Cookies

Chocolate Hearts
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Chocolate Hearts

You can also make these with any kind of cookie cutter but since today is Valentine’s day… These are crisp, densely chocolate cookies. I don’t like iced cookies so I sprinkled with fine caster sugar. Adapted from Sally’s Baking Recipes.

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or dutch process), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • super fine sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the cookie dough: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
  4. Chill the dough for at least an hour.
  5. Roll the dough: Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Dust 2 large pieces of parchment paper or 2 silicone baking mats with cocoa powder (or flour). Place a dough half on each. With a rolling pin lightly dusted with cocoa powder (or flour), roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more cocoa powder/flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
  6. Preheat oven & shape cookies: Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough, using more cocoa powder or flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin, and continue cutting the dough until all is used. Work quickly so the dough doesn’t become too warm or soft. If it does, stop what you’re doing and place any unused dough back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to stiffen up again. Repeat cutting into shapes with 2nd half of dough. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
  7. Bake & cool: Arrange shaped cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
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Cranberry, Pecan, Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Cranberry, Pecan, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Valentine’s day is all about love. It can be romantic, or the love you have for family or friends. A week ago I got a package in the mail from a dear friend that included everything but the butter and eggs in these fabulous little packages. It made me happy and feel loved, and I was able to share the love with Hal’s co workers, the woman
who always helps me at the UPS store in Green Hills and Hal. Make sure to chill the dough at least 30 minutes and keep the cookie sheets chilled between making the cookies so they won’t flatten out. These are so yummy. Adapted from http://www.amodernhomestead.com blog. Make these and share some love. The game changer was the scooper
that she included in the photo.You can find one for yourself at: https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/eatinwithe/shop/Kitchen+Tools/Baking+Accessories/Small+Scoop/2530

Ingredients

  • 2 cups butter
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 5 cups flour 
  • 1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips (or white chocolate**)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Cream the mixture until it is fluffy.
  • Next add eggs one at a time. Beat on high for at least 30 seconds after each egg. The mixture should look like butter cream icing at this point.
  • Add baking soda and salt. Mix briefly.
  • Add flour 1 cup at a time. Start very slowly to avoid kicking flour out of the bowl. Mix for 30 seconds after each cup.
  • Add chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Spoon them onto cookie sheet with a teaspoon and bake for 11-12 minutes.
  • The cookies may appear under done, but if baked for any longer they will be too crispy. (Each oven is different, so you may need to adjust the time by a minute or two.)
Amish Sugar Cookies
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Amish Sugar Cookies

A SUPER simple, wonderful cookie just in time for Christmas. I like these better than the traditional rolled sugar cookies. These would be great to make with kids. You could add sprinkles (but they don’t need it!) Chai powder, lime or lemon or other flavorings. These are, to quote Robert Palmer, “simply irresistible”. Thank you to my Cousin Judy for sharing her recipe. I used a small ice cream scoop to make the rounded shape but a spoon would work, too. Adapted from Taste of Home.

The dough must be thoroughly chilled. No short-cuts. Completely chilled dough is a must.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until combined.
  2. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
  4. In two additions, add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Dough will be kinda fluffy and light!
  5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  6. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets.
  7. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie, or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned.
  8. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Recipe Notes

These are good for at least a week, but best within the first 3-4 days. After a few days, they get crumbly and a bit on the drier side – still a delicious cookie though. 

These freeze really well!

Valentine Ginger Heart Cookies
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Valentine Ginger Heart Cookies

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Happy Valentine’s Day. My husband loves ginger cookies so I like to try new recipes that I think he will like. I knew he was the ONE on our first date when we (over dinner) began talking about meals we had eaten in the past, meals we wanted to eat in the future and foods we loved. We also loved other things and running – which initially brought us together – has been great to offset the love of eating… We are still running (and eating) together after 15 years!

These are a sweet and wonderful treat to share (or not) with someone you love. They can be cut into any shape but they lend themselves to this holiday as they are a little sweet, a little spicy and nothing says love like a warm cookie!

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Ingredients

3/4 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 C molasses
4 C All Purpose flour
2 tsp roasted ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground roasted cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp Cardamon
1/4 tsp salt
Sanding Sugar

Directions

In a large bowl of standing mixer use the paddle beater and cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg and molasses. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices and gradually add to the creamed mixture.

