Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

** Recipe from divine baking **

* 1 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 oz.), divided
* 3 large egg whites, room temperature
* 2 - 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided
* 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 Tbl. cornstarch
* 1/4 tsp. salt
 

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Microwave 1 c. chocolate chips in glass bowl, stirring twice, about 2 min. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 c. powdered sugar.  (Add more for sweeter cookies.) Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.  Whisk 1 c. powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 c. chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).  Place 1/2 c. sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded Tbl. dough into ball; roll in powdered sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2" apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 min. Cool on sheets 10 min. Transfer to rack; cool.

White Chocolate Filled Snickerdoodles

** Recipe from Cookies & Cups **

* 1/2 c. shortening
* 1/2 c. butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 1/2 c. sugar
* 2 3/4 c. flour
* 2 tsp. cream of tartar
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 2 Tbl. sugar
* approx. 24 white chocolate pieces

Heat oven to 350.  Beat the shortening, butter, eggs, and sugar together. Set aside.  Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Then mix with creamed sugar mixture until incorporated.  Chill dough for at least 1 hr. in refrigerator.  Mix 2 Tbl. of sugar & 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.  Scoop a rounded Tbl. sized ball of dough and form it around 1 white chocolate piece. Roll dough in cinnamon-sugar mix. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet 2" apart.  Bake 10 min. or until edges slightly golden.  Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.

** NOTE:

Adaptation ~ If you make this recipe into deep dish cookies, use a heaping 1/4 c. of dough and stuff it with 2 chocolates, increase baking time to 12-14 min. until edges start to golden. Remember to spray your muffin top pan with cooking spray for easy release.

** Recipe from Landee See, Landee Do **

* 1 c. butter

* ¾ c. cornstarch

* ¾ c. powdered sugar

* 1 c. flour

* 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, cream butter until fluffy.  Add cornstarch & sugar and blend well.  Beat in flour until thoroughly mixed.  Drop by small teaspoons onto baking sheet & flatten out with the bottom of a class. (Dip glass in powdered sugar to prevent sticking).  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack & frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
* 1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

* 1 c. powdered sugar

* ½ tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together.  Color with food coloring if desired.

Jell-o Easter Egg Cookies

** Recipe from Red Couch Recipes **

* 3/4 c. butter or shortening
* 1/2 c. sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 (3 oz.) package of Jell-o
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2-1/2 c. flour

Heat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients.  If dough seems a bit dry add the tiniest amount of water.  Spray egg mold impressions with Pam that contains flour or Baker's Joy.  Press ball of dough in egg mold and press dough firmly to fit the egg mold.   Bake about 6-8 min.  If you don't have an egg mold, you can make normal cookies.  Allow the cookies to bake longer from 8-10 min.  If desired, drizzle with powdered sugar icing.  Just add a very small amount of water to powdered sugar to make the icing.

To make multi-colored cookies, just combine 2 or 3 colored balls of dough!!

S'mores Cookies

** Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything **

* 11 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
* 1 c. brown sugar, packed
* ½ c. granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* ½ tsp. sea salt
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 2 ½ c. flour
* 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1 c. mini marshmallows
* 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
* 1-2 pkgs. graham crackers, broken into squares

Heat oven to 375. Line baking pans with parchment paper.  Lay out graham crackers side by side on pans as close as possible (they should be touching).  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.  In bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add flour mixture to butter mixer and combine on low speed.  Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hr. to overnight.  Place Tbls. of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½" apart.  Press down slightly with fingertips.  Bake 5 min. then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.  Bake 5 – 7 more min, or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie **

* 3/4 c. rolled oats
* 1/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbl. brown sugar
* 1 Tbl. plus 2 tsp. white sugar (If you have no sweet tooth, you can omit!)
* 2 Tbl. chocolate chips
* 1 Tbl. oil or pre-melted margarine
* 1-2 Tbl. nondairy milk (start with 1)

Heat oven to 375.  Blend first 5 ingredients together.  Mix in other ingredients & spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 6 min.

