Photo Via YouTube under the Creative Commons License

These fall cookie recipes are the perfect treats for the changing season.

1: Pecan Pie Thumbprints

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and corn syrup. Gradually beat in flour. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
2. For the filling, in a small saucepan, combine confectioners’ sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in pecans. Remove from pan; refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold.
3. Preheat oven to 375°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites; brush over tops.
4. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Gently press an indentation in center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Fill each with a scant 1/2 teaspoon pecan mixture. Bake 4-5 minutes longer or until edges are light brown.
5. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen.

Tips:

• Make sure you use parchment paper because the cookies may ooze.
• Make sure to keep everything cold.

2: Caramel Apple Cookies

 Ingredients:

•  1 cup butter, softened 
• 1 cup brown sugar
•  1/2 cup white sugar
•  3/4 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•  3 apples – peeled, cored, and diced
•  1 cup individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
•  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Beat butter, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, and salt together with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl until creamy and smooth. Beat 1 egg into the butter mixture until completely blended. Add the remaining egg and vanilla together and beat until smooth.
2. Beat as much of the flour into the butter mixture as you can with the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to stir any remaining flour into the batter.
3. Mix diced apples, caramels, and cinnamon together in a separate bowl; fold into the batter. Refrigerate batter until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
5. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared sheets.
6. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips:

• These cookies are extremely gooey, smake sure to eat them over a surface.
• Instead of using butter you can use 1/2 cup of margarine.

3: Gingersnap Gems

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 3/4 cup shortening
  
• 1/4 cup molasses
  
• 1 egg
  
• Sugar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the 1 cup sugar and shortening with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in molasses; beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
3. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set and tops are crackled. Cool on a cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Tips:

• Adding milk to the top of the cookie before you put into the oven adds color and the sugar sticks.

4: Peanut Butter Apple Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup grated peeled apple

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in apple.
2. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

Tips:

• Do not used reduced fat peanut butter.
• You can add chocolate chips.
• You can substitute shortening with butter.

5: White Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3.4 oz package pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice pudding mix. Set aside.
3. In your mixer cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Add your bowl of dry ingredients. Mix together and lastly add the white chocolate chips.
4. Scoop out cookie dough and roll into balls. Place two inches apart on baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let cool and enjoy! Yield: 2 dozen

Tips:

• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon adds to the fall flavor.

6: Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

Tips:

• When storing cookies, store with a piece of bread in order to retain moisture.

7: Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cream 1 cup of the sugar and the butter in a large bowl until it is fluffy and light. Beat in the vanilla and the egg.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar and baking soda.
3. Gradually add the dry mixture to the original mixture. Blend well.
4. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.
5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and then roll the balls in the mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
6. Place the cookies onto ungreased baking sheets two inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Cool on wire racks.

Tips:

• Don’t forget the cream of tartar; that’s what makes this cookie so soft.