Chewy Ginger Cookies

Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming! I have really been craving gingerbread cookies lately.  Which is funny, because I am not really a fan of molasses, yet I've been on a gingerbread roll.  Sometimes I confuse myself LOL.  I've been wanting to make gingerbread cookies, and I like cookies that are soft and "dippable" in tea.  I came across this recipe and thought I should give it a try!

Chewy Ginger Cookies (Source: Taste of Home, Best Loved Cookies and Bars)

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flor
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream shortening and 1 cup of sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg, molasses and vanilla. Mix well.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and cloves.   Slowly add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1 inch balls.  Rolls balls in the remaining sugar.  Place on ungreased baking sheet, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 9-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on wire racks.

VERDICT:
These were very close to what I was looking for!  They were a tad crunchy for me, but I think if I bake them for about 1 minute less they will be just perfect!   A nice, tasty, Christmas treat!

My Dad's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you are a reader of my articles over at Okanagan4Kids, then you know that June is all about our Dads, and my article was all about my Dad and my Father-in-law's favourite recipes.  I saved my husband's favourites for special posts here on my blog this month as June is also his birthday month.  So, like my May article, about my Mom and Mother-in-Law's recipes, I asked my Dad and my Father-in-Law to share with me their favourite recipes.  Of course, I was a little cheeky and did say that I had veto power on what they chose (again, my Mom's buns were off limits, and my Dad knew right away that I wouldn't be making liver and onions...his favourite...but torture in my eyes LOL).  My Dad so kindly shared with me his recipe for his favourite cookies...also the cookie that my oldest son loves and loves to steal from the cookie jar and Grandma and Papa's.  Today I am sharing his recipe, and on Wednesday I will share my Father-in-Law's recipe - be sure to check back for that one! 

Here is today's recipe:

Dad's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Source: My Dad!)

2 cup of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups oats (anything but instant oats)
1 1/2 cups of raisins 

Preheat oven to 350F

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter.  Add in eggs, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla - mixing on low.  Increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and the colour lightens. 

Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible. Do not overmix - over mixing develops the gluten, making a tough cookie. Now add the oats and raisins; stir to incorporate.

Fill cookie scoop with dough - about two tablespoons.

Drop 2-inches apart onto baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.

Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.

Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

VERDICT:
Mu husband has delcared these his absolute favourite cookie.  Of course, I felt they needed a little chocolate, but then again, I am happy to add chocolate to almost any baking (like bacon, it just makes things better!).  These cookies did not last long in our house at all...a new cookie monster has popped up and ate them all up!

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Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

I have been craving cookies lately, I love cookies.  I'm a cookie monster of sorts.  Really, I am!  I come by in naturally, my Dad is a big cookie fan too :-)

I figured I would try to make some cookies that might please both my cookie palate as well as my husband's.  My favourite kind of cookie is my Mom's chocolate chip cookie, my husband prefers oatmeal raisin.  So this recipe combines my likes with my hubby's, along with a few extras.  These certainly are loaded cookies!  I found the recipe in a Taste of Home Cookies & Bars cookbook, and added raisins to the mix.  Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut, flaked
1/2 cup pecans, crushed
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and two sugars.  Add in eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Add in quick oats, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans and raisins.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 11-12 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and cool for about 2 minutes before moving to a wire to finish cooling.

VERDICT:
These were super tasty, and a hit with everyone, even though my husband did comment that the cookies could use a little less chocolate chips and a little more raisins.  Ha!  (Didn't slow him down eating them though!). These were super good, and next time I would probably try adding some sunflower seeds to the batter, just for fun!



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