EASY LEMON HERB SHORTBREAD COOKIES
This comes from the Tablespoon.com newsletter. It begins, “These flavorful, fragrant, lemon herb shortbread cookies welcome Spring beautifully.” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 3 hr 0 min; Servings: 32
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 to 9 sprigs assorted fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and sage
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
Directions
In a medium-size bowl, briefly mix the flour and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer, blend the butter and confectioner’s sugar well. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest and juice and mix well. Gradually blend in the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Scoop the dough from the bowl and wrap in a zip-top bag or in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375º F. Prepare your herbs by either finely chopping the leaves or snipping more decorative, larger pieces. You can choose to keep the herbs separate and use only one kind of herb per cookie, or you can blend them into a mixture. Set aside.
On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the chilled cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2 1/2-inch circle, oval or square cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Transfer cookies to a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Mix the egg white and water. Lightly brush the top surface of the cookies with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle or place the herbs on each cookie. Gently press the herbs to flatten against the cookies. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of sugar on each cookie.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE VEGAN COOKIES
Jolinda Hackett, from About.com's vegetarian blog, writes, "If you can't find vegan chocolate chunks, use regular chocolate chips."
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
egg replacer for 1 egg, prepared
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar and vegetable oil until well mixed, then add the prepared egg replacer, soy milk and vanilla.
Add flour mixture to sugar and oil mixture, mixing just until well combined, then stir in vegan chocolate chunks.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet, then gently flatten. Baked for 8-10 minutes, until done, being careful not to over-bake.
Enjoy your vegan chocolate chunk cookies!
PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES
This yummy recipe is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 55), and can be found at http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-sandwich-cookies/ and makes 24 sandwiches. The recipe states, "These sandwich cookies are held together by a rich (and ridiculously easy) chocolate filling."
Cookies
2 cups smooth natural-style peanut butter
4 oz. Earth Balance margarine (1 stick)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain soymilk or almond milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
Filling
1/2 cup coconut creamer or soy creamer
8 oz. vegan chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups)
To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
Cream peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer, or until smooth. Beat in soymilk and 1/4 cup water.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and peanuts in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat just until dough forms.
Scoop 1 Tbs. dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Make crisscross pattern on top of each Cookie by pressing down with fork. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges of Cookies begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet.
To make Filling: Heat creamer in top half of double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Pour hot creamer over chocolate chips in bowl, and let stand 30 seconds. Mix creamer and chocolate with wooden spoon until chocolate is melted, then whisk until smooth.
Spread 2 tsp. Filling on flat sides of 24 Cookies. Top with remaining Cookies.
nutritional information Per Cookie sandwich: Calories: 344; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 304 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan
CHOCOLATE MAPLE COOKIES
Prep Time: 15 Minutes; Cook Time: 10 Minutes; Ready In: 25 Minutes; Yields: 24 servings
Sheree Gilpin, who submitted this to allrecipes.com, wrote"My aunt made these one year for Christmas, and my husband ate about a dozen. Since he liked them so much, I asked for the recipe and have made them often."
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and maple flavoring. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For frosting, melt chocolate and butter in a microwave or heavy saucepan. Add sugar and milk; mix well. Frost cooled cookies.
