Basic B*tch Cookies

I love baking. In college, I specialized in muffins (so I'd always have something to grab if when I overslept and was late for class). Now, I tend to focus more on cookies. I make my basic cookie dough, and then look around the kitchen for what type of cookies I'm going to be making. I've been asked for my recipe a number of times, so I'm going to put it here. Now, when people ask, not only do I not need to spend the time to write it out, but I can also smoothly tell them to check out my blog! I'm so sneaky.

Basic B*tch Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine (also known as 1/4 lb)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
dash vanilla
either one of:
-- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
-- 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:
Cream together butter & sugars.
Add egg & vanilla. Mix.
Add dry ingredient(s). Mix.
Make them exciting.**
Bake at 350F for about 8-12min.

Excitement can include (but is certainly not limited to) :
1/2 cup peanut butter (with either 1/2 cup flour or 1 cup cocoa)
1/2 cup oatmeal
Up to 2 cups total of:
-Raisins (/other dried fruit)
-Chocolate chips (/m&m's/etc.)
-Nuts
-Coconut
1 tbsp each of some favourite spices (I recommend ginger, cinnamon, not garlic)

Be creative! For me, that's the fun part of baking. It's not about precise measurements. It's a creative art. I know how my cookie dough is supposed to feel. It's supposed to hold together enough to roll into a ball, but still be fairly moist. If it's too dry, add a bit of milk. If it's too wet, add some flour. These cookies are pretty forgiving.

I tend to make at least a double batch at a time. Sometimes, if I'm feeling fancy, I'll get out a small bowl and put in some coconut or crushed nuts or something and roll the cookie dough in that before baking.