I need cookie ideas.

dawn_mo

dawn_mo

Well-known member
For Bub's birthday, for a gift, I am going to give him 52 weeks of cookies. Which will be a new batch of cookies of his choice, once a week. His favorites are the oatmeals cookies I make him, but I will need some other ideas. He doesn't like chocolate cookies much (he does like the mint ones). He is more of a buttery, sugar, cinnamon, oatmeal type of guy. And nix to most bar recipes. Thanks!

 
REC: Almond Sables from Nick Malgieri...

Almond Sables

Recipe By :Nick Malgieri

1 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 pound soft butter -- unsalted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour -- bleached

Combine almonds and sugar in food processor and pulse to grind finely. Beat butter with sugar/almond mixture and salt until very light, about 5 minutes on medium speed.
Beat in yolk, then vanilla extract. Remove from mixer; sift over and stir in flour. Divide dough in half and shape each into an 8-inch long cylinder, forming it in a sheet of parchment paper. Chill until firm. Slice cylinders of dough 1/4-inch thick and arrange on paper-lined pans. Bake at 325 degrees about 15 to 20 minutes.

NOTES : Variations:
1. Moisten outside of log with egg white and roll in cinnamon sugar or coarse sugar before slicing and baking.
2. Add 1/4 pound each rinsed and quartered candied cherries and chopped nuts to dough before shaping cylinder.

 
REC: Mother Bauer's Buttered-Rum Cookies from Rose Levy Beranbaum...

Mother Bauer's Buttered-Rum Cookies

Recipe By :Rose Levy Beranbaum

1/2 cup powdered sugar -- (lightly spooned into cup)
1/3 cup sliced almonds -- blanched
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons light rum
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour -- bleached (dip and sweep method)
1/4 teaspoon salt
***BUTTERED-RUM CREAM FILLING***
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar -- (lightly spooned in the cup)
3/4 teaspoon light rum
2 teaspoons heavy cream

Food Processor Method: In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugar with the almonds until the almonds are very fine. Cut the butter into a few pieces and add it with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the almond extract and rum and process until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. Remove the work bowl cover, add the flour and sprinkle the salt evenly on top. Pulse in the flour just until the dough starts to clump together.

Electric Mixer Method: Soften the butter. Grate the almonds finely. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, grated nuts, and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and rum until well blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until incorporated.

FOR BOTH METHODS Scrape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Working with a small amount of the dough at a time, briefly knead it until it is malleable but still well chilled, and roll it on the floured cloth to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out the cookies, using a small metal spatula to transfer them to cookie sheets, 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps, chilling the dough when necessary. For a decorative effect, if desired, use the pastry tube to cut out 1/2-inch holes in the center of half the cookies. These cookies with holes will serve as the top portions of the sandwich cookies. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until just beginning to become golden. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period. Use a small angled metal spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

FOR THE BUTTERED-RUM CREAM FILLING:
Food Processor Method In a food processor with the metal blade, process all the filling ingredients until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. If necessary, add additional heavy cream by the droplets to soften the filling or additional powdered sugar by the teaspoon to make it more firm.

Electric Mixer Method: Soften the butter. In a mixing bowl, with the mixer at low speed, cream the butter and sugar until well mixed. Still at low speed, beat in the rum and heavy cream.

To Fill the Cookies: Use a small metal spatula to spread a rounded 1/2 measuring teaspoon of the buttercream on the underside of 1 of the whole cookie bottoms. Place a second cookie (if desired, one with a hole in it), bottom side against the buttercream, and press the 2 cookies gently together. Proceed this way for the remaining cookies.

Makes about 32 2-inch sandwiches

Store: In an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer

Keeps: About 2 months unfilled, 3 weeks filled (the frosting becomes drier after this time but is still tasty)

 
REC: Congo Bars. I know you said most bar cookies are out, but these...

...are so good!

It's basically blondies with nuts, white chocolate and coconut. They're borderline 'too sweet', but everyone who has eaten the ones I've baked have raved. Follow the directions carefully and you'll be pleased! (For example, don't substitute sweetened coconut for the unsweetened called for in the recipe.)

It's now a 'must have' for Christmas at our house.

Congo Bars
7/2005

Despite their name, Congo bars have nothing at all to do with Africa. In fact, they are little more than blondies enriched with coconut -- an ingredient that was exotic in years past perhaps but is far from it these days. We tried adding both sweetened, flaked coconut and unsweetened, shredded coconut to our blondies, and tasters unanimously preferred the unsweetened. Sweetened coconut did little but make the bars overly sweet and unpleasantly chewy. We were able to extract a bit more flavor from the unsweetened coconut by toasting it golden brown before adding it to the blondie dough. If you have trouble locating unsweetened shredded coconut, try a natural food store or an Asian market. Keep a close eye on the coconut when toasting as it can burn quickly.

