Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Maple Frosting

I had to make my son pumpkin cookies the other day and he loved them. (I got the recipe from A fellow JAP member and they were wonderful) This morning he asked for them again and I was out of half the ingredients lol So I used what I had on hand to try to duplicate the homemade cookies from a few days ago. This was so easy and they were delicious.  The original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting but HUnter doesnt like it so I improvised and made a maple frosting since he loves pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup. Yum to die for!

 

Ingrediants:

Pumpkin Spice Bread Mix

1/3 c pumpkin

1 egg

1/2 c softened butter

1 T cinnamon

Mix all ingrediants in bowl and drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes.

ICING

1 container vanilla frosting

a few drops of maple syrup

Blend icing ingrediants and top off cooled cookies with it

Anise and Walnut Biscotti

My family loves anise and they love biscotti. This is a biscotti recipe that starts with a mix and it is pretty easy to do. I made anise walnut flavor but you can use a lemon mix and lemon extract with a lemon glaze, or orange mix, orange extract and a chocolate or orange glaze, or maybe a white mix and almond extract, crushed almonds and a chocolate glaze. the possibilities are endless. We love our biscotti with our morning coffee. yum

 

1 box yellow cake mix
5 eggs
2 t anise extract (yes 2 tablespoons)
3/4 c oil
1 c chopped walnuts
favorite vanilla frosting with anise extract blended in

Directions

1

Pour cake mix in large bowl

2

Add oil

3

Add all five eggs

4

Mix by hand until blended. Add extract and walnuts

5

Now beat with mixer on high for about 2 minutes

6

Pour into jelly roll pan sprayed with non stick spray. (Mixture is kind of thick)

7

Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. (it will be slightly pulling away from edge of pan and a nice golden color)

8

Remove from oven and allow to cool

9

Once cool slice with knife vertically and then horizontally into size desired. Turn oven temp up to 350 degrees

10

Now remove from jelly roll pan gently and place cut side down on UNGREASED cookie sheet, Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes per side. (flip over and bake other side)

11

Cool slightly and then frost or drizzle with anise icing. Store in tightly sealed container at room temp once biscotti are completely cooled.

12

Read my notes for other flavor variations on this crisp on the outside and softer in the center flavorful cookie.

Frosted Crisp Lemon Cookies

I found this recipe on the side of a Krusteaz Lemon Bar mix. I tweaked it to my liking a bit and added the anise frosting and also lemon frosting and came up with these. The cookies are crisp and refreshing and a great summer treat. My daughter loves thick crisp cookies, she is not a fan of softer types. So I wanted something she would enjoy also. She loved them. I made 36 large cookies and there are none left. lol. I made 12 plain unfrosted, 12 with anise frosting and 12 with lemon frosting.

 

Frosted Crisp Lemon Cookies

krusteaz lemon bar mix
2 sticks of softened butter
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 t vanilla
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
FROSTING
lemon extract
anise extract
1 can white frosting (not the fluffy or whipped cream kind)
sugar (granulated)

1

Cream together butter and pouch of lemon filling mix from krusteaz box. Add in vanilla and pure lemon extracts

2

To this add 2 eggs and stir until well blended

3

Now add in flour, pouch of crust mix from krusteaz box, soda, and salt. Stir this until dough forms. You may have to knead the dough with your hands. (If sticky add flour to your hands before kneading)

4

Take HEAPING Tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Roll in bowl of sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Be sure to place balls at least 2 inches apart because the expand. (I fit 12 cookies on a tray)

5

Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are golden and set.

6

Allow cookies to cool and then frost with preferred frosting (we left some unfrosted cause my daughter hates frosting)

7

split can of frosting in half to one half add anise extract and to other half add lemon extract, stir both to blend well. Frost cookies.

No Bake Cookies and Cream Bars

Yummy! Oreos and marshmallows....whats not to like : )

Cookies and Cream Bars

16 oz  bag of oreo cookies

5 c  large marshmellows

4 Tbsp   butter

Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground.

Melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed, about 1 1/2- 2 minutes.

 

Remove and pour in ground Oreo Cookies. Stir to combine then transfer to a foil lined 8×8 inch baking pan. Let set up for 10 minutes. Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.

I used my perfect brownie pan for these too. Sprayed the entire pan with cooking spray then patted mix evenly into the pan and added the divider. Once bars set for about 20 minutes i pushed pan down on the stand and removed the divider. Perfect sized bars!

Nana's No Bake Rum Balls

So if your looking for a good adult candy/cookie, this is what you want. They are not baked so the alcohol stays in them and actually gets stronger the longer they are stored. Yummy!!

Nana's No Bake Rum Balls


1 box Vanilla Wafers
4 tablespoons white Karo syrup
1/2 cup Capt. Morgans Spiced Rum or similar spiced rum
3 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1 cup walnuts, ground


Blend Vanilla Wafer in processor until they are crushed, Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, form into 1 inch balls, roll in powdered sugar, refrigerate overnight.

Nana's Kolaczki,s (Poppy seed and Nut Pastries)

Nana made these all the time and they are by far my favorite cookie. Not too sweet and depending on which dough you use they are either puffy or flaky. I prefer flaky, lol, i wonder why. Depending on where you are from they are called many things. Slovak, Hungarian, Polish? You will find them under names like Kolachy, kolachi, kolaci, and yep even just poppyseed or nut cookies or pastries. But I have known them all my life as Kolaczki's. They were a big favorite of Philip's and also of my dad's. They take some time and effort but the end results are well worth it. They are pictured here using the ice cream dough which makes them more puffy and the poppyseed filling. The other dough gives them more of a flaky pie crust effect.

