{Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies}

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 9 minutes per batch

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 eggs
* 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 12-oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces
* 1 cup snipped dried cherries
optional - add walnuts, pecans, etc.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces and cherries.

2. Drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 minutes. Transfer to racks. Cool. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

{On The 4th Day Of Christmas...}

Calling Bird Cut-Out Cookies

These almond feathered cut-out cookies have a sweet glaze and sprinkling of sugar -- elegant and easy.

Preparation time: 1 hr
Chilling time: 2 hrs
Baking time: 6 min

(Yields: 4 dozen cookies)


Cookie Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 teaspoons almond extract


Glaze Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup light corn syrup
* 2 teaspoons water


Decoration Ingredients:

* Sliced almonds
* Sugar


Combine all cookie ingredients in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes).

Divide dough into thirds; wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3 to 4-inch bird-shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Stir together corn syrup and water in small bowl. Lightly brush corn syrup mixture over cookies. Arrange almonds on cookies to resemble wing and tail feathers.

Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets. While warm, brush again with corn syrup mixture; sprinkle with sugar. Cool completely.

TIP: For traditional cut-out cookies, omit glaze and decorations; decorate as desired with decorator sugars or frosting.

TIP: Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for easier clean up.

{Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies}

Ingredients:

* ¾ cup granular sugar substitute
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup creamy trans-fat-free peanut butter
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ¼ cup sugar-free jam, any flavor

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix sugar substitute, egg, and vanilla with an electric mixer set on low for 3 minutes.
3. Add peanut butter and baking soda. Mix on medium until dough comes together, about 30 seconds.
4. Form dough into 24 (2-teaspoon) balls and place on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Gently press your thumb into the center of each to make an indentation.
5. Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon jam.
6. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

{Orange Sugar Dust Cookies}

Makes: 36 cookies

Ingredients:

* 1 (18 ounce) box orange cake mix
* 1/2 cup oil
* 2 eggs
* 2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

1. Mix well the cake mix, oil and eggs.
2. Using ungreased cookie sheet, drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough on cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Optional: Dust with with sugar or frosting

{Got Cookies?}

Sweet Tip Of The Day

Replace your larger cookie jar with a mini pottery jar. Fill it with healthful snacks like walnuts, almonds, and sugar-free cookies!

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients:

* 1 pkg (8 oz.) sugar-free low fat chocolate cake mix

* 3 tablespoons fat-free (skim) milk

* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

* 10 maraschino cherries, rinsed, drained & cut into halves

* 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips

* 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Beat cake mix, milk and almond extract in a medium bowl with electric mixer at low speed. Increase speed to medium when mixture looks crumbly; beat 2 minutes or until smooth dough forms. (Note: Dough will be very sticky.)

3. Coat hands with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly. Place cherry half in center of each cookie.

4. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until cookies lose their shininess and tops begin to crack. Do not overbake. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

5. Heat white chocolate chips and oil in small saucepan over very low heat until chips melt. Drizzle cookies with melted chips. Allow drizzle to set before serving.

{Grandma's Cherry Drop Cookies}

{Black & White Cookies}

What's black and white and craved all over New York? = Luscious chocolate and vanilla iced cookies! They are the size of your hand & are more like small cakes than crunchy or chewy cookies!

Here's a Low-Fat version of the cookie:

Low-Fat Black & White Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 2 large egg whites

Icing:

* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
* 3 tablespoons milk, skim milk or light cream, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (melted chocolate is also acceptable)

Directions:

Cookie:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Set applesauce in a fine sieve to drain while you prepare the other ingredients.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

5. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Beat in applesauce, vanilla and lemon juice. Add in egg whites and beat until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until batter is smooth.

6. Drop batter two tablespoonfuls at a time onto the prepared baking sheet. Smooth slightly to form nice, round circles.

7. Bake for 10 minutes, until set but not browned.

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing:

9. When cookies are cool, prepare the icing. Sift 3/4 cup confectioners sugar into two small bowls. Add 1 tbsp milk and the almond and vanilla extracts to one bowl and stir until smooth. Add cocoa and 2 tbsp milk to the other bowl and stir until smooth.

10. Using a small knife and working over the bowls to catch drips, spread each icing over half of each cookie. Set on a rack until icing is set, then store cookies in an airtight container.

{Cupcake Cookies}

Ingredients:

* 3 cups graham crackers, finely crushed (about 40 crackers)
* 1 cup whipping cream, unwhipped
* 2 cups miniature chocolate chips
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 lb butter, softened
* 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
* vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting

* candied sprinkles'

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Fill small candy liners (smaller than the smallest cupcake liners) with dough.

4. Place side-by-side on cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10 minutes.

6. Cool and frost with white or chocolate frosting.

7. Whatever you do...Don't forget the sprinkles!