Makes 36 bars

1 cup pecans (or walnuts), toasted and chopped coarse
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped bar, or 3 ounces each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips


1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on larged rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside. Toast coconut on same rimmed baking sheet, stirring 2 to 3 times, until light golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. While nuts and coconut toast, cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet (if using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width). Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

4. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate, coconut, and nuts and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.

5. Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=10831

 
REC: Pecan Shortbread Raspberry Cookies--Land O Lakes Contest Winner

Pecan Shortbread Raspberry Cookies

Recipe By :Land O Lakes Contest Winner

1 cup butter -- softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup ground pecans
2 cups flour
Powdered sugar
Seedless raspberry preserves

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts by beating in mixing bowl at medium speed until light anf fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

At low speed, beat in pecans. Gradually add flour until mixture comes together, about 1 minute. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface and cut with 2-inch scalloped (I made them heart-shaped) cookie cutter. Use 1-inch cutter to remove center on 1/2 of cookies (I didn't do this part, but I'm sure it's beautiful). Put cookies 1 inch apart (they don't spread) on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, 9 to 12 minutes.

Sprinkle cut-out cookis with powdered sugar. Spread about 1/4 teaspoon of raspberry preserves on rest of cookies and top with powdered cookies.

Makes about 30

NOTES : Dough must be refrigerated for 1 to 2 hours

 
REC: Cinnamon Cookies...

Cinnamon Cookies

Recipe By:Gourmet/December 2000
Makes 6 Dozen

For cookies:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour -- (sift before measuring)
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces walnuts -- (1 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs -- lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter -- softened
2 large eggs -- beaten
For icing and decoration:
2 teaspoons powdered egg whites
2 tablespoons warm water
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar -- (sift before measuring)
1 drop fresh lemon juice
2 ounces finely chopped walnuts -- (1/2 cup)

Make cookies: Sift together flour, cinnamon, and salt.

Pulse walnuts with 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to grind to a paste).

Beat together butter and remaining sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs until combined. Mix in flour mixture and nuts at low speed just until blended. Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Keeping remaining dough chilled, roll out half of dough 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch floured cookie cutter. Chill scraps. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until firm but not browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Make cookies with remaining dough in same manner, rerolling scraps no more than twice.

Ice and decorate cookies: Whisk together powdered egg whites and water, then stir in confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth and spreadable. Spread a thin layer of icing on 1 cookie with a metal spatula or knife and sprinkle lightly with walnuts. (Use your imagination and decorate more elaborately if you like.) Decorate remaining cookies in same manner. Let icing harden, about 1 hour, before storing cookies.

 
REC: Greek Honey-Nut Wedges...

Greek Honey-Nut Wedges

Recipe By :Epicurious

8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1/2 cup butter -- softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups finely chopped walnuts
Milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir or knead in remaining flour. Divide dough into four portions. If necessary, cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or till easy to handle.

2. Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, the honey, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Stir in walnuts; set aside.

3. Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface into an 8 inch circle. Carefully transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet. Spread half of the nut mixture to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll another portion of dough into an 8-inch circle. Place over the nut-topped circle. Seal edges with a fork. Brush with milk; sprinkle with a mixture of 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

4. Bake in a 350' oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Cut each round into 12 wedges. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

Yield:
"24 Wedges"

 
REC: Oma's Potato Chip Cookies...

Oma’s Potato Chip Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1/2 cups sugar -- (1/2 to 3/4)
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup potato chips -- crushed
For the topping:
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons very finely chopped or ground walnuts

In a mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, briefly cream the butter and sugar together.

With a fork, beat together the egg yolk and vanilla and stir into the butter-sugar mixture.

Stir in the walnuts, flour, and crushed potato chips just until a uniform dough is formed.

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour (the dough can be frozen).

Using a rounded teaspoonful, form the dough into balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a table fork, in a cris-cross fashion, flatten the cookies to about 1/4 inch thick.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle each cookie lightly with pinches of the topping mixture.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are very lightly browned around the edges. Cool on a rack.

Source:
"Arthur Schwartz"
Yield:
"3 dozen"

NOTES : Dough must chill for 1 hour in refrigorator

 
REC: Dad's Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies...

Dad's Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies

1/2 pound salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon espresso coffee -- brewed
3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar -- sifted
2 cups all-purpose flour -- sifted
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup pine nuts -- toasted, coarsely chopped
1 pound confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of a large mixer cream the butter until fluffy, then add vanilla and the espresso.

In a large bowl sift the confectioners' sugar then add to it the butter mixture in the mixer and mix well.

