Do you have a go-to cookie when you're craving something a little sweet, something a little chocolaty and something a little chewy? These cookies are just what you're looking for. This is the recipe on the lid of Quaker Oats but I added a few more things to make them even better (yes, it is possible).

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Wow that's a mouthful! These cookies will be too. They are so good...something about having coconut in a cookie makes me so happy. I found this recipe in the Dallas Morning News when we lived in Dallas. Now that I'm in Idaho, I thought I'd give these cookies a try.


Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies
*Laura Bush

3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs baking soda
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (3 cubes) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
2 cups chopped pecans (8 oz)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl. Set aside.
In large bowl beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
Gradually beat in sugars; beat to combine, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans. For each cookie drop 1/4 cup dough (everything's bigger in Texas) onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake for 17-29 minutes, until edges are lightly browned; rotate sheets halfway through. remove cookies from rack to cool.

For smaller cookies, use 2 tablespoons dough for each. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Printable recipe

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Mmmmmm... do you smell that? Cinnamon and pumpkin all mixed up and smelling delicious in the oven.
My son's pre-school teacher gave me this recipe last week so I thought I'd give it a try. These cookies are soft, not crunchy which makes them taste like little individual pumpkin cakes. They are delicious. Be warned: this recipe makes A TON of cookies and can easily be cut in half.

Pumpkin Cookies
*By Crystal A.

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
1 small can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
Add all the other ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Dough will be very sticky. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Frost with buttercream frosting.


Buttercream Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1/3 can evaporated milk
Orange food coloring
Powdered Sugar

Combine all ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
(not too runny, not too thick) Printable recipe

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I made some cookies last week. They are giant. They are crunchy and chocolaty. They are chewy and delicious. I've made these for a few years now because my kids love them. I found the recipe here. I always double my cookie recipes (especially this one) because each cookie takes 1/4 cup of dough.

Giant Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Betty Crocker's Best of Baking

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (don't judge me)
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
14 tsp salt
1 pkg (12 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (6 ounces) almond brickle chips

Heat oven to 350. Mix brown sugar, butter, shortening, honey and egg i large bowl. Stir in lour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir i chocolate chips and brickle chips.

Drop doug by level 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 t0 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown (centers will be soft.) Cool 3 to 4 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Printable recipe
Six cookies per sheet.
The cookies are packaged cute on a plate but much cuter in a cellophane bag with a ribbon.
But look how stinking cute they are packaged in CD envelopes. My daughter took these to share with her friends at a school activity.

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This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I ALWAYS flash freeze a double batch so I can throw them in the oven anytime. This cookie recipe is one of the first recipes I tried as a married woman so many years ago. It has been one of my trusted recipes in my recipe box. In fact if I had to choose one cookie to eat for the rest of my life, this is the one I'd choose. I'm happy to share it with you because I know it will bring you great joy as well. I originally found the recipe here.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
*My all time favorite

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
1 pkg 12 oz. chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugars, butter and egg in large bowl.
Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff.) Stir in nuts and
chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased
cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.
Printable recipe

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My favorite cookies in the world are sugar cookies but I rarely make them because of the time and effort it takes to chill the dough, roll it out and cut them with cookie cutters. I love a soft, chewy cookie with a yummy cream cheese frosting. I found this recipe online and shouted for joy when I discovered all I had to do was make the dough, press it in the pan and bake. They are moist and delicious. You will love them.

Sugar Cookie Bars
adapted from BreeAnn Frankhauser

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon or orange zest

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs mixing well. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (13X18 jellyroll pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they don't look done so do the toothpick test) Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla OR almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
3-4 drops food coloring

Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. (You may not need all the milk). Spread over cooled cookie bars. Printable recipe

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As I look outside and see the wind blowing and the colors changing on the trees, I can only think of one thing...peanut butter cookies. There is something comforting in a warm peanut butter cookie and a glass of milk. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. I was so pleased how they turned out. A crisp outside and a moist, chewy inside. I made them on the big side (1/4 cup) and decided that it would taste better with chocolate (what doesn't?) I hope you enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
*adapted from allrecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl, blend sugars, using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter, and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix until just mixed.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a fork gently press cookies in a crisscrossed pattern. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly brown along the edges. If you are adding melted chocolate, place a chunk of Hershey's chocolate on top of hot cookie. Spread once chocolate looks glossy. Enjoy! Printable recipe

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