Hermit Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup raisins

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup molasses

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place raisins in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Combine molasses, butter, egg whites, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and raisins.

4. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 5-8 minutes until edges are lightly browned and edges are set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Comments:

Originally, this recipes has you shape the dough into rectangles and bake, and then cut up, but I found the batter very hard to molding. Instead, I just made them into drop cookies, doubling the recipe to have enough batter. These cookies are perfect accompanied with a hug mug of coffee, cocoa, or tea.

Source:

Taste of Home: Best Loved Cookies and Candy

Servings:

About 2 1/2 dozen

Gingerbread Cake With Chocolate Icing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 heaping tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Raspberry jam for filling and topping

Chocolate Icing:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Chocolate and/or multicolored sprinkles for decoration (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch cake pan; knock out the excess flour.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Stir in the molasses. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Stir to blend. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir in the vanilla and buttermilk until well blended.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake in the center of the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and unmold the cake onto a wire rack when cooled.

5. Using a long, thin knife, cut the cake in half horizontally through the center. Spread the top of the bottom half thickly with raspberry jam. Place the top half on top and spread it thinly with raspberry jam. Let the cake sit out overnight.

1. To make the icing, in a medium bowl cream the butter until fluffy. Sitr in the cocoa powder, then the brandy or vanilla. Gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar to make a spreadable icing.

2. Frost the cake with chocolate icing and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Comments:

This gingery cake has the delicious flavors of spicy ginger, sweet chocolate, and fresh raspberry. It's a unique cake that everyone will love to try, and will love to finish too. ;)

Source:

Birthday Cakes; Recipes and Memories from Celebrated Bakers

Servings:

Makes 1 9-inch cake with icing

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing

Ingredients:

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into pieces

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 2/3 cup boiling water

2/13 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/ 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9 baking pan.

2. In a large mixer bowl, combine the chocolate, butter, and water with a spoon, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

3. Add flour, sugar, sour cream, eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla; beat on low speed of electric mixer until smooth.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

For icing:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in cocoa until dissolved. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. (Add more milk if necessary to make soft spreading consistency. Add more confectioners' sugar if too thin)

2. Spread in a generous layer over the cake and the sides of the cake. Top with whipped cream.

Comments:

This classic chocolate cake is a delicious dessert for any party, picnic, or holiday. Its rich and fluffy, and has just the right amount of sweetness.

Source:

N/A

Servings:

1 cake

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

4. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts gradually, stirring slightly after each addition. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

5. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Comments:

These classic chocolate chip cookies are the perfect thing wherever you go. Fluffy and light with warm chocolate chips, you won't be able to have just one.

Source:

Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Serving:

About 3 dozen

Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, frozen

2 cups quick/instant oats

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil.

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan between medium and low heat. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well. Drop by level teaspoons about 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Spread thinly with a rubber spatula.

4. Bake for 6-9 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Peel foil from cookies.

5. Microwave chocolate chips in a medium, uncovered microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Stir. If a few of the chips are not fully melted, microwave at additional 10 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted.

6. Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

Comments:

This delicious, light cookies are an absolute delicacy. They're perfect with a warm mug of coco or coffee, or even a cold glass of milk. In the original recipe, they're suppose to be very thin, but in mine I made them thicker because that's the way my family prefers them.

Source:

The Cookie Bible

Servings:

About 3 dozen