Category Archives: COOKIE RECIPES

PEANUT BUTTER, OATMEAL, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

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So, there are just those days when you need a sweet for your family or to take along to say a Saturday morning rehearsal of the BlueStreet Jazz Voices, and you have neither the desire or the strength to prepare a goodie that will take longer than 10 minutes to throw together. That’s how I came to make one of our favorite bar cookies for yesterday’s rehearsal. (I always like to bring a little something along to help the singers stay motivated when their sugar levels get into the dangerously low zone.) And not being the kind of person for whom sunrises are a “must see”, I always have to prepare treats the day before. Don’t get me wrong, I like sunrises as much as the next person. But at this time of year they come just a little too early for my liking! Plus, rehearsals start at the ungodly hour of 9:30am in Seattle, and I would have to get up at oh dark thirty in order to get treats prepared, baked, and cooled before leaving the house. Simply not going to happen! (BTW, I do my best work at about 4:30 in the afternoon, just when normal people are starting to wind down. Go figure!)

So Friday afternoon when I went in search of a little “something” to bake for Saturday morning, I found this old favorite in my second cookbook. And literally, these cookies take absolutely no time to concoct. Before you even realize you’re standing in front of your mixer, the dough is ready to plop in the pan. Then using the magic creating by turning the dial on your oven to the proper temperature and placing the filled baking dish in said hot oven, you have bar cookies that everyone will enjoy in under 45 minutes. Of course, you still have the tedious task of mixing three ingredients together to prepare the icing, but that can be done while the bar cookies are in the oven.

Of course, all this ease of preparation is predicated upon having all the necessary ingredients on hand. Duh! But being the kind of person I am, I practically get hives if all these staples are not in their proper place in my pantry or freezer at all times. (It’s called RSS – Replacement Shopper Syndrome.)

So next time you need a quick and easy cookie, give this recipe a try. But, I am not going to lie to you. These cookies are not really what would be considered good for you. But good, oh yah!

  • ½ c. butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • ½ c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/3 c. + 2 T. peanut butter, divided
  • 1 c. flour
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. old fashioned oats
  • 1 c. chocolate chips
  • ½ c. powdered sugar
  • 2 T. milk

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and the 1/3rd cup peanut butter and mix well. Whisk together the flour, soda, and salt and add to sugar mixture. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Press mixture into a lightly buttered 9×13-inch baking pan. (Glass is best.) Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is just set and the top is a lovely golden brown. (350 degrees for 20-25 minutes if using a metal pan.) Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk. When the bars come out of the oven, drizzle with the powdered sugar mixture/icing.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACool completely and cut into squares.

 

MOLASSES COOKIES

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I know, everyone who bakes has a recipe for ginger cookies. But does everyone have a recipe for a perfect ginger cookie along with a story about one of their children’s nocturnal pastimes involving a cookie jar? Now that I doubt! So while I prepare to make these delicious cookies for our upcoming trailer vacation (Mr. Cs request), I am going to tell you the story of 2 young girls – daughter number one (for the sake of this story let’s call her Eden) and Little Red Riding Hood.

When my kids were growing up, there were almost always homemade cookies in the cookie jar. Making cookies for my children was always a win/win situation. I liked to bake, and they liked to eat cookies! What could be better?  And most of the time the cookie jar lived on top of the refrigerator theoretically out of reach of the children.

But Eden was a teenager, and tall enough to reach the jar. Every night (at least it seemed like every night) she would sneak into the kitchen and take the cookie jar off the refrigerator and place it on the counter. Then with all the stealth of a tiger hunting its prey, she would try to lift the lid off the cookie jar without me hearing her do so. And even though I may have been fast asleep, that tiny little sound would wake me up every time. And of course I would do what all good mommies do, I would tell her to step away from the cookie jar and no one would get hurt!

Now granted, I never got out of bed to make sure she hadn’t taken a cookie before returning the jar to its place of honor. But what fun would that have been for either of us? First of all she wasn’t over weight, she played soccer, had plenty of good nutrition in her diet, and after a while it became a fun game enjoyed by both of us. We still laugh about it. And you can bet your grandmother’s favorite snickerdoodle recipe she will inherit that porcelain beauty when Mr. C. and I go to that big cookie jar in the sky!

Oh, did I forget to tell you how Little Red Riding Hood fits in this story? Take another look at the photo above. Picture Little Red Riding Hood without her head and a teenage girl’s hand down her throat!

(I love you my darling Eden. Thanks for being a part of my life and for letting me share your story.)

  • ¾ c. vegetable shortening
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • 2¼ c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ c. granulated sugar or more as needed

Thoroughly cream the shortening, brown sugar, egg, and molasses together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together or sieve the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger together. Add to the shortening mixture. Roll or scoop into balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten unbaked cookies with the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Do not over-bake. (As soon as cracks appear all over the surface of the cookies, they are done.) Let cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

 

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

So, who out there has never tasted a Russian Tea Cake, Swedish Tea Cake, Snowball, Butterball, Mexican Wedding Cookie or whatever name you use to identify these little 5 ingredient wonders? Probably no one, right? But on the off chance that you are among the half dozen or so people left in the United States that have not partaken of one of these incredibly tasty and easy to prepare cookies, I am going to provide you with this recipe so you too can come aboard the happy mouth train.

These cookies literally melt in your mouth. And cute? Who in their right mind could say no to such a darling little round ball liberally covered with powdered sugar? They look like little mini round pillows. (I’d have provided a picture but the cookies disappeared before I could get my camera out of the closet.)  Now granted, they are not the least expensive cookie to produce. But truly, you would have to be related to $crooge McDuck not to spend the money to make these little babies at least once a year.

Now some recipes I have made call for more flour, or less flour, or ground walnuts or almonds instead of pecans. But the 5 basic ingredients (butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and nuts) remain the same in every recipe I have ever seen. Warning: don’t even think of using margarine or vegetable shortening instead of butter. You might find culinary experts from every country that has a version of this cookie appearing on your door step with strong words of displeasure at your disrespectful action. (We who are connoisseurs of these cookies take our use of the proper ingredients quite seriously.)

So next time you host an occasion that warrants a rich little dessert cookie (Christmas, wedding or baby shower, Monday night football, etc.) bake a batch of these cookies for your family and friends. I’m told they are the perfect end to any meal be it chicken cordon bleu or corn dogs and chips.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • ½ c. powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. finely chopped pecans

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and pecans and beat until thoroughly combined. Shape dough into balls with small ice cream scoop or by hand. Place 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-15 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are light brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

MEXICAN BROWNIES

This wonderful brownie recipe comes from Aaron Sanchez. And unlike many of the recipes that I feature on this site, I have not changed one single solitary ingredient or amount in Aaron’s recipe. No need! However, I did change the assembly instructions a bit. I added the step of sieving the dry ingredients together to eliminate any possibility of lumps in the final product. This is not a difficult or very time consuming process, but one that guarantees that all your careful preparation work will not have been in vain. (No one appreciates biting into a lovely goody like this brownie and finding a small lump of cocoa or a wee chunk of cayenne, for example.)  Not a pleasant surprise. And dried ingredients are notorious for wanting to stick together. (And yes I know what you are thinking when it comes to dried spices. Fresh spices don’t clump together.)

But let’s be realistic here. Most of us who cook and bake a lot buy our spices in bulk. And regardless of what the experts say about only using fresh spices (they all work for large import companies, BTW), a dried spice older than 6 months is just as worthy of your regard as the fresh faced newcomer in your spice rack! Just because older spices have a little longevity going for them does not mean that they should be cast away like last year’s half  jar of Aunt Sarah’s homemade bread and butter pickles! (Note to self: clean the refrigerator!) Older spices just need to be understood.

So if using a sieve to break up little clumps of spice caused by repeated and infinitesimal exposure to moisture that robs the spice of essential oils, so be it. Beats the heck out of becoming “spice poor” or worse yet, “old spice phobic”! Just treat your older herbs and spices with the same kind of loving respect you afford your older loved ones. Visit them often, tell them how wonderful they are each time you reach for them, and treat them special. Nothing could be easier.

  • 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus more for greasing
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2/3 c. good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. baking powder

Place the butter in a large glass bowl and microwave at a low heat just until melted. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; stir until well combined.

