10 Basic Steps to Making Great Cookies
Everyone likes cookies; kids, parents, grandparents, friends, and the list could go on. There is just nothing much better than warm cookies right out of the oven to kids of all ages. Baking cookies is a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen even at an early age. Even the little ones are so impressed by cookies "they made themselves" even though they may have only stirred the dough, added an ingredient, or sprinkled on some colored sugar decorations. And homemade cookies are perfect for everything from welcome to the neighbor hood gifts, teacher gifts, holiday gifts, office treats, to just simply something to hand to daddy and say, "Look what I made for you". |
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Today we have some very good cookie dough in the dairy counters of our grocery stores to buckets of dough sold as fund raisers. But baking your own good cookies is still something special. Baking cookies with the kids is not only fun but it teaches them how to measure, a math skill they don't even realize they are learning. It is also a lesson in organization as ingredients are gathered before the baking begins, a lesson in working with others even if it is just the two of you, and a lesson in cleaning up as the kitchen has to be cleaned afterwards. Even if children aren't involved, becoming proficient with a certain cookie recipe gives one a sense of self and confidence as others come to expect and even request your "special" cookie. Following are a few tips to help you bake great cookies from scratch, as the old-timers used to say: Use good ingredients. It is impossible to produce a first-rate product with second-rate ingredients. For example, use butter instead of margarine. So many of today's margarine products contain a large amount of water. This will not produce a good cookie. Forget about counting fat and calories when baking cookies. Concentrate on a good product and don't over indulge on the finished product! Use good utensils. For example, invest in a couple of good baking sheets. Good baking sheets will help you turn out a better cookie. Use standard measuring cups and do measure the ingredients. Baking is not the place to "throw in a little of this or that". Use glass liquid measuring cups for measuring liquids. You will be able to see the lines easily and the ingredients won't slosh over the sides. Use nested measuring cups to measure dry ingredients. Dry ingredients should be measured to the rim of the cup. And use the right size. Don't measure what appears to be a half cup in a one cup measure. Get out the one-half cup measure. It is no more trouble to wash one extra cup! Use standard measuring spoons. Do not grab a "teaspoon" from your silverware drawer to measure an ingredient. Get out a measuring spoon and do it right. The teaspoon that came with your silverware set will not measure an accurate teaspoon for a recipe. And as with the cups, use the right size. Do not guess at a half teaspoon in a one teaspoon size. Use the proper baking sheets or pans. Shiny metal absorbs less heat than the dark metal. Dark metal may cause your cookies to over brown on the bottom, so the shiny metal is best if you want to produce a delicately browned cookie. When baking bar cookies, it is especially important to use the proper sized pan that is called for in the recipe. If you are on a limited budget and can only afford one or two quality pans, go for the cake or bar pans. They can be turned upside down and used as cookie sheets. Other important utensils. To make your baking easier and more efficient, helping you to turn out a better finished product, there are some other utensils you should have on hand. If your budget is limited, buy the utensils you will use most often (for other uses as well) and add the remainder gradually. (Hint: When family and friends ask what you want as a gift for holidays or birthdays mention good quality items you still would like to have.) Some of these items are: a good set of wooden spoons for creaming butters and sugars together, slotted spoons for efficient blending of ingredients that need to be mixed by hand, a good set of rubber or silicone scrapers or spatulas, sharp knives, a good set of cookie cutters, a set of heavy mixing bowls with rounded bottoms, large glass pitcher-style mixing bowl, quality wire cooling racks, and a good rolling pin and pastry cloth for use when making cut-out cookies. Read the recipe carefully before beginning the mixing process. You don't want to get started and realize you are out of a needed ingredient. This will also let you know the particular basic method of mixing this recipe so you can have the proper utensils laid out. Preheat the oven. Before you place the cookies in the oven, the oven should be at the proper temperature. Watch your baking time carefully to avoid over-baked or underbaked cookies. Always check your cookies at the minimum baking time given in the recipe, then you can bake them longer if needed, checking often. An overbaked cookie is just not a good cookie. Never substitute ingredients unless the recipe gives directions for doing so or you are well acquainted with the recipe and know exactly what you are doing. Following these guidelines will help you to produce a great finished cookie product. And most of all, have fun doing so! 10 Basic Steps to Making Great Cookies Related articles: |
Sunday, January 8, 2012
10 Basic Steps to Making Great Cookies
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Baking Holiday Cookies for Santa Claus
Baking Holiday Cookies for Santa Claus
Waking up on Christmas morning excited for opening presents is something that a lot of kids look forward to every time this festive season rolls around. Not knowing if they have the gift that they wanted, wondering if the Santa letters they sent off would be answered that day, and slightly cranky because they didn't sleep the night before is the typical morning of Christmas day for a lot of children. So many parents have a hard time getting their little ones into bed without some sort of bribe, and it's understandable because it's such an exciting time of the year for them. However a good night's sleep is something that all children need; and saying things along the lines of them not receiving their letters from Santa if they don't sleep will dampen the mood for them. So that's when the use of legends can come in to play, and this particular one involves leaving cookies for Santa. |
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Almost everyone that celebrates Christmas can remember at one point staying awake to look out for old Jolly Saint Nick. Listening for the tell tale sign of something on the roof, or waiting for a man to pop out of the chimney are things that both excite and terrify. Excite because seeing Santa would mean that the presents are there, but terrify because it's not known if said present was received. A lot of children can become very caught up on the whole naughty or nice list, and that's where a lot of restlessness will come from in the night with them thinking about whether or not they have the object they wanted or a big lump of coal. One way to take away the anxiety of the final moments of the waiting is by helping them make and leave out cookies for Santa Claus. This process can really make the difference in eliminating unneeded stress from the kids. The legend of leaving cookies out for Saint Nick has somewhat of a shadowed origin, however the child that does leave Santa cookies is said to be given somewhat of a second chance if they weren't always 'nice'. The cookies basically give Santa that extra boost he needs on such a tiring night, so because of his gratitude, he'll leave behind a nicer present. Now while this needs to be a decision based on their actions throughout the year, letting them have a little extra bit of hope can do a wonder for their enjoyment of the holiday. Baking the cookies with them will not only give them something to look forward to but also serve as a bonding factor. This is something great for the family to practice together, especially because the theme is to do something nice for someone else. It's a great way for families to come together and have fun with something very simple in task, but very meaningful. Typically any type of holiday cookie, or even regular chocolate chip cookies can be used for this little tradition. Don't forget to leave the glass of milk as well! This will really assuage any Christmas Eve jitters and help the child get the proper rest that they need. They fall asleep a lot faster and easier, and once that happens, make sure to move the cookies and milk. It would be an absolute disaster if they thought Santa didn't want what they made for him! Baking Holiday Cookies for Santa Claus |
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7
How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7
Everyone loves a good cookie. When we have loved ones away from home whether at camp, school, or even in the military, cookies are a way to send them a taste of home. Here are a couple of recipes to make your loved one's day! The Chewy Scotch Squares recipe is older than the Pillsbury Bake-Off. I'm sure these cookies have been sent to the soldiers of several wars. Pecan cookies are always delicious and ship easily. |
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CHEWY SCOTCH SQUARES 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the preserves or jam to mix well. Add the oats to the flour mixture and mix thoroughly to blend. Add the butter mixture to the dry mixture and mix well. Cover a baking sheet that has sides with aluminum foil. Turn up the edges of the foil about 1/2-inch all the way around. Spread the dough in the center of the foil and spread to about a six-inch square. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Dough will spread during baking. Cool 15 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares or bars. PECAN COOKIES Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1 cup margarine
Cream the above ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add 2 EGGS and mix well. 4 1/2 cups flour
Mix together these last four ingredients until well blended. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add 1 CUP of chopped pecans and stir into the mixture. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. Enjoy. How to Make Delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7 |
Friday, December 30, 2011
How to Cook the Best Oatmeal Cookies
How to Cook the Best Oatmeal Cookies
The oatmeal is a product obtained from oat groats. Most commonly a porridge is made out of it. The best way how to cook oat meal is under the form of cookies. The great advantage of the oatmeal cookies is that they don't need baking. So here are some simple steps on how to make no bake cookies using oatmeal. |
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The oatmeal is usually turned into porridge. And the porridge gets used in the cookie. The great property of the oatmeal is that it absorbs water very very well. Also it's texture resembles very well the one of baked food. The first step how to cook oatmeal is to mash it very very well. After it's been mashed pour it in water. The water should be cold and placed in a bowl. Let all the oat sink in there. Leave it like these for about half an hour. This will make it increase its volume. After the process is complete let the water pour out for another half an hour. This way only the absorbed water will be kept. Next step is to prepare the cream. You can choose any kind of cream in how to make no bake cookies. I think that the cream which works best is the chocolate cream. The bet way to make the cream is by mixing the milk, cocoa and butter with a good mixer. Put the cream to the fridge for a half an hour. The final step is to place the oatmeal as the basis of your cookie. Then pour the cream over. And then again another layer of oatmeal. This is the best way how to cook oatmeal. In fact the best way to use the oatmeal is for cookies. So this is actually the bets way how to make no bake cookies. How to Cook the Best Oatmeal Cookies |
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie
Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie
Cookie Press Cookies, or Spritz cookies as they are sometimes called, have been a Christmas cookie treat since the 1600's. They are called "cookie press" because a press is used to form the cookies. |
