Cookies and Bars Recipe Book Darkhorse Ladies Cookies and Bars Recipe Book December 2016

Recipes and Contributors Lemon Volcano Cookies from Linda Johnson Chocolate Cherry Cookies from Linda Gaide Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies from Jody Kosinski Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies from Karen Thomas Butterscotch Fingers from Nancy Murphy Walnut, Almond, Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Terri Moran Nut Bars and Toffee Bars from Donna Paige Cowboy Cookies from Cindy Beetle Fudgy Macadamia Cookies from Luana Del Tessandoro Coconut Cranberry Yummies from Debbie Rickman Cranberry Crumb Bars from Pat Melody Walnut Mint Bars from Linda Dimugno

Lemon Volcanoes from Linda Johnson Ingredients 2 sticks butter 1 cup sugar 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2-1/4 cups flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon lemon zest Directions Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.   Whisk 2-1/4 cups flour and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir into the butter mixture. Chill. Pulse ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a food processor. Roll dough into 2 one-inch-thick logs and roll in the lemon sugar. Freeze logs 20 minutes, then slice 1-inch thick and bake 20-25 minutes at 325.

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies from Linda Gaide Ingredients 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1/4 cup butter 3 eggs 2/3 cup sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoons kosher salt 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate cut into chunks 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries 2 Tablespoons Kirsch or Brandy Directions Chop cherries and soak in Kirsch for a half hour or so. Drain any remaining liquid and drink or leave for Santa. Preheat over to 350 degrees. In top of double boiler, melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool. In large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until thick, fluffy and a ribbon is formed on the surface when the beater is lifted. Remove bowl from the mixer and add cooled chocolate and vanilla, and stir the mixture by hand to incorporate. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture, and stir until just combined. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks and cherries. Drop rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or on a silpat. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until tops are shiny and cracked.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies from Jody Kosinski Ingredients Chocolate Chip Dough: 1-1/4 cups brown sugar, light 3/4 cups Crisco 2 Tablespoons milk 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts optional (pecans or walnuts) Directions 1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients for chocolate chip dough in the order listed above. Divide into two parts and set aside. 2. In a second bowl, mix all cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth. 3. Spread one part of the cookie dough on the bottom of a greased 13x9 pan (her pan measures 13-3/4 by 9-1/2). It will help if your hands are wet, otherwise, the dough will stick to your fingers. 4. Pour the cream cheese filling over the cookie dough. 5. Top the filling with remaining dough by creating dabs of dough (or little pancakes of dough). Once again it will help if your fingers are wet. 6. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. My oven takes an hour. 7. Cool and divide into bite-size pieces (about 40 or so). Cream Cheese Filling: 16 oz. cream cheese 1 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract 2 eggs Recipe from Joy, a friend of Grego’s from high school. (They met in first grade.) She is a retired middle school home economics teacher. Grego is one of the few guys in his crowd who didn’t have a crush on her. So he says!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies from Karen Thomas Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/3 cup mini real semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon finely crushed peppermint candy 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract Drizzle and Topping: 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon finely crushed candy canes Directions Heat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place butter in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the flour and powdered sugar; beat at low speed until well mixed. Add 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy, vanilla and peppermint extract; continue beating until mixture is combined well. Roll dough into a log (about 2-inches in diameter) and chill for an hour. Slice into 3/4 inch slices and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet and then cool on a wire rack. Combine 1/3 cup chocolate chips and butter in a bowl. Microwave 30-45 seconds until chips are melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth. Drizzle over shortbread with a fork. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candy. Makes about 16 cookies

