Spingerles Cookies

2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Flour (I used Wheat flour)
Anise extract to taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest or Juice

In a bowl mix everything up really good.  When the dough forms knead it lightly for about a minute or so.  Place dough back into bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day roll out the dough again and using a springerles roll or cookie plates cut out cookies.  I didn't have either so I just used cookie cutters and cut them out as cookies.  Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 15-20 minutes, not letting the cookies brown you just want them to be cookies not bricks or mush. 

These cookies are delicious if you like the flavor of black licorice.  If you cook them too long and they become hard and crunchy (like mine) they are really good as tea or coffee cookies. 

Ginger Spiced Molassas Sugar Cookies

2 1/4 Cups Flour (I use wheat flour because it is better)
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
3/4 Cups Butter (I used Smart Balance) At Room Temperature
3/4 Cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Unsulfured Molasses
Candied Ginger (optional)
Granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, butter, sugar, egg and molasses.  After all these ingredients are combined slowly add the flour.  Once the entire mixture is mixed up well you can add ginger is using.  Roll into balls and roll around in some granulated sugar.  Place on baking sheet and flatten with a fork like you would with peanut butter cookies.  Bake for about 12 minutes depending on oven.  Cool and enjoy.

Meringue Chips (they were supposed to be cookies)

3 Teaspoons Meringue powder (mine turned out wrong because I didn't follow directions and used 3 Tablespoons!!!)
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place Meringue powder, water and half of the sugar in a small mixing bowl.  Whip it at high speed for about 5 minutes.  Slowly add the sugar and the vanilla.  continue to whip at high speed for about 5 more minutes until the meringue mixture is stiff and dry (kind of like marshmallow cream but a little thicker).  Spoon into a cookie decorator or decorating bag tipped with a large tip.  Pipe onto a baking sheet that has been covered with foil or parchment paper.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until dry but not brown (another mistake I made was not paying attention to the time).  When cool loosen gently from foil or parchment paper.

These look weird, and not at all like Meringue Cookies, but trust me, they are still very tasty!!

Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Cookies

½ C butter, margarine (I use fake butter)

½ C peanut butter

½ C granulated sugar

½ C packed brown sugar or honey (to make it lower fat you could use 2/3 C brown sugar instead of any granulated sugar)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cups wheat flour

1 Package mini peanut butter cups (I get mine from Trader Joe’s, sometimes they have healthier versions such as sugar free or dark chocolate)

            In large bowl melt butter and add peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar/honey, baking soda, baking powder, egg and vanilla.  Mix until the mixture is a dark brown.  Add flour ½ Cup at a time. Add mini peanut butter cups and mix well.  This mixture will look like it has WAY too many peanut butter cups but trust me is doesn’t. 

            Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll the dough into balls, it might be very sticky depending on which type of butter you use, and if it is too sticky then you may need to chill it in the fridge for some amount of time until it is less sticky.  Place balls 2 inches apart and put on cookie sheet.  You can flatten them but I don’t recommend it.  Cook for 7-10 minutes (time depends on how fast your oven cooks).  Transfer cookies to counter or wire rack to let cook.