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The word "spritz" comes from the German word "spritzen" which means "to squirt or spray". The word describes the action of the cookie press, which "squirts" the dough through a die giving the cookie its shape. If you've tried making spritz cookies without success in the past or if you're new to them the following information will guide you to making these delicious Christmas treats. Cookie Press Recipes Most bakers that have had problems with their cookie press cookies are probably not at fault at all. More than likely it's the recipe they were using. Spritz cookie dough has to have some unique qualities. First of all the dough has to be soft enough that it will go through the press with no problems. The fact that it has to be soft could present the second problem. It must hold it's shape in the oven or it will lose its design. On top of these two problems is that it has to taste good! That eliminates some of the tricks some bakers' use for shape holding like using shortening for the fat. For great cookie flavor butter should be the fat in Cookie Press Cookies! This is a good basic recipe that will produce beautiful Christmas spritz cookies. Basic Spritz Cookie Recipe Ingredients 1 large egg yolk
Instructions Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, beat yolk, cream, and vanilla with fork until combined; set aside. In stand mixer cream the butter, sugar, and salt at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer running at medium speed, add the yolk and cream mixture and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer running at low speed gradually beat in the flour a little at a time until combined. Scrape down the bowl and give a final stir with a rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain. Load up your cookie press and press out the cookies spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until just warm, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the sheet with a metal spatula and transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Some words of caution! This cookie recipe works perfectly fine. However there are some variables that can't be solved by a recipe. Those variables are in your own kitchen. Oven thermostats are notoriously inaccurate! The temperature of your oven must be 375 degrees for the cookies to setup before the melting butter makes them spread. If your cookies spread too much check your oven with an oven thermometer. In addition to oven temperature the cookies will spread too much if you have whipped too much air into the dough. When you are creaming the butter and sugar be sure and not over whip. Also combine the dry ingredients with the wet just until mixed thoroughly. A warm cookie sheet will cause your cookies to spread excessively. Be sure your sheet is completely cooled before you do a second batch. You can pop it in the fridge for a few minutes if necessary. Expand Your Cookie Press Cookies Repertoire Once you have the basic procedure for spritz cookies down pat you can expand your repertoire. The flavors and decorations possibilities for these cookies are almost unlimited. And with good recipes you can make Christmas Cookie Baking go like a flash. Cookie Press Cookies - The Perennial Christmas Cookie |
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas Cookies - Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe
Christmas Cookies - Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe
Sugar cookies are the basics of any holiday. They are versatile and wonderfully delicious. You can do just about anything with sugar cookies including flavoring and a wide variety of decorations that it can take. They can also be sweet or done without the extra sweetness expected of them. The choice of course is up to what you and your family enjoys. |
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Basic sugar cookie recipes can be found anywhere, in just about every cookbook and can even be found online with relative ease. Because the sugar cookie is such a versatile cookie you can find a number of variations. Children can help out with a number of aspects as well with these. When using a regular sugar cookie recipe the cookies are usually rolled in sugar before placing them on the cookie tray or sugar is sprinkled over them before baking. This is a wonderful place for children to be able to help out. It is important however to warn children to stay away from the cookies until they cool. Sugar can get very hot, hotter than most substances and children can be easily burned by the sugar coating on these cookies. Here is a simple basic sugar cookie recipe to start with variations can be found online or make your own to your families taste. Experimentation can be fun with these for adults and children alike. Ingredients 1 1/2 c butter Instructions Soften the butter so that it is room temperature and easily to manipulate but do not melt it. Use the Thaw feature on the microwave if necessary but usually leaving it on the counter for a few hours or over night will take care of it for you. Take a large bowl and combine the sugar and butter until it make a smooth and creamy mixture. Next add in the eggs and the extract, in this case Vanilla. You can add more vanilla if you want depending on taste. Stir in the flour, the salt and the baking powder. Then cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. While chilling the dough preheat your over to 400 degrees F. pull the dough from the refrigerator and roll out onto a floured surface. You will want the cookies to be between 1/4 to 1/2" thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter and place on an ungreased sheet about 1" apart or you can form dough balls roll them sugar and flatten. Cooking time increases with cookies more than 1/4 to 1/2" so adjust accordingly. Bake the cookies for about 6-8 minutes. Longer if cookies are thicker or bigger let cookies cool completely and enjoy. You can also use this basic recipe to make a wide variety of different types of cookies. Add food coloring to make colored Christmas cookies or different flavorings to make different flavored cookies. Flavorings can easily be found in the baking aisle of your store. Christmas Cookies - Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe |
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Favorite Christmas Cookies 1 - Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies
Favorite Christmas Cookies 1 - Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies
Some of the best Christmas cookies are those that we have from our memories. Our family always had an assortment of cookies and candies but a few stood out as my favorites. Now that I am an adult with my own family, I notice that both my brother's family and mine still enjoy the cookies that we had as children. One of everybody's favorites is the Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies. This recipe can be made using jelly in the thumbprint but my family always enjoys the kiss. |
