The Absolute Best Cookie Recipe Ever

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 8 Minutes

Ready In: 3 Hours Yields: 24 servings

1 cup shortening 1 cup white sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar. beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; stir into the sugar mixture to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
3.	Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

BLACK AND WHITE TIE COOKIES

Oil, for brushing
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces), softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks

Chocolate Icing:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

White Icing:
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons warm water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 2 baking sheets very lightly with oil. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the wet in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the dry to make a smooth batter.
Evenly mound 2 tablespoons batter per cookie onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2-inches apart. (A small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop is ideal for this.) Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.
For the chocolate icing: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate. Shake the bowl gently so cream settles around the chocolate; set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too many air bubbles. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with about half of the chocolate icing.
For the white icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and warm water together to make a smooth icing. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with about a quarter of the icing.
To Decorate:
For tuxedo cookies: Set the cookies on a rack over a rimmed cookie sheet. Pour the white glaze over the whole cookie to cover; set aside to dry. Pipe a bowtie and tuxedo lapel with the chocolate icing.
For a little black dress and pearls: Pipe an outline of a woman's dress with the dark chocolate and fill in with more icing. Pipe white icing pearls around the top of the cookie. Add silver dragees or candy pearls to dress up, if desired. Let cookies dry completely, about 20 minutes. Serve.

Vanilla and Chocolate Delight



1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed,

divided

3 cups milk

1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 (1.45 ounce) bars milk chocolate with crispy rice,

crumbled



Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a

medium mixing bowl, combine pecans, flour, and butter.

Press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow

to cool.



In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and

confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the

whipped topping. Spread on top of cooled crust.



In a large bowl, combine milk, chocolate pudding mix,

and vanilla pudding mix. Beat until thick. Pour over

cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped

topping, and sprinkle with crushed chocolate bars.