Get some cookies in your freezer for summer by Sharyn Thompson

I try to do some extra cookie baking this time of year before the hot weather and before I begin gardening. I have two new recipes for you to try: peanut butter brownie cups and soft ginger cookies. I hope you like them. Enjoy a great week and our long week-end!

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE CUPS

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup soft butter

4- 1 oz. squares of unsweetened chocolate (we carry this at Sharyn’s Pantry)

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. fine salt

20 mini chocolate peanut butter cups (Walmart sells this)

20 foil muffin liners – regular size (we carry this at Sharyn’s Pantry)

METHOD:

-Preheat your oven top 350 degrees F.

-Line 20 standard-size muffin cups with the foil baking cups. Set aside.

-In the top of a double boiler or a bowl placed over a pot of hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate squares with the butter. Stir often. Once this has melted, remove from the heat.

-Gradually stir in the white sugar and mix until well combined.

-Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

-Now add the vanilla.

-Stir in the flour and salt and mix until completely blended.

-Spoon the batter into the prepared lined muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

-Place 1 peanut butter cup in the centre of each muffin cup, gently pressing in.

-Bake the treats for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out nearly clean. ENJOY!

SOFT GINGER COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Crisco oil

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 level tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. fine salt

1- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup snipped pieces of crystallized ginger (we carry this at Sharyn’s Pantry)

METHOD:

-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar, Crisco oil and the molasses for one minute at MEDIUM speed.

-Add in to this the sour cream and egg. Continue to beat until well blended.

-Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

-With the electric mixer set on LOW speed, gradually add the sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Mix until well blended. Add the snipped pieces of crystallized ginger, stirring in with a wooden spoon.

-Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop the cookie batter  onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Allow 2 inches space apart, between the cookies.

-Flatten the dough slightly with your flattened fingers.

-Bake the cookies in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 minutes or until the cookies puff up and spring back when lightly touched.

-Cool on the baking sheets for a couple of minutes before lifting the cookies to a wire cooling rack to continue to cool completely.

-The recipe will make about 3 dozen cookies. ENJOY!