Four Cookies from One Dough

This recipe was great for making a variety of cookies quickly. The recipe comes from

Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking"

Basic Cookie Dough:
1 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 c. sugar

1-1/2 c. brown sugar

3 eggs

1/3 c. canola oil

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, oil and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.

Divide dough into 4 equal portions * about 1-1/4 c. each*

Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour or you can freeze for up to 3 months.

For Cut Out Cookies, use one portion of dough ( 1-1/4 c.) Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned underneath. Decorate as desired. We sprinkled ours with sugar before baking

Chocolate Swirled Bars:
Makes 36

1 portion Holiday Cookie Dough

1 c. dark chocolate chips

1/4 c. vanilla chips, melted

Press dough into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. ( will be thin) Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let stand for a few minutes. Spread chips over bars. Drop melted vanilla chips onto spread chocolate. Swirl with a knife. Let set until chocolate hardens before cutting into bars.

Drizzled Cherry Cup Cookies:
Makes 22

1 portion Holiday Cookie Dough ( 1-1/4 c.)

22 maraschino cherries, well drained

2 squares ( 1 oz each) semisweet chocolate, melted

Roll dough into 1" balls and press into the bottom and up sides of mini muffin tins coated with cooking spray. Place a cherry in the center of each. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate

Wreath Cookies:

1 portion Holiday Cookie Dough ( 1-1/4 c.)

2 T. flour

4-5 drops green food coloring

2 T. water

2 T. M&M miniature baking bits

2 T. vanilla frosting

Place cookie dough in a mixing bowl. Add 2 T. flour and beat. Add food coloring and mix until combined.Shape 1 tsp. dough into a 4" rope. Repeat with another piece. Place two ropes side by side. Press together lightly and twist. Shape into a circle and press ends together to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Attach baking bits onto cooled wreaths with a bit of frosting.