Brown Eyes Cookies Recipes

THICK AND CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
• Roll a scant ¼ cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2½ inches apart.
• Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to set, yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. These can also be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months.

BUCKEYES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until well combined. Scoop 2-teaspoonful mounds, and roll into balls; arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Microwave the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe medium bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Stick a toothpick or skewer into the top center of a peanut butter ball. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter visible on top. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then return the buckeye to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate.
• Chill the buckeyes until firm, about 30 minutes. Smooth out the hole left by the toothpick with an offset spatula. Serve at room temperature or well chilled. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

BROWN-EYED SUSANS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter, margarine and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just blended. Do not overmix.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart into prepared cookie sheets. Make a slight indentation in the center. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should be lightly browned. Cool slightly and frost the center of each cookie.
• To make the icing, combine the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir in the hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle the icing from the tip of a knife or spoon onto the center of each cookie. Allow the cookies time to set up before serving.

BROWN-EYED SUSAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat over to 400°F Grease cookies sheets.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Add sugar, almond extract, and salt. Blend in flour.
• Shape a tablespoon of dough into a ball. Place on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of a glass that has been dipped in flour.
• Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookies look dry and are beginning to brown around the edges. Remove to rack. Cool.
• Prepare Frosting: In a small saucepan, melt butter with chocolate (or microwave). Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.