I don't know about you, but those sweet Girl Scouts and their addictive cookies sure did a number on my waistline this year! And they're not alone. I've never so enjoyed packing in the calories as I have taste-testing the oodles of fantastic homemade cookie recipes that have been turning up in the Club! And I'm not talking about your everyday chocolate chip variety (which I WOULD gladly eat every day, by the way.) No, what the Club is experiencing is an outbreak of awesome... in the form of ooey, gooey, one-of-a-kind cookie recipes!

Combining the richness of turtle candy, the cuteness of a cupcake and the bite-size ease of a cookie is Valerie Johnson's recent recipe posting for scrumptious Turtle Cookie Cups.

"These little cookie cups are very easy to make," assures Valerie. "I made them for Super Bowl Sunday and they were a big hit. If you like chocolate and caramel, I'm sure you will like these."

That's one safe bet! These chocolate cookies are filled with soft caramel and topped with a pecan for the perfect crunchy finish. And since each cookie cup is baked in its own little wrapper, they're ideal for bake sales and party trays.

Now, if ever there were a dessert whose very name screamed "party", it's the aptly named Whoopie Pie. Growing up in the South, I've had to be taught the art of the Whoopie Pie from some of the Club's New England bakers. These filled, cake-like cookies are said to have originated in Amish kitchens as a way to use of leftover cake batter. Goodness, those were some smart cookies!

The Whoopie Pie is a tough dessert to classify - Is it a cake, a cookie, an honest to goodness pie? - but it's got universal appeal! Angie Walker of Stryker, OH adds her own spin to the traditional chocolate Whoopie with her Serene Sunday: Oh, the Sadness of Parting Pumpkin Cookies. With a big name and equally big flavors, Angie's cookies are a spice-filled, pumpkin-packed treat. Is there such a thing as "classic innovation"? If so, I think Angie's got it down to an art!

Kathleen Kulinski, on the other hand, has perfected what has to be one of the most decadent no-bake cookies of all time. With ingredients to satisfy every craving imaginable - from salty to sweet - I urge women everywhere to whip up a batch for those times when you need a little extra indulgence.

"This [cookie] is a little bit chocolate, a little bit salt, a little bit peanut butter and then there's the fluff" exclaims Kathleen!

These chocolate dears are perfectly freezable, too. So make a lot, eat a few, and save the rest for your next "take me away" moment.

Kudos to all you crafty cooks who are coming up with such inventive ways to satisfy our collective sweet tooth! Thanks to you, our tables are a much sweeter place. Now, pass the milk, please…