This year I took the slow boat towards Christmas and only started really thinking about holiday baking and decorating this past weekend. Friday night we put up our shiny little tinsel tree, drank a few amaretto sours and basked in the glow and shimmer of pink lights and oodles of vintage ornaments. My favorite holiday movie, The Shop Around the Corner, has been watched and my cupboards and fridge is now full of flour, butter, sliced almonds and chocolate. Time to start the all important holiday baking!

A couple of years ago, I compiled a mighty list of great holiday baking ideas and gifts and figured I’d provide a compendium to my original list filled with great seasonal treats from 2010 + 2011. And because that older list also included a lovely little gift tag set to print off and use, I figured I’d add another one for the collection! All you need is a PDF reader and a printer. Just download the PDF, print onto card stock and cut out your cheery checked circles! Use them to top mason jars filled with treats, or use a hole punch and tie on some ribbon to tag your edible gift! The design matches the recipe cards in my etsy shop, you know, in case you were curious.

Now, onwards with the holiday baking, candy & kitchen book ideas!

Bars & Squares
Butterscotch confetti squares - a Canadian classic aka “marshamel”.
Butterscotch cashew bars - buttery & delicious.
Cranberry lemon squares - tart & festive.
Seriously intense cocoa nib brownies - for serious chocolate fanatics!

Cakes & Loafs
Walnut & cranberry zucchini bread - a favorite!
Banana espresso chocolate chip bread - a classic combo of flavours!
Coconut lime cake - tart & tropical.
Coffee & spice cupcakes - spicy and dark.

Candy & Nuts
Candy Cane Crisp Bark – white chocolate, rice crispies & crushed candy canes do Christmas up right!
Chocolate coconut almond bites – like little balls of Almond Joy!
Last-minute peanut brittle – Today I saw a small box of peanut brittle on sale for $14. It’s a snap to make, so make it yourself!
Salted caramel pretzel almond popcorn – what a tasty mouthful!
Salty sweet candied peanuts – what’s not to love?
Spiced caramel corn with pepitas, almonds & pecans - just a little spicy…

Cookies
Cranberry rum shortbread cookies – slice and bake & perfect for the holidays!
Chocolate puddle cookies - decadent!
Salted butterscotch oatmeal cookies - in 2011 I discovered a serious love of butterscotch!
Vegan-ish sandwich cookies - like oreos, but better!
Bittersweet chocolate cookies - holy moly.
Vegan garam masala cookies - like gingerbread, only more interesting.

Kitchen books
And because I’m an avid reader (you can follow me here on GoodReads – though be wary, I do read a lot of YA), here are just three great kitchen books that I read this past year:

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef – Honest, open, no BS memoir. Loved it.
Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys – A gorgeous cookbook that I think is a must in anyone’s collection.
Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits – This book will make you want to drink more (not necessarily a bad thing).

elsewhere: After all this sweetness, maybe you want to curl up with something a bit more healthy. And maybe you want a tutorial on how to shred cabbage. Well, you are in luck! Over at Poppytalk, I make a fantastic apple cabbage slaw and show you the proper way to shred cabbage (no finger loss!).

Possibly related posts:

• holiday baking & gift ideas
• let’s call them rustic: brown butter cookies & other holiday goodies

I’ve been wanting to make caramel corn for years, but whenever I asked Cornelius if he wanted any, he always said no. Can you believe that I married someone who couldn’t care less about caramel corn? It just didn’t make much sense to me, so when I prodded him further he told me that he just didn’t like it. Crazy, right? He told me that his grandma made caramel corn and it was sticky and too sweet. I said, do I look like your grandma? Actually, I never said that, but you get the gist.

Me, I grew up with caramel corn….sort of. What I mean is that I grew up with a homemade caramel sauce that was pretty identical to the recipe below. But instead of baking the popcorn for an hour in a slow oven, my mom and I just poured the sauce over some popcorn and we called it done. Popcorn was always a last-minute snack so waiting for an hour didn’t make sense to our impatient bellies. Sweet? Yup. Sticky? Definitely. So I was curious to see what baking the caramel corn would do. Let me tell you that it does all the right things.

