Chewy Drizzled Cinnamon Cookies

Per your request, this one is for you, Tracey & Doug! These used to be your favorites before I made the Lemon Cheese Bars. These cookies are not some of the things I made with what I had on hand the other day, but I talked to Tracey this weekend, and she requested these. I got the original recipe from my sister-in-law, Terry. A big thanks to her! I make these throughout the year, but I always make a few batches around the holidays to give to people and for my family.

Ingredients

3/4 C. (one and a half sticks) butter, softened (this can be softened in the microwave for about 20 seconds or so on 50% power)
1 C. packed light brown sugar
1/4 C. of light corn syrup
1 egg
1 2/3 C (10 oz. pkg) Hershey's cinnamon chips, divided into 1 C. and 2/3 C. (these can be hard to find. In BCS I've only been able to regularly find them at Albertstons. Every now and then I think you can find them at HEB ... Kroger doesn't carry them even when several people have asked for them)
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. shortening
1 cookie scoop (a must for this recipe ... you can find these in the kitchen gadget section in your grocery store or at a Walmart type store and of course a kitchen specialty store)
parchment paper (you can find this with the foil and plastic wrap in your grocery store)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add corn syrup and egg. Mix well. Place 1 cup of cinnamon chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir. (it will look like it didn't melt but if you stir it, the rest of the chips will melt) If necessary, microwave an extra 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating just until chips are melted when stirred. Stir melted chips into butter mixture. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Tip: I always use a whisk to stir together flour mixtures even when it calls for sifting the flour ... it works great for this. Add the flour mixture to the cinnamon butter mixture and beat just until blended. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out cookies onto the parchment paper paper topped cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool completely. While cookies are cooling, make the cinnamon drizzle by putting the other 2/3 c. of cinnamon chips and 1 1/2 tsp. of shortening (NOT butter, margarine or oil) in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave it on high for about 1 minute and stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle this mixture on top of the cooled cookies. You can use a fork or spoon to do this or you can put it in a quart freezer bag and cut the corner off. I usually just use a fork or spoon to drizzle it on the cookies. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on the size of the scoop.

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

These are always a HUGE hit, and a recipe I'm often asked for. They have oatmeal in them, which is good because I'm always looking for ways to get more fiber to the kids. The recipe is an old recipe from Betty Crocker and one of the few recipes I've come across that I follow exactly. You can't really experiment too much with baking. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 C. of sugar
1 C. of butter, softened (I usually soften butter in the microwave ... heat for about 20 seconds on 50% power)
1 egg
1/4 C. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 C. of all-purpose flour
1/3 C. of cocoa
1/2 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 C. of quick cooking oats
1 six ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Mix sugar, butter, egg, water and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (a cookie scoop makes this MUCH faster and makes a prettier cookie) about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I ALWAYS use parchment paper on my cookie sheet to bake my cookies on. It makes the process go MUCH faster. You can just slide the cookies and parchment sheet off onto the counter and put another piece of parchment on the cookie sheet, and it's ready for more cookies. You can find the parchment paper with the Saran Wrap and foil. If you've never used it, try it. You'll never bake cookies without it again.) Bake until almost no indention remains when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies depending on how big of a scoop you use.