How to Make Easy Cookie Recipes

Learn how to make easy cookie recipes like I made when I was young; these were some of my favorites were oatmeal, peanut butter and sugar. These were the easiest to make and consisted of ingredients that we always had on hand.


I have fond memories of baking cookies and taking them to school for my classmates. They were usually one of these simple recipes. Once in a while, if I could talk Mom into it, I would make a chocolate chip recipe.


In those days of my youth, most homes had some sort of a cookie jar when they learned how to make easy cookie recipes. I was always envious because we never had a cookie jar. Mom always said we didn’t need a cookie jar because we always ate all the cookies too fast. With such a large family we never had cookies left to put in a cookie jar.


Generally speaking, there are two types of cookie mixtures; soft dough and stiff dough. Soft dough cookies contain a larger proportion of liquid than the stiff dough. Cookies made from soft dough include those dropped from a spoon and those spread in a pan like a thin layer of cake of which brownies are a familiar example.

HOW TO MAKE EASY COOKIE RECIPES
CHEESECAKE COOKIE RECIPE

Learn how to make this easy cookie recipe; it is among some of the best cookie recipes.

  • 1 Cup flour
  • 1/3 Cup packed brown sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons soft butter
  • 8 Ounce package soft cream cheese
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
  • ¼ Teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Reserve one cup of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press remainder of the crumb mixture on the bottom of an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg, milk, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla. Spread batter over the crust. Combine the walnuts with the reserved crumb mixture and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

To shape drop cookies, take up a little dough in a teaspoon and push it off with another spoon or knife onto a cookie sheet. Leave 2 to 3 inches between drops to allow for spreading. They are likely to be irregular in shape but with a little practice can result pretty much the same. Spread cookie recipes should be baked in a shallow pan; square or oblong.


After baking and cooling, cut the cookies in squares or oblong shapes.

Cookie recipes made of the stiff dough which includes rolled cookies, refrigerator or sliced cookies and cookies made by forcing the dough through the cookie press. For rolled cookies, thorough chilling of the dough is one of the first principles of success. If the dough is not well chilled, it will be too soft to roll without adding more flour, which makes the cookies tough and dry. Handle a little dough at a time, leaving the rest in the refrigerator. Roll dough on a lightly floured board, usually to 1/8 or ¼ inch thickness. Dip the cookie cutters in flour and shake off excess flour before cutting. Cut the cookies close together to avoid waste. Chill the trimmings and roll again to cut.


The dough for refrigerator or sliced cookies can be kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for a week or more. Cut off and bake as needed. To shape the cookies for the dough into rolls and wrap them tightly in waxed paper; or pack into molds of various shapes. Chill for several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, cut the rolls in slices 1/8 to ¼ inch thick. Refrigerated cookies are cookies of the crisp buttery type.


Pressed cookies are made by forcing stiff dough through a cookie press, which is a cylindrical instrument usually made from a thin metal. The dough is packed into the hollow tube and forced by means of a plunger through a small opening to which attachments are fitted to form various shapes. Some presses have gauges to vary the thickness of the cookies.


Cookie recipes can be baked to best advantage on a cookie sheet. These sheets are open and the circulation is more even and the cookies brown better. It is also easier to remove them from the pan. Every baker has their favorite cookie baking sheet. I prefer a smooth heavy commercial baking sheet. If they get too old and beat up, I replace it. I do not like the double layered cookie trays; they cause the cookies to spread too much.


For most cookie recipes the pans should be lightly greased. The exception is when the cookie dough contains large amounts of shortening. If the cookies contain fruit or molasses they will have a tendency to stick so these also need a lightly greased baking pan. After baking, the cookies should be removed from the baking sheet immediately to cool. Many use a wire rack to cool. When I bake I usually make a lot of cookies so I have always just cooled on my table. I layer the table with heavy towels and then cover the towels with paper towels. This works well for me.


Cookies keep best in tightly covered containers. To keep soft cookies thoroughly moist, put a piece of fresh orange, lemon or apple. It will impart a delicate flavor as well as keep them soft. Crisp cookies should never be stored with the soft ones because they will absorb the moisture from the soft ones.


NOTE: Coffee cans make excellent containers to freeze cookies.

