Summertime Sweetness

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A simple entertaining solution for summer that works for kids of all ages is a milk & cookie bar. This is a perfect set up for outdoor parties by the pool because they take seconds to eat and leave only crumbs behind.

• Use beach buckets and frisbees as serving platters for your cookie bar, along with galvanized buckets for drinks.
• Everyone knows milk goes with cookies, so have iced individual cartons on hand. Don't forget to have water available for those guests who are lactose intolerant.
• In order to error on the side of safety in regards to nut allergies be 100% sure there are NO NUTS in anything you serve. Either make them yourself or order them from a bakery. Whatever you do, do not buy store bought cookies, as majority of them do not disclose if they were made in the same bakery as those containing nuts.

Milk & Cookie Bar

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Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
2. ​Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week. 

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Chewy Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups margarine

• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup white sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just blended. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

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No Bake Chocolate Crunch Cookie

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red liquid food coloring 
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa 
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Parchment paper
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup white chocolate morsels, melted according to package directions and cooled 
• Garnish: white chocolate morsels 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and food coloring; beat 30 seconds.
2. Sift flour with next 2 ingredients in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until combined. Stir in vanilla.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press thumb or end of a wooden spoon into each ball, forming an indentation.
4. Bake at 325° for 10 to 15 minutes or until cookies are fragrant and dry. While cookies are still warm, press indentations again. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).
5. Stir together cream cheese and melted white chocolate in a small bowl. Fill centers of cookies with cream cheese mixture.