Cookie Crunches!

The Maine House loves to help a woman in distress! Miss Judy has requested some good crunchy cookie recipes to share with her coworkers. They have decided to participate in an afternoon cookie swap at their office which should add some zest and fun to the afternoon workload. It appears to be such a busy office that very few of them have the time to slow down and just take a coffee or iced tea break for a few minutes. So what better way to be able to swing by the snack table and "grab and go" a deliciously warm, crunchy cookie! Ya'll enjoy!!

 A Maine House Mosaic

Calypso Crunch Cookies

8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/4 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup (4.5 oz) self rising flour

1/2 cup dried pineapple

7 oz. shredded sweetened coconut

2/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking butter spray. Cream the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract and continue beating for another minute or until creamy. Beat in the oats. By hand, stir in the self-rising flour, followed by the dried pineapple, coconut and pecans. Dough will be thick. Shape into balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and flatten slightly on sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes (I only baked them for 10 minutes to get a perfectly chewy cookie, if you’d like them crunchy, bake as the recipe indicates, then let them sit on the baking sheet about 5 minutes.

Estelle's Chocolate Chunk-Mocha Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (11.5-oz.) package semisweet chocolate chunks

 Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a bowl.

 Beat butter and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffy. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool. Spread cookies with Mocha Frosting.

Mocha Frosting

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup hot strong brewed coffee

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

 Stir together first 4 ingredients until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until creamy.

Estelle's Oatmeal Crunch Cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter, softened

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups uncooked regular oats

3/4 cup dried cherries

Vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda.Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in oats and dried cherries.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray; gently flatten dough into circles. Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. chopped pecans onto each dough circle, gently pressing into dough.
Bake, in batches, at 350° for 13 to 14 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cookies from baking sheets to wire racks, and let cool 10 minutes.