Cookies

This is what I did yesterday. From left to right, Apricot Oatmeal Drops, Lemonade Drops, and Ginger Cookies.

Because Kristen (my daughter) said they sounded good, here are all three recipes for your enjoyment. (And John loved coming home to fresh baked cookies)

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Apricot Oatmeal Drops

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Heat oven to 325F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add water, vanilla, and egg; blend well. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Fold in apricots and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 325F for 10-15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

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Lemonade Drops

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, reserving 3 tbsp.
Sugar

In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, shortening and eggs; beat well. In small bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Alternately add dry ingredients and lemonade concentrate to sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Brush with reserved lemonade concentrate and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Cool. Makes about 5 dozen.

(These cookies are somewhat "cakey" in texture.)

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Ginger Cookies

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Sugar

In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, molasses and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until set. (Cookies will puff up and flatten during baking.) Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Makes about 10 dozen.

Enjoy!