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In a separate bowl sieve the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and baking powder together to eliminate any lumps. Add to the butter mixture and stir until smooth. Spread the batter in a lightly buttered glass 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 if you are using a metal pan) for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

(And sorry about no picture of the brownies. They were gone before I could even think about reaching for my camera.)

CHOCOLATE AND PECAN TOFFEE BARS

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Mr. C. recently celebrated his birthday. We were scheduled to perform on the actual day, so I asked him ahead of time if he would like to go out to dinner the day after his birthday or would he like me to prepare some of his favorite dishes in the comfort of our own home?  He chose to stay home, which was just fine with me. (We tend to stay so busy that an evening at home is a treat!) I asked him what he would like me to prepare, and he provided me with the following list: Gruyere Soup, steak (because we hardly ever eat steak any more), White Cheddar Cheese Grits, buttered fresh green beans, and some kind of a caramel and chocolate bar cookie. He told me he didn’t really care how I prepared the steak or what I served for appetizers he just really wanted the 5 items listed above.

Sounded good to me, so I chose to make him Steak au Poivre (recipe to follow later this week) and try out a slightly modified version of a bar cookie recipe I found on the “taste and tell blog” web site. And then of course, why not invite our good buddies Jim and Margo over for the celebration – voilà – a dinner party.

So for appetizers I served crackers with a small piece of smoked salmon, soft cream cheese spread with ginger jam, and a small bowl of castelvetrano olives. First course was the Gruyere soup, followed by the steak, grits, and the fresh green beans. For dessert, coffee, liqueurs of choice, and some of these incredible toffee bars. They were just amazing and exactly what the birthday boy wanted. (Love it when a plan comes together.)

So next time you want to make an incredibly tasty and ever so easy (you don’t even need to dirty your mixer) bar cookie, bake up a pan of these little darlings. You will not believe how incredible just 6 ingredients can taste. And making your own caramel for this recipe – a snap! And perfect to serve at Christmas time – oh yah! There is just nothing about these cookies that isn’t OK. Well, maybe the number of calories. But let’s just not count those nasty little calories this time, alright. In fact, I’m going to park these babies in a “calorie free zone” and leave them there in perpetuity. Now doesn’t that make you feel better? I am nothing if not on your side!

  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1½ c. packed brown sugar, divided
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ c. + 2/3 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ c. chopped pecans, divided
  • 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together the flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Using your fingers or a table fork, massage in the ½ cup butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in 1 cup of the chopped pecans. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish, preferably glass. (Although I don’t really grease the pan, I do use the butter wrappers to kind of leave a mere trace of butter on the pan before I scoop in the flour mixture.)

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2/3 cup butter and the remaining ½ cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a full boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and carefully pour evenly over the crust. Smooth out the caramel with an offset spatula. (The tool pictured above.)

Bake the bars in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 if you are not using a glass pan) for 20-22 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Allow to set for about 4 minutes while the chocolate melts. Spread the chocolate into a thin layer over the top of the bar cookie (again using your offset spatula) and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup chopped pecans. Gently press the pecans into the soft chocolate with one of your fingers. (If you happen to get a little chocolate on your finger as you are securing the pecans to the chocolate, you can treat yourself to a little taste before the bars are cool. I call this – quality control!)  Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into fairly small pieces. These are very rich (really almost a candy), and oh so yum.

Note: This is one bar cookie that actually improves with age. Mr. C. said they were better the second day. (Haven’t reached the third day yet, so can’t advise you if they just keep getting better. And at the rate they are disappearing from the pan, I may never have that answer to share with you!)

2nd Note: Offset spatulas are one tool that isn’t used every day, but when it comes time to spread something (like frosting or as in this case, hot caramel) on to something else there is not a better tool for the job. They are fairly inexpensive, so treat yourself next time you are in a store that sells cooking equipment.

FROSTED IRISH CREAM BROWNIES

You’re right. There is no picture attached. That’s because I served these for the first time this past Sunday to our JazzVox* guests, and before I could fetch my camera from the hall closet, half of the brownies were gone! You’d think I had starved our guests to this point, that I hadn’t already served them Spicy Baked Corn Beef with Mustard Sauce, Beer Braised Bangers (Sausages) with Onion Gravy, mashed potatoes, Braised Green Cabbage, fennel and apple slaw, Bread and Butter Pickles, and Light Rye Bread. (BTW, all the dishes underlined are already posted on this site and perfect to serve for St. Patrick’s Day. And yes, St. Paddy’s Day is just around the corner!)