In the same bowl used to sift the sugar, add flour and salt and sift. Add them to the mixer that contains the cream, butter mixture. Turn the mixture out on a floured board and sprinkle the pine nuts on the mixture and mix nuts in well with your hands (if dough gets too sticky add a bit more flour to the board and to your hands). When nuts are mixed in, place mixture in a large glass bowl and put in refrigerator for 1/2 hour to make it easier to roll. Take bowl out of the refrigerator and with your hands pick up walnut sized balls of dough, roll them in your hands and place them in an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cookies turn a light golden brown. When all of the cookies have been baked place them on a cooling rack overnight. If you are pressed for time 5 hours will do.

In a large resealable plastic bag place the pound of confectioners' sugar (this is a bit of overkill but I wanted to have enough powdered sugar for the cookies). Add 6 to 12 cookies at a time and gently toss them in the powdered sugar and then place them on a cooling rack trying not to disturb the sugar coating. Continue until all cookies are coated. Let cookies rest so that the coating really adheres.

 
REC: Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies...

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup applesauce -- chunky-style
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup golden raisins
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Make cookies:
Preheat oven to 350. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined.

Add egg and applesauce, mix until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in raisins.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.

Make icing:
Whisk confectioners' sugar, syrup, and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies, let set.

Source:
"Martha Stewart Living"
Yield:
"2 1/2 dozen"

NOTES : Once the maple icing is set, these can be stored in single layers in airtight containers for up to three days.

 
REC: White Chocolate Cherry Almond Cookies

Originally posted by Meryl, these are one of our favorites.

Made just as the recipe reads and they were really good. The baking time too a little longer than stated, but it could just be my oven.

White Chocolate Cherry Almond Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, measured by spooning and sweeping
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (see butter note)
8 oz butter, room temperature (if using unsalted, butter, increase the salt to a generous 1/2 teaspoon)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon each – almond extract & vanilla extract
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups whole almonds, toasted and chopped by hand (I've used both slivered and sliced, like them better that way)
6 ounces white baking chocolate, cut into chunks

Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and extracts; beat on low speed for about 10 seconds.
Using lowest speed of mixer or by hand, stir in flour mixture. When flour is incorporated, stir in cherries, almonds and white chocolate. Chill dough for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Place on center rack of preheated 350F oven, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.
Makes about 36 cookies

from www.cookiemadness.net

 
REC: Butter Stuff

I saved this recipe by Gesine Bullock-Prado.

Butter stuff. That’s the literal translation of Butterzeug, my favorite cookie. Mom made them for Christmas, sealing them in airtight containers and storing them on the screened porch. We’d sneak out and steal a few every day, so that by Christmas Eve, the confectionary vessel contained hints of cookies past, a legion of crumbs flanking a lone Plätzchen. I still like to eat them chilled, recreating the criminal delight I took in devouring winterized goodness. You can feel free to eat them however and whenever you like because butter stuff has a place in every season.

BUTTERZEUG

Butterzeug requires the use of Butterschmalz. Say that 5 times, really fast. Come on. I dare you.
Butterschmalz is clarified butter. You may also know it as ghee. Right now, you’re thinking, “Screw it. I’ve got plenty of regular butter in the fridge. I’ll just make these without that cockamamie stuff.” To which I reply, in a heavy German accent, “NEIN! Don’t you dare!”

If you’ve ever taken a whiff of butterschmalz, you’ll know that it has a gorgeous, nutty aroma that’s knee melting. That’s one thing it’s got going for it, a glorious scent and flavor. Also know that butterschmalz or ghee or clarified butter is composed of milk solids, the moisture having been taken from the butter. This gives anything made with that nutty flavored beauty a longer shelf life. Less moisture, longer lasting butter stuff. It’s also got a higher smoking point, so you can use the leftovers for sautéing.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick butter
¾ cup butterschmalz
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of half a lemon
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 ½ cups AP flour (plus a little extra for rolling)

PROCEDURE
Cream butters and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and cream again until fully incorporated. Add salt, vanilla and lemon zest and slowly add flour. Wrap in cling film and chill for about ½ hour.

Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. You want these to be hearty cookies, not thin and whimpy things. They can be crumbly so adding a bit of thickness gives you stability. Using a flour dusted cookie cutter, stamp your cookies and space on the cookie sheet about an inch apart. These don’t really spread and if you refrigerate them for 20 minutes you’ll guarantee a lovely shape.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t allow them to brown, it’s ok if the edges acquire a hint of golden.

http://confectionsofamasterbaker.blogspot.com/2010/01/butter-stuff.html

 
Rec: Jam Thumbprints

Jam Thumbprints

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until just combined, and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale, they should each weigh 1-ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/jam-thumbprints-recipe/index.html

 
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