CHOCOLATE NUT DROP COOKIES

I am ending this first ever My Patchwork Quilt's Cookie Week with another recipe from my Canadian Mennonite Cookbook. I needed one more cookie to serve with ice cream for dessert when the Friends' Couples Bridge group met at our house and since I didn't have anything chocolate, I knew I had to try this one and I wasn't disappointed. (Nor were our friends.) 

I, for once, almost completely followed a recipe. 😉 The only thing I did differently was using the brown sugar/stevia blend. If you visit my blog very often, you aren't surprised. I do try to reduce the sugar calories whenever I can. The recipe didn't say how long to bake the cookie. Since 10 minutes is a common baking time, I made one cookie and tested it after 10 minutes. I didn't want to overcook the cookie. One thing I was looking for was if the cookie was generally set - I pressed on the center of the cookie to see if it was just a little soft - not too soft but not totally hard.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

CHOCOLATE NUT DROP COOKIES

1/2         cup shortening
1-1/4     cup brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar blend)
2            large eggs
2            squares (2 oz) melted chocolate
2            tablespoons milk
1             teaspoon baking powder
2            cups sifted flour
1/4        teaspoon soda
1/3        teaspoon salt
1/2        teaspoon vanilla
1            cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat shortening and brown sugar

(til smooth);

add eggs and beat

(til smooth).

Then add chocolate and milk.

Then add sifted dry ingredients. (Make sure you sift flour before you measure it and then resift the dry ingredients together to blend completely.)

Then add vanilla and nuts.

Drop using a small cookie scoop onto cookie sheets. (I laid them with the flat side up as best as I could.)

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. 

Remove and cool on wire racks.

(COCONUT) BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

Since the name for these cookies just about describes all the main ingredients in them, I would have called them Coconut Banana Oatmeal Cookies and then wouldn't be leaving out anything.

Whatever you call these cookies, I LOVE them. I've been wanting to make them but had to wait for a very ripe banana. For the last few days, every day, I have reminded my husband he needed to leave me one ripe banana. I don't eat them except when they are nice and firm, but he will eat them when they are ripe. Occasionally he will eat one and tell me (if there are anymore in the bowl) that the bananas are ready for banana bread or whatever I want to make with them.

I decided I would make these to give to my friend Fran who came over while we were gone and watered my indoor plants and the plants on our back porch/deck. I also made them again as one of the three cookies I served the Friends' Bridge Couples' group when we hosted them. I am sharing them now to you during My Patchwork Quilt's first ever Cookie Week.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

(COCONUT) BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

2       tablespoons butter
1/2    cup sugar or stevia
1/2    cup brown sugar or brown sugar complete
1       banana, very ripe
1       egg
1       teaspoon vanilla
1       cup sifted flour
1/2    teaspoon baking powder
1/2    teaspoon baking soda
1/2    teaspoon cinnamon
1/4    teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups oats (I used quick oats)
1       cup unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Melt butter (in microwave).

(You don't have to use an electric mixer but I decided to and then didn't mash the banana.) Combine butter, sugars, banana, egg, and vanilla.

Stir/beat til smooth.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt with whisk.

(Don't forget to sift some flour first in a bowl and then measure out the cup. - tips with flour)

Add the oats to the flour mixture and stir with whisk.

Add to banana mixture.

Add coconut.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, place cookies about 2 inches apart on pan.

Bake 11 - 14 minutes til set and golden. (I baked mine 13 minutes.)

Cool on pan on wire rack for 5 minutes before

removing them to finish cooling on rack.

Fran's cookies....

and then when I served them to the bridge club...

PEANUT BUTTER - OATMEAL COOKIES

Already Day 3 of My Patchwork Quilt's Cookie Week and do I have an awesome recipe to share with you today. I love peanut butter cookies, but I think I like these Peanut Butter - Oatmeal Cookies better. They are lighter, not heavy tasting like plain peanut butter cookies are. I also like the added chopped nuts on top of the cookies. 

The recipe was one in my Canadian Mennonite Cookbook formerly called Altona Women's Institute Cookbook (1967 - twelfth printing) When we were in Canada recently on our trip, we saw a Canadian Mennonite Church but saw no Mennonites.

PEANUT BUTTER-OATMEAL COOKIES

1          cup flour
1/2      teaspoon salt
2         teaspoons baking powder
1/2     cup shortening
1/3     cup brown sugar
1/2     cup peanut butter
1         large egg
1         teaspoon vanilla
1/2     cup dark corn syrup (I only had light corn syrup)
1-1/2  cups quick rolled oats
1/4     cups chopped peanut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two cookie sheets.

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together into mixing bowl.

Add shortening, sugar, peanut butter, egg, vanilla, and syrup.

Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Fold in oats.

