Nutella to the rescue.

 During this past holiday season,

I tried a number of new cookie recipes-

some from other sources,

and some of my own devising.

Well.

I wasn't wowed by any of them.

I have three or four of my best, most favorite cookie recipes.

Then a bunch that are pretty good if any of those favorite kinds happen to not be around.

Then a lot of cookies that I would rather not waste calories on.

(at that point, hand me any slice of pie)

I do like a good icebox cookie

for it's old fashion feel and ease.

This one seemed like a great combo,

and came out tasting pretty good.

But, boy oh boy,

was it a SAD looking little cookie.

I intended to pretty them up with

a drizzle of this or that,

or maybe a dip in white chocolate.

Well.

I avoid too much fuss when it comes to cookies,

so the drizzling or dipping or whatnot

did not get done before Christmas arrived,

and these little guys were relegated to the freezer.

In a post-holiday late night chocolate frenzy,

I pulled them out and thought to give them another try.

Suddenly, a brilliant thought entered my mind.

I had been gifted a GIANT jar of Nutella

for Christmas- a treat that I would

normally not keep around the house at

the risk of overconsumption.

But.

oh me, oh my.

What a perfect (and easy!)

compliment to these little darlings.

A big schmear of Nutella on one cookie,

then another cookie plopped on top.

dreamy.

creamy.

not sad at all.

Cocoa and hazelnuts in the cookies.

Cocoa and hazelnuts in the Nutella.

brilliant.

and so adorable

and scrumptious

in a big stack.

woo.

try your own!

Cocoa Icebox Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 t salt

3 T cocoa powder

2 cups flour

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

-stir butter and sugar together until creamy

-add egg and stir again until creamy

(you can also use a mixer for this part)

-add dry ingredients and stir until well combined

-divide dough in half

-shape each half into a log

-wrap in saran wrap

-refrigerate for at least one hour, up to 2 days

-when ready to bake, remove from fridge and slice into 1/2 inch thick circles

-lay flat on cookie sheet

-bake at 375 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, just until top is slightly firm

-cool on rack





Favorite Christmas Cookie

I'm revisiting a cookie post for one of my favorite cookies.

(many of you may have missed it last year)

 Every time I make these, people love them.

Even S, who has eaten many, said once again,

" How can just a sugar cookie be so good."

I especially love them at holiday time with red and green sugar sprinkles.

Classic.

Get the recipe here.

Spice Shortbread

Shortbread is so wonderful and versatile and easy. This simple spice shortbread is one of my favorites. It's an unassuming cookie that kind of knocks your socks off. A few of these, a mug of hot cocoa, and a good magazine, and I can endure any winter day.

Spice Shortbread

1 1/4 c flour
3 T brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/2 c butter, room temp

-combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
-cut in butter until mixture is in pea sized crumbs and holds together a bit
-using hands, form mixture into a ball and knead until smooth
*if you are not used to making shortbread, you may think that the dough is not right.
this recipe takes a bit of work and kneading to get everything to hold together.........
perservere for the cookie's sake!
-roll and pat (again-a bit of work!) into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick
-using a knife, cut into 1x3 inch strips
-mark top with fork
-transfer to a cookie sheet
-bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, until light brown
-cool on wire rack

Cran-Walnut Chocolate Cookies

Another cookie recipe!  There's no stopping me now-the cookie monster has been unleashed.
I used to make these cookies a lot, but the recipe somehow got pushed to the back of the recipe box.
It seemed like it was time to dust it off and give them a whirl again.  As I was stirring up the dough, I kept thinking "Oh yeah-these cookies-now I remember."  When S tasted the first one, he said, "Oh yeah-these cookies."  All good memories, of course.  Stir up a batch and add them to your own memory.