The resulting popcorn was light and crunchy – not sticky. It wasn’t too sweet and it had a hint of cayenne and a touch of salt. I leaned to more popcorn (12 cups opposed to 10 cups) and I loved it and surprisingly, Cornelius loved it too. I liked the triumvirate of nuts: pecans, pepitas, almonds. The pepitas especially were particularly rich and buttery and helped to make this popcorn off-the-hook amazing. This caramel corn also would makes a perfect gift in case you feel like sharing it around. Packed in a mason jar and tied with red and white twine it’s almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Don’t let the recipe length fool you. This is simple stuff and it’s worth every word and more. Pass it around or be rightfully greedy and stuff it into your face as soon as you can.

spiced caramel corn with pepitas, almonds & pecans
(adapted from Orangette)
10 – 12 c fresh popcorn, popped by any method
1 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
6 T salted butter, melted
2 T water
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t – 1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 t vanilla extract
1/3 c pepitas
1/3 c pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 c almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 t flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 250F.

Once you’ve popped your popcorn (I like hot air popped corn – I’m a product of the ’70s!), go through and remove all unpopped kernels. Someone once told me these were called widows which just seems cruel. Dump popcorn into your biggest bowl – if you don’t have a big bowl, try your biggest stock pot.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together along with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking often. If you’ve got a candy thermometer, it should read 250°F. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the baking soda, vanilla and cayenne pepper.

Quickly pour the hot caramel over the popcorn along with the nuts. Use a rubber spatula to distribute the caramel evenly by folding it gently. Transfer the popcorn onto 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat mats. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring often and turning the pans to make sure that the heat is evenly distributed, as the popcorn can burn if not watched closely. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Gently break up popcorn and store in a tightly lidded container. Keeps in a tightly lidded jar for up to 2 weeks (or more), but like that’s going to happen.

Possibly related posts:

• chunks of temptation: salted caramel almond pretzel popcorn
• autumn sweets: salted honey caramel apples

Warning: you are either going to love these or hate these. I mean, just look at that tin of fluffy pastel confectionary! It’s definitely a bit frightening but beautiful, in that retro kitchy way. I wish I could tell you that this recipe has long been in our family recipe box, but that would be a lie. I first came across these on Twitter via The Casual Baker and I was intrigued and a quick google search revealed a bunch of forums and online chatter of Canadian moms reminiscing about these squares from their prairie childhood. So when my in-laws were hosting a large family barbeque where most of the family comes from solid Manitoban stock, I knew these marshmallow treats would feel right at home.

The night before the barbeque as I got all the ingredients on the counter – mini fruity pastel marshmallows, processed peanut butter, butterscotch – I could feel the decades rolling back. The recipe was a cinch to prepare and I felt that Canadian prairie grandmas were along for the ride cheering me on! I even added a couple handfuls of rice krispies to the recipe sensing that the added crunch would be a nice surprise (it was). Sure, I felt a pinch of guilt when the documentary, King Corn, about the evils of corn syrup, was on tv while the squares were cooling, but all that changed when I took my first bite. These were good…really, really good. And I wasn’t simply charmed by their retro good looks or their Canadian prairie pedigree either. When I gave a slice to my husband, he remembered these squares from his childhood as he reached for seconds.

These are so much more than a retro throwback or a low brow guilty pleasure. Or maybe not. Make up a batch and give them a try. Just be sure to slice ‘em small because they are teeth-clatteringly sweet and share them with friends and family.

elsewhere: In the grips of summer? Give Mexican corn a try – lime, chili & salt. And whip up a Panzanella salad with beans – a salad that works as a meal.

butterscotch beauts (aka butterscotch confetti / marshamel / butterscotch delight)
(recipe adapted from Casual Baker + her mom’s Unifarm cookbook)
1 bag butterscotch chips
1/3 c butter
1/2 c peanut butter (not the natural kind) – crunchy is a good option
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/3 c shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 c rice krispies
2/3 of a package of Jet Puff mini coloured marshmallows

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper & set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan, heat the butterscotch chips, butter, peanut butter, and salt over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla, coconut and rice krispies. Carefully stir in the mini marshmallows and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm and then cut into tiny squares. Store in fridge.

Possibly related posts:

• butterscotch cashew bars
• snackin’ cake: chocolate chip walnut squares

That cute lil’ vintage ornament is sitting on our very silver tinsel tree decorated with a host of other vintage ornaments and sparkling pink lights. My favorite fancy pine candle is lit and spreading that “real” balsam pine smell throughout the room. Presents have all been wrapped up with silver paper and pretty bows and there’s a large bottle of amaretto in our liquor cabinet (essential for my favorite holiday drink: the amaretto sour). Rum cookies have been baked (recipe to come), coconut chocolate almond bites shipped, chocolate nut & fruit bark has been given away to friends, and my favorite holiday movie has been watched. Christmas is almost here!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions to make is candy cane bark. White chocolate + candy canes is a cinch to make, very festive-looking and it’s always appreciated. This year, I decided to shake things up a bit after seeing Shutterbean‘s candy cane bark. The addition of rice krispies makes this into a festive Crunch bar and adds an unexpected texture. It also helps to cut the sweetness just a tad, which is always welcome this time of year. Tracy added the candy canes last and pressed them into the chocolate. Not me. I just stirred everything in all higgledy piggledy because I figured the mish mash would work well. I loved it and this will be my new holiday favorite. Hooray!

tip: This year I discovered THE BEST way of crushing up the candy canes. Add the candy canes (unwrapped) into a closed ziplock bag. Now, double bag it. Then place a folded tea towel on a wood table or chair and place the bag of candy on top. Put another folded tea towel over the candy bag. Use a heavy rolling pin (wood works fine) and bash the living day lights out of the candy. Smushed to smithereens without shredding the bag and getting candy everywhere! Perfect. Now only if I could easily find red and white candy canes in Vancouver as opposed to the green-red-white ones that seem to be everywhere, I’d be one happy lady. What gives, Vancouver?

Have a great holiday! Enjoy traditions new and old. Merry Christmas!

candy cane crisp bark
(adapted from Shutterbean)
500g white chocolate (I used Callebaut – the good stuff)
12 crushed candy canes
2 c rice krispies

Prep a cookie sheet with waxed paper or silpat.

Using a bain marie or double boiler, melt the white chocolate being careful to not get any water in the pot (this can seize the chocolate which is a bad, bad thing). When the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and add in candy canes and rice krispies. Stir until combined and then pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hardened, about 1 hour. Break apart into shards.

Possibly related posts:

• minty fresh: candy cane chocolate bark
• christmas cake: icebox peppermint yule log

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the sparkling lights, the smell of balsam and eucalyptus, and I’m a sucker for Christmas music. I also love all the gatherings and social good times that pop up during the season. Yet for all of this goodness, there are also packages to mail and people to shop for and the general hurry scurry that goes hand in hand with the holidays.

It’s been a busy few weeks, but I wanted to make sure that I had some sweet treats on hand to help round out the packages I’ve been mailing out. For the package I sent to my dad, I wanted to include these little coconut bites because they reminded me of the coconut chocolate bars that my dad would buy for me and my brother at the corner store when we were kids. It was my dad’s favorite chocolate bar and while it did have a different name and packaging when I was growing up, it turned up in the 90s as a Bounty bar. Each chocolate bar contained 2 equal pieces so it was the perfect bar to share with my brother.

This candy is the perfect memory maker as it tastes just like the candy bar of my youth. And because I’m a sucker for an Almond Joy, I decided to tuck in a roasted almond into each ball to make each bite extra special. It’s a great candy to make for the holidays because it uses just a few simple ingredients it’s way easier to make than you’d imagine.