Drop by cookie scoop onto cookie sheet. 

Sprinkle tops of cookie dough with chopped peanuts. (I lightly pressed the chopped peanuts onto top of dough. If any small pieces of peanuts fall on the cookie sheet just scoot them up around the edges of the glob. As the cookie cooks it will spread over the pieces.)

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

PECAN - CINNAMON COOKIES

Day 2 of My Patchwork Quilt's first ever Cookie Week. These are the first cookies I made after we got home from our vacation. They made a nice little semi-soft delicious light-tasting nutty cookie. I don't know about you, but I just love chopped pecans in cookies. Since they contained the light corn syrup, I reduced the brown sugar calories by using a half a cup of brown sugar/stevia blend for the full cup of brown sugar. 

Print just the recipe.

PECAN-CINNAMON COOKIES

1/2       cup shortening
1/4       cup butter, softened
1          cup brown sugar, packed (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar blend)
1/4       cup light corn syrup
1          egg
1          tablespoon vanilla
2          cup flour
2          teaspoon cinnamon
1          teaspoon baking soda
1/2       teaspoon salt
1-1/2    teaspoon chopped pecans (I used a little more - like 3 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together the shortening, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add corn syrup, egg, and vanilla; beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.

Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.

Stir in pecans.





Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. (I used my small cookie scoop and a nonstick cookie sheet.)

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. (The 8 minutes were perfect in my oven.)

Cool 5 minutes on pan.

Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.







Store in an airtight container.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

BACON OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

Welcome to My Patchwork Quilt's first ever Cookie Week! Each day this week I will be sharing a new and delicious cookie recipe with you. Since we got back from our vacation to Boston, New England/Canada cruise, and then in Vermont, I have been on a cookie-making craze. I have made a couple of non-cookie treats, but for the most part, it's been cookies I have been making.

The first one I am going to share is a cookie but not probably what you thought of when I said I would be sharing cookie recipes. It is a breakfast "cookie" and is the perfect addition to my serving of Greek yogurt every morning for breakfast. Warming one up in the microwave for about 12 to 15 seconds helps bring out the taste of the bacon. The other great thing is even though there isn't any protein powder (what I usually look for to fill me up for a meal), I am not hungry until time for lunch.

I substituted stevia for the white sugar and used mostly whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour. I used what was left in the sack of flour (I didn't measure it but it looked like it might have been 1/4 cup.) and then finished filling the cup with the whole wheat flour. The taste of the whole wheat flour was just right with the applewood bacon. The ingredients to make a glaze make more than enough glaze for the cookies.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

BACON OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

1/2       lb bacon (That was 8 slices in my new 1 - lb package)
1/2       cup butter, softened
1/2       cup stevia or sugar
1/2       cup packed brown sugar
1          large egg
1/2       teaspoon vanilla extract
1          cup flour (mostly whole wheat flour)
1/2       teaspoon baking soda
1/4       teaspoon salt
1          teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2    cups quick cooking oats
7/8       cup powdered sugar (1 cup - 2 tablespoons)
1-1/2    tablespoons water, or as needed (add 1/2 tablespoon at a time)
1-1/2    tablespoons real maple syrup

Fry the bacon and

allow to drain and cool on paper towels. 

When cooled, crumble. 

Beat the butter, stevia, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy on medium speed.

Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and

mix until thoroughly combined. 

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in another bowl.

Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. 

Gradually add the oats (1/2 cup at a time) and bacon. (I did use the mixer.)

Form into a ball, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (I placed the ball in another smaller bowl so it didn't take up so much room in my frig. 

I also got busy and didn't get back to it until about 4 hours later. I just had to let it set out for a bit to be able to scoop out the dough to measure.)





Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet or line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough level on top (I have a medium size ice cream scoop that almost measures 1/4 cup) I placed the flat side down on the cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. I had three rows of 2 on the cookie sheet.

Flatten the balls slightly with your fingers.

Bake until the cookies are golden brown with slightly browner edges 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes

(the ones I baked without the parchment paper)

before removing to finish cooling on wire rack.




I made 12 full size ones and then 4 small ones made with my cookie scoop (1 tablespoon)

Make glaze:

Whisk together the powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Add water 1/2 tablespoon at a time to make mixture the consistency you want for your glaze.

Spoon the glaze

over the cooled cookies.

When glaze has set, store cookies in a ziplock bag or sealed container in the refrigerator.

To eat:

Warm in microwave on High for about 12 to 15 seconds. 

Here are two of my little (normal cookie size) ones that I made... This is a good snack size for the kiddos when they get in from school. I baked them about 8 minutes.

Here is about what I had in the measuring cup of all-purpose flour and then I just finished filling it up with whole wheat flour. Next time I will just use all whole wheat flour.