Butterscotch Fingers from Nancy Murphy Ingredients 2-1/3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg 3/4 cup chopped pecans Directions 1.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.   2.  In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Beat in vanilla, then egg.  At low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.  With spoon, stir in pecans. 3.  Shape dough into 12-inch by 1-inch brick.  Wrap brick in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight until firm enough to slice. 4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease large cookie sheet.  With sharp knife, cut brick crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.  Place slices 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake cookies 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Walnut, Almond, Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Terri Moran Ingredients 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring 1 teaspoon almond flavoring 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 oz. Lindt semi-sweet chocolate, broken 8 oz. Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, broken 1-1/3 cups walnut pieces Directions 1. Beat butter, sugars, flavorings, and egg until light and fluffy. 2. Mix flour with soda and salt; blend into butter mixture. 3. Stir in chocolate chunks and walnut pieces. 4. Chill 1 hour. Use ice cream scooper to place dough onto ungreased baking sheet. 5. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cookies will be slightly soft in center when done. 6. Cool 2 minutes before removing from sheet. Makes about 1-1/2 dozen cookies

Nut Bars and Toffee Bars from Donna Paige Nut Bars 1 Cup flour 1/2 Cup butter Cream to smooth paste and spread on 9 by 12 pan. Bake 12 min. at 350. 2 eggs 1-1/2 Cups brown sugar 1-1/2 Cups chopped nuts 2 Tablespoons Flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla Blend ingredients. Spread on top of crust - bake 25 min.at 350. Cool and ice with 1- 1/2 Cups powdered sugar thinned with lemon juice. Toffee Bars 1 Cup butter softened 1 Cup sugar 2 Cups all purpose flour 1 egg separated 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 Cup chopped pecans Cream butter and sugar with mixer. Beat in flour, egg yolks and vanilla. Spread in well greased pan. Brush with egg whites and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 1hour 10 min. at 275.

Cowboy Cookies from Cindy Beetle Ingredients 1 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 cups sifted flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 2 cups oatmeal ( I use old fashioned) 1 tsp. vanilla 1 pkg. chocolate bits (6 oz. bag) Directions Sift sugar, flour, salt, soda, baking powder.  Cream shortening and sugars.  Add eggs and beat well. Add oatmeal, vanilla, and chocolate bits.   Bake 10 to 12 minutes in 350 degree oven until brown. Variation:  Using 1 cup oatmeal and 1 cup Special K instead of all oatmeal seems to make a crisper cookie.

Fudgy Macadamia Cookies from Luana Del Tessandoro Ingredients 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts sugar Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, margarine, vanilla, chocolate and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except sugar. Drop dough by level tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to about 3 inches in diameter with glass dipped in sugar. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until almost no indention remains when touched in center. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Coconut Cranberry Yummies from Debbie Rickman Ingredients 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk 1 pkg (14 oz) flaked coconut 1 cup white baking chips 1/4 cup ground almonds 1 tsp almond extract 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries Directions In large bowl, combine the first five ingredients; mix well. Stir in cranberries. Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets; gently shape into mounds. Bake at 325º for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 3 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.   Makes about 5 dozen

Cranberry Crumb Bars from Pat Melody Ingredients Crust and Topping 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup ground slivered almonds 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold butter 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Filling 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries Juice of 1/2 orange (4 teaspoons) 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 13x9-inch pan with butter or cooking spray. In large bowl, mix flour, 1 cup sugar, the almonds, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in egg. Press 2-1/2 cups of crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Stir cinnamon into remaining crumb mixture; set aside. In medium bowl, stir all filling ingredients. Spoon evenly over crust. Spoon reserved crumb mixture evenly over filling. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.   Makes 24 bars Makes about 5 dozen

Mint Chocolate Walnut Bars from Linda Dimugno Ingredients 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, divided 1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs 1 cup chopped walnuts 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/3 cup cocoa powder 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 egg 1-1/2 peppermint extract Green food color Directions Heat oven to 350. Melt 1/2 cup butter in saucepan. Stir in crumbs, walnuts, sugar, cocoa. Press firmly into bottom of 13 x 9 pan. Beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, and cornstarch until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then egg, peppermint extract, and food color. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until center is set. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator. Makes 24 – 36 bars