Dixie's Base Cookie Recipe

I have a confession to make.  I hate baking cookies.  There, I've said it.  Repeatedly dropping dough onto a baking sheet, waiting ten minutes, removing the cookies from the baking sheet one by one...it's torture.  I enjoy mixing them up, I enjoy eating them.  I just don't enjoy the baking part.

So, I've made my life marginally easier by creating one single recipe that I use for about 90% of my cookie making.  You can turn these base cookies into chocolate chip cookies, salted caramel cookies (pictured), oatmeal raisin and just about any combination you can dream up.

There is one rule abut this recipe that I must make you swear to never break.  You must, always, use real butter and never, ever, use margarine.  Usually the two can be swapped without anyone noticing.  Not in these cookies.  You will notice and the results with margarine are just not good.  You deserve the best, so always use butter.  (This message was approved by Paula Deen.)

Dixie's Base Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tbsp molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.  Then line your baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Add butter and sugar to a bowl and beat until fluffy.  To the butter mixture add molasses, eggs and vanilla.  Beat on medium until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture in two or three batches, mixing in between each addition.  Continue to mix until well combined.

At this stage you can add in whatever you would like or proceed without adding anything.  Here' s a list of suggestions: 1 bag baking chips (any variety), 3 cups oatmeal (reduce flour to 1 cup if using oatmeal), 1 cup chopped nuts, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup peanut butter (if adding peanut butter also add 1 cup flour and add the PB to the butter mixture) or whatever else you can dream up.  Try to not overload the dough with add-ins.  The most I'll do per batch is three.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2-inches apart.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.  Remove baking sheet from oven and let stand for 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack.

Let cool and store in an airtight container.

For Salted Caramel Cookies: After scooping the dough onto the baking sheet sprinkle each raw cookie with a pinch of large salt flakes.  Bake as normal.

Click HERE for a printable version of this recipe.