SPECIAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With mixer, cream shortening and sugars; add honey, egg, Grand Marnier, and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients with wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into walnut-size balls; press flat onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes, then place on wire rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Rosie Henderson, Brandon
BRICKEL BIT COOKIES
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 (8-ounce) package Heath English Toffee Bits
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and salt; blend. Add egg. Sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together; gradually beat into creamed mixture. With wooden spoon, stir in toffee bits. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Place on wire rack to cool.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup solid shortening
1½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs½ cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon each: baking soda, baking powder, and salt
1 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With mixer, cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat in but-termilk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, bak-ing soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Beat into creamed mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir in oats, raisins, and walnuts. Drop by table-spoonfluls on a parchment-lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly brown. Cool on sheet slightly, and remove to wire rack.
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
BROWNIE COOKIES
1 (8-ounce) bar semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
½ stick unsalted butter
2 eggs
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, micro-wave chocolate bar and butter for 1 minute on defrost at 30-second intervals until just melted; set aside. With mixer, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat into creamed mixture on low until combined. With a wooden spoon, stir in chips and pecans. Drop by tablespoons on a parchment-lined bak-ing sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, turn baking sheet, and bake for an addi-tional 6 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
¾ cup chunky peanut butter
½ cup margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon each: baking powder and baking soda
1 egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups miniature peanut butter cups, quartered
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
With mixer, cream peanut butter and margarine. Beat in sugar, baking powder, and baking soda until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in flour until combined. With wooden spoon, stir in peanut butter cup pieces. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks placed over wax paper to cool com-pletely. Place chocolate chips in zipper bag, and microwave on defrost for 1 minute in 30-second intervals. Cut small corner from bag, and drizzle over cookies.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies