Gingerbread men.

A quick note: 1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup or 1/4 pound. - (Thanks Pat!)

Ginger Bread Cookies

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Beat in ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice and baking soda until blended. Beat in molasses and yolk. On low speed, beat in flour. Divide dough in half, wrap and chill until firm. Heat oven to 350F. Roll half the dough at a time on a well floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Transfer with spatula to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets aprox 1 minute than transfer to racks. Decorate as desired and enjoy!

Snow Balls - Lemon or Orange

Heat oven to 400F. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add egg and beat til combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup juice concentrate. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and add to wet ingredients until just combined. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough about 2 inches apart on two cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Bake 8-10 minutes until brown on edges. Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, egg whites and 1 tablespoon juice mix with an electric mixer. Beat until fluffy and shiny. Spread icing over top of cooled cookies and sprinkle with yellow or orange sugar. Let dry for aproximately 4 hours.

Sour Milk Sugar Cookies (really good!)

Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Chill several hours or overnight, roll and cut out with cookie cutters. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes. Cool and decorate as desired.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add in sour cream. In separate bowl, mix dry igredients. Add in dry ingredients and blend well. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until firm and chilled through. Heat oven to 375F. Roll out dough on a well floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate as desired when cooled.

Russian Tea Cakes

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour, add brandy and nuts. Shape into 3/4 inch balls using aprox. 1/2 teaspoon dough per cookie. Place on cookie sheet and at bake at 325F for aproximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Cream butter and sugar on low speed with an electric mixer, add corn syrup and egg yolks, beat well. Stir in flour. Chill several hours. Beat egg whites slightly. Roll 1 tespoon of dough per cookie into balls. Brush with egg whites and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 5 minutes. Roll 1/2 teaspoon of filling into a ball and press firmly into the center of each cookie. Return to oven to bake 5 more minutes.

Filling

Combine sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir to blend. Cook over medium heat stirring ocassionally until mixture reaches a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Cool slightly, but use while still warm and soft eoungh to be workable.

Jack Carney's Chocolate Chip Cookies