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‘Lind Ladies’ make monthly cookie mission to Spokane

At the Ronald McDonald House, Aryia Harrison, 3, receives a fresh-baked sugar cookie from volunteer Vicki Seely. Each month a group of volunteers comes to the house and bakes upwards of 1200 cookies for the staff and residents. Some of the volunteers have been coming for over 20-years. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
At the Ronald McDonald House, Aryia Harrison, 3, receives a fresh-baked sugar cookie from volunteer Vicki Seely. Each month a group of volunteers comes to the house and bakes upwards of 1200 cookies for the staff and residents. Some of the volunteers have been coming for over 20-years. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Adriana Janovich adrianaj@spokesman.com(509) 459-5446

Bakers from Lind – and those with a connection to the small farm town in Adams County – travel to Spokane once a month to make treats for young patients and families at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane.

They’ve been doing it for nearly 30 years.

Here are a few favorites from their recipe collection.

Lind Cookie Ladies’ Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the Lind Cookie Ladies and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup margarine

1 cup shortening

4 eggs

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

2 bags chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugars, margarine and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs. Mix well.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and soda. Mix together, then add to wet ingredients. Add vanilla. Add chocolate chips and mix. Place spoonfuls of batter onto a greased baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Note: At the holidays, consider substituting 1 bag of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of dried cranberries for the chocolate chips.

Lind Cookie Ladies’ Lemon Cookies

From the Lind Cookie Ladies and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane

This is the bakers’ most requested cookie recipe. It’s easily adapted to fit other flavors using the base of 6 eggs, 1 cup oil and three boxes of cake mix.

6 eggs

1 cup oil

3 boxes of lemon-flavored cake mix

Zest of 1 lemon

Splash freshly squeezed lemon juice

Flour, if needed

Powdered sugar

Mix eggs and oil together, then add cake mixes. Add lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice. If the dough is really sticky, add ½ cup flour. Put in the refrigerator for 2 hours to let the dough chill completely.

Form cookies using a small cookie scoop, and run in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Note: You can also use this recipe using chocolate cake mix and adding mint chips. At the holidays, the Lind Cookie Ladies make a red velvet cookie with green mint chips.

Lind Cookie Ladies’ Butter Brickle Bit Cookies

From the Lind Cookie Ladies and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane

For the butter brickle mix

3 cups chopped butter brickle

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup and 2 tablespoons flour

For the cookie dough

1 1/2 cups margarine

1 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar

1 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

4 cups, 2 tablespoons flour

In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter brickle, vegetable oil and flour. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs and mix well. Mix in salt, soda and flour until well combined. Mix in brickle bit mixture.

Place spoonfuls of batter onto a greased baking sheet, and bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Note: Let cookies sit on baking sheets for only a couple of minutes, then remove to cooling racks. They stick to the pan if you let them sit too long.