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Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies Heat oven to 375* and assemble ingredients. You will need: ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup shortening (or margarine), ½ cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 1& ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1/ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and a bag of Hershey kisses. \First, mix sugars, shortening (butter or margarine), peanut butter and egg. Once it is creamy, start to slowly add the dry mixture of flour baking soda, baking powder and salt, until it is mixed. Then shape dough into 1 inch balls and put them 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make the thumbprint (press the middle of each cookie with your thumb) and put a Hershey's kiss on each cookie, in the thumbprint. Bake, 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are slightly browned and set, but not too hard. You may need to adjust your baking time as ovens differ. Cool the cookies, on the cookie sheet, for a few minutes then remove them to a cooling rack. I have found that I have less wasted time if I have a duplicate set of cookie sheets so I do not have to wait for the one from the last batch to cool. This will make about 3& ½ dozen cookies that your family will love. This recipe can be doubled if you are part of a Christmas cookie exchange group. To double it, you would need: 1cup granulated sugar; 1cup packed brown sugar, 1cup butter or margarine, 2 eggs, 2 & ½ cup flour, 1 & ½ t. baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt. Doubling the recipe will give you about 7 dozen cookies. Because many people have favorites of their own, it is fun to see if someone in your family or a close friend wants to share their favorite cookies with you by becoming part of a Christmas Cookie Exchange. It is easy to do when you double your recipes. You will be able to share ½ of your baked goods and receive ½ of theirs so you will have different kinds of Christmas cookies. They get to enjoy a bigger variety that way. Many different varieties of chocolate chip cookies can be seen the article, "Favorite Christmas Cookies 2. You can also see other recipes in the article entitled "Cookie Exchange Will Save at Time at Christmas". Favorite Christmas Cookies 1 - Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies |
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies Recipe
The chocolate mint sandwich cookies recipe is quite special! A creamy peppermint filling, sandwiched between two rich chocolate halves, unbelievably delicious! |
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Ingredients 6 tablespoons salted butter 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons water 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Filling: 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup salted butter, softened 3 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract Hardware Whisk Medium sauce pan 2 x medium bowls Cookie sheets Mixer Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, water and chocolate chips. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Cool. Step 3: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Step 4: Beat eggs and vanilla extract into mixture. Step 5: Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Step 6: Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Step 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until firm. Immediately transfer cookies to a cooling surface. Filling: Step 1: Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Step 2: Spread bottom half of cookies with filling; top with remaining cookies. Makes about 30 cookies. For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section. Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active. Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies Recipe |
Friday, December 16, 2011
Holiday Candy Cane Cookies
These holiday cookies are a great treat to make with the kids and get you in the Christmas spirit. Many people do not realize that cookie dough can be colored to make a wide variety of colors for most any holiday season. Just a few drops of food coloring in your dough can make the color desired. |
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So for this you will need your cookie dough and some food coloring to get started. (Caution: Food color can stain skin and clothes, be sure that you wear old clothes and some gloves on your hands to protect your skin.) Start off by getting enough bowls for the different amount of colors you will be working with. Next begin the process by mixing the dough and the food color into the bowl start off with just a touch of food color to make sure you do not go to dark. You can always go darker from to light but not the other way around. Next kneed the dough thoroughly till you get the desired color you are looking for. Now take the dough out of the bowls and roll it into 12 inch by inch strips. You can use two pieces of wax paper here if you do not want to over saturate the cookies with to much flour which can dry them out a bit. Take each rope and conform it into a candy cane. Now you can make so many different colors, you can go with your traditional red and white, or a red and green, yellow and blue, whatever you want. After forming the candy canes bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until brown. Hopefully you will enjoy these cookies as much as me and my children did. Enjoy. |
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Cookies And Diabetes
In this day and age of high tech I need to stop and wonder what is happening to the population of the U.S. it seems that a large number of its citizens are becoming ill with diabetes.
"According to the American Diabetes Association there are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. With so many people affected by diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has compiled diabetes statistics on the impact of the disease and its complications. Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported."
I don't believe that cookies and baked goods are the culprits for this terrible disease, back in the 50's and 60's our parents and grandparents baked cookies on a daily basis and we as children had eaten dozens of cookies almost on a daily basis, there were cookies and milk after school, cookies in your lunch bag, and a snack before bedtime of cookies, we had cookies of every shape and form that anyone can imagine.