Fauxreo Cookies

** Recipe from G-Free Foodie **

Cookies:
* 6 oz. butter, room temperature
* 7 1/2 oz. sugar
* 3 oz. brown sugar
* 1 Tbl. salt
* 3/4 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 2 tsp. instant coffee powder
* 1 Tbl. vanilla extract
* 5 egg yolks
* 8 oz. rice flour, sifted
* 6 oz. cocoa powder, sifted
* cocoa for rolling out the dough
* a few tsp. of hot water or coffee

Filling:
* 6 oz. butter or shortening
* 10 oz. powdered sugar, sifted
* 1 Tbl. vanilla extract
* 1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350.  Using a hand or stand mixer, cream together butter & sugars, along with salt, baking soda, powder, espresso, and vanilla bean seeds, just until combined.  Then (while still mixing) add in vanilla & yolks, one at a time. Once mixed in, use a spatula to scrape bowl down. Turn mixer back on. While mixing, add flour & cocoa. Mixture will be quite stiff, but continue mixing on low until uniform.  Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disc & wrap with plastic and refrigerate about 30 min. or up to a week.   If cookie sheets are dinged up or uneven, line them with parchment paper to create a flat surface for the cookies. Otherwise, simply have two, ungreased sheet pans at the ready.  Using cocoa powder instead of flour for dusting, roll dough to 1/8” thickness. (Thickness is very important, so check with a ruler! Two 1/4” wafers plus filling will give you a Fauxreo that’s nearly an inch thick. No good!)  Slide an offset spatula between rolled dough & counter, this will loosen dough from any places where it might be sticking. Use a 2” round cutter to punch out wafers. Use a butter knife to help lift and transfer cookies to pans.
Cookies will not spread very much during baking, so you can place them quite close together. Set aside.  Gather up, knead, and re-roll scraps, likewise arranging on a cookie sheet.

If you want a decorated top on your cookie, follow the next steps!!  (If you prefer a smooth-top cookie, then skip to baking!! :)  Now gather up any remaining dough (about 3 oz) and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add a little hot water or coffee, just a teaspoon at a time, and mix until dough has been thinned into a paste. You can always add more liquid, but you can’t take it away, so add slowly and let each addition mix in fully before adding more.  When mixture has reached a consistency like frosting, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a very small tip, or a zippy bag that has just a tiny hole poked in the corner. Use a heavy duty zippy bag, thin sandwich bags will burst during piping.  Pipe some sort of design atop each cookie.  Bake the cookies for about 12 min.

While the cookies are cooling, make up the filling.  With a hand or stand mixer, cream together the shortening/butter & powdered sugar, along with vanilla & salt. Scrape down bowl occasionally as you mix, and then let mixer run, on med. speed, about 10 min. Mixture will become very fluffy and white over this time, and will also become less gritty.  Transfer filling into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Alternately, you can portion the filling with a melon-baller sized ice cream scoop, or by using zippy bag with the corner snipped off as a makeshift pastry bag.  In either case, wait until the cookies have cooled completely before filling.  Flip half the Fauxreo wafers upside down. Onto each, pipe or scoop a small dollop of filling (a 1/4 oz. “Double Stuf” and 1/8 oz. for regular) into center.  To finish, top with another wafer and press down until filling reaches almost to edge of  cookies. You must apply a very even downward pressure so filling will spread out evenly. Finally, transfer Fauxreos to an airtight container and refrigerate for several hours. It is this last step that is most important. After whipping the filling, it will be especially soft. Refrigerating it (especially if you’re using butter) is crucial for solidifying filling and helping it to bond with the wafers.

**  Make Neapolitan Fauxreos by dividing the finished filling into three portions. Leave one portion plain. Mix 2 Tbl. cocoa powder into another. Mix 3/4 oz. freeze dried strawberry powder into the third. Fill the cookies as directed.
**Make peppermint Fauxreos by including 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract in the cookie dough itself and 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract in the filling. Add a few drops of red/pink food coloring.

Pink Velvet Fruity Pebble Whoopie Pies

** Recipe from Cookies & Cups **

Whoopie Pies:
* 2 c. all purpose flour
* 2 Tbl. cocoa powder
* 1/4 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 c. room temp butter
* 1 c. light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 c. buttermilk
* food coloring (Chefmaster - "Deep Pink" used)

Fruity Pebble Buttercream:
* 1 c. finely crushed Fruity Pebbles (about 2 1/2 cups un-crushed)
* 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
* 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
* 2 c. powdered sugar
* 2 Tbl. milk

Heat oven to 375.  Line you baking sheets with parchment paper.  Cream butter and sugar together.  Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined.  Mix you dry ingredients together.  On low speed add 1/3 of your dry mix, then 1/3 of your buttermilk…continue adding in this order until all your dry ingredients and milk are mixed in and smooth.  Now add food coloring. It might not take much, but add until the color you like is reached.  Mix on low to combine the food coloring, scraping the sides until color is even.  Transfer batter into a piping bag or snipped off ziplock.  (Cookies can be piped into any shape desired!)  Bake for approx. 6 min, until they are set.  Let cool on baking sheet for 2 min, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

For Buttercream:  Cream your butter and shortening together until smooth.  On low speed, slowly add in your powdered sugar, when incorporated, add your milk and turn speed up to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy.  Turn back to low speed and add in your crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal and mix until incorporated.  Top the bottom of 1 cookie with buttercream, then add another cookie on top - making a "sandwich"!

