Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies were born out of my love for all things salty + sweet.

I double dog dare you to eat just one.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 package caramel bites (they're little unwrapped caramels in the baking section by the choc chips)

Fine sea salt for dusting.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and caramel by hand. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment lined and greased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with fine sea salt.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. I had to spray cooking spray on my spatula to get them to lift nicely.  The caramel tends to stick to the spatula.

Then try not to eat them all. 

Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

From: The back of the Hershey's Kisses bag

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

48 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
1/2C Shortening
3/4C Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3C Sugar
1/3C brown sugar
1 egg
2T milk
1tsp vanilla
1 1/2C Flour
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
~3T sugar, in small bowl

1. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until blended

2. Add 1/3C sugar and brown sugar, beat.

3. Add egg, milk and vanilla, beat.

4. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together, and gradually add to wet mixture.

5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press one hershey's kiss into the center of the cookie. Move to wire rack to cool.

Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla.
Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets and place on cooling rack.

Homemade Marshmallows

1/2C cold water
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2C water
3/4C corn syrup
2C sugar

1. Place the 1/2C cold water in a large bowl (or bowl of stand mixer). Add 3 envelopes gelatin and set aside.

2. In saucepan, combine 1/2C water, 3/4C corn syrup and 2 C sugar. Stirring continuously, heat over med-low until sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil with the lid on for 3 minutes.

3. Take lid off and boil until syrup reaches 240 degrees.

4. Slowly add syrup to dissolved gelatin with hand mixer, or stand mixer. When everything is mixed, increase speed of mixer to high and whip for about 15 minutes until white and fluffy.

5. Pour into greased 9X13 pan, let set.

6. Cover in powdered sugar and cut into squares. Cover cut sides with powdered sugar. Keep in sealed container.

So they're a bit time consuming, but they are SO worth it. They are soft and wonderful, but very dense. YUM!

Monster Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3 eggs
1 1/4C packed brown sugar
1C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
3/4C m&m's
1/2C chocolate chips
4 1/2C quick-cooking oatmeal

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

2. In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well.

3. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well.

4. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, baking soda, and oatmeal.

5. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

6. Bake for 8 minutes. Do not over bake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

PS: No, there is no flour in these cookies! It's not a typo friends!

Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

3C Sugar
1/3C cocoa powder
3/4C milk
1/2C butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4C peanut butter
5C quick oatmeal

Mix sugar and cocoa in large, heavy pan. Stir in milk. Bring to boil over medium heat. When at a full boil, add butter. Do not stir. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla, oatmeal and peanut butter. Drop spoon fulls onto waxed paper and allow to set (at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours). Store in a covered pan.

New Orleans Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1/2C butter
1C sugar
1 egg
1T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2tsp baking soda
1 3/4C + 2T flour

Sift salt, baking soda and flour together*. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and 1/4 C of the flour mix at a time. Place dough on plastic wrap and form into a tube. Chill for 8 hours. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.

*If you don't have a sifter, you can sift the flour mixture in a wire kitchen strainer. Just add the flour mixture and tap the sides. Repeat 2-3 times.

Graham Cracker Toffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2pkg graham crackers, snapped in half (to make 2 squares)
1C butter
1C brown sugar
1 bag chocolate chips
1 1/2 C toasted pecans

Line cookie sheet with graham crackers. Melt butter over medium heat and add brown sugar. Bring to rolling boil and cook for 2 minutes without stirring. Pour hot mixture over crackers and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with choc chips and toasted pecans. remove from pan and place on cooling rack immediately. Let fully cool before serving.