Yield: 4 1/2 dozen

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspooons vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups flour
Fillings of your choice : fruit preserves, chocolate, nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the eggs, oik, sugar, and vanilla, beat until smooth and creamy. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder (honestly this makes all the difference in the dough). Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixter, and blend together. This dough is a little sticky, you may need to add a bit more flour. Knead dough for about a minute before rolling out.

Roll out on a floured surface the thickness of the cookies should be about 1/4 of an inch, and using a round cookie cutter cut out circles. Place circles onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. You can fit about 12-15 cookies on each sheet. Fill with the filling of your choice. Fold into triangles, pinch together the corners. Brush the unbaked hamentashen with an egg wash which can be made using 1 egg and a tablespoon of water, beaten with a fork to combine.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the cookies just begin to turn golden brown.

What do you fill your hamentashen with? Better yet, do you have any cookies that you make at certain times of the year? I know for me the holidays are never complete without seven layer cookies.

Links of Interest:
Hamentashen – Wiki-Pedia
Seven Layer – “AKA” Hello Dolly Cookies

The original recipe was one that was spotted on the Washington Post and the recipe is by From Roger Potter, pastry chef at 701 Restaurant in Northwest Washington. The first time these were made, we thought they were good, but needed some spice, as we felt they were missing something Tina went with dried ancho pepper powder. I think a little olive juice or maybe some cut up olives would also do well in here.

Notes: MAKE AHEAD: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. For best flavor, do not freeze the dough or the baked cookies.

Yield: Makes about thirty 2-inch cookies.

3 1/2 ounces good-quality, mild blue cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder (although I haven’t tried it, I think cayenne would also be good.)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the blue cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until thoroughly blended.
Add the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, ancho chili poweder; pulse until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the walnuts and process until a moist dough is formed.
Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight, until thoroughly chilled and firm.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use 2-inch cookie cutters to cut out shapes. The dough can be rerolled. Transfer to the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 12 to  14 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

Links of interest
Original recipe – Blue Cheese Walnut Cookies

1 box mix of brownies – your favorite type

1 pkg. crushed Creme de Menthe candies – these are sold in the baking isle next to the chocolate chips

Prepare brownies according to the package directions.  When the brownies are done, and removed from the oven sprinkle the Creme de Menthe candies on top and allow them to melt.  You can swirl the melted candies for a pretty design or simply leave them as they are.  For ease of cutting it is best to let the candy harden so you can get nice even pieces.

You can use this basic brownie recipe instead of a box mix.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt (your best)

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day

1 C.  Butter – softened
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 3/4 C. Flour
2 tsp. Cream of tartar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
 
Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
1 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix butter, sugar and eggs thoroughly with a mixer. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into first mixture. Chill dough, form in balls, roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes on greased cookie sheet. They will flatten out as they bake.

Cookies:

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 pound butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 c cake flour
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting:
4 c confectioners’ sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cups boiling water
1 oz bittersweet chocolate

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon extract and mix until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the wet in batches, stirring well. Drop soup spoonfuls of dough 2" apart on buttered baking sheets. Bake at 375* until edges begin to brown, 20-30 minutes. Let cool completely.
Put confections’ sugar in a bowl. Stir in enough water to make the mixture thick and spreadable. Remove half the frosting to the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Add chocolate and warm the mixture until chocolate is melted and the frosting is smooth. Remove from heat. With brush, coat half the cookie with chocolate frosting and the other half with white frosting.

Thanks to Karen Ann for sharing this recipe.

2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Rum
2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
2 1/2 Cup crushed Vanilla Wafers
1 Cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts
2 Cup Powdered Sugar (to roll balls in)

Mix Cocoa and Powdered Sugar.

Combine and stir Rum with Light Corn Syrup.

Add and mix Vanilla Wafers and chopped Nuts.

Mix ingredients roll into balls.

Roll each ball into powdered sugar

*Store in Air Tight Container.

I use Plastic Freezer Zip Bags (remove excess air)to crush Vanilla Wafers and to (add air to bag) to roll the balls in Powdered Sugar.

Thanks to tlczoo for sharing this recipe.

2 sticks butter or 1/2 lb. butter
2 C. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar
2 C. peanut butter – smooth
6 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking soda
3 C. quick cooking oatmeal

Mix in order given using mixer.
Transfer batter to large container and add the following:
6 more c. quick cooking oatmeal
2 c. Nestle chocolate chips ( I use chocolate and peanut butter chips)
1 med. bag M&M’s – these can either be included in the batter or used on top (I mix them into the batter)
Mix until well blended. Form cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Freezes well.

Thanks to DebraG for sharing her cookie recipe.

2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. grated orange peel
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ C. butter
1 egg
½ C. orange juice
½ C. raisins
½ C. chopped walnuts

Combine ingredients in order given. Stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Put on a greased cookie sheet. Drop by tablespoon 2 inches apart. Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

1/2 C. flour
1/3 C. cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter or (1/4 lb.)
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 C.  walnuts, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9″ square pan with foil and butter the foil.  Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Melt butter in a 10 – 12 c saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla, and add eggs one at a time.  Stir in dry ingredients, and stir in nuts.  Spread smoothly in prepared pan. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center just barely comes out clean.

Cool in pan 15 minutes. Cover with rack and turn pan over. Remove pan and foil lining. Cover with a cutting board and turn back over again.

Let stand until cool. Cut into 16 squares.

1 C. peanut butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg

Stir up in a bowl, roll into 1 inch balls.  Place cookie balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and smash like a # sign with a fork.   Cook in 350 degree oven until lightly golden.  Cool and enjoy!  You can cook these until just done for softer cookies-or longer for crunchy ones. You can double or triple amounts to make more cookies-there’s just no messing this up! Great for quick cookies-class parties.

Thanks to jenheinee for sending in this cookie recipe.

24 Ritz Crackers
Creamy Peanut butter
White or Brown Chocolate melts
Decorative sprinkles if desired

Simply spread a layer of Peanut butter between two Ritz Crackers. Then melt your chocolate of choice. Using two forks place cookies in melted chocolate coating all sides. Place on waxed paper to firm. Add any topping you like. (Example- Nuts,Sprinkles,etc.)

Thanks to Captain for sharing this cookie recipe.

2 C. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. raisins
2 C. water
1 egg
1/2 C. vegetable shortening
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
Orange frosting – see below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13×9x2-inch baking pan.  Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt onto wax paper.  Boil raisins rapidly in the 2 cups water in an uncovered medium-size saucepan for 10 minutes.  Transfer raisins and their liquid to a large bowl.  Cool to lukewarm.  Stir in egg; then shortening and sugar; then flour mixture; add nuts.  Turn into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Frost with orange frosting, cut into squares.

Orange Frosting
2 C. shifted 10X (confectioners’ sugar)
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. melted butter
Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and spread able.

Melt white chocolate coating in either a double boiler or the microwave. Dip 1 Nutter Butter cookie into melted chocolate coating. Rest dipped cookie on waxes paper. Carefully add eyes with mini chocolate chips, and add a mini red M&M for the nose. Break apart pretzel and face the broken pieces outward for the ears.

1 pkg. white melting chocolate
1 pkg. Oreo Cookies
Decorations
Sprinkles
Mini Chocolate Chips
Colored Sugar

lt white chocolate coating in either a double boiler, or in the microwave. When melting in a microwave glass bowls work the best. When chocolate is melted, use a spreader knife and frost the chocolate coating over one side of the Oreo. Then decorate with toppings of your choice.
You may also wish to dunk the Oreo cookie completely into the chocolate as well. Let cookies cool on waxed paper.