During the Christmas and Easter Holidays I went to my grandparents home and usually upon arrival we were offered cookies and milk for the children and cookie and coffee for the adults, during this period in time people would swap cookie recipes like children would swap baseball cards. Now that we are in the 21st Century no one can say that because they are diabetic that they cannot eat cookies, with all the new sugar free and diabetic cookie recipes that you can find and all the diabetic cookies on the market no one should say I cannot eat cookies.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Swedish Christmas Cookies - A method To Make Pepparkakor
Christmas is a extra time in Scandinavia and Sweden in particular. Tradition and inheritance are extremely foremost to Swedish culture and there are many traditions which are widely upheld. In most former Swedish homes, the smell of home baked foods and desserts fill the air at Christmas time. The Swedes easily love to cook and for many, the holiday season and the Christmas Eve celebration is the highlight of their year.
One recipe, which is very favorite in Sweden, is for a cookie called the Pepparkakor.
Cookie Recipes
Pepparkakor, easily translated, means "pepper cookies" but I've yet to see a recipe that included any pepper. They are similar to the American gingersnap cookie but they are ordinarily thinner, crisper and smoother in texture.
Many refer to this cookie as a "ginger thin" and they are ordinarily called "gingernuts" in the United Kingdom. Also their great taste, pepparkakor cookies are used as Christmas decorations as well. They are often shaped like little men or women, pigs, hearts or goats. If left round, they are decorated with frosting to give them more character.
Using a drinking straw, you can originate a small hole in the pepparkakor cookie prior to baking. After the cookie has cooled, tie the cookie to the Christmas tree with a beautiful white or red colored ribbon.
Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor
Makes 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on shape/size)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
8 ounces butter
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1 tablespoon light (or dark) corn syrup
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
Preparation:
The dough should be well-chilled before baking. You can whether start a day early and chill overnight, or start making ready 1-2 hours before the cookies will be needed.
In a heavy pot, combine the molasses, sugars, spices and water. Turn the heat up and bring the compound to a boil while stirring frequently.
Add the butter to the compound (in pads or chunks) and remove the pot from the heat. Continue stirring the compound until the butter has melted and the compound is uniform in consistency. Pour the hot compound into a large mixing bowl. In someone else bowl, combine the flour, corn syrup, egg and baking soda and whisk until well-blended. combine with the hot compound and stir until the dough has formed. Place the dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and chill until the dough is firm (1-2 hours or overnight).
On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch in thickness (the thinner, the crisper) and whether cut into shapes or make round cookies about 2 inches in diameter. Put the cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
About the only thing left to do is to enjoy these breathtaking Swedish Christmas cookies with the ones you love... Enjoy!
Swedish Christmas Cookies - A method To Make PepparkakorHow to Make Quick and Easy Cookies - No Bake Peanut Butter Drops and Arkansas Cheese Cookies
Baking homemade cookies literally can be a painless affair and it need not take all day. Here are some recipes you can even make with the kids just for fun. Try the No Bake Peanut Butter Drops which even the younger ones can help with. And it's so much fun to eat what they make themselves. But be sure to deal with the boiling and handling of hot pots yourself. The Arkansas Cheese Cookies go together in minutes but have to be refrigerated overnight before baking. The kiddos will enjoy laying the sliced dough out on the cookie sheet to "be helpful". It is all the time good to let the minuscule ones support in the kitchen when you can. They enjoy it, it is great "bonding" time, they learn about organization, measurements, etc. And they love to eat their own creations. Enjoy your time together!
No Cook Peanut Butter Drops
Cookie Recipes For Kids
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup peanut butter, chunky or creamy--your choice
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, milk, and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar and peanut butter have melted. Take off from the heat and stir in the cereal. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Cool until firm.
Arkansas Cheese Cookies
These cookies are quick to stir together and only bake 15 minutes. However, the dough does need to be refrigerated overnight, making this a great make "ahead" recipe.
1/2 lb butter
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup chopped nuts
Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Stir in the flour, nuts, and vanilla. Roll dough in a damp cloth and refrigerate overnight. Slice thin and bake 15 minutes.
Enjoy!
How to Make Quick and Easy Cookies - No Bake Peanut Butter Drops and Arkansas Cheese CookiesMonday, December 12, 2011
recipe For Cut Out Cookies - perfect For Valentine's Day, Christmas and Other Holidays & Date Bars
Cookies are excellent for anytime of the year. They are especially favorite with kids and at holiday times. This method is a great one to add to your files. They make excellent hearts for Valentine's Day, Wedding Showers, Bridal Luncheons, Anniversary Parties, Mother's Day, etc. They are also excellent at Christmas for trees, Santas, stockings, etc. Easter Bunnies and Crosses, Shamrocks, Flags, Ghosts, Pumpkins, Cornocopias, etc. Whatever the occasion, this cookie method will work for you. For a totally distinct type of cookie, try the Date Sticks.