Looking for more holiday inspiration? Have no fear, my archives are here! Peanut Brittle is not only tasty but it’s a cinch, even for the most novice candy-maker. Last December I was much more prepared in the holiday department and not only created a huge list of tasty holiday baking but I included a printable gift tag for use with all your holiday baking gifts. Have the happiest of holidays!

elsewhere: At Poppytalk, I make a delicious and easy fruit and nut chocolate bark. I make it every single Christmas and it’s a true favorite. Enjoy!

chocolate coconut almond bites
(adapted from Gourmet)
1 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c sweetened condensed milk
14 roasted almonds
1 – 1 1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk. Put in the fridge for 1 hour. Scoop the chilled coconut mixture with a teaspoon and use your hands to roll into balls. This amount should make 14 balls. Tuck an almond into each ball and re-roll so that the almond is hidden. Chill in the fridge.

Melt chocolate using a microwave, a bain-marie or using a double boiler. Remove from heat and dip the chilled coconut balls into the chocolate mixture (I found using 2 teaspoons was helpful for this). Place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or silpat and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Possibly related posts:

• happy christmas to you: candy cane crisp bark
• coolio: coconut chocolate chunk ice cream + mexican chocolate ice cream

If you were a reasonable person, you would look away right now and not read any further. There’s a warning here and it’s not to be taken lightly. This super delicious concoction of popcorn, roasted almonds, pretzels, marshmallows and salty caramel is insanely addictive. If you have willpower, let this be the test.

I saw these popcorn bites on Tracy’s site and I wanted them immediately. Instead, I waited until I knew I was having a group of friends over who would be more than happy to take these off my hands and help spread the guilt joy. And there was lots of joy to be had!

While I had hoped that these would have been a cinch to make, they were a bit troublesome. Mainly because I just couldn’t get my caramel caramelized. I’ve made caramel scores of time, but this time, I couldn’t get it to turn a lovely golden shade. In fact, I waited so long for the amber colour that the whole mess went and crystalized on me. However, I was able to turn it around by adding a bit more cream (oh the guilt) and a lot of stirring. So instead of a deeply hued toffee colour, it was a light shade of beige. Who said beige is boring? Not here. Also, I wasn’t able to really cut these into bars – it was more like chunks…really, really delicious chunks. I think that was my fault because instead of just 12 cups of popcorn, I probably made 14 cups or so to help cut down the sweetness some. No one cared. Even with my crazy screw ups, these were still crazy delicious.

elsewhere: Looking for something a bit more tame – but still really tasty? Over at Poppytalk I posted a recipe for an easy, delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving morning kind of quick bread: introducing Cranberry Citrus Walnut Loaf. Yummy. It’s all kinds of awesome and it only has 2 teaspoons of fat and uses whole wheat flour. Yup. So good.

salted caramel almond pretzel popcorn
(adapted from Shutterbean)
12 – 14 c plain popped popcorn
3 c coarsely chopped small salted pretzels
1.5 c toasted almonds, roughly chopped
2 c sugar
kosher salt
2/3 c heavy cream
2 c miniature marshmallows

Butter a 9×13″ pan and set aside. In your largest bowl possible, dump in the popcorn, pretzels and almonds and toss so that everything is evenly mixed.

In a large saucepan, melt the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a half cup of water and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture turns into a golden caramel shade – about 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in the heavy cream – watch out, mixture will splurt! Add marshmallows and stir until melted.

Pour caramel over popcorn and use a wooden spoon to mix everything together. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and press down on using slightly damp hands (helps to prevent stickiness), so that popcorn mixture is completely pressed into pan. Sprinkle with flakey kosher salt and let cool. Cut into bars or break mixture into delicious clumps. Otherwise, just enjoy the sweet, sweet crumbles and watch yourself turn into drooling, blubbering Homer Simpson. Look away because it isn’t pretty.

Possibly related posts:

• totally nuts: spiced caramel corn with pepitas, almonds & pecans
• autumn sweets: salted honey caramel apples

I always think about candied peanuts come fall. Not that it’s fall yet – nope, I’m not jumping the gun on that yet! But when I was a kid there was always a beer nuts vendor at the Western Fair – the county fair in my hometown. I’d watch the nuts go from a gigantic steel pot to a trip around a conveyor belt and then they’d be packaged up in a small cellophane bag. The graphics of the booth and on the bag also held my attention as there were usually images of beer steins, Germanic lettering and Heidi-themed illustrations. This was some serious stuff! My mom always bought a warm bag and we’d dive right in when we got home.

