For me, thinking of Southern cookies always reminds me of my mom's Peanut Butter Blossom cookies that she made when I was growing up, and learned from her mother. The recipe is fairly easy to make, but tastes so good that you'll always want to make them for yourself.

Use a standard recipe for peanut butter cookies, but use 3 extra tablespoons of flour. Roll a small piece of dough, think tablespoon size, into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Do this until the sheet is full, leaving spaces between the cookies as they'll expand during baking. While the cookies are in the oven, unwrap a bag of Hershey Kisses. After 10 minutes remove the cookies from the oven, and push a Kiss into the top of each cookie (make sure they are unwrapped!). Place back in the over for another 2 minutes, just long enough to melt the candy a tiny bit. Let cool, and enjoy.

Another great example of a Southern cookie, is the Southern Cream Cookie. I've included a recipe for this one too, but I've seen at least 7 different versions. Combine 1 cup of shortening and 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl, then add 3 eggs, a tablespoon of vanilla, and a small 8 ounce container of cream cheese. Then slowly add in 5 cups of flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, a teaspoon of baking soda. Dip your thumb in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (you can buy this already combined) and place your thumb squarely in the center of each cookie. Back for 15 minutes and 250 degrees.

And any guide to Southern cookies wouldn't be complete without a recipe for oatmeal cookies. For this one you will need:

1 cup of butter
cup of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup of flour
teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of milk
3 1/2-4 cups of quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup of raisins

Mix together the butter, peanut butter, and sugar and slowly add in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the milk and dry ingredients. Once combined, add the oatmeal and raisins. Divide the cookies onto a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

The last great cookie is a twist on a Southern classic, pecan pie.

To make southern praline cookies, you'll need:

1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 stiffly beaten egg white
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 cups of chopped pecans

Mix together the egg white and brown sugar before adding the other ingredients. Divide onto a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees.

Every family and every cook, has their own favorite recipe for a good Southern cookie. Coca-Cola cookies, Grandma's Lace cookies, Jam cookies, and Butter cookies are just a handful of options you're likely to see. Everyone has their own choices, and their own recipes. If you're lucky enough to get someone to share a recipe, or better yet one of their blackened cookie sheets, hold on to it!

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Eblin.
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