COWBOY COOKIE RECIPE

How to Make Easy Cookie RecipesHow to Make Easy Cookie Recipes

I am assuming that this recipe originated out west, maybe Colorado where it is known for their cowboys. It was sent to me from relatives in California. With the old fashioned oats, nuts and chocolate chips, these are very hardy cookies; Cowboy cookies is a good name.

  • 1 Cup brown sugar
  • 1 Cup white sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup softened butter
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 Package chocolate chips (12 ounces)
  • ½ Cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Cream sugars, butter, egg and vanilla; add flour, baking powder, soda and salt and mix well.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts; dough will be stiff.

Drop by teaspoonful on cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIE RECIPE

  • 1 Bag (11.5 ounces) Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1/3 Cup flour
  • 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 Bag (12 ounces) Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Cup chopped walnuts

Melt bittersweet chips and butter in top of double boiler.

Combine and beat eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl until thick; stir in melted chocolate mixture.

In small bowl sift together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture.

Gently mix in semi chocolate chips and walnuts.

Using plastic wrap, shape dough into 2 logs size 2 inches diameter by 8 inches long; wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Unwrap dough and cut into ¾ inch slices; place on greased cookie sheet 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is soft.

Cool on baking sheet. Makes 2 dozen.

ICEBOX COOKIE RECIPE

Some of the best cookie recipes originated many years ago and have remained favorites like this icebox cookie recipe.

  • 1 ½ Cups softened butter
  • 1 Cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Teaspoons cinnamon
  • 4 Cups flour
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda

Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar; add eggs beating well after each.

Sift together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture working a stiff dough.

Divide dough into three portions; make rolls and wrap in wax paper and place in icebox (refrigerator) overnight.

Slice cold dough very thin and bake in hot oven 400 F degrees for 5 to 8 minutes.

WHOLE WHEAT COOKIES

  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1 Cup dark molasses
  • ½ Cup shortening
  • ½ Cup water
  • 4 Cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ Teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ Teaspoon ground allspice
  • Sugar

Preheat oven to375F degrees.
Combine and mix 1 cup sugar, molasses, shortening and water.
Stir in remaining ingredients except for sugar.
Roll dough ¼ inch thick on floured surface; cut in 3 inch rounds.
Sprinkle cookies with sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched.
Cool 2 minutes and remove to rack to cools completely.

BUTTERSCOTCH TOFFEE BAR RECIPE

Bars:

  • 1 ½ Cups flour
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Teaspoon salt 
  • 2 Cups brown sugar
  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ Cup flaked coconut
  • 1 Cup chopped pecans
  • 1 Cup crushed English toffee

Frosting:

  • ¾ Cup softened 
  • ¾ Cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 Cup half and half
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

To make bars sift flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside.

In mixing bowl beat together brown sugar and butter; add eggs beating well after each.

Stir in vanilla; add dry ingredients a little at a time beating well after each addition.

Add coconut, pecans and toffee candy; spread in 9X13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 25 minutes; cool in pan.

To make frosting melt butter in pan over low heat; stir in brown sugar until it dissolves.

Stir in half and half; REMOVE FROM HEAT and let cool.

Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth; spread over cooled bars.

APPLE BUTTER COOKIE RECIPE

  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • 1 Cup apple butter
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Cups flour
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ Cup buttermilk
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ Cup raisins
  • ½ Cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Cream butter and sugar; combine apple butter and soda and add to creamed mixture.

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder; combine to creamed mixture alternating with milk.

Add vanilla and blend thoroughly; stir in raisins and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets; bake about 10 to 12 minutes.

BUTTERSCOTCH TOFFEE BAR RECIPE

Bars:

  • 1 ½ Cups flour
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Teaspoon salt 
  • 2 Cups brown sugar
  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ Cup flaked coconut
  • 1 Cup chopped pecans
  • 1 Cup crushed English toffee

Frosting:

  • ¾ Cup softened 
  • ¾ Cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 Cup half and half
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

To make bars sift flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside.

In mixing bowl beat together brown sugar and butter; add eggs beating well after each.

Stir in vanilla; add dry ingredients a little at a time beating well after each addition.

Add coconut, pecans and toffee candy; spread in 9X13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 25 minutes; cool in pan.

To make frosting melt butter in pan over low heat; stir in brown sugar until it dissolves.

Stir in half and half; REMOVE FROM HEAT and let cool.

Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth; spread over cooled bars.