Aunt Mary Dillon’s Praline Cookies

Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients: Makes 3 dozen

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if necessary
• 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and broken into large pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fully combined. Add dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
3. Drop batter in rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until firm and barely golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies from pan to wire rack.
4. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup light-brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until smooth. (If frosting thickens, thin with cream.) Add pecan pieces. Place cookies on a cooling rack over a lined baking pan. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon praline mixture onto each cookie.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Source: By Angel Villanueva on Recipezaar.com

(photo taken by: Livejournal user: flavorpacket )

Makes: 36 cookies approx.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk, vanilla and egg in large bowl.
2. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well-blended.
3. Combine flour, salt and baking soda.
4. Add to creamed mixture at low speed.
5. Mix just until blended.
6. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with lines of fork.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.
8. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

 

Frosted Butter Cookies

Source: Farmer’s Almanac

Ingredients:
Cookie

• 1/2 cup butter shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting

• 1/2 stick butter shortening sticks
• 1 pound powdered sugar, about 4 cups
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease baking sheets.

Combine 1⁄2 cup shortening, sugar and milk; beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.

Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Mix into shortening mixture. Drop level measuring tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Frosting

Combine shortening, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract; beat at low speed for 15 seconds. Scrape bowl.

Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Frost cookies.

Hurry-Up Butter Cookies

Source: Farmer’s Almanac

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter
• 1-cup sugar
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• Juice and rind of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar well, add egg yolk and continue beating, then add lemon and flour mix thoroughly until well blended. Place dough on top of two ungreased shallow cake pans. Pat or roll about 1/4 inch thick, not quite to edge of pan. Brush with slightly beaten egg white, sprinkle with nuts. Bake in slow oven, 300 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes. Cut while hot into 11/2-inch strips.