Gingerbread Cookies

Growing up on Gabriola, we always thought that my Mom was the best baker… Of course when you come home to the smell of fresh cookies just waiting to greet you, I think she had us won over. One of our all time favourite recipes, that’s a super easy Christmas recipe, is gingerbread. During this festive season, I wanted to share with you one of our all time favorites… and when they come out of the oven fresh give us a call – we’ll be right over!

Easy Gingerbread Recipe…

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Butterscotch Instant Pudding
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

BEAT butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

HEAT oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter. Place, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets. Use straw to make hole near top of each cutout.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand on baking sheets 3 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate as desired. Insert ribbon through holes to hang cookies on tree.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

There is nothing better, than those things that make us reminisce about our childhood. For me it’s the smell, well that and the taste as well of Mom’s chocolate chip cookies. We were fortunate to have a Mom that enjoyed baking, so often times after school we would come home to her freshly baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I thought I would share her recipe with you:

Ingredients.

1 ¾ cup Flour
½ tsp Salt
2 cups Quaker Oats
1 pkg Chocolate Chips (or less)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter
1 tsp. Baking Soda
¼ cup Boiling Water
1 tsp Vanilla

Directions.

Cream sugar & butter, add vanilla. Blend in flour, salt, quaker oats. Set aside.

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Gradually stir into creamed mixture. Mix chocolate chips. Spoon heapfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes & transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approx. 18 – 24 cookies.

Enjoy!