Cookies and Such...

Last week I had the opportunity to have lunch with some fellow bloggers.  It was so wonderful to meet them in person...I just love being able meet people (in person) that I've been talking to online, don't you??!!

At the end of the luncheon there was a cookie exchange.  Since cookie baking is NOT one of my strong points, I brought cookies that had been baked by someone so much better than me...Brookshire's!  I know, I know...a complete travesty, but as I said, cookie baking is just not my thing.

After thinking about it for a few days, I decided that I would give cookie baking another chance.  My best friend from Cheyenne would be visiting and cookie baking is HER thing, so I chose a couple of recipes that seemed absolutely harmless for us to bake while she was here...famous last words, right?!  Well, you will be happy to know that I did not set the kitchen on fire, nor did I burn one single cookie!  All 3 cookie baking ventures were a success and I'm so proud of myself.

Here is one of the recipes we used....Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies.


This recipe is super easy and you really can't mess it up...

1 package of Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling and sprinkling

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease baking sheet or use parchment paper.  We used parchment paper.

2.  Combine cake mix, eggs and butter in a large bowl using a wooden spoon.

3.  Refrigerate dough for about 20 minutes.  If you don't, it will be sticky and difficult to handle.

4.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll balls in powdered sugar.  You can use a little or a lot.

5.  Place dough balls onto baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart.

6.  Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are set and inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cooking time will depend on your oven.  I had to bake for a smidge over 11 minutes.  At the 9 minute mark, start testing them for doneness.  They will rise and then fall and "crinkle".  Don't freak out...they are supposed to crack open.

7.  Remove from oven, let sit for 1 minute and then transfer to cooling rack.  Sprinkle with more powdered sugar, if desired.


See, easy peasy.  And they taste delicious...soft and chewy!!  I'm having a hard time not eating them all at one sitting!






42 comments

  1. Yum! They are pretty too!

    I like the real easy holiday baking ...
    take a pretzel, place a rolo on top, place that in the oven at 250 watch as the rolo starts to melt a little, pull out the pan of pretzel/melting rolos and add a pecan. YUMMY. EASY. EVERYONE LOVES THEM. :-) Ho Ho Ho!!


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    1. Thank you ma’am…they are sooooo good!! LOL…I’m struggling with trying not to eat too many! 

      YUM…..those sound like my kind of holiday baking also…the easier the better!! You are so cute and sweet! Thank you for sharing that…will definitely give those a try..rolos are soooo good also!! Love and hugs!!

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    2. Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing! Hungry now! :)

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    3. These are the best cookies and are extremely good! I've had a hard time not eating every last one of them at one sitting!! :-) Love and hugs!!

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  2. Yum and festive. Great job. Happy holidays 😘🌲💕

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    1. Thank you ma'am...they are definitely both! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs to you!!

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  3. YUM! you really did it! they look great!
    although...
    if sandra lee can do it I figure it's ok if I do it too.
    I have become a first class "TWEAKER." not twerker. tweaker.
    I buy a bakery cookie or brownie and sometimes I add that little touch to it...
    like betty crocker butter pecan frosting... it LOOKS home made!
    glad you're blogging again. I lost track but now I've found you again! XOXO♥

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    1. Miss T!!! So wonderful to hear from you!! I hope you are doing well and will be back to blogging before too long! I've missed you!!

      LOL @ twerker...I hear it's pretty popular these days! ;-) I am always tweaking recipes to add a personal touch to them. I like Sandra Lee's "semi-homemade" outlook...it makes life and baking so much easier! Love and hugs to you sweet friend...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

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  4. These look delicious! I love a few shortcuts when I bake. I think I like cooking more but people really appreciate sweets at Christmas!

    Dying to know which bloggers you met with!!!

    Thanks for your comment. I have a few bins that I'm poking through and I'm feeling much lighter knowing I'm not going to go craaaaaazy decorating and then have to put it all away in January! lol!

    Happy Holidays, Benita!

    Jane

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    1. Honey, they were just too good and too easy! I love the shortcuts also. I don't mind doing it from scratch, but if there is an easier way, I'm there!

      I was able to meet Stacy (Poofing the Pillows), Joyce (At Home with Jemma), Judith (Botanic Bleu), Eilis and Laura (I don't know their blogs). We had such a great time and I loved meeting them all. I had met Judith before...we had lunch when I got back to Texas.

      You are so welcome...I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one! LOL Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs to you!!