So, for whatever reason, these brownies and the 50 or so White Chocolate Dipped Coffee Bean Shortbread I served during the concert intermission were gone before I could blink an eye, much less take a picture. And if I am to be completely truthful about these brownies, neither Mr. C. nor I even got a taste. (And yes, you’re right.  I said I would NEVER post a recipe I had not tasted.) But who am I to argue with 30 guests and 2 performers who all proclaimed the brownies amazing! I’m not that wretched as to dishonor these intelligent jazz lovers by discrediting their comments. How rude would that be? So take the word of some of the savviest people I know, and give these brownies a try.

And if you are a purest and only make your brownies from scratch, I sincerely offer my apologies. But there are just times when the cost factor outweighs the need to build something from scratch. And when I buy a big old 6 batch box of Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate brownie mix from Costco, I feel good about using our monetary resources judiciously. It’s simply the economically prudent thing to do under certain circumstances. (Not to mention, that even undoctored, the mix brownies are absolutely delicious!)

*for more information on JazzVox home concerts, visit our website www.jazzvox.com

  • 4 T. Irish cream liqueur, divided (I use Bailey’s)
  • water
  • 1/3 c. vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1½ tsp. instant espresso coffee, divided (I use Medaglia D’oro) plus more for dusting
  • 1 pkg. chocolate brownie mix (I use Ghirardelli)
  • ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ c. powdered sugar, plus more as needed
  • pinch of salt

Pour 3 tablespoon of the Irish cream into a 1/3 cup measuring cup. Add water until measuring cup is full. Pour into a medium sized bowl and whisk together with the vegetable oil, egg, and 1 teaspoon of the espresso powder. Add the dry brownie mix and stir until fully mixed. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Glass pan if you have one. (Even if the mix instructions say to bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan use a 9×13.) Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Do not over-bake. Fresh baked brownies appear under baked but cool to doneness. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. (Will be a very dry mixture at this point.) In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, remaining 1 tablespoon of Irish cream, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of instant coffee. Add the cream mixture to the butter/powdered sugar mixture. Beat until very creamy and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar as needed. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Sprinkle lightly with instant coffee. Chill until just before ready to cut and serve.

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT FILLED PASTRY COOKIES

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Once in awhile I am forced to eat lunch by myself. It doesn’t happen very often because usually Mr. C is around and we eat together. But when he is out, I usually turn on the TV and watch the food network while I slam down my lunch. And that is just how I discovered this wonderful pastry recipe. I was watching an episode of 10 Dollar Dinners with Melissa D’Arabian. That day she was preparing Petite Nutella Pouchettes. They looked divine, so I decided to bake some and take them to rehearsal that evening. (Well I did change the pastry recipe a little, because I didn’t think Melissa’s recipe looked sweet enough, but that’s what I do, remember?)

Long story short, the cookies were a success. The dough was just sweet enough, and combined with the Nutella, well suffice it to say, these little babies should be standard fare in heaven!

So next time you want to serve a light and elegant little dessert pastry, these are the perfect choice. And to take these cookies totally over the top, Dan, a fellow BlueStreeter suggested that they be topped with a little dab of jam. Yum. Then I thought, how about a drizzle of raspberry puree? The list could go on and on. But however you decide to serve these cookies, I am sure your family and friends will not be disappointed. How could anyone be disappointed when butter, cream cheese, and Nutella are in a recipe? I mean really!!

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ c. powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 c. flour
  • Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)
  • water

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, spoon in the flour and mix until just combined. Place the dough on a well-floured surface (I use a pastry cloth) and roll it into a round, flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

On the same floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch. (Make sure there is flour on your rolling pin too while you are rolling out the dough.) Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Place the rounds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Form the scraps into a ball, roll out and cut more circles. Place about a half teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of each pastry round.