Cinnamon M&M Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 sticks softened unsalted butter
* 3/4 c. granulated sugar
* 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
* 3 c. all purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 c. rolled oats
* 10 oz. bag chocolate chips
* 1 (9.90 oz.) bag Cinnamon M&M’s

Heat oven to 350. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mix to combine then add slowly to mixing bowl, mixing on low speed. Add cinnamon, rolled oats and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Press cookies down about 1/2 inch to flaten slightly. Press 5 cinnamon M&M’s onto each cookie. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until baked to your liking. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Now…time to eat Enjoy!

Apple Pie Cookies

** Recipe from Annie's Eats **

* 2½ c. all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbl. sugar
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
* ½ c. very cold water
* 2-3 medium apples, whatever variety you prefer for baking
* Squeeze of lemon juice
* 1/3 c. sugar
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* Dash of grated nutmeg
* Water
* 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tsp. of water
* Sugar, for sprinkling

(NOTE: of course you can use a frozen pie crust, but homemade is always recommended!! ;)
To make pie dough, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl & stir with a fork to blend. Using a pastry cutter (or your preferred method), cut butter into flour mixture until mixture is coarse and largest pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Stir in water & mix gently just until dough has come together in a cohesive ball & all of dry ingredients have been moistened. Form dough into a disc and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hr.  When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Peel apples & cut off sides in four large chunks, removing and discarding cores. With each large piece of apple, further slice into thin slices (between 1/8- and ¼" thick). Use a small round cookie cutter (about 2" in diameter) & cut round discs out of apple slices. Place apple rounds in a bowl & toss with lemon juice. In another small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg, and whisk to blend.   Assembly:  transfer half of chilled pie dough to a lightly floured work surface (keep remaining half chilled). Use a rolling pin to roll dough out very thin, about 1/8 to ¼" thick. Use a larger round cookie cutter (about 2½ to 2¾" in diameter) to cut out rounds of pie dough. Transfer half of rounds to prepared baking sheet. Brush rounds lightly with water (will help pies seal). Take a few apple slices at a time and coat them in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place each on top of a round of pie dough. Layer a second round of dough on top of each apple slice and gently press edges to help seal. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and apple slices. Crimp and seal edges of the mini pies with tines of a fork, dipping in flour if needed to prevent sticking. Lightly brush tops of cookies with egg wash. Use a small paring knife to cut tiny slits in top of each cookie. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.  Bake 25-28 min. or until light golden brown.

Dark Chocolate Chip Comfort Cookies

** Recipe from Bakerella **

* 1 1/2 c. flour
* 1/2 c. cocoa
* 3/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 c. butter, slightly softened
* 1 1/2 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. peanut butter
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 10 oz. dark chocolate chips
* chopped pecans, optional

Heat oven to 350.  In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, soda & salt using a wire whisk and set aside.  In another bowl, cream butter, sugar & peanut butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs & vanilla and mix until combined.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture & mix until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Roll cookie dough into 1-1/4" balls. (If desired, roll balls in chopped pecans.)  Place on parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Bake 10 min.  Place cookies on cookie rack to cool.  Makes about 30 - 2" cookies.

Vampire Cookies

** Recipe from Baking Bites **

* 3/4 c. butter, softened
* 1/2 c. sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/8 tsp. almond extract
* 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* approx 1/2 c. red jam (raspberry/strawberry)

Heat oven to 325.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg & extracts.  Add flour and salt & mix into butter-sugar mixture at low speed until dough is just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate at least 1 hr.  Divide dough in half & keep the portion you are not using in refrigerator.  Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8" thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out 2" rounds.  Place rounds on a baking sheet, put a tsp. of jam on each of them and cover with another round of dough. Press edges down lightly, pinching edges onto cookie sheet. Use a toothpick & poke 2 small holes (like a vampire bite) in the top of each cookie.  Bake 10-12 min, until cookies are set.  Cool about 5 min. on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Dip a toothpick in some extra red jam and re-insert in the “bite” holes you made before baking to emphasize them, if not already red. Draw a blood trickle down from one of the bites with the jam, if desired.  Cookies are best the day they are made.

Brownie Pizelles

** Recipe from Red Couch Recipes **

* 1 c. melted butter
* 1-1/2 c. sugar
* 4 beaten eggs
* 1/2 c. cocoa
* 2 c. flour
* 2 tsp. vanilla

Heat Pizelle or Waffle Iron.  With a mixer, combine all ingredients in medium bowl.  Add a little cooking oil/nonstick spray to iron so batter won't stick.  When the iron is heated, add cookie batter.  (No specific amount as every iron is different.)  Bake according to manufacturer's directions.  When cookies are done, trim edges with kitchen shears if desired.

