Aussie Style Chocolate Chip Biscuits

This recipe comes from my July Aussie/NZ recipe swap team member mummamills from Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. These cookies are not anything like the American chocolate chip cookies. There is a distinct flavor with these. Not to mention - these are eggless! The kids really like these with a tall glass of cold milk. I also learned "biscuits" are cookies in Australia!

Aussie Style Chocolate Chip Biscuits

2 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

5 cups flour

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips - I prefer mini ones

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts - optional

Cream butter and sugar. Add condensed milk and keep beating for 2 minutes. Fold in flour and chocolate chips and nuts. The mixture will be tacky. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets and flatten slightly with a floured fork. Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

A recipe from my mom - Marie Rogers. She made these for the boys when we lived in Arizona. I was in the hospital in Phoenix and Mom and Dennis graciously came down from Utah to watch the boys for about a week while I was having back surgery. Apparently they inhaled them she said. I like this recipe because I can incorporate my food storage rotation into it.

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies
1 1/2 cups margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups applesauce
6 eggs
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tsp vanilla
**6 cups flour, maybe more if dough feels runny still
1 TBSP baking soda
1 TBSP salt
**3 cups oatmeal

**Feel free to change these amounts around if you want more oatmeal in your cookies.
Mix all ingredients well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes.

These also taste good with chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts added as well.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from Russell's cousin Laura Jacobson. She sent it to me years ago. We (I mean I) make these a lot during the year. I will triple the ingredients so a quart of homecanned pumpkin can be incorporated. I am always looking for ways to include my food storage in our everyday cooking.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups shortening
4 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 TBSP baking powder
1 TBSP baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP nutmeg
1 TBSP vanilla
7 1/2 cups flour
1 quart homecanned pumpkin, drained and mashed
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until light brown and firm to the touch.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This recipe comes from the Mr. Food's Favorite Cookies cookbook. My Grandma Dot sent this book to me and it is well used and loved at my house. This recipe specifically appeals to a certain 7 year old that resides here. He loves his raisins!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/4 cups raisins

Combine all ingredients well in a mixing bowl. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake for about 11 minutes. Cool. Enjoy with a large glass of milk!

The BEST Sugar Cookies ever!

This recipe comes from my first mission president and his wife. It came in a cookbook called The Farnsworth Family Favorites. It was a wedding present 16 years ago! This dough makes the softest, yummiest, easiest dough to work with cookies! I'm all about simplicity and these take the cake!

Sugar Cookies

Mix together thoroughly:

3/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

I repeat: Mix everything thoroughly. This will make a soft dough. You can use it as is for a nice drop cookie. OR refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 6-8 minutes or until the edges of the bottoms begin to be a very light brown. Bake at 350 degrees.

Walnut Dream Cookies

This recipe comes from Karen Elizabeth in South Africa. I have now discovered that cookies are called biscuits in South Africa and Australia and New Zealand. It's fun to see what different foods are called in different cultures. I can thank the Aussie/New Zealand recipe swap from recipezaar.com for that each month. This recipe is changed from metric to U.S. measurements. And the recipe is quarupled because I cook for vacuum cleaners. The boys walk by and inhale the food as they pass.

Walnut Dream Cookies
2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Roll into 2 cm balls. (I just made them whatever size I wanted.) Flatten each cookie with your fingers. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. They really do cook that long.

Russell thinks they taste like Russian Teacakes minus the powdered sugar on the outside. I think they taste like Keebler Pecan Sandies. Next time I think I will omit the nutmeg and see what that tastes like.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe comes from Chef TraceyMae in California. Her friend Joy submitted it to the Cal Fish and Game, Wild and Wonderful Recipes II. I added chocolate chips. Just because I can.

2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups butter or margine, softened
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 dash salt
2 cups flour (Her recipe calls for cake flour. I just use regular white flour.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups regular oats (She uses quick-cooking. I like regular oats for personal reasons.)
3 1/2 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips (my addition)
1 cup nuts, chopped (I like walnuts.)

I am a combine everything in a very large bowl cookie maker then mix. So you do the same. It all gets mixed up in the end any way. Right? Using a couple spoons - drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your fingers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips. Need I say more? This recipe comes from Chickee in Syndey, Australia. I chose this as part of the March 2009 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. I had to convert from metric measurements to US measurements. I doubled the recipe so this is what I am posting.

2/3 cup flour (I had to add an additional 2/3 cup flour)
2/3 cup rolled oats (I used regular - NOT quick)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 TBSP water
10 TBSP (2/3 cup) peanut butter (I used crunchy)
Chocolate chips or other nuts or both may be added as desired (I added mini chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 11-12 minutes. I let the cookies sit for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to a cooling rack.
***It is essential to make these when your husband and children are not home. Otherwise you won't be able to save any for school lunches. They will be gone lickity split.

American Chocolate Chip Cookies of Death

American Chocolate Chip Cookies of Death
I think these might just be my new favorite chocolate chip cookies! They are really very yummy! This recipe comes from Chickee in Sydney, Australia. Her recipe is metric so changing it to US measurements may have altered the original outcome - but we love them nonetheless. Her recipe also calls for instant coffee which I left out as we don't consume coffee at all.

1/2 cup soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 - 2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semi sweet and peanut butter chip)
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 275-300 degrees. Yes - these really do bake at this temperature. I am a combine everything first and mix it kind of baker so you do the same too. Mix until cookie dough is well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. These cookies do spread out so leave room for them to do so. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Yes - they do bake that long. The wait is so worth it! Let them cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk. I dare you to eat just one. :) And your kids will love you forever and say you are the bestest mom ever in the whole wide world for making these for them.

Golden Coconut Crisps

These little gems come from the "joey" I got to adopt in the August Aussie/NZ recipe swap. My "joey" had to be someone from either New Zealand or Australia. I picked Jacqui from Oz. She lives in Australia. It's interesting to read ingredients from other countries. I will post her original and what it means to us in the USA! These are so yummy by the way.

Golden Coconut Crisps ( a very yummy cookie)
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (if you don't have self rising flour - use 1 1/2 cups all purpose and add 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder. this is what I did.)
1 tsp cinnamon
5 oz butter or margarine ( I used 1 stick - it's close enough)
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup caster sugar (granulated sugar)
1 TBSP golden syrup (corn syrup)
favorite jam

Combine flour, cinnamon coconut and sugar in large bowl. Melt butter and corn syrup together. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Roll dough into balls, flatten out on cookie sheet and make hollows in the center. Fill hollows with jam. (not much jam is required)
Bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Or until the bottoms are a light brown.