Yummy Treats

Last night, at my church, we had a Ladies Night Out. It was absolutely wonderful. First of all, walking out the door without kids was so sweet. Then, I got to spend the evening worshiping and learning about my Savior while getting to fellowship and laugh with a bunch of sweet ladies. It was absolutely delightful! We had cookies and coffee to make the night even sweeter. I made Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies. Oh my word. They are so amazing! It isn't very often that I make cookies using a box mix, but trust me, these are worth it. Then, I made one of my all time favorite cookies...snickerdoodles. And, these snickerdoodles, are just the perfect texture. You really should try these. You will not be sorry!

Snickerdoodles:
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk (really good...a couple of minutes) the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together the shortening and butter. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth.

Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon in bowl. Roll the dough, by hand, into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar. Place them on an unlined cookie sheet or a baking stone, spacing them evenly. Bake until light brown, but still moist in the center, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.


Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies:

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix (I used betty crocker's double chocolate fudge.)
Confectioners' sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls (I didn't do this because I didn't have the time and it was fine...just messy). Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely.