Awesome Cookie Recipes!

My dear friend Wendy gave me her church's cookbook for my Birthday.  It has a treasure trove of recipes.  Here are the cookie recipes I tried for Christmas.  They were all excellent and I would highly recommend them!  None of them are strictly Christmas, so try them out year round.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup softened butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

small peanut butter cup candies

Directions:

Mix sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add butter, egg, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Use dough to surround each peanut butter cup, creating balls.  Bake at 375* for 12 minutes.  When cool, drizzle with melted chocolate chips.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Pecan Turtles

Ingredients:

2 cups milk chocolate chips

28 unwrapped caramels

2 tbsp heavy cream

 72 glazed pecan halves

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper.  Spray with cooking oil.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt one cup of the chocolate chips (follow melting instructions on bag).  Stir until smooth.  Drop by tablespoons onto the paper and immediately place four pecan halves over chocolate, forming a cross.  Let cool and harden.

Place 28 caramels and heavy cream in a 1 qt. microwave safe bowl.  Cook on high for 1 minute, stir, return to microwave for 1 more minute.  Stir til smooth.  Spoon caramel onto the middle of each chocolate cluster.

Melt the second cup of chocolate chips.  Stir until smooth, then spread over the caramel.  Let stand until completely cooled.  Store in a cool place.

Caramel Cups

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese (3 oz. package)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp butter

dash of salt

1 tsp vanilla

Blend together cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, and flour.  Chill for 1 hour.  Make balls in greased muffin pans, then shape to form mini crusts.

Mix 2 tbsp melted butter, brown sugar, egg, salt, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Fill each cup with brown sugar mixture.

Bake at 325* for 25 minutes.  When cool, remove cups from pans.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 1/2 lbs milk chocolate candy coating

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add flour, milk, and vanilla, mix well.  Stir in mini chocolate chips.  Shape into 1 inch balls and place on waxed or parchment paper.  Refrigerate for two hours.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating with a little cooking oil, stirring often, until smooth.  Dip each dough ball into the chocolate (easy way to do this: stab each ball with a toothpick, remove after dipped).  Place dipped balls on fresh waxed paper.  Add sprinkles if desired, or wait until cool and drizzle white chocolate on top.  Store in refrigerator.

All Above Recipes Modified from "Sharing Our Best: First Baptist Church, Shinglehouse, PA"

Oreo Truffles

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA

Cream Cheese, softened 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi -Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2.	Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3.	Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator. www.allrecipes.com