Cran-Walnut Chocolate Cookies

3 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t soda
1 t baking powder
3/4 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 c white 'chocolate' chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts

-mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl
-cream butter, egg and sugars together in separate bowl
-add the wet mix to the dry mix and combine well
-stir in cranberries, walnuts and chips
-form dough into balls (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter)
-bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned
-cool on wire rack

Ok-I am telling you now that this dough will seem a bit weird and dry.  Trust me.  It will all work out.
You have to form the cookie balls in your hands by really squishing it together.  The dry to wet ratio is strange in this recipe. Combined with the baking powder, this gives them a unique puffy and crunchy, yet soft in the middle texture.  I think the moisture in the cranberry juice is what tips the scale to perfection.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are one of those cookies that I would not think to put on my list of favorites.  Then I eat one and realize that they might just deserve a spot on that list.  They are a very unassuming cookie.  If you have never made them, you should give them a try.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 c butter (1 stick), softened
1 egg
1 c sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t cream of tartar

-cream butter, egg and sugar together until smooth
-stir in vanilla
-add dry ingredients and stir until well combined
-chill in refrigerator for at least one hour
-combine 4 T sugar and 1 T cinnamon in a small bowl
-roll chilled dough into small balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture

(I tend to make them small and bite-size, but you can make them bigger if you'd like)
-bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (tops will get crackly and start to brown)

These are delightfully buttery, a bit crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and have a hint of cinnamon.  yummy.  Another great every day cookie for your cookie jar.

Every day cookies

With this whole Pie Day thing going on, I feel that cookies have been a bit neglected here.  I generally keep our cookie jar stocked all the time because S has a powerful sweet tooth, but I realize that I've written very few posts about cookies.  I always seem to make them in a rush, and forget how much I like baking them.  As I was mixing up a batch this past weekend, I rediscovered that joy.  So-bum bum ba bum-from this day forth (imagine a page unrolling proclamation with a flourish!), I vow to give cookies their due.  I'm starting with my basic cookie dough recipe that I have made so many times I could nearly do it with my eyes closed.

Every day Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 1/4 c flour

No fancy directions.  I honestly just dump everything into a bowl and stir it up!

You can vary the mix-ins depending on your mood.

This weekend I used chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, raisins and oatmeal.
These get baked at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes-they should be starting to brown

Other great combos include:

-chocolate chips and pecans

-white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and walnuts

-oatmeal and raisins-classic

-m & m's and more m&m's

Cookies-your time has come!

Happy Baking

Christine

Valentine Fortune Cookies

Since Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year coincide this year, I thought that it would be fun to make Valentine's fortune cookies for party favors.  I made these once before, many years ago.  As I got into the process I recalled, "Oh, right, these were a real pain in the a** to make."  I perservered and came up with a reasonable product.  They are much like pancakes-the further you get into the batch,

the better they seem to get. 

Fortune Cookies

5 T butter, melted

4 egg whites

1 c sugar

1 c flour

3 T cream

1 t almond extract

-combine egg whites and sugar, beat until fluffy

-add flour, butter, cream and almond

-stir until well combined

-spread 1 T of batter into a 5 inch circle on sprayed baking sheet (you can get 2 on a sheet)

-bake at 400 for 8 min

The batter is pretty basic, a bit sticky, a bit thick.

Spreading them onto the baking sheet seems to be the key to getting good results, and I obviously haven't mastered that yet.  Mine tend to be a bit doughy in the middle and crispy on the edges.  Slide a narrow spatula under them when they are fresh out of the oven, then work quickly to shape and fill before they cool too much.  I feel like I could use a little more finesse in the shaping department too.  Perhaps I should stick to pies!

I got my silly verses from an old Valentine book, but you could use poetry lines or pen your own.

The finished product looks pretty good despite all the hassle, and is much tastier than the pre-packaged kind.

I tied mine up in festive bags and sent them home with my guests as party favors.

refrigerator cookies

It took me a long time to warm up to recipes for refrigerator cookies, but I am a full-fledged convert now.  Who can resist the fun of rolling them into cute little packages, then freezing them until you are ready to slice and bake them.  All of those mid-century cookbooks were really onto something when they touted these as the perfect remedy for busy hostesses.  Today I made a cream cheese version that I like, and tried a couple of add-in variations.

Basic Cream Cheese Refrigerator Cookies

1 1/2 c butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 c sugar

2 t vanilla

3/4 t salt

4 c flour

-cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla

-mix flour and salt in separate bowl

-add dry mix to wet mix

-stir until well combined

-add chopped, toasted nuts and/or chopped dried fruit

-(see rolling directions below)

-when ready to bake, slice into 1/2 inch discs and place on baking sheet

-bake at 350 for about 12 minutes, until they are golden around edges

Toasting nuts has got to be one of the most glorious things to do to a nut.  Simply spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then toast in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Be sure to stir them a couple of times and keep a close eye on them so they do not burn. 

