Monday, December 16, 2013

Oatmeal Bars with Icing


Ingredients

1 3/4cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup molasses
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp milk

350 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.

In a Kitchenaid mixer, beat shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs, the molasses and vanilla.  Then mix in dry ingredients.

 Then mix in oats, raisins and pecans.  Cut batter into four.  Form each into a log, two length-wise on each cookie sheet.  Bake for 19 - 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes and cut into 1 inch bars.  After the bars are completely cool, stir icing sugar and milk together and drizzle over bars.


Coffee Toffee Cookies


Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
1 Tbsp hot water
2/3 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup toffee chips (I used Skor)

350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together.  I do this in my large measuring cup so I don't have an extra bowl to wash.  In a large bowl, whisk espresso powder and hot water together and then add butter and sugar and vanilla.  Stir well to mix and if mixture is still hot, mix in eggs a few drops at a time so you won't get scrambled eggs.

Add dry mixture to wet and mix as little as possible to incorporate.  Fold in chips.

This will make 24 cookies and they spread out so only 6 per sheet, 2 Tbsp per cookie.
Bake 16 minutes, let cool and then bake remaining dough.