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The easiest way I have found to shape these little darlings is to pick up a pastry, place it on the palm of your right hand, (Nutella side up, of course) and wet the perimeter of the circle with water using the index finger on your left hand. Then using gravity as a helper, fold the circle in half with the Nutella towards the bottom and the curve of the semi circle pointing towards heaven.  (Do not try to spread the Nutella.) Press edges together gently. Place back on the parchment paper and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Place about ½ cup powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer. Gently shake the strainer back and forth over the cooled pastries until they look like they have been gently kissed by snow. Store in an airtight container.

 

CHEWY PECAN COOKIE BARS

Even though the craziness of December is over for another year, I promised in early January that I would continue to post some of my favorite holiday cookie and candy recipes. I figured (incorrectly of course) that if I wrote down the recipes and shared them with all of you, my urge to continue baking and eating sweet treats would diminish. (Fat lot of good it’s done so far, but it made a lot of sense at the time!) Anyway, I made the promise and I am going to abide by it! So even though some of you may not have fully recovered from what I call the “baking frenzy” month, (commonly known to most as December), I’m hoping you will enjoy receiving these recipe none-the-less. (Think of them as early preparations for this year’s holiday season.) I personally think it’s a good idea. After all, if stores can start selling Christmas decorations in August, I see no reason why you can’t start gathering holiday recipes the first day of February. (Something to brag about to your acquaintances who routinely have their Christmas shopping done weeks in advance.) You know, the people for whom “Black Friday” is sacred and who would rather cut off their big toe than miss the opportunity to save 10% on a $30 item at 4:30 in the morning! So get a jump on your holiday planning and take a look at this recipe. I promise that it is everything you could ask for in a holiday cookie.

I remember the first time I tasted one of these cookies. I was simply blown away. They were one of several goodies in the holiday cookie and candy tin given to us by our friend and neighbor Joanne. If I remember correctly, Mr. C got only one. (I do believe I restrained myself enough to allow him the pleasure of at least a taste.) I also remember getting the recipe from Joanne shortly thereafter. Thanks again Joanne.

You know, you really don’t have to wait until next Christmas to try these “pecan pie” like bar cookies. I actually believe that pecan pie is served year round in some places. New Orleans comes to mind. But then, doesn’t it always! Enjoy.

  • Crust:
  • 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
  • 2/3 c. powdered sugar
  • 1/4 c. cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • Pecan Topping:
  • 1 1/4 c. (packed) brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. light corn syrup
  • 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 4 c. coarsely chopped pecans (about 14 ½-oz.)
  • 1/2 c. whipping cream
  • 2 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly butter the foil. Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together. Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until crust is set and a light golden color, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand while preparing topping. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Meanwhile stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm crust.

Bake for an additional 20 minutes (at 325 degrees) until caramel is darker and bubbles appear on the surface.  Cool completely in pan. (Topping will harden as it cools.) Lift foil out of pan onto a cutting board. Using a heavy sharp knife, cut bars into desired size.

Bars can be made 1 week ahead. To store, layer cut cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate. Cookies freeze beautifully.

CHRISTMAS REFRIGERATOR SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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When it comes to Christmas cookies, I simply go whacko. I love Christmas cookies and candy and just don’t feel I have done my proper duty as Mrs. Santa unless the pantry is brimming with several varieties. (It’s my mother’s fault, she too loved to bake at Christmas and guess who loved to help her?) Anyway, how could I possibly send out a Christmas package to my kids who live all over the planet if it didn’t include some goodies to remind them how wonderful I am! Really – nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.  Actually, over the years I have derived a great deal of pleasure from packaging up those little reminders of home to share with my darlings who no longer live in the vicinity. Just lets them know how much I love them, that I am thinking of them and how honored I feel to have been a part of their early life.

And then of course there’s Mr. C. It’s just so much fun watching him open all the Christmas tins each day looking for just the perfect cookie or piece of candy to go with his mid morning latte, afternoon pick-me-up, etc. etc.

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While you are baking away, consider giving a tin of cookies to an elderly neighbor or someone who might be struggling with ill health or the loss of a loved one. It might just possibly be the kindest thing anyone does for them during this sometimes stressful season.