I then finely chopped about a cup of these toasted walnuts and tossed them into my dough.  Leaving half of the dough with simply nuts, I then added a 1/4 cup of chopped apricots, 1/4 c chopped dried cranberries and 3 t of orange zest to the other half.

Each of these halves then got divided into half and rolled out into a log about

2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long.  (I also rolled a couple of the logs in more chopped toasted nuts)

These logs then get rolled into parchment paper and tied at the ends.  Pop these in the refrigerator for up to a week, or the freezer for up to 2 months, and they are ready whenever you need a couple or a couple dozen.

These also make a lovely hostess gift in their simple parchement and string dress,

 or you can add a festive flair with holiday ribbon and gift tags.

sugar cookies

This is a classic sugar cookie recipe that yields crumbly, yet still slightly soft cookies.  It is a favorite in our family, and I'm sure it will become a holiday tradition in yours.

Sugar Cookies

1 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t soda
1/4 t salt
1 c vegetable oil
1 c powdered sugar
4 c flour
1 t cream of tartar
1 t vanilla

-cream butter and sugar together
-add eggs, oil, vanilla and powdered suga,r and mix well
-mix dry ingredients in separate bowl
-add dry to wet and mix until well combined
-roll dough into balls (about 1 T of dough)
-place on baking sheet and flatten with fork
-bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on edges
-cool on rack

banana cookies

It seems that no matter how many bananas I buy, I always end up with two overripe ones.   Luckily, baking is the perfect solution to this problem.  Banana bread seems to be the usual go to recipe, and a midwest classic banana cake with powdered sugar frosting is one of my favorites (I baked this in Virginia once, and someone commented that eating it made them feel like they were in a midwestern Lutheran church basement).  In the interest of branching out a bit, I have lately been trying banana muffin and cookie variations.  The cookies have all tended towards spreading and being a bit to mushy for my taste, but last night I think I finally hit on the perfect banana cookie recipe. 

These cookies are very cake-like in texture but have a nice firmness and rise to them-no spreading!  I paired chocolate chips and pecans with the bananas to form a hard to beat trio, but you could eliminate one or both of those, or use walnuts.

Banana Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 t baking soda

2 c flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup chopped pecans

-combine bananas and baking soda, let sit for 2 minutes

(don't skip this step!  this is the secret to creating that nice rise in the cookies!)

-cream butter, sugar and egg

-add banana and baking soda mixture, stir well

-add flour and spices, stir well

-add chocolate chips and pecans, stir well once more!

-drop by spoonful on parchment lined baking sheets

-bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until lightly browned on top

These are perfect for any time of day-breakfast, coffee or bedtime snack.

bonanza blog party cookies

Earlier this month, I attended a fabulous blog party at the 4th annual JunkBonanza hosted by Ki Nassauer of Junk Revolution.  I can never show up at a party empty-handed, so I whipped up some cookies that morning, and they were a big hit at the gathering.  I promised to post the recipe on my blog, and have been remiss in doing that, so without further ado.................

Bonanza Blog Party Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 c oats
1 c (or bag) chocolate chips

-cream butter, eggs and sugar
-add dry ingredients and mix well
-add oats and chocolate chips and mix well

-bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned
-cool and store in airtight container

I chatted with so many interesting and talented people there, including the very creative Matthew Mead and his equally talented wife, Jenny.  Visual divas Heather Bullard and Linda MacDonald were also there, and it was a treat to meet them.  Matthew and Ki have dreamed up a wonderful new magazine to satiate all of us that are hungry for a new design publication-yay!  Heather and Linda are along for the crazy ride, as well as
an entire team of talented writers, designers and art directors.  Check it all out here

I also had the great pleasure of finally meeting, in person, the very fun and stylish Nancy Soriano.   Nancy was editor of Country Living magazine for 10 years, and is now teaming up with Jo Packham of Where Women Create on a brand new venture focusing on women entrepreneurs, a long time passion for both of them.

It is always inspiring to be around such a group of creative individuals, and it will be exciting to keep up with their new endeavors.