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  5. Well there you go!! They would already be long gone if they were at my house.

    Last week was so much fun. Looking forward to the next get together. :)

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    1. They didn’t last long because they were just too good and too easy to make! I will be making some more this week to take home to Alabama. I also made a batch of Ginger Crinkles…hope to post that before this weekend, but I’m not holding my breath…too many last minute things to do. :-) I’m also looking forward to the next get together and I do not mind hosting at any time! Love and hugs!!

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  6. I am so proud of you! Now don't eat them all an ruin your new slim body! I am having a cookie baking day tomorrow with a girlfriend and then next Tuesday with another girlfriend. They both want to learn how to make my Cuidata (Italian fig cookies), which take all day to make! Send a prayer up for me!

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    1. Thank you ma’am…I was proud of me also!  My grandmother used to make all of the Italian cookies for Christmas and would bake for days and days…she and her friend Miss Annie. The only thing I could do was push the figs through the grinder (I so miss her fig cookies and Italian Wedding Cookies). I know the labor that goes with those cookies and I hope y’all had a wonderful time! Grandma would bake dozens upon dozens of those and everyone always came by her house for their cookie tins full….wonderful memories and smells of the season!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Love and hugs to you!!

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  7. Yum and oh, so pretty! I tried a krinkle recipe Kathleen at Lavender Bouquet offered last year...it was chocolate with a peppermint kiss tucked into the center. Not sure I'll be baking cookies this year, but yours look delish!

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    1. Thank you! They were delicious! I will be making a few more this week to take home to Alabama. This is the first baking I've done this year for the holidays. I made these cookies and some Ginger Crinkles...they were delicious also! :-) YUM...that recipe sounds wonderful!! Share it if you find it please ma'am! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs!!

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  8. Cookies! My nieces would love these- I'm passing your recipe along!
    I'm glad that you got to meet up with Stacey! Did you meet Jemma, too?
    Have a great weekend, Benita.
    Hugs, T.

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    1. Thanks so much for passing it to them…they will love it! Easy peasy and sooooo YUM…LOL! Yes, I got to meet Jemma and Stacey….they are adorable and I thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon! Looking forward to the next one! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs to you!!

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  9. Proud of you for baking such yummy looking goodies! This old gal's sugar is too high to enjoy very many cookies these days. I know, not fair! My McKinney daughter is an excellent baker as her colleagues at District 10 will attest. xoxo

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    1. Thank you ma'am....I was so glad they weren't burnt or flatter than all get out...LOL. That is definitely a bummer!!! Tell you daughter to share some recipes and you pass them along. Now that I have my courage up, I'm looking for some new things to try after the first of the year! :-) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs!!!

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  10. I have to try this!!! Have a Merry Christmas my friend. Much love and Big Hugs!

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    1. Girl, thank you so much for leaving a comment!!! Yes, please do give them a try. I’m a horrible baker for stuff like this, but these cookies were delicious. Surprisingly, I was able to stop myself from eating them all at one time…LOL…it was very difficult!!!

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you sweet friend…Much love and big hugs right back at ya!! Loved seeing the photo of you girls last week!! :-) Tell Larry that we said hello also!!

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  11. Merry Christmas. Your cookies look good and sound easy enough even for a poorly skilled cook like me. Glad the get together went well. Was sad to be out of state at the time.

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    1. Thank you ma'am. Baking is not my thing, but these were so easy, even I could do it. The Easy Bake Oven I got when I was a kid is about my usual speed for baking and such. I so hate I missed you too but hopefully will be able to see you at the next one! :-) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Love and hugs!!

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  12. Well, it seems I've been a crappy friend. You've been through an awful lot since I've been gone and I'm sorry, love. I'll say one thing though... at least you're only two states away if you ever want to meet up ;)

    The cookies look great!

    love to you,
    rue

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    1. Honey, not at all! You and I both have had a rough year. I don’t know about you, but when I’ve got a lot going on or have heartache of some sort, I crawl into a shell and rarely poke my head out until I can get myself together. I hope things are going better for you…you are never far from my thoughts even though I haven’t been good about keeping in touch and visiting! I would love to meet up soon… we can plan a trip and have a weekend!!

      Thanks so much…they were good. I’ve got to make some more this week to take home to Alabama…if that make it that far! :-) Much love and hugs to you sweet friend!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

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  13. Benita,
    The lunch, cookie exchange, and visiting were all great last week. Proud of you, girl, for not burning down the kitchen. :) These look yummy!

