Tag Archive for: cookies

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!  We had a debate this morning at work whether or not you had to be Irish to participate in St. Patrick’s day.  Clearly, only the people who were not wearing green thought that their non Irish lineage made them exempt which was ignored completely.  And, despite the rain and cold and it being a Monday, there was a rousing parade down King Street.  Here is a great shamrock cookie recipe that is sure to make any day especially St. Patrick’s day a good one!

Shamrock Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg yolk. Beat until smooth.
Stir in flour until well blended. Chill the dough for 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready to use.
Cut into desired shapes (shamrocks in this case) with lightly floured cookie cutters.
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Leave cookies plain for frosting, or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light and golden brown.
Cool cookies completely before frosting.

Great New Cookbook- 25 Quick & Easy Gluten Free Desserts

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gluten free recipesI feel very fortunate to be able to eat wheat or flour or whatever it is that causes people Celiac disease, and  I have not had much experience with eating or cooking gluten free.  However, after spending some time with friends who suffer from Celiac disease, I thought I should add some gluten free recipes to the repertoire.  I got this fantastic on-line cookbook for my Kindle, and it is perfect for when I need a sweet treat that I know is delicious and everyone can eat!  The almond butter cookies are my favorite.  Here is the to get it for yourself- definitely a great addition to your cookbook library- http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Gluten-Desserts-Holidays-Foolproof-ebook/dp/B00HHKS6JI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390780124&sr=8-1&keywords=foolproof+cook.

Peppermint Kiss Cookies

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My sister-in-law is an excellent baker.  She makes the best chocolate chip cookies, brownies, etc, and she is incredibly generous with her baking.  I am not sure where she finds the time as she is also a lawyer.  We went to an oyster roast this past weekend with her and my brother, and she brought for the hosts a mason jar filled with peppermint brownies on the bottom and ginger snaps on top all tied with a pretty ribbon and hand made note card.  I brought nothing (except Michelob Ultra Light in my purse because I knew that they would only have dark fancy beer to drink- pretty classy of me).  Anyway- they were giving us a ride home before they were headed to another party where she had another mason jar filled with treats, and fortunately, they were both tired, so at the last minute decided not to go to the other party, and we got the mason jar!  So, one I should be better about hostess gifts and two, I looked up some ideas for baked gifts, and these peppermint kiss cookies (from www.raininghotcoupons.com) looked like they would be great.

Peppermint Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 cup softened Butter
1 tsp Peppermint Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
3 cup Flour
3 Candy Canes
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup chopped Candy Cane Hershey Kisses
Sugar (to roll cookies in)
36 unwrapped Candy Cane Hershey Kisses

Directions:

Place candy canes in food processor and pulse until they are completely crushed.
Make sure you have room in your refrigerator or freezer for your cookie sheet.
Combine powdered sugar, butter, extracts and egg in large bowl.
Beat until fluffy at medium speed.
Combine flour, crushed candy canes, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
Add flour mixture to wet mixture and beat until well blended (mixture will be kind of dry).
Stir in chopped kisses.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in granulated sugar.
Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in 350 oven until firm up and set.
Remove from oven and immediately press a Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie.
Place cookie sheet into the freezer or refrigerator to keep kisses from melting.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

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We have survived the first week back to school- it actually was relatively easy.  Walker came home the first day saying that he had the best group of teachers which is always good, and more importantly, he has not had too much trouble waking up in the morning.  The main change in school this year according to Walker is that they redid the lunch room and got a new lunch service company.  He is very impressed.  Gone are the days of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day which is what I had for lunch long long ago in my school days.  I really do love a good peanut butter sandwich, but of course better than that is a peanut butter cookie.  I saw these very fun cookies on Martha Stewart.com and thought they were a perfect “back to school” treat.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely.

Heat jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loosened, about 30 seconds. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indentation. Cookies can be stored in a single layer for up to 1 week.

The Best Ginger Snaps

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The temperature has dropped to a very lovely 68 degrees, and I went for a great ten-mile hike this morning.  Well, it was only supposed to be about 6 miles, but I got lost, and I saw a bear, so it ended up being about 10 miles.  The bear didn’t have anything to do with getting lost; it was just kind of exciting. When I finally got to where I wanted to go in the first place, the view was so magnificent that the extra 4 miles were worth it.  Here is the view. Also, in the last couple of weeks, we have gone to breakfast at a wonderful spot down in Phoenicia called Sweet Sue’s.  I am having a hard time thinking of a breakfast that I have enjoyed more.  But, by far and away, the ginger snap cookie we had as an appetizer (yes, we had a cookie as an appetizer before breakfast) was ridiculous.  I could eat a lot of those cookies. A whole lot of them.  While I can’t quite recreate it, here is the recipe that comes closest.

Ginger Snap Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

 

What to do in a heat wave?

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The entire East Coast seems to be in a massive heat wave, and Twilight is no exception.  Clearly, it is not as bad up here as it is in New York City, where the temperature is currently 99 degrees with a “real feel” of 107.  That is not a lot of fun.  So, we have been spending a lot of time at the pool keeping cool, and I took Walker and his friend Jake to Zoom Flume yesterday.  It is a water park in East Durham, NY.  It is a pretty drive to get there and funny too, because you are driving along through very rural residential neighborhoods, and all of a sudden, there is a big water park.  The boys found a nice lounge chair and then ran off to the new wave pool.  We all had a blast- I finished my book in the shade, and they rode all the water rides and had funnel cakes.  Zoom Flume is a great way to beat the heat, but since we can’t do that every day, we rely on the pool and ice cream sandwiches of course.  Here is a great recipe for Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches.  They are even better if someone else makes them and you can just enjoy!

Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 to 5 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

For the mint chocolate chip ice cream:

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and 1 to 2 cups of water. Place a medium bowl fitted with a fine strainer inside the ice bath.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and begins to steam, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Carefully whisk half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, one ladleful at a time, until the egg mixture is warmed. Whisk the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers around 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
Immediately strain the mixture through the fine strainer into the prepared ice bath. Stir in the extracts and food coloring, if using. Cool the custard in the ice bath until it reaches room temperature, stirring often. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add the chocolate chips during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap against the ice cream surface, and freeze until the ice cream is firm and the flavor is ripened, at least 2 hours.
For the chocolate sugar cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, then roll in the sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets and flatten with the bottom of a measuring cup to a 2-inch diameter.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Freeze the cookies until firm, at least 1 hour. The cookies can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For assembly:
Top one cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Place another cookie on top of the ice cream and gently press down to form a sandwich. Immediately place the sandwich in the freezer. Repeat for the remaining cookies. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

Homemade Oreos

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I just read that over 362 billion Oreos have been sold since they first came out in 1912.  That statistic is very relieving since I thought that I might be partially responsible for a decent percentage of their sales.  Clearly, with that many sold- I am not.  However, it just proves that there are many out there like me that really love Oreos.  Walker has a theory that men like the cookie part better and women like the cream part more.  This is true in our household, but maybe we need a wider basis for this theory to have any validity.  Walker would love to know, and for an easy science fair project at a later date, I would like to know as well.  Because they are the best selling cookie out there and oh so delicious, I had never thought to try to recreate its goodness.  While I doubt I can improve upon its perfection, what’s the harm in trying.  I could maybe sell 400 billion of my new Oreo if my kitchen were big enough.  However, here is a picture of my workspace, so maybe not. 

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Dough:1 1/3 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the Filling:1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Prepare the dough: Sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a large bowl.Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces; place one piece between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with the parchment sheets, until firm, at least 1 hour or up to several days.

Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles. (You can reroll the scraps once.) Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Bake the cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.

Flip half of the cookies upside down and top each with 1 level tablespoon of filling. Press the remaining cookies on top to make sandwiches.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Sometimes there is nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie.  I used to make them all the time when I was little- starting from scratch with the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House yellow bag.  So great.  Of course, eating the dough was my favorite part, but warm chocolate chip cookies are so delicious- there is not much better.  They stand alone well, they go well with a glass of milk, some vanilla ice cream, whip cream- it’s all good.  Some people add walnuts to theirs, and while that is still a great cookie, I prefer no nuts.  Here is a fantastic recipe for truly the perfect chocolate chip cookie!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Lemonade and Gingerbread Angels

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I am trying so hard to get into the Christmas spirit!!  But when it is over 80 degrees, and Walker and two of his buddies have a ragingly successful lemonade stand in the middle of December, it just does not feel like Christmas.  So to combat the feelings of summer, I made gingerbread angels over the weekend.  They are so pretty, and now the house smells like cinnamon and nutmeg and all sorts of Christmasy smells, and it is back in the frigid 70s today, so a little less like summer.  I got a very cute picture of my angels pre decorations and wanted to get one post decorations, but Walker and his friends ate them too quickly.  I love this recipe because it is so easy, but the one trick I think is to make sure you roll out the dough thinly enough because the gingerbread definitely rises in the oven.

Gingerbread Men (or Angels)

Cream:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses

Sift:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Add dry ingredients to the butter- sugar mixture alternately with about 1/4- 1/2 cup water, or enough to be able to roll out the dough.  Cut into shapes for a house or into gingerbread men and bake on double waxed paper.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Christmas Parade and a Cookie Decorating Contest

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The annual Charleston Christmas Parade was yesterday afternoon.  I haven’t been to the parade in maybe twenty years, and it was so much fun.  The parade route runs right in front of the Charleston Library Society where I work, and it is definitely one of the best places to watch the parade.  First, the steps going up to the Library offer seating and a great vantage point for lots of people, and more importantly, we hosted an awesome cookie decorating contest.  We had a category for adults and one for children, and everybody got so into it.  We had four tartlet dishes donated from Le Creuset for our adult winner, and we had two gift certificates to Robot Candy for our kid winners.  I was in charge of making/getting the cookies and all of the decorating items.  I took Walker to the grocery store with me to help me pick out what we would need, and let’s just say we went a touch overboard (which is probably why the cookie were as awesome as they were)!  I had every intention of baking 200 sugar cookies using this great recipe I found on a wonderful blog called Baked Bree (www.bakedbree.com).  They really are delicious cookies, but while at the grocery store, the 12 for $3.00 fresh baked sugar cookies seemed so much easier, so those won out.  However, if you don’t have to make 200 cookies, I highly recommend this recipe.  Judging was very difficult with so many creative cookies- such a fun day!!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups softened unsalted butter
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon butter extract (optional)
7 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cream together the butter and sugar until it is really light and fluffy. Add the eggs and the vanilla and butter extracts. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
Roll the dough out and cut using your favorite cookie cutter.
Bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Do not brown the edges.