Cocoa- Mint Yo-yos

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Cocoa Mint Yo- yos

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400.  In large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until softened.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Beat in egg.  In mixing bowl stir together dry ingredients.  With mixer on low speed add half of the flour mixture and beat well.  Beat in the buttermilk and then the remaining flour mixture until well mixed.  Drop by rounded tsp about 3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 7-9 minutes until edges are firm and cookies are no longer shiny.  Move to racks to cool.  Mix up mint filling.

Mint Filling

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

6 TBSP butter softened

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

2 TBSP milk

3-4 drops green food coloring

In small bowl combine all and beat on low speed until smooth.  Add additional milk if needed until easy to spread.  

Assemble by spreading rounded tsp of filling on flat side of half of the cooled cookies.  Top with remaining cookies, rounded side up.

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

We had a chocolate-lover staying with us and I've been on a little cookie kick lately so I decided to try these. They did not disappoint...

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, fine chopped
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 stick slightly salted butter, softened
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
3 oz white chocolate coarse chopped*

Preheat oven to 300. Grease 2 baking sheets or line with non-stick baking parchment. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the cooled chocolate and fold in the flour until combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough spaced 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. When the cookies are cool, dip a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle over the cookies. Leave on wire racks to set the topping, then store the cookies in an airtight container.

*I didn't do the last step (with the white chocolate) because I didn't have any. But I did have some vanilla icing in the fridge so I put a dab of that on a few of them and it was yummy. Alex said they reminded him of fudge pop tarts with vanilla creme filling.

Makes about 25 cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

This made for a great late night football-listening snack. Easy and tasty. I have a feeling they'll be even better tomorrow (after having settled for the night).

3/4 stick butter, softened
1/3 c. crunchy peanut butter
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. superfine sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking powder

Put the butter, peanut butter and sugars in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg. Don't worry if it looks like it's curdling - it will be fine once cooked. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Chill mixture for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 baking sheets or line w/ non-stick baking parchment. Place spoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheets at least 3 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

makes 20 cookies