Cut-Out Cookies Recipe
2/3 cup Butter Flavor Crisco
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Cookie Recipes
Cream Crisco, sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Join flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix into creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll half the dough at a time to about 1/8-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut in desired shapes. Place cookies 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugar and decors or leave plain to frost when cool. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove to cooling rack.
Makes practically 3 dozen average-sized cookies.
Date Sticks
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 cup dates, cut into small pieces
granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all the ingredients together in a medium bowl; mix well. Spread in a greased jelly roll pan or a cookie sheet with sides. Bake in a 350 degree for about 30 minutes. When cool, cut into bars and roll them in sugar.
recipe For Cut Out Cookies - perfect For Valentine's Day, Christmas and Other Holidays & Date BarsHow to Make delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7
Everyone loves a good cookie. When we have loved ones away from home either at camp, school, or even in the military, cookies are a way to send them a taste of home. Here are a integrate of recipes to make your loved one's day! The Chewy Scotch Squares method is older than the Pillsbury Bake-Off. I'm sure these cookies have been sent to the soldiers of any wars. Pecan cookies are always tasty and ship easily.
Chewy Scotch Squares
Cookie Recipes For Kids
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peach or apricot preserves or jam
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the preserves or jam to mix well. Add the oats to the flour compound and mix wholly to blend. Add the butter compound to the dry compound and mix well. Cover a baking sheet that has sides with aluminum foil. Turn up the edges of the foil about 1/2-inch all the way around. Spread the dough in the center of the foil and spread to about a six-inch square. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Dough will spread while baking. Cool 15 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares or bars.
Pecan Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1 cup margarine
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Cream the above ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add 2 Eggs and mix well.
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together these last four ingredients until well blended. Add to the creamed compound and mix well. Add 1 Cup of chopped pecans and stir into the mixture. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.
Enjoy.
How to Make delicious Cookies That Are Easy to Ship to Soldiers, Kids at College, Etc - Edition 7Kahlua Oatmeal Chip Cookies formula
We've outlined the basic information for this method below. I think that you'll find it's quite easy to make, meaning that even a novice can pull it off. The ingredients are all easily accessible in most Us and international grocery or baking food stores.
Serving Size: 4 Dozen Cookies
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Calories Per Serving: 135
Grams Of Fat Per Serving: 4
Cookie Recipes For Kids
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Of Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
3/4 Cup Of Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Of Light Brown Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Of White All Purpose Baking Flour
1 Teaspoon Of Liquid Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 Cups Of Butterscotch Chips
3 Cups Of Uncooked Rolled Oats
1/2 Teaspoon Of Table Salt
3/4 Cup Of White Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Of Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Of Fresh Ground Cinnamon
2 Whole Eggs
Preparation Instructions:
1. First you will need to preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.
2. In a large mixing bowl completely beat together the white granulated sugar, softened butter, and light brown sugar. The stirring can be done manually or with an galvanic mixing device.
3. completely stir into your cookie batter the whole eggs, liquid vanilla extract, and Kahlua coffee liqueur.
4. Using a separate mixing bowl sift together the white baking flour, baking soda, fresh ground cinnamon, and table salt.
5. Moderately stir the sifted ingredients into the butter base cookie batter.
6. Stir the uncooked rolled oats and butterscotch chips into your batter.
7. Drop large scoops of the appetizing cookie dough on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Don't forget to let the kids taste a puny raw cookie dough.
8. Bake each cookie batch for practically 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
9. Let the cookies cool on a wire wrack before serving them.
If you are concerned in trying out variations of this same recipe, then plainly swap the Kahlua Coffee Liqueur with Baileys Irish Cream, Amarula Cream Liqueur, Carolans Irish Cream, Saint Brendan's, or any flavored liqueur of your choosing. I should also mention that the method is very flexible, so please do feel free to play around with the liqueur depending on how strong you want that single flavor note to be. With regard to the butterscotch chips, those can be substituted for either white or milk chocolate chips instead.
We hope that you enjoyed this great recipe.
Kahlua Oatmeal Chip Cookies formulaSunday, December 11, 2011
Cookie method - Italian Butter Cookies
Italian butter cookies are very appetizing cookies. It is one of the favourite cookie formula that everyone likes. Each formula are prepared differently by distinct persons. But i made this cookie very precisely because i love this cookie very much and i love to eat it. Kids enjoy and love to dip this cookies into chocolate and sprinkles.
