Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's double post deals with (ta-da) cookies. Yum!
Without further intro, here are six yummy cookie recipes for you to try, including Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies and Cream Cheese Cookies. Enjoy!
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS
This also comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Scrumptious! That's the best word our Test Kitchen team could come up with to sum up these easy-to-make yummy White Chocolate Cherry Bars. This flavorful marriage of textures and tastes is a winning combination!” Makes 36 bars; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda Coupons
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour and baking soda and beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips, the coconut, and chopped cherries. Spread dough evenly in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle remaining white chocolate chips over dough.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars.
RASPBERRY-HAZELNUT THUMBPRINT COOKIES
From the December 2014 Vegetarian Times, p.65. This one starts off, “Oat flour, rice flour, and toasted nuts make a tender gluten-free cookie with a little crunch.” Makes 24 cookies
To click this online, click here.
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir together oat flour, hazelnuts, rice flour, and baking powder in medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, and beat until soft and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add oat flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
Use 1-oz. (2 Tbs.) ice cream or cookie scoop to shape dough into walnut-size balls, and place on baking sheet 3 inches apart. Gently press each ball in center with thumb to make small wells. Spoon 1/2 tsp. raspberry jam into each thumbprint well.
Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, then transfer to storage container.
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 163; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Cholesterol: 28 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 7 g; Gluten-Free
HAZELNUT BISCOTTI
This recipe begins, “A combination of chopped hazelnuts and hazelnut syrup is used to make these scrumptious biscotti. They'll keep fresh for 5 days making them ideal gifts.”
Source: Splenda
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1155.shtml
Yield: 48 servings
Serving size: 1 biscotti
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar free hazelnut syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons Mini Chocolate Chips, melted (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with baking spray and set aside.
Spread hazelnuts in a shallow pan and toast in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 7-10 minutes. Remove hazelnuts from the oven and cool.
Mix the oil, Splenda Granulated Sweetener and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add hazelnut syrup and mix well. Set aside.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and nonfat dry milk in a medium mixing bowl.
Pour the flour mixture into the oil and egg mixture and stir until blended. Add hazelnuts and mix until just blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour or until stiff.
Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a log approximately 3 1/2 inches wide by 12 inches long. Place the logs on the prepared sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Cut the loaves with a sharp knife into 48 slices, approximately 1/2 inch wide. Cool completely.
If desired, lay slices on their sides and drizzle with melted chocolate chips.
Store in airtight containers. Cookies will stay fresh up to 5 days.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 60; Calories from Fat: 30; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 30 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g
CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
This recipe, from The Food Network, begins, “A triple dose of cream cheese (mixed into the batter, in chunks in the dough and as a glaze on top) makes these pillowy cookies extra tangy. Freezing the cream cheese before stirring it into the dough makes it easier to cut into clean pieces and keeps the chunks from disintegrating when shaping the dough into balls.” Total Time: 3 hr 25 min; Prep: 40 min; Inactive: 1 hr. 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 15 min; Yield: 3 dozen cookies; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cream-cheese-cookies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
2 3/4 sticks (1 cup plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, 6 ounces at room temperature, 2 ounces frozen
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 large egg yolk
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring (see Cook's Note)
2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more if needed
Very finely grated lime zest or finely minced cranberries, for garnish, optional
Directions
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Combine the butter, vanilla, 4 ounces of the room-temperature cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth, then add the flour and beat on low until the dough just comes together. Remove the frozen cream cheese from the freezer and chop into 1/4-inch cubes. Add the cubes to the dough, quickly stirring with a rubber spatula to evenly incorporate them into the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, scoop 12 portions of dough, roll into balls and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Lightly flour the bottom of a 1/2-cup measuring cup and use it to flatten each cookie into a disk about 1/2 inch thick, re-flouring the cup after each cookie.
Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies look set but are still pale and barely brown on the bottom, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture forms a thick paste. Add the milk and stir slowly until a thick glaze forms.
When the cookies are cool, dip the entire surface of the top of each cookie in the glaze and lift up, letting the excess glaze drip off, then flip the cookie right-side up and onto the cooling rack. If the glaze is too thick, add another teaspoon of milk to loosen it. If using the cranberries or lime zest, sprinkle on top of the cookies while the glaze is still wet. Allow the glaze to set before serving, at least 10 minutes. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Special equipment: a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, optional
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO OATMEAL COOKIES
Makes 48 cookies.
From the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 75. This begins, “Take chocolate chip cookies to the next level with this espresso-spiked dough that's laced with chewy oats.”