Making your own candied nuts isn’t that difficult. There’s no need for a candy thermometer or a conveyor belt and all you need is a wooden spoon and a good stirring arm. As I’m all about the salty-sweet dichotomy, I started off with a tin of salted peanuts, but feel free to sub in whatever nut (salted or not) you fancy most. After whipping up a batch, I knew that I couldn’t be trusted to be alone with these nuts. They are so addictive! So I called up some friends and had them over to share in the calories. They ooooh’d and aahhhhh’d until the bowl was empty. Good stuff, I tells ya, and they end up so much tastier than any batch you’d find at the fair.

salty sweet candied peanuts
(adapted from eat make read)
2 c salted peanuts (or whatever mixed nut selection you fancy)
1 c sugar
1/3 c water
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t cinnamon

In a large pot, mix together the peanuts, sugar and water. Heat over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until everything starts to either look sticky (in my case) or sandy (in eat make read‘s case). Forge ahead! Let the mess get golden and keep stirring for goodness sakes!

About 8-10 minutes later, you’ll see a dark, sticky syrup start to pool. Don’t get distracted, that’s the magic. Keep stirring, but don’t let it burn. Once you’ve reached a nice golden deep colour, take it off the heat.

Stir in the salt and cinnamon and then dump the mixture onto a cookie sheet that’s been covered with parchment or silpat (to keep mess to a minimum). Let cool and then break apart and store in a covered jar.

Rumor has it that it will keep for a week. A day and a half is more like it.

Possibly related posts:

• black bean tostadas with sprouted beans & peanuts
• snack attack: spicy-sweet glazed pretzels and nuts

This year, my baking has taken a bit of a back seat since I’ve been so busy with work. So the past few days I’ve been playing catch-up and have whipped up old favorites like rum balls, candy cane bark, almond bark and fudge. But I decided that I needed something new in the mix and decided on peanut brittle. The recipe is adapted from Serious Eats and it’s super quick to make (the whole shebang can be done in about 20 minutes!) so it’s perfect for last-minute gifting. No candy thermometer or complex ingredients required. Don’t have peanuts? Use pumpkin seeds, cashews, or pistachio nuts instead. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with candy-cane coloured twine, it makes a very thoughtful gift.

Enjoy and happy holidays!!

last-minute peanut brittle
(adapted from Serious Eats)
2 c sugar
8 T unsalted butter
1/3 c light corn syrup
1/2 t baking soda
1 T kosher salt
1 1/2 c salted peanuts

Line a baking sheet with a non-stick silpat mat, or lightly grease the baking sheet. Set aside.

In a large pot set on high heat, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup along with a 1/2 cup of water. Let boil away for 10 minutes without stirring until the mixture turns into a lovely amber shade.

Remove from heat and add in baking soda and salt and fold in peanuts with a wooden spoon. Quickly pour mixture onto prepared tray and spread the candy out evenly. Let cool and then break into pieces.

Possibly related posts:

• can’t eat just one: peanut butter raisin bars
• the no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal “cookie”

I also wanted to give a little something more than a bunch of links. So this year I made up a bunch of gift tags that I can package up with whatever I’m making this year. And I’m passing them along to you. All you will need is a PDF reader and a printer. Just download the pdf, print onto card stock or sticker paper and cut along the dotted lines. Attach it to your hand crafted gift. It’s easy and I’m sure it will make your gift giving a little sweeter. Looking for another quick & affordable gift idea? Check out my etsy printables shop where you can print out my own original art prints on your home printer for only five bucks. Instant happiness.

When sending your gifts, package things into re-usable glass jars (I love old mason jars and even glass peanut butter or jam jars), vintage cookie tins or baker’s boxes lined with wax paper and pretty tissue.