M&M Confetti Cookies

** Recipe from Munchkin Munchies **

* 2 1⁄2 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1⁄2 tsp. salt
* 1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 c. sugar
* 2 lg. eggs
* 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
* 1 c. crushed up m&m candies


Heat oven to 375.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.  Combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2-3 min. Add eggs & vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Stir in 1 c. of the m&m confetti bits and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Use a medium (walnut size) cookie scoop and place cookie scoops on parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3" apart.  Bake about 10 min. or just until edges begin to brown.  Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet about 5 min. before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies

** Recipe adapted from Pillsbury **

* 1 cake mix (any flavor)
* 1/3 c. oil
* 2 eggs
* 1 c. chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, etc.

Heat oven to 375.  In large bowl, combine mix, oil & eggs.  Add desired chocolate chips & stir with spoon until well combined.  (Depending on how "chocolaty" you like your cookies, you may want to add another 1/2 - 1 c. of chips!)  Shape into 1" balls & place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Flatten to 1/4" thickness.  Bake 6-8 min, or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 1 min. & remove from cookie sheets. 

Flourless Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from chocolate & carrots **

* 3 c. powdered sugar
* 2/3 c. unsweetened Hershey’s dark chocolate cocoa powder
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 2 to 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
* 1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 c. 60% cacao chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Set aside two baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with cocoa powder and salt.  Whisk in vanilla & egg whites, starting with just two.  Beat just until batter is moistened.  Look for a brownie-like, thick and fudgy batter consistency. If it seems too thick, add another egg white– then a 4th one if it still seems too thick.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Scoop batter by the tablespoon full onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave enough space between each cookie for them to spread.  Bake 12-14 min, until tops are glossy and lightly cracked.  Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

** Recipe from divine baking **

* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 1 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
* 3 lg. egg whites, room temperature
* 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided (might only need 2 c.)
* 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 Tbl. cornstarch
* 1/4 tsp. salt
 

Heat oven to 350. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 c. chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 min. Cool slightly.  Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 c. sugar (or half of amount you're using). Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1 c. sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate & 1/2 c. chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).  Place 1/2 c. powdered sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded Tbl. dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2" apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 min. Cool on sheets on rack 10 min. Transfer to rack; cool.

Cake Batter Cookies

** Recipe from Stephanie Cooks **

* 1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 c. vegetable oil
* 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. (Might be crumbly - so maybe use hands to really mix it well- it's not as smooth as typical dough.)  Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 min.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Truffle Swirled Cookies

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter 

* 1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

* 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

* 3/4 c. granulated sugar

* 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar

* 2 large eggs

* 1 Tbl. vanilla extract

* 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

* 1 tsp. kosher salt

* 1 tsp. baking soda

* 2 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Place peanut butter & powdered sugar into a large bowl and mix to combine. (Use hands for a faster mix.) Press into an 8x8” baking pan that has been lined with foil & sprayed with cooking spray. Place in freezer for at least 30 min.  Place butter & sugars into a mixer bowl & mix to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, mix to combine.  Place flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl, mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips, just mixing until combined.  Remove peanut butter truffle pan from freezer & cut into cubes. They won’t be perfect, just tear some apart with hands. Just as long as they are in chunks, they’re fine. Once cut up, put back in freezer for about 10 min.  Add peanut butter truffle chunks to your cookie dough & mix on low for just a couple turns of the mixer. The idea is to have chunks & swirls throughout the dough. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1” apart & bake 10-13 min, until cooked to your preference. Let cool 10 min. on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie & Ice Cream Cake

** Recipe from The Gunny Sack **

* 1 tsp. water

* 1 tsp. baking soda

* 1 c. shortening

* 3/4 c. granulated sugar

* 3/4 c. packed brown sugar

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 2 eggs

* 2 1/4 c. flour

* 1 tsp. salt

* 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Mix 1 tsp. baking soda with 1 tsp. water and set aside.  Cream together shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Add vanilla, eggs and baking soda/water mix.  Gradually beat in flour & salt. Mix in chocolate chips.  Divide the mixture between 3 greased 9" cake pans (or a 9x13 inch pan for bars) and spread out.  Bake for 15 min. (20-25 minutes for 9x13) until golden brown.  Allow cookies to cool completely.  Flip pans over and smack the bottom to release the cookie.  Put it on a platter and spread slightly softened vanilla ice cream over it.  Working quickly, do the same with the middle layer.  Top with remaining chocolate chip cookie and a scoop of ice cream.  Drizzle with chocolate, letting some drip down the sides.  Promptly put the cake into the freezer until ready to serve.