To view this online, click here.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or oat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (1 stick) margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooled espresso or strong coffee
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.
Cream margarine and sugar together with electric mixer in bowl. Beat in espresso and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, adding up to 1/2 cup more if necessary to make thick dough. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Divide dough in half. Transfer each dough half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into 2 2-inch-diameter logs with plastic wrap or wax paper. Wrap tightly, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice dough logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer slices to greased or parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake 8 to 11 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top. Cool cookies 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 56; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; vegan
NO-BAKE COOKIE CLUSTERS
This comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Whether you call 'em cookies or you call 'em candy, there's one thing we can all agree on calling 'em - Yummy! Our No-Bake Cookie Clusters combine some of our favorite things into one easy-to-make sweet treat!” Makes 28 to 30 cookies; Cook Time: 10 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/4 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
1 cup Spanish peanuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Directions
Line baking sheets with wax paper.
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate with peanut butter, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool slightly, then stir in cereal and peanuts. Fold in marshmallows.
Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let cool until firm. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip
You can add some fun to these by sprinkling on a little flaked coconut, colored sprinkles, or chopped candy bars before allowing to cool.
Showing posts with label No-Bake Cookie Clusters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label No-Bake Cookie Clusters. Show all posts
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Cookies!
If you've checked in here with any regularity, you know I usually don't post here over the weekend. That said, since my internet was down for just over a week, and Christmas is exactly a week away - yes, next Sunday! - I figured I'd get some cookie recipes in here for those who'd like to do some baking before the big day. Enjoy!
OAT AND RAISIN COOKIES (GLUTEN-FREE)
This comes from The Vegan Society, and starts off, “These easy oat and raisin cookies are healthy, quick to make and taste great. Serves 12.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup shredded coconut
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup coconut milk
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray.
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Using your hands, form balls and place them on the prepared tray (the mixture will be running, so be careful).
Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cookies are brown and firm to the touch.
Leave to cool and enjoy!
CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES
This is from The Food Network Kitchen. It begins, “These are the familiar cookies, with crispy edges and a slightly soft middle. Superfine sugar gives them their crunchiness. The small amount of baking powder ensures that they puff just a little without spreading too much and losing their shape.” Total Time: 3 hr 55 minutes; Inactive: 2 hr 45 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-sugar-cookies.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder
Food coloring, optional
Decorating sugar, for topping, optional
Sprinkles, for topping, optional
Directions
Special equipment: cookie cutters in desired shapes
For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
Beat the superfine sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
Gently gather any scraps of dough into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.
THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER
This recipe from The Food Network Kitchen begins, “This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.” Total Time: 5 hr 20 min; Prep: 1 hr 10 min; Inactive: 3 hr 40 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/the-spiciest-gingerbread-cookies-ever.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating
Directions
Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.
Special equipment: a small offset spatula
NO-BAKE COOKIE CLUSTERS
This comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Whether you call 'em cookies or you call 'em candy, there's one thing we can all agree on calling 'em - Yummy! Our No-Bake Cookie Clusters combine some of our favorite things into one easy-to-make sweet treat!” Makes 28 to 30 cookies; Cook Time: 10 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/4 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
1 cup Spanish peanuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Directions
Line baking sheets with wax paper.
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate with peanut butter, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool slightly, then stir in cereal and peanuts. Fold in marshmallows.
Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let cool until firm. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip
You can add some fun to these by sprinkling on a little flaked coconut, colored sprinkles, or chopped candy bars before allowing to cool.
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS
This also comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Scrumptious! That's the best word our Test Kitchen team could come up with to sum up these easy-to-make yummy White Chocolate Cherry Bars. This flavorful marriage of textures and tastes is a winning combination!” Makes 36 bars; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda Coupons
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour and baking soda and beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips, the coconut, and chopped cherries. Spread dough evenly in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle remaining white chocolate chips over dough.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars.
RASPBERRY-HAZELNUT THUMBPRINT COOKIES
From the December 2014 Vegetarian Times, p.65. This one starts off, “Oat flour, rice flour, and toasted nuts make a tender gluten-free cookie with a little crunch.” Makes 24 cookies
To click this online, click here.
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir together oat flour, hazelnuts, rice flour, and baking powder in medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, and beat until soft and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add oat flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
Use 1-oz. (2 Tbs.) ice cream or cookie scoop to shape dough into walnut-size balls, and place on baking sheet 3 inches apart. Gently press each ball in center with thumb to make small wells. Spoon 1/2 tsp. raspberry jam into each thumbprint well.
Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, then transfer to storage container.
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 163; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Cholesterol: 28 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 7 g; Gluten-Free
OAT AND RAISIN COOKIES (GLUTEN-FREE)
This comes from The Vegan Society, and starts off, “These easy oat and raisin cookies are healthy, quick to make and taste great. Serves 12.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup shredded coconut
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup coconut milk
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray.
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Using your hands, form balls and place them on the prepared tray (the mixture will be running, so be careful).
Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cookies are brown and firm to the touch.
Leave to cool and enjoy!
CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES
This is from The Food Network Kitchen. It begins, “These are the familiar cookies, with crispy edges and a slightly soft middle. Superfine sugar gives them their crunchiness. The small amount of baking powder ensures that they puff just a little without spreading too much and losing their shape.” Total Time: 3 hr 55 minutes; Inactive: 2 hr 45 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-sugar-cookies.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder
Food coloring, optional
Decorating sugar, for topping, optional
Sprinkles, for topping, optional
Directions
Special equipment: cookie cutters in desired shapes
For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
Beat the superfine sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
Gently gather any scraps of dough into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.
THE SPICIEST GINGERBREAD COOKIES EVER
This recipe from The Food Network Kitchen begins, “This gingerbread cookie is super-spicy from the very first bite. Molasses makes it chewy and white sugar rounds out the spices. Cayenne, allspice and a hefty dose of black pepper result in a complex, lingering heat that is surprising and pleasant.” Total Time: 5 hr 20 min; Prep: 1 hr 10 min; Inactive: 3 hr 40 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: Eighteen 4-inch gingerbread people; Level: Intermediate
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/the-spiciest-gingerbread-cookies-ever.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and rolling (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder (egg white powder)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, chocolate chips, raisins or other candies for decorating
Directions
Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed). Beat in the molasses until combined, then the egg (the mixture will look curdled). Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in 2 pieces, flatten each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Keeping one disk refrigerated, roll the other disk on a well-floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling flour on and under the dough as needed and sliding a spatula underneath every so often to prevent sticking (If the dough looks crackly or breaks apart, press it back together from the outside edge in). Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread shapes as close together as possible. Pull away the extra dough around each shape then use a small offset spatula to transfer the shapes to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Freeze the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through cooking, until they are slightly firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking with the remaining dough disk.
Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes (The cookies will continue to firm as they cool).
Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the frosting thickens, trying not to incorporate too much air. (The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly.)
Scrape the icing into a resealable plastic bag and snip the corner to the desired size. Pipe the icing onto the cookies to decorate, as desired, sticking the candy onto the icing while it is still wet. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the icing hardens, at least 1 hour.
Special equipment: a small offset spatula
NO-BAKE COOKIE CLUSTERS
This comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Whether you call 'em cookies or you call 'em candy, there's one thing we can all agree on calling 'em - Yummy! Our No-Bake Cookie Clusters combine some of our favorite things into one easy-to-make sweet treat!” Makes 28 to 30 cookies; Cook Time: 10 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/4 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
1 cup Spanish peanuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Directions
Line baking sheets with wax paper.
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate with peanut butter, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool slightly, then stir in cereal and peanuts. Fold in marshmallows.
Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let cool until firm. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip
You can add some fun to these by sprinkling on a little flaked coconut, colored sprinkles, or chopped candy bars before allowing to cool.
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY BARS
This also comes from the Mr. Food newsletter, and starts off, “Scrumptious! That's the best word our Test Kitchen team could come up with to sum up these easy-to-make yummy White Chocolate Cherry Bars. This flavorful marriage of textures and tastes is a winning combination!” Makes 36 bars; Cook Time: 25 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda Coupons
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour and baking soda and beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips, the coconut, and chopped cherries. Spread dough evenly in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle remaining white chocolate chips over dough.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars.
RASPBERRY-HAZELNUT THUMBPRINT COOKIES
From the December 2014 Vegetarian Times, p.65. This one starts off, “Oat flour, rice flour, and toasted nuts make a tender gluten-free cookie with a little crunch.” Makes 24 cookies
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1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir together oat flour, hazelnuts, rice flour, and baking powder in medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, and beat until soft and creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add oat flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
Use 1-oz. (2 Tbs.) ice cream or cookie scoop to shape dough into walnut-size balls, and place on baking sheet 3 inches apart. Gently press each ball in center with thumb to make small wells. Spoon 1/2 tsp. raspberry jam into each thumbprint well.
Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, then transfer to storage container.
nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 163; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Cholesterol: 28 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 7 g; Gluten-Free
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