The assorted items that are required to put in order this Italian Butter Cookies are:
Cookie For Kids
Flour - 4 cups Sugar - 1 cup Orange rind - two and a half tea spoon Rum Egg Yolks beaten - 4 Unsalted Butter cut into pieces - 1 1/2 cups Egg White Beaten - 1
The assorted steps for making ready the butter cookie are:
Step 1:
Mix flour, sugar and orange rind together.
Step 2:
Add egg yolks and rum together in the former composition and mix it fully after adding each item.
Step 3:
Now cut the butter into flour mix and then add the pastry blender. Now get the crumbly and then knead into a dough.
Step 4:
Now roll the dough on the board. The board should be 1/4 inch thick. Then cut the dough into shapes. Now keep the dough on cookie sheet. Fill it with egg white and then the cookies should be baked. The cookies should be baked at 350F for a time of colse to 15 to 20 minutes.
After it is cooled, the cookie should be dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkles. Now the tasty italian butter cookie is ready to eat.
Cookie method - Italian Butter CookiesSaturday, December 10, 2011
production Cookies With The Kids - A Fun Way To Spend capability Time
Are you finding for something fun to do with the kids this afternoon? Bake a batch of warm, gooey cookies. Not only is it a lot of fun to make these sweet treats together, eating them afterwards is just as much fun.
Use this time to talk and reconnect with your kids. Stirring a batch of chocolate chip dough is a great time to talk about what's going on at school, how their friends are doing etc. You'll be surprised how much you can learn about your kids life in this relaxed, laid back atmosphere, which brings up a good point...
Cookie For Kids
Keep it fun and relaxed. So what if there's flour all over the counter and floor. It won't take you more than a few minutes to sweep up the mess after you are done baking. This is a fun house activity, not a lesson in permissible baking. Have fun together and don't worry about the mess. In fact, a itsybitsy flour fight may be in order.
Give your child a job or two in development the cookies. This could be measuring ingredients, helping you count how many eggs you added to the batter, and of course lots of stirring help. Use an extra large bowl when you are baking with younger kids. This will allow them to stir the batter without half the dough slinging out.
Cutout sugar cookies are a lot of fun for toddlers and preschoolers. You can pick up an assortment of all kinds of cookie cutter shapes at your local reduction or craft store. Have them pick a few of their popular shapes, then put them to work cutting out cookies from dough you rolled out.
Of course these cookies will need decorating. Mix milk and powdered sugar to make a sweet, sticky paste. Give your child a pastry brush to brush this glue on the baked and cooled cookies, then let them decorate with sprinkles or small candies.
Last but by no means least, pour each of you a tall glass of milk and enjoy your freshly baked cookies together.
production Cookies With The Kids - A Fun Way To Spend capability TimeTuesday, December 6, 2011
Different Types of Cookie Sheets Yield Different Tasting Cookies
Anybody who takes the time to make cookies from scratch obviously wants them to come out perfectly and taste delicious. Mixing ingredients is almost unheard of these days with just about everything being available in pre-mixed or pre-made packages. Most people simply buy a roll of cookie dough, slice it, and stick it in the oven for 15-18 minutes. However, for the individuals out there who still take the time to make their own cookie dough, it's important to know the differences between all the types of sheets available in stores today. There are a multitude of them, and believe it or not, they all yield different results.
Insulated Non-stick Sheet
Cookie Recipes
Most insulated sheets are made to be non-stick, and because insulated sheets are sometimes on the more expensive side, they tend to resist scratches, chipping, and peeling. Insulated cookie sheets are basically two sheets that have been connected around the edges, which creates a small pocket of air that cannot escape. The air inside of the pocket heats to the set temperature of the oven when the sheet is placed inside.
Insulated cookie sheets are very reliable for evenly baked cookies. Because the air inside the sheet heats to the temperature of the oven, it allows all the cookies on the sheet to cook and brown at the same rate. The evenly heated air prevents the sheet from being hotter in certain spots, which is a common occurrence with regular sheets. In addition to yummy cookies, most insulated sheets are easy to clean because of their non-stick surfaces.
Aluminum
Aluminum cookie sheets are very commonly used. Aluminum conducts heat well which is why cookie sheets made of this material usually produce an evenly baked cookie. The only down side to aluminum is that it sometimes prevents cookies from reaching the perfect shade of brown.
Cookie sheets made of aluminum are very sturdy and they won't rust even if they have to be soaked in water for and extended period of time. Heavy aluminum baking sheets are better to use than the thin types that are available for less money. Thin aluminum sheets can bend and/or warp in a hot oven which can cause cookies to cook unevenly.
Non-Stick Cookie Sheets
When non-stick cookie sheets were invented, a whole new world of baking emerged. The ease of cleaning a cookie sheet with a non-stick surface is amazing, and it practically eliminates the need to butter the sheet before cooking. Washing a non-stick sheet is a breeze and hardly requires anything but a quick scrub.
