World's Best Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons white sugar  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

 

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies (shorbread)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together at high speed for about 3 minutes.
3. Cup open and scrape out the contents of the vanilla bean. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix in for 30 seconds.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix a bit more.
5. With the mixer on a low speed slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
6. Cover dough and refrigerate for 45 minutes. While it chills, preheat the oven to 325F and line some baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll the dough into balls about 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Place them on the baking sheets and give them a small press to flatten them.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening (or unsalted butter, which I prefer)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (~400 grams soft white wheat)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and molassus until well blended.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
3. Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
4. Shape the dough into small balls about 3/4 inch in diameter; roll in the granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 2 inches between cookies. 
5. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until set. Cool in pan on a rack for 2 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
   Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Heavenly Oatmeal Cookies

Honestly...these are the best oatmeal cookies you will ever have. Simple, moist, and hard to stop eating at just 1 or 2 (or 5). The key to this recipe, like many great baking recipes, is the use of shortening instead of butter. Follow this recipe and you'll have people begging for more every time.

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups Old Fashioned Oats (not instant)
1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cream shortening and sugars.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
5. Add to first mixture and mix well. Add raisins (if using). Add oats last.
6. Spoon out by rounded tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets.
7. Bake at 350°F. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
8. Makes about 2 dozen. Enjoy!