Milk Chocolate Meringue Cookies

2 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 ounce package of chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup sugar

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add sugar, salt, vanilla, and cream of tartar; continue beating until soft peaks form.  Fold vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts into mixture.  Drop from tablespoons onto baking sheets covered with waxed paper.  Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes.  

Chocolate Butterscotch Pudding Cookies

1 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2 packages chocolate (or butterscotch) pudding mix (either instant or regular.

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups rolled oats

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs and pudding mix.  Mix thoroughly.  Add flour sifted with soda, cream of tartar and salt.  Stir in oatmeal.  Roll in balls the size of a walnut.  Press criss-cross with the tines of a fork.  Dip the fork in water to prevent sticking to dough.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cookies will be puffy when removed from the oven. 

Easy Springerles

1 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 drops oil of anise

2/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon anise seed

pinch of salt

Sift together sugar, salt and flour.  Beat egg and add to dry ingredients.  Add all other ingredients and beat again.  Drop, spoonful at a time, on well greased cookie sheet.  Allow to stand overnight at room temperature.  The dough sets into two layers.  The top one resembles frosting.  Bake at 300 degrees until the dough is set and tops begin to turn brown.  Store in a tin box or plastic container with tight fitting lids.

You can make your own decorative imprints on the springerles, or you can purchase a springerle imprinting roller at http://www.etsy.com.

Photo Credit:  http://www.springerlecookies.com