Non-stick sheets have a surface coating that makes them easy to clean, yet they are still able to produce delicious cookies. Keep in mind that the darker the non-stick surface, the quicker the cookies will brown. Therefore, it's important to read the instructions that come with the sheet to find out if the manufacturer recommends that the oven's cooking temperature be lowered to compensate. It may be necessary to lower the temperature of the oven by about 25 degrees.
In conclusion, cookie sheets can be made of a number of different types of materials, or even a combination of materials. Every sheet will yield a different end result for the same exact cookie recipe. The darker the sheet, the faster the cookies will brown because a dark sheet absorbs heat more readily and transfers the heat directly to the cookies. Aluminum cookie sheets are good conductors of heat but are not good for ensuring that the cookies will brown. Insulated cookie sheets will ensure evenly baked cookies no matter how they are spaced on the sheet. For best results, try out a cookie recipe on all three types of sheets and determine which yields the desired results.
Different Types of Cookie Sheets Yield Different Tasting Cookies
This article has been provided by Debbie Dragon with ReliableWriters.com. Reliable Writers has a team of ebook writers that can write quality ebooks on virtually any topic.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Easy Cookie Recipe for 4-Ingredient Cookies
Cookies are a vital part of a balanced diet and one of the four food groups. Most people don't recognise this, and consequently they save cookies for special occasions such as weddings, bar Mitzvahs and tax deadline day. However, this can lead to unnecessary hunger, weakness, anaemia, loss of hearing and, in certain extreme cases, prolonged and grisly death.
Therefore, having some easy cookie recipes with few ingredients is tremendously important, since otherwise you will be forced to go out and buy some from the store, which is an unnecessary expenditure of energy and money. This recipe can be put together from basic household ingredients and cooked in an oven, an appliance many homes have but few use on a regular basis.
Cookie For Kids
For these easy chocolate cookies you will need:
Flour, Butter or margarine, Cocoa powder; Sugar
You can also add a splash of vanilla essence, coffee essence or Absinthe, to taste, if you like.
Mix together a cup of melted butter (use a microwave) and a cup of sugar. Then start adding flour slowly to the mix. Throw in 2 or 3 tablespoons of cocao along the way. After you've added a bit more than a cup of flour, you will have a stiff dough mix.
Roll out the dough on a counter, using more flour to stop it sticking. Use a bottle or jar if you don't have a rolling pin. Then use a cookie cutter to cut out cookie shapes, and put them on a baking sheet.
Put the baking sheet in an oven that has been pre-heated to 325 degrees. Leave them in there for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how soft you like your cookies and how hungry you are.
Then take them out and eat them, allowing them to cool first to avoid burns to your mouth and lawsuits for people who are kind enough to give you recipes for free.
These cookies are best served warm with a glass of cold milk, ideally semi-skimmed. They will also go exceptionally well with a cup of coffee, because the chocolate contains theobromine which perfectly complements the caffeine in the coffee (the two molecules being very similar). However, don't even think about using instant. You're going to need to find some proper, roasted coffee - ideally an African coffee, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe or Kenya Peaberry - in bean form, so that you can grind it for maximum freshness. Make it in a cafetiere to be sure, and drink it fresh, soon after you've made it, to offset that cookie really well.
Easy Cookie Recipe for 4-Ingredient Cookies
Try http://www.easycookierecipeswithfewingredients.com for more easy cookie recipes that involve very few ingredients. Yes, it's that kind of site.
There's even a recipe that has only 3 ingredients there: http://www.easycookierecipeswithfewingredients.com/p/cookies-without-butter.html
Brilliant.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes - Easy Fruitcake Bar Cookies
Instead of a big, heavy fruitcake, serve these delicious cookies.
3/4 cup butter, softened
Cookie Recipes
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups candied pineapple, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups red and green cherries, halved
2 cups pitted dates, halved
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle pan with flour.
In a bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and walnuts; mix well.
Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle walnuts, pineapple, cherries and dates on top; press lightly into dough.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
Makes 96 bar cookies.
=> Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes: Quick Holiday Cookies
Whip up these fun cookies anytime you need to make cookies in a hurry.
1 (9 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup red and green holiday M&Ms, or butterscotch chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the cake mix, oats, butter and egg; beat well. Stir in the M&Ms or chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan immediately and let cool completely.
Makes 24 cookies.
=> Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Peppermint Cookies
These tasty cookies are sprinkled with peppermint candy.
2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peppermint candies, crushed
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar; beat in the egg.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in peppermint candy.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie edges begin to brown. Remove from pan and let cool completely.
Makes 36 cookies.
Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes - Easy Fruitcake Bar Cookies
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