Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

• Additional Picture 1

Recipe:

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 2 tablespoons milk
  
• 2 cups rolled oats
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
   
2. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy, beat in eggs, vanilla and milk.
3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt.
   
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until combined and then stir in cranberries.
   
5. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown, then cool on wire rack.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints

Recipe:

(for the cookies)

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
• 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup white sugar
  
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup milk (any kind)
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract

(for the coating)

• 10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
  
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

(for the cookies)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
   
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
   
3. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
   
4. Preheat oven to 375F.
   
5. Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
   
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

(for the coating)

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
   
2. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
   
3. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Chocolate Whirls

• Additional Picture 1

Recipe:

for the cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  
• 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
  
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
  
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar (for dusting)

for the filling:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  
• 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in melted chocolate. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and cornstarch and stir into the creamed mixture.
   
2. Pipe the mixture using a 3/4-in. fluted nozzle into 2-in. rosettes spaces 2-in. apart on a non-stick cookie sheet (I used parchment paper).
   
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
   
4. For the filling: Beat butter and confectioners sugar, then stir in the chocolate. Spread the filling onto the bottom half of the cookies, and then sandwich together with the other halves.
   
5. Dust with 2 tbsp of confectioners sugar.