No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups sugar

Dash of salt

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups oatmeal

Waxed paper

In a large saucepan bring to a boil the sugar, salt, butter and milk. Boil mixture over medium heat for 1 full minute. Remove from heat immediately.  Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir well.  Add oatmeal and stir until thoroughly incorporated. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls.  Drizzle with a mixture of cocoa, powdered sugar and water if desired.  Cool until set and firm.

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix

1 can(s) pumpkin

4 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spices

Preheat oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, pumpkin and pie spice until creamy and well blended.  Mix in the cake mix, scraping the sides to combine all ingredients.  Scoop large spoonfuls of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. sprinkle tops with pumpkin pie spice.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are golden and cookies can be removed easily.

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 c. shortening

1 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. milk

BEAT UNTIL CREAMED THEN ADD:

3 cups quick oats

1 cup flour

1 1/2 c. shredded carrots (I did 1 c. carrot and 1/2 c. zucchini)

1/2 c. raisins (optional)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese-softened

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine-softened

2 Tbsp. milk

1 to 1½ lbs powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix the cookie ingredients at a low speed, just until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  While baking, beat together the cream cheese frosting ingredients. When cookies are cooled, scoop the frosting into a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners. Pipe some of the frosting onto the top of each cookie.

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies 

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract 

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

3 cups all purpose flour

1 bag Kraft Caramel Bits (11 oz.) or Kraft Caramels (14 oz.)

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line baking sheets with either a Silpat or parchment paper.  In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter, sugar, salt and the contents of all 10 packets of Alpine Spiced Apple Cider and blend until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time mixing until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and blend until mixed.  Add the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom and flour and mix until well blended.  Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 TBS) fill the scoop level with the cookie dough.  While the cookie dough is still in the scoop, press either one unwrapped Kraft Caramel or 6-7 Kraft Caramel Bits into the center of the dough and then pinch the dough to cover the caramel.  Release the scoop of dough onto prepared cookie sheet placing about 2-inches apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges.