Banana Cream Pie Cookies

Or Banana Puddin' Cookies (for my suthun friends)

-No bananas were harmed while making these cookies-

This is a recipe I came across on Pinterest that I tweaked for my own liking. It is awesome! These cookies are a real treat and really taste like Banana Cream Pie! This recipe is the same as my chocolate chip cookie recipe--which we all know is downright perfect ;) with a few additions:

1 c. butter--softened to room temperature (STAY AWAY from the microwave!)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 c. flour
1 (3.4 oz) package of dry Instant Banana Pudding mix
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
5 graham crackers--broken into small pieces, NOT crushed OR use Vanilla wafers broken into pieces to make this suthun!

Cream together butter and sugars using the paddle attachment on your mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until fluffy again. In a separate bowl, combine salt, soda, flour, and pudding mix, then add slowly to wet ingredients (do not over mix). I toss the chocolate chips and graham crackers in just after I finish dumping the flour mix in, then, viola, cookie dough.

I use my cookie scoop to put cookies on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes, until they are barely turning golden brown around the edges. DO NOT over bake.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are Jaxon's favorite cookies! He especially likes to snitch the cookie dough.

1 c. butter, softened (the best way is to leave it out on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Don't warm it up in the microwave!)

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. (or more;) chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture a little at a time. Use a 1 inch cookie scoop to form balls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

I place as many 1 inch balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet as I can and place them in the freezer until they harden. Then I put them in a gallon freezer bag and save them for those moments when you just have to have a fresh baked cookie.

Homemade Oreos

2 pkgs. devil's food cake mix

1 c. shortening

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3-4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cube butter, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cake mix, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Use a cookie scoop, or roll into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet (my m-i-l likes to make these bite-sized and uses a mini-scoop). Bake for 8-10 minutes; do not overbake, take them out at 10 minutes even if they do not look done. Let them cool on the cookie sheet before removing. Use cream cheese frosting for filling. Store between waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix

1/2 c. oil

1 egg

1/4 c. water

1 c. mix-ins (Chocolate chips, coconut, raisins, nuts, etc.)

Combine all ingredients and use a 1-inch cookie scoop to place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Here are a few our favorites:

• lemon cake mix -- white chocolate chips
• devil's food cake mix -- Andes mints
• Rainbow chip cake mix

Soft Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. plus 2 TB. sugar, divided

2 eggs

2 3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, divided

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.

In a small bow, combine 2 Tab. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 inch balls (I use a cookie scoop) and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Makes 4 dozen.