Peanut Butter Blossoms (Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner, 1958)

Soft peanut-butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a milk-chocolate kiss.

Heat oven:
375°F / 190°C. (Leave cookie sheets ungreased.)

Cream together:

• ½ cup shortening

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter

• ½ cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)

• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

Blend in:

• 1 large egg

• 2 Tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose (or unbleached) flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

Mix:
Gradually beat dry ingredients into the peanut-butter mixture.

Form cookies:
Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place about 2 in / 5 cm apart on ungreased sheets.

Bake:
8–10 minutes, just until tops begin to crack.

Finish:
Immediately press a milk-chocolate kiss into the center of each hot cookie (the cookie will “flower” around it). Cool 2 minutes on the pan, then move to racks.

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies.

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🍪 Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 min | Bake Time: 8 – 10 min per sheet
Oven: 375 °F / 190 °C

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
¾ cup	firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup	granulated sugar
½ cup	margarine or butter, softened
½ cup	shortening
1 ½ tsp	vanilla extract
1	large egg
1 ¾ cups	all‑purpose or unbleached flour (Pillsbury’s BEST® specified)
1 tsp	baking soda
½ tsp	salt
1 cup	semisweet chocolate chips (6‑oz pkg)
½ cup	chopped nuts or sunflower kernels – optional

Method

1. Pre‑heat oven to 375 °F (190 °C).

2. In a large bowl, cream brown sugar, granulated sugar, margarine/butter, and shortening until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in vanilla and egg.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet just until combined.

5. Fold in chocolate chips and, if using, nuts.

6. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in / 5 cm apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

7. Bake 8‑10 minutes, until edges are light golden.

8. Cool 1 minute on the sheet; transfer to wire rack to finish cooling

   
   
   
   
   

🍫 Super Treat Bars (M&M® & Caramel Blondies)

 

Yield: 24 bars

Prep Time: 10 min | Bake Time: 15 – 25 min
Oven: 375 °F / 190 °C

Note: The original clipping only showed the topping and bake instructions. The base dough is the same as the chocolate chip cookie recipe elsewhere. The version below keeps the spirit of the Pillsbury recipe and the hand‑written “M&Ms + caramels” note.

Quantity	Ingredient
¾ cup	firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup	granulated sugar
½ cup	margarine or butter, softened
½ cup	shortening
1 ½ tsp	vanilla extract
1	large egg
1 ¾ cups	all‑purpose or unbleached flour (Pillsbury’s BEST® specified)
1 tsp	baking soda
½ tsp	salt
1 cup	semisweet chocolate chips (6‑oz pkg)
½ cup	chopped nuts or sunflower kernels – optional

Method

1. Pre‑heat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Do not grease, use a plain 13 × 9‑inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, cream brown sugar, granulated sugar, margarine/butter, and shortening until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in vanilla and egg.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet just until combined.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with M&M’s and caramel quarters; press them lightly into the surface.

6. Bake 15‑25 minutes—edges will be set and the center light golden.

7. Cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 squares

8. Fold in chocolate chips and, if using, nuts.

Peppermint Stick Crisps (1952)

This recipe was in Better Homes magazine in 1952

Cream together:

• ½ cup Butter Crisco

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

Sift together:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Mix:
Add dry ingredients alternately with 2 Tbsp milk. Chill dough.

Form cookies:
Drop very small teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined sheets. Flatten with a floured glass and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Bake:
350°F for 8 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from pan immediately.

Tip: Parchment paper helps prevent sticking.

Buy the smaller green, red, white canes in the loose package to help unwrapping.  

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Additional granulated sugar (I used Red and Green)

Suggest using at least that much PB since they can be dry.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each

cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies..

Grandma Conrad's Christmas Cutouts

This recipe from Delia Shirmer Conrad dates back to the 1920s.  It has been a Jansen Family staple for generations.  The decorations on the cutouts become more creative and outrageous each year!

DOUGH:
1/2# butter
1C Sugar

Cream the above until fluffy.

3C flour
2t cream of tartar
1t baking soda
1/3 t salt

whisk the above together in separate bowl.  Add 2T of the whisk-mixed powder to the butter mixture, then beat in:

2 eggs
1t vanilla
2T milk

Blend in remainig flour mixture on lowest speed so it doesn't blow all over the kitchen.

Chill for 1 hour.  Roll-out with lots of flour on the cloth.  Make the cookies a bit thicker for kids decorating. 

Bake at 350F for approximately 8 minutes. 

ICING:
Whisk together powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency.  Thinner the better for kids especially. 

Cindy McCain's Oatmeal-Butterscotch Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips
 

Heat oven to 375°F

1. In a large bowl beat the butter or margarine, granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well.
2. In a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I made chocolate chip cookies today and they are so good! I've been using this recipe for over a year and have made a few modifications to it to make it my own. These cookies are so good and the best part, they stay soft for several days after baking....if stored in a ziploc or airtight container. Also, this recipe makes a lot of cookies, but either more for you or lots to share with friends and neighbors.


1 cup butter, softened (unsalted is preferable)
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2-3 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and shortening with sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chip.
Chill dough for an hour. (not absolutely necessary, but the cookies don't totally flatten out when baking).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by spoonfuls on baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let set for a minute or two and remove to cooling rack. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy, this makes about 10-11 dozen cookies.

**if you don't want to have that many cookies lying around the house or can't be trusted with them, freeze half the dough in a ziploc bag and thaw before baking.

Christmas Cookies in a Jar

I found this on a random blog today and am filing this here because....well, I'll be making these next year for my kids teachers gifts....and in case you're wondering, these cookies are delicious!


Christmas Cookies in a Jar, adapted from Taste Of Home (makes ONE quart-sized jar)
18 Servings

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
1 cup vanilla or white chips

Additional ingredients (list these on a tag, or email me for the PDF of the label)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Using a quart sized glass jar, layer (use a canning funnel!) the white sugar, followed by the brown sugar. Tamp down between each layer to create a clean line. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour gently into jar and tamp down gently. Layer in the oats, cranberries, and white chocolate chips, tamping between the oats and cranberries. Cover and store in a cool place for up to 6 months.

To prepare cookies (provide these instructions to the recipient!): Preheat oven to 375. Pour cookie mix into a large bowl, stirring to combine. Beat in the butter, egg and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until browned, cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

I'll be making a label to attach to the jar, before the lids are are put on....I had originally thought of these, but got a terrific deal on the awesome Entertaining at Home ice cream scoop...the teachers LOVED that with a jar of hot fudge! Super cute!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on Heidi Swapp's blog. They sounded good, so I gave them a try. OMG! They are fantastic. I love everything pumpkin and these don't disappoint! So good!

1 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts (optional)Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until done.