Candy
Fleur de sel caramels
Really easy chocolate fudge with toasted walnuts
Candy cane chocolate bark
Rum balls
Salted honey caramels
Chocolate covered caramel crunch
Peanut butter buckeyes & chocolate snowballs (vegan)
Sponge toffee (vegan)
Merengue mint melties

I’ve also really had much success with Heidi’s espresso caramel. It’s delicious and perfect for gift giving.
Bars + Squares
Chocolate chip walnut squares
Date & raisin squares (vegan)
Peanut butter raisin bars
Butter tart squares
Cherry oat bars
Coffee Crunch bars (vegan)
Oatmeal coconut pecan squares with chocolate chips

I’ve lusted after these Dutch almond bars from Whipped. Buttery goodness!

Cookies
Buttery raisin biscuit
Chocolate chip maple walnut cookies
Chocolate mint cookies
Chocolate shortbread cookies
Chocolate thumbprint jam cookies (vegan)
Crispy salted oatmeal white chocolate cookies
Double chocolate oatmeal cookies (vegan)
Flourless peanut butter cookies
Ginger gems (vegan)
Lemon cookies
Lemon cornmeal shortbread cookies
Pfeffernusse cookies

I’ve been looking for the perfect gingerbread cookie. I think these from David Lebovitz might be the one.

Loaf Cakes
Willie Nelson’s famous banana bread (aka UBC cake)
Chocolate chip banana bread with ginger
Cranberry & blood orange loaf
Jacked up banana bread
Bill’s coconut bread

While this Almond butter cake with cherries from Seven Spoons isn’t a loaf cake per say, it looks beautiful and festive.

Unique Gifts
Ginger syrup for homemade gingerale (vegan)
World’s best peanut butter fudge sauce
Spicy sweet glazed pretzels & nuts (vegan)
Better than bakery granola

I haven’t made Joe’s Gingerbread popcorn yet, but I plan on making it this year. Seriously, who wouldn’t want a giant tub of this?

Cookbooks & other food books
These are just a few of my most favorite cookbooks (& food related books) and I’m sure they’d be a welcome addition to anyone who loves food and cooking.

Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook
I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
The Gourmet Cookbook: More than 1000 recipes
Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock
A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table
Vegetarian Comfort Food: Meals Like Mom Makes, Without the Meat
Comfort Me with Apples: A True Story of Love, Adventure and a Passion for Cooking

Looking for something other than books? I love Tea & Cookie’s cheap & useful kitchen gift guide.

Possibly related posts:

• holiday baking ideas (part 2) + cute printable gift tags!
• last minute baking: holiday jewel bars

I’m actually hesitant to call this a cookie. They remind me of a chocolate haystack candy that my mom made when I was little. They were amazing and this no-bake recipe is the closest thing I’ve had since I was nine. It’s like a sweet bite of memory overload. I followed the original recipe and used tablespoons to drop the mixture onto waxed paper, but in hindsight I’d use just a teaspoon. Smaller lumps would make for better bites. Plus, these babies are sweeeeeeeeeet! Next time I’d cut the sugar and increase the peanut butter, but I’m not sure if that would screw up the recipe. Thoughts? Oh and another bonus? Easy to make vegan by switching in soy milk and soy margarine!

These cookies/candies make use of the stove top, so they are perfect for summer sweets when turning on the oven would be criminal. Plus they are delicious served cold, which makes them a refreshing bite of chocolatey goodness. I tried a keeping a batch in the freezer and a batch in the fridge for testing sake. The ones in the freezer were stickier and gooey and the ones in the fridge were almost sandy in comparison. I liked the sandier fridge chilled cookies best, but do whatchya like! Either way, they’ll go quickly.

no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies
(adapted from Ezra Poundcake)
1/2 c butter
2 c sugar (I used a scant 2 cups)
1 t salt
1/2 c milk
4 T cocoa
1/2 c natural peanut butter
3 to 3 1/2 c old-fashioned oats
2 T vanilla

In a medium sized saucepan, mix together the first five ingredients and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Add in remaining ingredients and then use a teaspoon to drop the mixture onto cookie sheets lined with waxed paper. Chill until set. Keep in refrigerator.

Possibly related posts:

• au naturale: natural peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies
• easy bake oven: flourless peanut butter cookies