• | Christmas Cookies!

1 | Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

These cookies are inspired by my dad’s mother. Her famous raisin cookies were always in a cookie jar on the counter. Cinnamon and raisin are a classic combination, but I’ve substituted raisins for dried cranberries and added an ingredient to make them more irresistible. These cookies will bring back the memories of sitting on the porch chatting away not having a care in the world.

3 |   Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Scottish butter cookies are some of my favorite sweet treats. Their rich and buttery flavor is melt-in-your-month fantastic. However, I wanted to cut down on the calories and prepare a gluten and dairy-free recipe. To add just a little extra crunch and pizzazz, I include pistachios which are incredible in shortbread.

2 |   Rhubarb Sauce with Shortbread Cookies

Rhubarb always reminds me of Minnesota and home. One of my favorite rhubarb desserts is a torte with a crispy crust, rhubarb custard middle, and meringue topping. I read through grandma’s recipe and decided to adjust it so we could make it in less time. This shortbread cookie, custardy ice cream, and rhubarb sauce will give you an idea of how lovely the torte really is.

4 |   Monster Cookies

Your kids will love getting their hands dirty when they make these monster cookies. Using their hands to mix and shape the dough is written right into the recipe. With peanut butter, oatmeal, m&ms and chocolate chips, this cookie is one that the Cookie Monster would approve of and share with all his friends— and probably eat twice as many.

1 stick of butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? For a simple dairy-free option, use coconut oil instead of the butter. To replace the egg, use 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water; let it sit for one minute before using it. To make this gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats. Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend plus 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum and two tablespoons almond meal.

Make ahead option– Refrigerate the dough in a sealed container for a week and bake a single scoop of dough when you want just one cookie. Freeze the finished cookies or dough in pre-made cookie balls into for up to 2 months. Or keep the cookies on the counter in a cookie jar, tin, or sealed bag.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat oven to 400˚. Grease two cookie sheets.

2. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in egg.

3. In medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add this mixture to the sugar mixture and beat well. Stir in the dried cranberries. Coconut makes these cookies even more chewy and irresistible.

4. Drop about two tablespoons of dough, or use a small scoop, onto the cookie sheet. Make sure each drop of dough is about two inches apart. Make 18 cookies.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until light brown. Leave the cookies on the sheet to cool for 2-5 minutes then transfer them to wire racks to cool.

Shortbread Cookie:
1 cup flour
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Rhubarb sauce:
cups chopped rhubarb (4-5 stalks)
1 cup sugar

ice cream

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Use your favorite gluten-free flour like King Arthur Gluten-free Multi-Purpose Flour or make your own mix with 12 oz white rice flour, 4 oz brown rice flour, 3.5 oz potato starch, 1.5 oz tapioca starch. Store the left-over flour in a airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 months. For this recipe, use 1 cup of this flour mixture and 1/2 teaspoon xanthin gum then continue with the recipe as normal. For a dairy-free option, use coconut oil instead of butter. Also instead of ice cream use your favorite dairy-free frozen dessert like Tofutti Premium Pints, Rice Dream, or SO Delicious Dairy Free.

Make ahead option– Store the cookies in a sealed container on the counter for up to one week or in the freezer for one month. The rhubarb sauce will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerate for two weeks. Just think, if you double this recipe, you’ll have plenty to have this quick dessert ready in minutes!

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚. 

2. Cook the rhubarb by adding it and the sugar to a medium pot on medium heat. Then cook it for 12 minutes, stirring it occasionally. The rhubarb is ready when it’s tender and falling apart. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool.

3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, butter, and salt together. This will be a stiff dough, but it should come together once it's mixed well. One teaspoon my seem like a lot of salt and it is, but with the sweetness of the custardy ice-cream and tartness of the rhubarb the salt balances out the dessert.

4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

5. Use a 2 inch biscuit cutter or ring to cut out the cookies. Re-roll the dough as needed. You should get about 16 cookies. 

6. Place the cookies on a sheet tray and bake for 8 minutes. Remove them from the sheet tray, place them on a wire rack, and dust them with the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.

7. Layer your dessert together by serving up ice cream then topping that with a tablespoon or two of the rhubarb sauce. My husband breaks the cookie into small pieces over the sauce. I like to leave the cookie whole and take a bite with every spoonful.

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature

1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour blend

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons pistachos, finely chopped

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is gluten-free and dairy-free. If you have a nut allergy just don’t add the nuts. They will be just as delicious.

Make ahead option– These can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for one week.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and coconut oil.

3. Mix the flour and salt in until the dough comes together and begins to form a stiff dough.

4. Add in the pistachios and mash them into the dough until they are all incorporated.

5. Form the dough into 2” round log. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Then Slice the dough into about 24 cookies.

6. Place the circles on a cookie sheet at least an inch apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden brown.

7. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing them and devouring them.

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 tablespoon agave nectar

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup mini m&m™

2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats

2 tablespoons flour

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? For a gluten-free option, use your favorite gluten-free flour and old-fashioned rolled oats like Bob's Red Mill.

Make ahead option– These freeze wonderfully and can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for a month. OR follow the Simple Steps 1-4 and store the dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the dough for up to a month!

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat the egg.

3. Use a sturdy wooden or bamboo spoon to combine all the other ingredients together in the bowl.

4. Scoop out 1/4 cup of dough. Use your hands and roll the dough into a ball about the size of a golf ball. Drop each ball onto a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Add a little more dough for monster sized cookies!

5. Bake for 12 minutes. Leave on the baking sheet for a two minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack.

6. Depending on how much tasting  happened during the process, this recipe makes 20-22 cookies