Your best cookie recipe for children under 5

You can never go wrong with Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I do substitute M&Ms & my grandkids love them.

Sounds like a great neighborhood!

You might like to try this 'cookie', Dex, though they're more like teeny-tiny cakes. Little kids like them because they're soft, and they have frosting! If they don't like the cookie, they'll just lick off the frosting, and reach for another one.

My mom made these cookies for us back in the day, & my own kids loved them when they were little. (Little kids would probably prefer a plain glaze, instead of one made w/ OJ. Just a bit of melted butter, dash of vanilla, and splash of milk all whisked together w/ powdered sugar...just enough milk to make a nice, spreadable consistency.)

You could put the glaze into little bowls & color it w/ different colored food dyes. We used to do that at Easter time. Don't forget the colored sprinkles!

Mom's Orange Cookies

Ingredients:

4 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 C shortening

2 eggs

2 C sugar

juice & zest of 1 orange

1 Cup Buttermilk, OR & 1 Tbsp vinegar into a 1 C measure, adding milk to = 1 Cup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.

In separate bowl (large), cream shortening, eggs, & sugar. Add juice & zest of orange, mix well, then gradually add flour mixture, alternating w/ the soured milk.

Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets, or use parchment paper. Bake until puffy & edges are lightly golden. About 8-10 minutes.

Cool.

Ice the cookies.

Icing: In a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 Tbsp butter w/ juice of 1/2 an orange. Stir in 1 C sifted powdered sugar to make icing consistency. (or just stir together some OJ & powdered sugar)

*Or just make a regular glaze.

Top w/ colored sprinkles immediately after glazing.

ETA: They keep nicely in a flat, covered plastic container, w/ waxed paper between the layers.

How about No Bake Cookies.

3-Minute No-Bake Cookies

Servings: ABOUT 3 DOZEN

2 Cups granulated sugar

8 Tablespoon (1 stick) margarine or butter

1/2 Cup Low-Fat Milk

1/3 Cup baking cocoa

3 Cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

In large saucepan, combine sugar, margarine, milk and cocoa. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue boiling 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in oats.* Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until firm. Store tightly covered.

Serving Tips: *If using old fashioned oats, cool mixture in saucepan 5 minutes.

These Scribble Brownies from Betty Crocker are fun and easy.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/scribble-brownies/84b88585-bf03-43b2-9eff-46bdb519ac43

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Betty Crocker

This is a soft, drop cookie. It's the first cookie I baked with my grandkids and still a favorite.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (one stick) butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg

2-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional sugar in a small bowl, for coating cookies

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix one cup sugar, the butter, sour cream, vanilla and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, soda and salt.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into small bowl of sugar; roll gently until completely coated. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet (*or line the cookie sheet with parchment paper). Flatten to about 1/4 inch thickness with bottom of glass. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or just until set (I like them very lightly browned). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.

About 4 dozen cookies.

* My daughter likes to use plain yogurt in these cookies in place of the sour cream. I've always used sour cream.

Baked cookies freeze well.

How sweet of you, dex, to think so kindly of your neighbors and bake them some treats! My kids (now teens) still love rice krispie treats, and they are so easy to make. Brownies are also extremely popular. I'm sure anything you make will be well received.

The only caveat I would add is to make sure they don't have any allergies (nuts are a very common allergy, so don't add those unless you know).