    Judith

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    1. Judith, I had such a great time! You are so precious!! I'm so glad I didn't burn down the kitchen also...I was very afraid, believe me! But, I was brave enough to make two cookie recipes...I knew my friend Connie would take control if I messed it up too much...LOL. They were very good and I did eat them in moderation! :-) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Love and hugs!!

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  14. Yum! And the recipe looks so simple, which is right up my alley. I only bake one traditional batch of cookies at Christmas, and I have a hard time staying out of those. But my biggest problem is the York peppermint patties that I like to keep in a pretty dish on the kitchen counter for Christmas. Ugh, it's SO hard not to gobble several at a time!

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    1. Julie, it was super simple and that is what I have to have when I'm baking. My mother asked me the other day if I could make Divinity....rrriiiigggghhhhtttt....Not on your life!! LOL I wouldn't even attempt it!! My weakness is Reese Cups and Hershey Kisses....I keep those out...but not for long, unfortunately...LOL I have a sweet tooth the size of Alaska!! LOL Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Love and hugs!!

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  15. Ha ha, you're so funny, Benita!! Hey this recipe looks great - super simple!! xo

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    1. The recipe was wonderful and super, super simple! When I got my nails done today, I got the tips red…that way no one will know when I’ve been eating the red velvet cookies…LOL Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Love and hugs!!

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  16. Benita,
    So glad that you got to meet up with bloggers that are near you...it's so nice to know people close by when you move too a new place!
    These cookies look amazing...honestly though, I never met a cookie I didn't like! ;)
    I think it's totally acceptable to bring bought cookies! Although, I suspect that next cookie exchange you'll be a cookie baking machine!
    Wishing you the Merriest of Holidays my sweet friend! Big Hugs! Kimberley

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    1. Kimberley, it was so nice to meet the other ladies...I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is also great to put a face to the blog and a voice to go with it! :-)

      Ditto...I love cookies, and chocolate, and cake, and candy...LOL The gingerbread cookies I bought were so much better than anything I could have made, believe me! They were all so perfectly shaped...LOL. When we made these we did make a ginger crinkle cookie that turned out well. Hopefully I can share it before the weekend....but this week has already been crazy and it is still Monday...LOL Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my birthday twin!!! I hope you have a fabulous holiday yourself! Love and hugs to you!!!

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    1. You are so funny!! I was able to meet Stacey (Poofing the Pillow), Joyce (At Home with Jemma), Judith (Botanic Bleu – I had already met her before thought), Eilis and Laura…two bloggers I didn’t know and still need to track down their blogs. I so loved meeting them….you need to travel to Texas and meet up with us! :-) I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!! Love and hugs to you!!

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  18. Red velvet cake mix is one thing that has yet to reach my part of the world or I'd be heading to the kitchen right now :-) I do like a pretty cookie.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Oh Amalia...I so hate that you don't have access to it! It is so easy to use and tastes wonderful...it can be cake or cookie! I do love pretty cookies also. These have pretty color and great taste, but as a "pretty" cookie, they really don't qualify. When they puffed up in the oven, they were gorgeous...but then they fell and broke open...as they are supposed to. :-) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Love and hugs!!

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  19. Benita, what a fun day to get together with other bloggers, and your cookies look totally scrumptious BTW! Red Velvet anything is my fav!! Ha, I should have taken a picture of the gingerbread men cookies my daughter and I made tonight!The dough was a lot on the dry side and half of them looked like zombies! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Cheers to a better 2017!

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    1. It was very nice and I so enjoyed it! I’ve also met Kimberley (Seaside Avenue) and Dewena (Dewena’s Window). They are so precious and I am so glad we were able to meet. I love Red Velvet anything also…you just can’t go wrong! :-) Oh, I would have loved to see those, I bet they looked adorable and nothing like Zombies….LOL. But if they did, Zombies are very popular right now! :-) I hope you and your family have a most wonderful Christmas and New Year and I’m with you on a much better 2017!! Love and hugs to you sweet friend!!

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  20. Benita.....this recipe looks and sounds so delicious. Sounds like a fun day with your friend. I think you are probably a better baker than you think. LOL hugs!

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    1. Thank you so much! They were good and we had so much fun while she visited. I'm working on my baking skills...maybe that should be a resolution for 2017??!! :-) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year sweet friend! Love and hugs!!

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