Does this mark the start of the holidays? Going to a cookie exchange. Fav recipes?

REC: Jesse's Sugar Brownies (or Chocolate Crinkles)

My son named these when he was about 6 smileys/smile.gif

Jesse's Sugar Brownies
2 cups (1 pound) butter
2 1/2 cups (1 lb 1 ½ oz.)sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon chocolate extract (optional)*
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (4 oz.) unsweetened cocoa powder **
1 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar for rolling

*I just added it because I had it
**I used Pernigotti cocoa from Williams-Sonoma

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and chocolate extract (if using); beat until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cocoa powder. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until well mixed. Chill dough in refrigerator.

Roll dough into 1” balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 7-10 minutes.

I've also rolled the dough into fairly skinny logs (about 1 1/4" in diameter), and froze them. Then when I wanted cookies, I just sliced the frozen logs about 1/3" thick, rolled the pieces in powdered sugar, then baked.

 
REC: Ginger Cookies

I LOOOVE these, and will never look for another molasses ginger chewy cookie!

I've been making these for a long time, and have tried a variety of ways of shaping them. I decided that the best is to roll the dough into a log, and make them a slice and bake cookie.

I used to roll them into little balls, but it was too messy, 'cause the dough would melt onto my hands. Then I used my tiniest little cookie scoop, but it was quite tedious, when making tons of little cookies.

Now, I just roll the dough into skinny logs, slice about 1/4" thick, roll the slices into the extra sugar, then bake.

Perfect, round, flat, chewy cookies. The BEST! Really!

Ginger Cookies
Makes about 8 dozen little cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Extra sugar, for rolling cookies in

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg and molasses. Sift remaining ingredients together, and add to butter mixture. Mix until just incorporated.

Divide the dough into fourths, and roll each portion into a log on a piece of waxed paper, about 1 1/4" in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (335º convect). Slice the logs into 1/4” slices. Roll each slice in the extra sugar.

Bake on lightly greased (or Silpat-lined) cookie sheet 8 to 10 minutes (or about 6 minutes for chewy cookies.) Let cookies rest on sheets for about 2 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

 
REC: Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

There's just something about the cinnamon sugar, that reminds you of cinnamon sugar toast, which everyone seems to love smileys/smile.gif

I never measure the cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle the cookies after they're baked the first time. I just make a batch up, and sprinkle quite generously.

CINNAMON-SUGAR BISCOTTI
Bon Appétit December 1997

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Sprinkling:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 egg; beat well. Add egg yolk; beat well. Mix in vanilla, then dry ingredients.

Transfer dough to work surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into 9-inch-long, 1 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to baking sheets. Beat remaining egg in small bowl. Brush logs with egg. Bake until golden and firm to touch (dough will spread), about 50 minutes. Cool on baking sheets. Maintain oven temperature.

Mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti, cut side down, on baking sheets.

Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon sugar over each biscotti. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on racks. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

Makes about 40.

 
REC: Kaci in Iowa's Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

Here's Kaci's recipe - it's fabulous! I added the freshly ground coffee to give it a mocha flavor, and I usually omit the almonds (hubby is sooo not a nut lover smileys/frown.gif

I once made it without chilling the dough first, and the logs spread out to cover my entire half sheet pan! I proceeded onward anyway, and everyone still loved them. They were a litle crisper, but just really flat, and not biscotti-looking.

Forum Home Page: Archive Swap 34601-34700
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 15:40:51 GMT
From: Kaci in Iowa

ISO Becky -(san diego) - REC: Chocolate chip almond biscotti

Becky--sorry this took me so long, the days got away from me. These are really good, but they harden A LOT as they cool--so don't make the mistake I did of thinking they're too soft and increasing the baking time—BIG mistake......

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti
14 3/4 oz. (3 1/4 cups) flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
12 Tbs butter, room temperature, cut into Tbs
12 1/4 oz. (1 3/4 cups) sugar
1 tablespoon ground coffee (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sliced (or slivered) almonds
6 oz (1 cup) chocolate chips

Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, sugar and ground coffee until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in almonds and chocolate chips. Lower mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat oven to 350º. Divide dough into two equal portions and shape each into a 2x16” log.

Place logs, 3” apart, on the baking sheet and make in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes. (they will be sort of soft and not look very done. Don’t be fooled—these harden up substantially after they’re done baking, so DO NOT increase the baking time here or they’ll be like concrete. Guess how I know this?)

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Lower oven temp to 325º.

With a sharp knife, slice logs diagonally into 3/8” wide strips. Place flat side down on baking sheets and bake until golden, about another 10-15 minutes (again, don’t overbake).

 
REC: Sugar Gems

The cookie is really light and crisp - I love the texture of it!

The dough for this cookie is fairly soft, so make sure it's well chilled when you're slicing these.

