://www.active.com/women/Articles/Healthy_Cookies.htm

Cookies

Easy Sugar Cookies
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
Note: I tried making these cookies with cut out shapes and it didn't work out so well. But, they sure make GREAT drop cookies, then you have just round sugar cookies to frost. It's easier that way anyway!

Peanut Butter Bars
Cream Together:
1c. sugar
1c. brown sugar
1c. margarine (soft)
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
Add: 1 c. Peanut butter and blend
Add:
2 t. soda
1t. salt
2c. flour
Mix
Add 2 c. quick oat
Press into big cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 20 min. Remove from oven even though bars seem soft and not completely done. Frost with chocolate frosting as follows.
Chocolate Frosting Heat 1/4 c. milk and 1/3 c. margarine until margarine melts.
Mix together:
2T cocoa
1/4 t. salt
4c. powdered sugar
Add milk mixture and 1t. vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Peanut Butter No Bake Clusters
Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
1/2 c. Milk
1/2 c. Butter
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
3 cups Quick 1 Minute Quaker Oats
Combine sugar, milk, butter, and salt in medium pan. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, peanut butter, and rolled oats. Stir until mixture begins to stiffen a little Drop onto foil or cookie sheet into round

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut
yield about 3 dozen
¾ cup Butter Flavored Crisco Shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 ¼ tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine Crisco, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts by hand.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough about 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil or cooling sheet to cool completely

Homemade Oreo Cookies
Cookies:
2 chocolate cake mixes
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. margarine
Filling:
1(8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. margarine (softened)
Cookies:
Mix 1 cake mix with margarine and eggs; add second cake mix slowly, stirring completely after each addition. Roll into small balls. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.
Filling:
Mix softened cream cheese and margarine together electric mixer on low. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Spread between two cookies.

Snowball Cookies
1 c. butter
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sifted flour
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans (an option I don't use)
Additional confectioners sugar (for rolling)Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add remaining ingredients, mix. Use a teaspoonful (I use a "daddy spoon" which is the larger of the 2 silverware spoon sizes you have) of dough and roll into small ball. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly and roll in confectioner’s sugar. (I roll them twice.)

SMORES BARS
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
6 cups mini marshmallows
18 oz. chocolate chips or mini M&M's
Mix grahams, butter, sugar and flour. Spread on bottom of large cookie sheet. Pat down. Spread marshmallows on top of crust. Sprinkle chocolate on marshmallows. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Cut into bars.

Sugar Cookies
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or stick margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
1 large egg
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
Beat first four ingredients together with electric mixer. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray. Divide dough in half. Roll each half 2/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 7 or 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on wire rack.