Baking your own cookies can guarantee freshness;

The reasons for making their own cookies vary. Some want to be sure that their food doesn’t contain any “additives”, some have a favorite kind that they can’t get in the stores, some like the smell of the cookies baking and others do it to be economical. Whatever your reason for making cookies the end product is always fresher and better than the kind in the boxes and cookies are not a lot of work. I know, most recipes make a lot but you can always freeze some. If you freeze a few from every batch you will always be ready for unexpected company as they thaw quickly.
    One way to always have fresh cookies on hand is to make what used to be called “Ice Box Cookies”. This recipe for Golden Sugar Cookies is just such as recipe, but who has an icebox anymore? This dough goes one step beyond the icebox as it can be kept, up to a month, in the freezer. That way you can bake off 6 or 60 cookies, whatever you need.

    Cream the butter and gradually add the granulated sugar, beating at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the lemon extract.
    Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture. Beat well. Shape the dough into two 12-inch rolls. Wrap each roll in waxed paper. Chill at least 6 hours before trying to bake.
Unwrap the rolls and slice into 1/4-inch slices. Place the slices on lightly greased cookie sheets. Brush the tops of the cookies with the cream and then sprinkle evenly with the colored sugar crystals.
    Bake in a preheated, 400°F oven for 8 minutes.  Remove from the pan and cool on wire racks. The dough may be frozen, up to a month. Remove from the freezer, slice and bake. This makes about 6-dozen cookies.
    All this emphasis on oatmeal made be look up one of my favorite recipes for oatmeal cookies. Actually it is two recipes as you can make them as Chewy Oatmeal Cookies or Crispy Oatmeal Cookies from the same basic recipe. You can also have them with or with out raisins and nuts.

    In the large bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in the vanilla.
    Stir together the flour, salt, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture and stir well. Stir in the oats, raisins and nuts and stir until all the ingredients are evenly moistened.
    Drop the dough by rounded Tablespoons onto greased 12 x 15-inch baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.  The cookies will bake better in most ovens if you switch the positions of the pans half way through the baking. Bake until golden but the centers are still soft. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool. Serve or store up to 3 days in an airtight container. This makes about 4-dozen cookies.
    To make CRISP OATMEAL COOKIES, use the preceding recipe but use only 1 cup of flour and leave out the baking soda.
    Drop the dough by rounded Tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Pat the dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Change the oven temperature to 350°F and also switch the pans around half way through the baking. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 1 minute and then put them on racks to cool completely. This also makes about 4-dozen cookies.
    Chocolate Pecan Icebox Cookies are a favorite with those who like chocolate chips. They are better if made with the “mini-chips “. These rolls of cookie dough will keep up to 4 months in the freezer but should be defrosted in the refrigerator before you attempt to slice them. Remember that when you slice cookies to bake be sure they are all the same thickness so that the cookies will all cook at the same time.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, orange juice and orange peel.
    Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir into the butter mixture. Beat well. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Shape into a roll about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in waxed paper or plastic wrap.
    Refrigerate over night or up to a week before using. Using a thin bladed, sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/4-inch slices and place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven on the middle shelf for about 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned and set.  Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a jar with a loose-fitting lid to keep them crisp. The dough may be frozen, up to 4 months before using. This makes about 4-dozen cookies,
    Finally, a recipe that uses the refrigerator and the microwave. The dough in these Almond Surprise Cookies is molded around whole unblanched almonds, hence the surprise.

    Combine the butter and chocolate in a 2-cup glass measure. Microwave at MEDIUM 2 or 3 minutes or until melted. Mix well. Combine the chocolate mixture with the cup of sugar, eggs, baking powder, salt and almond extract. Mix well and then stir in the flour and chopped almonds. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
    Shape the dough around each whole almond to make 1-inch balls.  Roll each ball in the sifted confectioners’ sugar.
    Line a microwavable pie pan with waxed paper.  Arrange 6 to 8 balls of dough around the outside edge of the pan and place 1 ball in the middle.
     Microwave at MEDIUM for 1 and 1/2 to 2 and 1/2 minutes or until the tops of the cookies feel dry to the touch, giving the pie pan a quarter turn every 30 seconds.
    Remove the waxed paper, with the cookies, from the pie plate and place directly on the counter to cool.
    Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Makes 4 dozen.