Meltaway Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

These nummy meltaway cookies are fabulous.  They taste a little like buttery shortbread, but just as the name suggests, they melt in your mouth.  Really simple and quick to make - trust me, you'll love this recipe!!

MELTAWAY COOKIES
1/2 lb butter (that's 2 sticks - no wonder they're so good)
3/4 c cornstarch
1/3 c powdered sugar
1 c flour

Cream butter and sugar.  Add cornstarch and flour - beat until creamy.  Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet (each drop should be about the size of a tablespoon) - I use my small cookie scoop.
Note: these cookies don't expand much in the oven, so you can squeeze 15+ on a cookie sheet.

Dip the bottom of a glass into powdered sugar and press down on each cookie to flatten to 1/4" - 1/2".

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Cool before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c powdered sugar

Mix until creamy.  Add food coloring if desired.  BE CAREFUL frosting the cookies!  They are delicate and break easily, so handle with care :)

Spider Cookies

Last weekend we were having a Halloween Party.  The boys and I decided to make these YUMMY spider cookies to take to it.  Really easy to make, fun to put together, and delicious to eat.  They're homemade Oreo cookies with cream cheese frosting and licorice legs.  Here's how to make the cookies:

Homemade Oreo
1 box Devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening

Mix all ingredients together.  Roll into balls- if you have a cookie scoop, it's quick and easy- and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for about 8 minutes.  Let cool and then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar until well blended. 

Typically this is the point where you frost the underside of one cookie and sandwich with another cookie.  For these Spider cookies, however, put some orange food coloring in your frosting.  Frost the underside of a cookie and use some licorice strings to make some legs- I used Twizzler Pull-and-Peels.  Frost the underside of another cookie and sandwich together.

It might be helpful at this point to find a couple of kids to help you peel that licorice and put on the legs. 

You can also use this as a great teaching moment to talk about number of legs on spiders, making pairs, counting by 2s, (not licking fingers when we're making food for other people), etc...

 

Obviously the 3 year old didn't quite catch on to my 'teaching moment', but aren't those chubby hands the cutest things you've ever seen?
If I would have had the energy to load up the kids and head to the store, I would have picked up a bag of redhots for eyes for the Spiders- how cute would that be? 

Pumpkin Patch Cookies

I love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but not nearly as much as my son.  They're seriously his favorite treat.  **Just don't ever tell him that I make them using a weight watchers recipe... shhh.  So I was thrilled to see that Jamie Cooks It Up! uses the same cookie recipe, but dresses it up.  Isn't the cute chocolate pumpkin to die for?  Click HERE for the recipe.  I think I'll make them to take visiting teaching - that is, if my son will save a few.

Maple Leaf Cookies

Mmmm... don't these look delicious?  Can't wait to try these Maple Leaf Cookies.  Thanks to Dawn at The Girl Creative for this nummy recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Well I figure it's high time I share this favorite go-to dessert of mine.  It's quick to make and oh-so-good (good enough to eat a whole row before you've realized it).  Think Paradise Bakery cookies... think tastes-as-good-as-the-dough.  Yum.  This is my most-used recipe... honestly.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
1 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 c flour
1 (11-oz) bag chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients and add gradually.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread into greased 9x13 pan (I use glass, but metal works too).  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Cool and cut into squares.  Or if you're like me and can't wait for it to cool completely, just give it a few minutes so the chocolate doesn't scorch your tastebuds.

Maybe you've noticed we've posted several recipes for bars -

probably because I'm lazy they're quicker to make...

like these

Sugar Cookie Bars

or these uber-delicious

Oatmeal Caramel Bars

BTW, did you know you can type "bars" in our search box? (see left side bar) No, you won't get a listing of the local bars in Salt Lake (I'm sure there are a few), you'll get a bunch of delicious recipes! (you should really try it - we've got some great ones here, folks... just sayin')

Sugar Cookie Bars

So I've had my eyes on these babies ever since I found Jamie Cooks It Up!  Well, her sister brought them to a neighborhood party and they were so yummy, I had to share.  I love sugar cookies, but hate all the work (yes, way too much time involved for me to make them very often).  Well, here's a quick solution:  make these sugar cookie bars!  I promise they won't disappoint!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have tried SO many chocolate chip cookie recipes.  I am very picky about c.c. cookies.  They have to be super-soft and buttery, but with a little crispness on the outside.  Be prepared to be amazed by this perfect recipe for classic chocolate chip cookies.  Yes, I have other favorite varieties including chocolate chunks, oats, etc., but this is absolutely the best basic recipe:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
chocolate chips (obviously)

Cream butter, oil, and sugars (really, CREAM them - let your mixer go for a few minutes).
Add eggs & vanilla
Combine dry ingredients together and add to mixture
Stir in chocolate chips (I buy the big bag from Costco, so I just eye-ball it)

Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. (I don't hassle with parchment paper or sil-pat... these turn out just perfect on a plain-old cookie sheet).

So simple, yet so perfect!  This makes 3 dozen (unless you eat a lot of dough like me, then it makes 2 1/2).

2 baking items I CANNOT live without:

1. KitchenAid Mixer (I want to upgrade to the professional)
2. Pampered Chef medium scoop (I also love my stackable cooling racks)... btw, let me know if you are interested in Pampered Chef - my cousin sells their a.maz.ing products (uh, you still sell them... right, Elisa?)

What baking tool can't you live without?  Leave me a comment - it'll make my day!