On lightly floured board turn dough out and cut into quarters. Roll out dough to an 1/8 thickness and cut with heart shaped cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Bake at 350 for 10 min until firm.

 

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Pumpkin, Walnut & Date Biscotti

Perfect for tea time. Or anytime.

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Ingredients

  • 2-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon roasted ginger
  • 1/2 tablespoon roasted cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped dates
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup pure pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 large eggs

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking powder and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and eggs on low speed until well combined. Add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until a thick dough forms. Stir in walnuts and dates
  4. Form dough into a large loaf on the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until loaf just starts to crisp on the outside. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
  6. Using a serrated knife, cut the loaf into ½ inch thick slices and place flat on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, flipping biscotti every 15 minutes, until it is dried out and crisp.

Do not store the biscotti in an airtight container as the moisture will release from the pumpkin and make it chewier and moister than it should be.

Pumpkin Cookies
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Pumpkin Cookies

These are so good. I had some canned pumpkin leftover and I will have to make more of these. I did not ice them but you can do a glaze. Adapted from a Genius Kitchen recipe. These would be good with walnuts and or chocolate chips. I did not take a lot of photos but trust me, they are good.

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1⁄2 cup sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin 
  • 1 egg
  • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2cups unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons roasted cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground roasted ginger
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Have ready some ungreased baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy.

Blend in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Mix flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture.

Drop tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 11-15 minutes until golden around the edges.

Remove warm cookies and transfer to racks.

Let cool completely for a least one half hour, then frost with glaze.

GLAZE

3 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1⁄4 cup milk
1 1⁄2 – 2cups confectioner’s sugar

Heart Shaped Spice Cookies
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Heart Shaped Spice Cookies

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I hope everyone’s day is filled with love. These cookies are a little bit like love.. a little sweet,
a little spice and perfect to share with someone.. or all for yourself. This was inspired by a recipe on line from My Recipes. They are addicting! I made up little cookie bags for my husband and his hard working songwriters.

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Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flourimg_0372
1 teaspoon roasted ground ginger
1 teaspoon roasted cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons water
sanding sugar

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.

In a separate large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, and beat until mixture forms a stiff yet pliable dough. I added a little water to make the dough easier to work with. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Sprinkle with white sanding sugar. Bake until cookies are firm in center, about 10 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

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Christmas Sugar Wafers

 

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These were adapted from a Cooking Light magazine. I do not like a super sweet iced cookie so I made these with Sanding sugar sprinkled on instead of icing. They dod not use as much butter or sugar as traditional. So while not completely guilt free a bit less fat and sugar than some!

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Ingredients

Cookies:
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Sanding Sugar or colored sugar

Icing:
To prepare vanilla icing, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a fork until combined. Drizzle icing over the cookies, or spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; cut a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and pipe designs onto cookies.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare cookies, place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add to butter mixture; beat well. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (dough will be soft). Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion to an 8-inch circle between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Freeze dough 20 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Working with 1 portion of dough at a time (keep remaining dough in freezer), remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Cut dough with a 3-inch cookie cutter, dipping cutter in flour between each use; place cookies on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Discard bottom sheet of plastic wrap; reserve remaining dough scraps. Repeat procedure with remaining frozen dough.

Gently gather reserved dough into a ball; repeat rolling, freezing, and cutting procedure.

Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare vanilla icing, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a fork until combined. Drizzle icing over the cookies, or spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; cut a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and pipe designs onto cookies.

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Double Ginger Pumpkin Spice Cookies

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I have been enjoying trying new spices and I have just discovered roasted cinnamon and ginger. I LOVED the orange ginger cookies and I thought pumpkin and ginger would be a good combination. These are a softer cookie than I expected so might play around with the recipe to make it more of a gingersnap type. They are very good!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling the cookies
  • ½ cup of pure pumpkin puree (I used Trader Joe’s Organic)
  • ¼ cup of molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons roasted ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons roasted ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (plus extra for rolling the cookies)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mix until well combined.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.

3. When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place sugar and extra crystallized ginger in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well coated and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.