When all else fails eat a cookie! After my dear friend Sami got married her mom was dealing with an empty nest and needed some cheering up, so I did what I know would cheer me up…I baked a few dozen cookies and put them in the mail for Karen. I tried two new recipes I had never made before and I must say they were both amazing and have moved to the top of my list of favorites. Karen had said she wanted something with cran-raisins and I had never made cookies with those before so I wracked my brain on what would pair with those to make the perfect cookie. Then it hit me: oatmeal cookies with cranraisins and white chocolate chips. YUMMY! The second kind of cookies I made her are called “SURPRISE” cookies and they are a wonderful SURPRISE to your taste buds. They are peanut butter dough with your choice of chocolate candy rolled in the center (Rolo, Mini Reeses, Hershey's Kiss, or any other kind of chocolate you can think of) and then roll the whole cookie in sugar.
Nothing makes me happier than knowing that people enjoy my baking. So when Karen wrote me to tell me she got the cookies and said they were some of the best cookies she had ever had it reminded me why I love cooking/baking. Because for me great food puts a smile on my face so if I can share that smile then I have achieved everything I wanted and then some.
Oatmeal Yummies
3/4 C Butter
1 3/4 C Flour
1 C Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 C Sugar
1 Egg
1 t Baking Powder
1 t Vanilla
1/4 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Cinnamon (optional)
2 C Rolled Oats
1 C Cranraisins
½-1 C White Chocolate Chips
Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool cookies on wire rack.
Oatmeal cookies have always reminded me of going to my Grandpas house….These were not the same classic oatmeal cookies but I would say they were still amazing just on a different level.
Chewy “SURPRISE” Cookies
1-1/2 Cups butter flavored shortening
1-1/2 Cups peanut butter
2 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 Cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1-3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoons salt
A lot of mixed candies for center
Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter, 1-1/2 cups sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Shape dough around candies so they are completely covered. Roll balls in remaining sugar. (I needed a lot more than ½ cup of sugar)
Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 or so minutes before moving to a cooking rack.
Please do enjoy these lovely creations. When someone is having a bad day give them with one of these amazing cookies and watch their frown disappear!