So however you celebrate the season, don’t forget to prepare a cookie or two. You don’t have to go nuts like I do, but should you choose to do so the recipe below should help you achieve that goal.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter, add ½ tsp. salt)
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 c. white, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate chips or equivalent in bulk chocolate
  • 1 scant tsp. Crisco

Combination 1: zest of 2 oranges and ½ cup chopped dried cranberries

Combination 2: ¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger (best not to dip this one in chocolate)

Combination 3: ¼ cup mini chocolate chips and ½ cup diced maraschino cherries. (After you have diced the cherries, place them on a paper towel to dry out a little.)

Combination 4: ¼ cup mini chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped good peppermint candy (like King Leo or Sees peppermint sticks)

Combination 5: ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (will taste just like Russian Teacakes if you sprinkle with powdered sugar and forget the chocolate dipping part)

Combination 6: 1 cup chopped mint flavored baking chips

Combination 7: 1 tablespoon ground coffee beans (use the grind setting for a French Press)

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl combine the flour and chosen combination of ingredients. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a square or round log about 1 1/2-inch wide.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Un-wrap log and using a serrated knife slice dough 3/8 inch thick (if dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes). Arrange slices, about 1 inch apart, on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Do not discard the parchment paper at this point.)

When the cookies are completely cool, combine your chocolate of choice and Crisco and slowly melt together in microwave. When fully melted, whisk together until creamy and smooth. Dip one third of each cookie in the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper covered baking sheet to harden. Store in a tightly covered container hidden away from your family.

Note: If you want to add variety to your Christmas assortment of cookies, add the flour sans any additives to the butter mixture. Then divide the dough in half and add a half recipe of any of the above combinations. Wrap each flavor separately and viola, 2 kinds of cookies. Or go completely over the top and make a double batch of cookie dough and divide in 4. Roll 2 types square, 2 round. Then you have a quartet of wonderful cookies with which to delight your family and friends. Isn’t Christmas baking fun???

Also, if you don’t want to do the whole dipping in chocolate bit, you can simply place some powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and shake it over the cookies. Either way you choose to “garnish” the cookies, they will look lovely and festive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHITE CHOCOLATE DIPPED COFFEE BEAN SHORTBREAD

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I know that you know that I am nothing if not a copy cat! And these cookies were inspired by some cookies that Mr. C picked up on our last visit to Trader Joes. We don’t have a Trader Joes in our area so when we are in Seattle and have a little extra time on our hands we hit the closest TJs to load up on some of our favorites. (I love their 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil by-the-way.)

I think I’ve told you before that Mr. C doesn’t have just one sweet tooth. He is blessed with several, so for him to place a couple of packages of cookies or candy in the cart is not uncommon. And usually the cookies or candy can happily sit in either the cookie jar or pantry forever as long as I’m concerned.

But this time, the cookies looked so interesting I just had to give one a try. (Empirical research you see!)

Well I am very happy that I made that decision, because my version of this amazing cookie is to die for. (And yes, I do want a gold star for this one!)

So if you adore coffee and buttery crisp not too sweet shortbread, you are going to love these cookies. And they absolutely could not be easier to make. Dipping the cookies in the white chocolate is a nice touch, but if you are in a hurry, or don’t want to mess around with melting this sometimes difficult ingredient, leave the cookies plain. They are still delicious.

Just be advised: these cookies are habit forming.

  • 1 c. (2 cubes) butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter, add ½ tsp. salt)
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 T. ground coffee beans (use the grind setting for a French Press)
  • 3/4 c. white chocolate chips or equivalent in bulk white chocolate
  • 1 scant tsp. Crisco

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and ground coffee beans. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a square about 1 1/2-inch wide.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and using a serrated knife, slice dough 3/8 inch thick (if dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes). Arrange slices, about 1 inch apart, on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Do not discard the parchment paper at this point.)

When the cookies are completely cool, combine the white chocolate and Crisco and slowly melt together in microwave. When fully melted, whisk together until creamy and smooth. Dip one third of each cookie in the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper covered baking sheet to harden. Store in a tightly covered container. Great with freshly brewed coffee.

Note: Working with white chocolate is not for sissies! When you are melting it, it can appear all smooth and lovely then suddenly form small lumps. It’s like the molecules just can’t bear to be apart. They re-unite faster than re-producing rabbits!