It's fun to give a roll of frozen dough to families with young children before Christmas, along with all kinds of fun sprinkles. The kids can slice the dough, decorate the cookies and bake them for Santa smileys/smile.gif

Sugar Gem Cookies (5 rolls, 1 lb 4 oz each)
9 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups vegetable oil (I've decreased this to 1 3/4 cup)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Colored sugar sprinkles

Sift flour, baking soda and cream of tartar together in a large bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and both sugars. Add vanilla, mix well. Add vegetable oil, and eggs and mix until combined.

Add dry ingredients, mix well until just combined. (Dough is really soft).

Drop one-fifth of the batter onto a sheet of waxed paper and roll up into a 12” log. Repeat with the remaining dough. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º. Slice on roll at a time (keep the other rolls in the fridge) into 3/8” slices. Place on cookies sheet 2” apart (these spread a lot). Sprinkle colored sugar on cookies.

Bake at 350º for 20 minutes until browned all over.

I've also rolled the dough logs in the colored sugar, so that the rim of each cookie is colored. It's pretty that way, but you have to make sure you press the sugar in tightly.

 
Sandi - it says to cook on buttered foil or silpat... would parchment work as well?

Do they get krispy or stay a little pliable?

 
i'm making this dough tonight to freeze and bake next week. serving at bookclub night with

rhubarb and strawberry compote and vanilla yogurt in a verrine type glass thingy. Will also make Giada's fig cookies.

 
I'm sure it will, cheezz - it's soft just out of the oven, but it crisps up as it cools..

I always use silpats, and usually leave it on the pan for about 5 minutes. After that, I flip the silpats over, and peel the silpat away from the cookies, like peeling the baking away from a sheet of stickers.

The cookies are crisp and stiff, and since the silpats are so pliable, it's easy to peel the cookies off.

You'll love it. Really. It's the one cookie that everyone remembers. smileys/smile.gif

 
MariaDNoCA, if you deem yourself a food snob, then I am 10 times lower than that==>

The last 3 cookie exchange parties I have been asked to attend, I went, but took NO COOKIES to swap because I didn't want to have to take anyone else's home with me. !!! How's that for vanity? But quite honestly, out of the approximately 50 women guests at one exchange, there were only 3 or 4 whose cookies I thought were palatable (the hostess put out a few of everyone's cookies on a sample tray) so I merely picked up copies of their individual recipes to take home with me.

As is only too obvious, my dear MariaDNoCA, I have no doubts as to which direction I'll be headed in the afterlife. See you there--cookies in hand to swap with YOU, of course! LOL!

wigs aka Caryn/IN

 
Chocolate Crinkles from the BC Cooky Cookbook - My absolute fav!!

Chocolate Crinkles
From the Betty Crocker Cooky Book


Prep Time:1 hr 45 min
Start to Finish:3 hr 45 min
Makes:6 dozen cookies


1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar


1. In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

 
Sounds great, GeorgiaRose! I especially like the fact that it uses oil instead of butter -

less saturated fat!

 
HA! Caryn...I'll save you a seat on the bus...(cookie exchange damages report enclosed)

I'll bring milk too. With all these yummy cookies posted we will have quite the sugar fest for our "trip." smileys/smile.gif

BTW, it both wasn't that bad (there was one recipe I really liked) and better than expected. There was no store bought. And not one chocolate chip/toll house! However, there were several that undoubtably were made out of a cake mix. The most unusual in that area was some sort of Snickdoodle balls from a cake mix and no, I didn't read the recipe--I didn't need to. I could taste the *mix* taste and the texture was "cakey" if you know what I mean. Someone else brought these chocolate covered ginger somethings but I swear they just looked and tasted like graham crackers dipped in chocolate.

My favorite was an iced spice cookie. She had them stacked in 3's and tied with a ribbon and the recipe. They really looked cute and tasted great too.

Oh and NONE were as bad as those brownies at the other place. Not even close. Just most not worth the calories IMHO.

However, I DID meet a lot of new people and the last few us all ended up going out to dinner so a good time was had by most!

--Maria

 
A T&T delicious cookie for the holidays called Christmas Bars==>

My husband's aunt Sophia clipped this recipe out of the South Bend (IN) Tribune newspaper years & years ago, and I make these every year:

CHRISTMAS BARS

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar (I typically use less as in 3/4 cup.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup quartered maraschino cherries (I like to use both red & green maraschino cherries--very Christmasy!)

Mix 1 cup flour, butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Paul's aunt Sophia used a pastry blender for this step, but you can also soften the butter and then use an electric mixer being careful not to mix too long so the crust doesn't become tough.) Spread thin with fingers in ungreased 8x8x2" baking pan. (I lightly PAM the pan first.) Bake in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. (Only takes 20 minutes in my oven.)

Stir remaining ingredients into eggs. Mix well with hand mixer. Spread over top of baked pastry. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes longer. Cool. cut into bars. Makes about 18 bars.

Enjoy! Caryn Wiggins

 
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