Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This cookie, prepared by Holly, was part of the Cross Timbers Daughters of the American Revolution Cookie Exchange on December 17, 2011.

Yields 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 10 chocolate covered peanut butter cups, cut into eighths

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter cups. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Flatten the balls a little on the cookie sheet because they don't spread out too much.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for 1 or 2 minutes on sheet before removing, or they will fall apart.

Cookies: Vanilla Peppermint Pretzels

This cookie, prepared by Glee, was part of theCross Timbers Daughters of the American RevolutionCookie Exchange on December 17, 2011.

8 oz Vanilla Melting Wafer

1 pk Peppermint Candy Canes

Pretzels sticks – size of your pinky or bigger

1. Hand break candy canes and put them in a quart fabric bag. Use a hammer on a wooden cutting board to make the peppermint chips. On parchment paper put 1 inch long peppermint sprinkle. Repeat across the paper at least 1 inch apart.
2. Melt the vanilla wafers in a double boiler.
3. Dip pretzels into vanilla; vanilla  coated side on peppermint strip. Sprinkle more peppermint on top. Repeat for however many pretzels you would like to make.
4. Let dry / firm up vanilla for 15 minutes.

For an alternate, pick the ½ dollar sized pretzel twists and have ½ dipped in vanilla.

Makes 4 dozen pinky sized coated pretzels.

Cookies: Toffee-Almond Sandies

This cookie, prepared by Nadine, was part of theCross Timbers Daughters of the American RevolutionCookie Exchange on December 17, 2011.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp salt

2 cups chopped almonds

1 (8oz) pkg taffee bits

Granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Add eggs, oil and vanilla, mix well.
2. Combine flours, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt, stirring well. Add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in almonds and toffee.
3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart; flatten slightly with a fork.
4. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Coll slightly on cokkie sheets; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 5 ½ dozen cookies

Cookies: Mincemeat Pecan Cookies

This cookie, prepared by Glee, was part of theCross Timbers Daughters of the American RevolutionCookie Exchange on December 17, 2011.

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups butter-flavored shortening

3 cups sugar

2 eggs

19-oz package condensed mincemeat, crumbled

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour and baking soda in a large bowl.
2. Beat shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in crumbled mincemeat and vanilla. Add Flour mixture, and mix well. Stir in pecans.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet; flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Note: These are great cookies to decorate with bottled icing!

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Cookies: Oatmeal Cherry Walnut Cookies

This cookie, prepared by Glee, was part of the Cross Timbers Daughters of the American Revolution Cookie Exchange on December 17, 2011.

Oatmeal cookies are an old favorite. The variation below uses dried cherries instead of raisins and whoopie pie pans  instead of cookie sheets to make perfect round cookies.

1/2 pound butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups oats

1 cup dried cherries (cut into smaller pieces if they are large)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat together margarine/butter and sugars until creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Add combined flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix well.

Stir in oats, cherries and walnuts. Mix well.

Drop by rounded spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet or whoopie pie pan.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool one minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

About 4 dozen.