A Few of My Favorite Desserts!

Here are a couple of tried and true dessert recipes. This first recipe has been in my family for many years. My mom submitted it to our church cookbook many many years ago, it is a recipe that we make every year during the holidays. These sugar cookies are by far the best that I've ever had, so soft and fluffy, they are a cookie that never browns. Such a great cut out cookie recipe! 

Sister Sada's Super Soft Sugar Cookies

1 c margerine

2 eggs

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

4 c flour

1 3/4 c sugar

1 8 oz container sour cream

1 t soda

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together dry ingredients (minus sugar). Cream margarine and sugar together. Add eggs and sour cream. Mix well. Gradually add in dry ingredients, mixing well. Roll these cookies out for cut out cookies, batter will be quite sticky at first so be sure to knead some flour into it. Up to 2 cups flour can be added when rolling out the dough. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Cookies will not brown and will rise high. Sprinkle w/ sugar before baking or frost afterwards. I also usually grease my cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Notes: When baking these cookies rise up but never out so you can place them fairly close on the cookie sheet and not worry about them sticking together. I usually add about 1 1/2 cups flour when rolling out the first time so that when I roll out my scraps I can use a little more flour and they won't be too dry.

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This next dessert is one of my Dad's favorites, I've also made it for family gatherings on my Dad's side and if my cousin Mike is there he'll have at least 2 pieces!

Robert Redford Dessert

Layer 1:

1 stick margarine

1 1/4 c flour

2 T powdered sugar

1 c chopped pecans

Mix and pat into 9x13 dish. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely.

Layer 2:

1 c cool whip

8 oz cream cheese

1 c sugar

Mix and spread over cooled crust.

Layer 3:

2 sm vanilla pudding

1 sm chocolate pudding

3 c milk

Beat for 2 minutes, pour over 2nd layer. spread top with Cool Whip and refrigerate.

You can also add shaved chocolate or mini chocolate chips.

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I found this Snickerdoodle Blondie recipe on Babycenter and since I love Snickerdoodles, I had to give this one a chance. This is a bar cookie recipe and so much easier than rolling tons of cookies into a ball and then into sugar! Definitely keeping this in my recipe file :)

Snickerdoodle Blondies

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and/or line a 9x13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.

2. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.

3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish, so it’s best to spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting. Makes 20-24 bars.

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This last recipe is another one from Babycenter. The original recipe was for cookies, but the day I made them I didn't feel like messing w/ drop cookies, that and I doubled the recipe so I just made them into bar cookies. They were delicious and have a cake like texture. If you are doubling this recipe, be sure to have a very large mixing bowl handy! I made them in my 5 qt Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and it was filled to the brim....so next time I will be using my gigantic Tupperware bowl.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

1- 12.5 oz can pumpkin

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

1 cup veggie oil

2 tsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

12 oz package milk chocolate chips

Combine all of these ingredients in a large bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl combine:

4 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

Slowly combine the flour/baking powder into the cookie mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread into greased Jelly Roll pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.