My grandmother was an incredible baker. She would bake for weeks and would take cookie trays around to people in our hometown. Everyone would look forward to them and talk about them once they had received it. I was lucky enough to get to bake with my grandma and even luckier to get to eat it. They are some of my favorite childhood memories. My mom inherited my grandmothers talent for baking. She’s so good at it! Here are a few of my favorite recipes from when I was a kid. Thanks mom for sending these to me!
TIP: These are easy to adapt if you are gluten free like me. For the monster cookies use GF rolled oats and for the Thimble Cookies use GF flour.
Monster Cookies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 115g) salted butter, softened to room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
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- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
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- 3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/4 cups (160g) all purpose flour (are you measuring flour the correct way?)
- 1/2 cup (40g) quick oats*
- 3/4 cup (150g) M&Ms (any size or variety)
- 1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the quick oats, M&Ms, and chocolate chips. If the dough is very soft and unmanageable by hand, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.
3. Rolls balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, onto prepared baking sheet. Press a few extra M&Ms on top for looks, if preferred. Bake for 9-10 minutes – do not bake past 10 minutes. The cookies will appear undone. I too mine out at 9 minutes, which is recommended. Slightly press down the baked cookies with the back of a spoon, since the cookies only slightly spread in the oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool. Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies freeze well.
Thimble Cookies/Thumbprint Cookies
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 1/2 c. shortening
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 c. sifted flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites lightly beaten
- Crushed nuts – I use walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Cream together butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour and salt; mix well. Roll into 1″ balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white. Roll in finely chopped nuts or coconut. Place about 1″ apart on ungreased baking sheet.
2. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven, quickly press thumb (or thimble) gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer; cool.
3. Fill imprint with jam. Makes approx. 4 doz. cookies
- 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt