Cookies!

This time of year, it seems most of us start thinking of gift-giving, and what could be easier than homemade cookies? Here are six cookie recipes to try your hand at for potential gift-giving. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH COOKIES

This comes from PureWow, and begins, “We've been feeling a little nostalgic lately--maybe it's all this back-to-school business or something. That's why we transformed everyone's favorite childhood sandwich into a cookie. Unlike the sandwich, however, we don't just smoosh PB&J between two cookies, because where's the fun in that?” Makes about 1 dozen sandwich cookies in 1 hour 15 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup jelly or jam (we like strawberry)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Scoop 2 tablespoons cookie dough into a round on a prepared baking sheet and then flatten it slightly with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough to make 24 cookies. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn half the cookies over and place 1 mounded tablespoon of jelly in the center. Top each with another cookie and press down slightly. Store in an airtight container (up to two days) until ready to serve.

5 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This comes from Tablespoon.com. It begins, “Only five ingredients in these super chewy peanut butter cookies. Add some milk chocolate chips to put them over the top delicious.” Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 14 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips.

When blended, mix in the chocolate chips.

Using your fingers, form 1 1/2 inch balls (dough will be very wet and sticky) and place onto an ungreased parchment lined cookie sheet. You don't want to make them too big because they do spread.

Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

Makes around a dozen small cookies.

PUMPKIN ROLLOUT COOKIES

These are from a long-since-forgotten emailing list.

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup canned or fresh cooked pumpkin

1 egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine with electric mixer the butter, brown sugar and orange zest. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and spices.

Mix with your hands to create a soft dough.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into two pieces.

Roll out each piece to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface.

Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Decorate with favorite frosting and candies.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This comes from David Leite in The New York Times' cooking newsletter. David writes, “You may have memorized the foolproof gem on the back of the Toll House bag, given to the world by Ruth Graves Wakefield in the 1930s. But this may become your new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s a little more complicated, and you’ll have to plan ahead: after assembling the dough, you must chill it for at least 24 hours before baking it, and preferably up to 36. This allows the dry ingredients time to soak up the wet ones, which results in a firmer dough. It leads to a marvelously chewy, chocolate-rich cookie. Don’t skimp on good chocolate, and the sea salt is not an option -- it’s the beacon at the top of this gorgeous treat.” Makes 1 1/ 2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt

Preparation

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, “If you're pressed for time, use purchased cream cheese frosting in place of the cream cheese filling.

“The pumpkin drop cookies are easy to prepare and bake, and the cream cheese icing makes the perfect filling.” Prep Time: 12 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Total Time: 24 minutes; Yield: Makes about 20 cookies

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

4 ounces butter, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

Filling:

6 tablespoons butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Line baking sheet with a silicone mat or buttered parchment paper. Heat oven to 350°.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat 4 ounces butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended. Slowly beat in the milk and pumpkin, then add dry ingredients, beating just until blended.

With a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are firm. Cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet then loosen the bottoms with a spatula and let them cool completely.

Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer. Beat well until the filling is smooth. Frost the bottom of a cookie, then press the bottom of another cookie on the filling to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies. Makes about 18 to 20 filled cookies.

SPICED PUMPKIN-RAISIN COOKIES

This comes from Giada De Laurentiis of Giada At Home on the Food Network. Makes 23 to 26 cookies. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 20 min; Level: Easy

You can view this online at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spiced-pumpkin-raisin-cookies-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 cup raw sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice. Stir to blend well. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, syrup and vanilla; whisk to blend. Using a flexible rubber spatula, gradually stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the raisins.

For each cookie, drop 1 generous tablespoon of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 1 inch apart (or use a mini ice cream scoop). Using moistened fingertips, flatten each to a 2-inch-diameter round. Sprinkle each cookie with a bit more raw sugar.

Bake the cookies until brown and a bit firm to the touch, 17 to 20 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.