Nana's Kolaczki's

For Ice Cream Dough:
Mix flour and butter until crumbled. Add ice cream and mix until dough forms. Form into ball and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

2

For Regular Dough:
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt.Blend in butter and Crisco. Add sugar and mix well. Make a hole in center and add eggs, vanilla and milk. Beat this with a fork, then mix to a stiff dough. Form dough into a ball. Wrap in waxed paper and chill.

3

Poppy seed Filling:
1 lb. ground poppy seed
2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Milk

Mix all ingredients adding enough milk to make a paste. This should be spreadable.

4

Walnut Filling:
1 lb crushed walnuts or pecans
1 tsp vanilla
honey

Mix all ingrediants adding honey till you make a paste. This should be spreadable

5

Regardless of dough you are using, roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles with cookie cutter or large mouthed glass. Spread the dough rounds with filling and roll from one side to the other, like a jelly roll. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, seam side down.

For Ice cream dough: Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned

For regular dough: Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned

Remove and roll in granulated sugar while still warm

Anise Cookies with anise glaze

My Aunt Elaine gave me this recipe a long time ago and these cookies are really delish. If you dont like anise you can substitute it with any other flavoring you prefer. Vanilla is a safe bet for those who are not too daring : )

Ricotta Anise Cookies

1/4 lb margarine

3/4 c  sugar

1 c  ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 tsp  anise flavor

2 c  flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

less than 1/2 teaspoon salt

GLAZE: CONFECTIONERS SUGAR, ANISE FLAVORING AND 

Cream margarine, sugar, egg and ricotta. Add anise and mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate until easy to handle and roll into balls.

Roll into balls and bake on cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Allow to cool. Add glaze and sprinkles. Or tint glaze with food color and put on cookies

Strawberry Coconut Angel Pillows

Sometimes us busy moms have to cut corners because time is limited. My kids love when they have homemade dessert along with dinner. Unfortunately as a full time mom I dont always have time in between work and cleaning and laundry and homework to whip out nana's scratch from start to finish recipes on week nights. They get the pleasure of having the weekends : ) During the week this kind of easy 15 minute from start to finish cookie works great! Everyone loves them and they get their homemade, or almost homemade dessert and I get to whip em up in a flash : ) Chewy and yet light with a taste all their own.

 

Strawberry Coconut Angel Pillows

  1 box angel food cake mix

    1/2 cup diet strawberry soda

   1 1/2 teaspoons almond or vanilla extract

   7oz bag of flaked coconut

 

Combine cake mix, soda and extract in bowl. Mix on medium speed for about one minute. Fold in coconut. 

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop cookies from teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies should be pink not browned.

Remove to cooling rack while still warm. Once cool you can serve as is or decorate with icing and sprinkles.

Secret Kiss Cookies/Russian Tea cakes with a Twist

Nana made these pecan balls that i absolutely loved and then she would make the same cookies and wrap a hershey kiss inside them..what isnt better with chocoalte inside : ) I was enjoying these long before Hershey added the recipe to their website. I still have Nana Devines handwritten recipe card from over 25 years ago <3

Secret Kiss Cookies

2 stk  butter, softened

1/2 c  sugar

1 tsp  vanilla extract

1 3/4 c   all purpose flour

1 c  chopped pecans or walnuts

30-36  hersheys kisses, unwrapped

powdered sugar

Beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.

Add flour and walnuts and beat on low speed of mixer until well blended.

Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375°F.

Shape about 1 tablespoon of dough around each hersheys kiss and roll to make ball. (Make sure chocolate is completely covered) Put cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.

Cool slightly. While cookies are still slightly warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Cool completely. (I roll mine again after cooled)

If you prefer you can mix together cocoa and powdered sugar and roll them in that.

Death By Chocolate Cookies

I came across this recipe on the internet last year around Christmas and had to try them since everyone in my house loves chocolate. Needless to say they will be staying on the christmas cookie baking list : )

Death By Chocolate Cookies

16 1/2 oz package of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1/3 c  unsweetened cocoa powder

2/3 c  chocolate-flavored sprinkles

2 Tbsp  milk

40 hershey’s kisses, unwrapped

you can use any flavor or combinations of flavors of kisses of course : )

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. And lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Mix cookie dough and cocoa together with clean hands. Until completely mixed. You can also do this by putting the dough and the cocoa into a ziplock bag and kneading it until well mixed.

Put chocolate sprinkles in a shallow bowl and milk in a seperate shallow bowl.

Roll dough into balls about one inch around. Dip the cookie balls into milk just to moisten and then roll in the sprinkles.

Place cookie balls 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake about 8 or 9 minutes until the edges are firm.

Immediately press a kiss lightly into the center of each cookie. Remove to wire rack and cool

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies al'orange

Ok so my son wanted to make his own cookies while i was baking one day. So i gave him a choice of cake mixes to start off with (making it easier for him) and he chose orange, then i put all kinds of mixins out on the counter and told him to choose what he wanted to put in his cookies. He chose dried cherries, chocolate chips and orange extract. This is his recipe and if I do say so myself he did a great job!! Every one gobbled them up!

Cherry chocolate chip al'orange cookies (yes hunter named them)

1 bx  orange cake mix

1/4 c  vegetable oil

2 Tbsp  water

2   eggs

1/4 tsp orange extract

3/4 c   milk chocolate chips

3/4 c   dried cherries

 melted chocolate or chocolate icing for decorating

Mix cake mix, water, oil, extract and eggs together in bowl.

Fold in the chocolate chips and the dried cherries.

Drop onto cookie sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Then cool on sheet for a minute and transfer to rack.

Decorate with chocolate if desired.