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From the kitchens of  anomalocris's we have an avalanch of creative cookies. Such a fine feast for the furred and non-furred alike. Yum

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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

These are one of my absolute favourites. They're easy to make, and can be topped pretty much any way you like. My personal preference is to use the glace cherries on top.

Cookie:
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt

Sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients. In another bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Slowly add into the wet ingredients, and mix until no dry flour is evident. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle. Roll dough into approximately 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in sugar, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to form a well, and flatten the ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Meanwhile, make the filling. Transfer to a wire rack.

Filling:
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp softened butter
2 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Combine all 4 ingredients, and beat until smooth.

To finish:
pecan halves, walnut halves, chocolate kisses, cherry halves, or whatever you decide to use.

As soon as cookies are removed from the oven, spoon a small amount of the filling into the center of each cookie, and place a cherry/pecan/whatever in the center of the filling. Let the cookies fully cool to set the icing.

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Meringue Cap Cookies

was feeling bored, so I decided to do some baking. Here's the first of three types that I made. These were quite easy to do, and don't need much to make. On the right is the variant with chocolate chips, and on the left are plain.

Cookie:
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk

1&1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and milk.
Add flour and baking powder. Mix to even consistency. Shape the dough into small balls, and place them on an ungreased pan. Flatten them with the bottom of a flat glass coated with sugar.

Meringue:
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp granulated or brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
(optional) 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they form soft peaks. Add sugar in two additions, beating until stiff. Fold in vanilla, and chocolate chips if using.

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Put a dollop of meringue on top of each cookie. Bake 15-20 minutes. makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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Banana Oatmeal Cookies


these were an experiment. A very delicious experiment. I modified an oatmeal raisin recipe, and came up with this.

3/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana

1&1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1&3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cream butter and sugar well in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and banana. In another bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Stir in oats, nuts, and dates. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 & 1/2 dozen cookies.

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Allergy warning – recipe contains treenut, dairy & egg products