Zelda's Grandma's Snappy Cookies, from Gael

Zelda's Grandma's Snappy Cookies, from Gael

From Zelda in Denver, a friend from my e-mail book list.

1 C Molasses

1/2 C Shortening

2 1/2 C Flour

1 t Ginger

1 t Soda

1 T Warm Milk

1 t Salt

Dissolve the soda in the warm milk. Heat the molasses to boiling, add shortening, ginger, the soda/milk, salt and flour. Stir it all together and then chill well. Roll them out very, very thin, cut them with a round cookie or biscuit cutter and bake at 325. I'd say to bake them about 5 minutes at the most, but experiment.

There is no cooking time given, it just says to watch closely so that they don't burn. It also says that rolling them thinner is better and almost paper-thin is best. Grandma also reminds us to keep the dough cold, it's easier to handle.

Chewy Pecan Diamonds, from Gael

The training leader at MSNBC.com, a woman named Bonnie Goren, brought these to my Christmas cookie exchange party on Dec. 14, 2008. They're delicious--chewy and sweet, and she cut them in perfect little diamonds.

Crust
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Topping
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans (about 14 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
for crust:Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil.

Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together. Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan.

Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand while preparing topping. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

for topping:
Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm crust.

Bake nut-topped crust until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).

Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board. Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut topping into 1 1/2x1-inch diamonds.

(Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.)

Nutella Crinkle Cookies, from Gael

Nutella Crinkle Cookies, from Gael

Gael made these on 12/13/08 for her annual Cookie Swap party in Seattle. They are similar to regular Chocolate Crinkles, but the use of Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread) instead of melted chocolate, and the addition of hazelnuts, made them special. Rob and I really liked them and so did partygoers. I think these will replace regular Chocolate Crinkles for me.

You need to plan ahead and buy the Nutella, which isn't super-cheap, nor are hazelnuts. Nutella is usually shelved with marshmallow fluff or spreads like peanut butter.

Found in Cook's Country Magazine, January 2009 issue

3 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
13 ounce jar of Nutella (this comes out to be about 1 1/4 c)
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1 t instant espresso powder (I used this, but it's probably fine if you don't have any)
2 large eggs
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 c hazelnuts, toasted and chopped fine (I didn't toast and I think I used about half. To chop, I used a blender.)
1 c powdered sugar to roll cookies in

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl.

With electric mixer on medium-high, beat Nutella, butter, sugar till light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, espresso powder, and eggs and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mix and milk. Mix till just combined.

Fold in 1/2 c hazelnuts and refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Place remaining hazelnuts in bowl. Add powdered sugar to another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in nuts, then in powdered sugar.

Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until set, about 8 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

Hamburger Cookies, from Gael

Hamburger Cookies, from Gael

You assemble these, you don't bake anything. Easy and so cute! Gael made them for July 4, 2008 to take to Dan's barbecue. (Kelly's first fireworks--she was transfixed by them and then fell asleep...they didn't scare her one bit). I remember we used to make these years ago. I wonder if Anne got the recipe when she was teaching? They seem like something school kids would love.

Vanilla wafers
Round chocolate cookies (any brand, Keebler grasshopper are good if you like mint)
Frosting --red, yellow, and green (I buy the small kit of four tiny tubes and just don't use the blue)
Sesame seeds
Egg whites or water

TO ASSEMBLE:

Turn vanilla wafers over so rounded top is on bottom. Put two short stripes of any of the three frosting colors on the bottom of cookie (or what would be the bottom had you not flipped it over). Press the chocolate cookie gently on top, so frosting holds it on.

Put three stripes of frosting, one of each color, around the far edges of the chocolate cookie. I mentally divide the cookie into thirds and put each color about 1/3 of the way around, leaving some chocolate in between.)

Press other vanilla wafer on top, with rounded top up this time so it looks like a bun top.

Use either water or egg white (vegetarians will want you to use water) and brush the top vanilla wafer gently. Use your hand and gently sprinkle sesame seeds on the water or egg white to look like a sesame-seeded bun.

Voila! Tiny cookies that look like hamburgers, perfect for kids or cookouts.

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Cute Christmas recipe, Mom thinks it's from Anne.

Melt 30 large marshmallows, 1/2 cup margarine. Add 1 t vanilla, 1 1/2 t green coloring

Measure 3 1/2 c corn flakes. Put syrup mixture into cornflakes. Drop by teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with red hots candy

Date Cookies, from Grandma

Date Cookies, from Grandma

Mom wrote: I think these are Grandma Fashingbauer's from long, long ago. They are very good, Ed likes them a lot, but they are hard to roll out. A little sticky but worth the trouble--every 10 years!

FILLING
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 package dates

DOUGH
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats

Boil filling ingredients until mushy, then cool.

Dough: Roll thin and cut. Put tsp of filling on each and fold over. Bake until light brown.

Coconut Cookies, from Mom

Coconut Cookies, from Mom

Mom wrote: My favorite! About 1949, Murphy's.

Note from Gael: I made these for July 4, 2007. I was a little wary since the recipe was so vague, but they turned out great. Very crisp. I wasn't sure if they had quick-cooking oatmeal back in 1949 or not, so I used half quick-cooking oats, half regular. And the dough didn't seem like it held together, but when I squished it into balls, it worked, and spread out nicely on the pan. Took about 15+ minutes per sheet.

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Quaker oatmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coconut
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Melt shortening and pour over sugars. (Mix and add remaining ingredients.)

Drop onto greased cookie sheet, bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Triple-Chocolate Biscotti, from Gael

Triple-Chocolate Biscotti, from Gael

This is my favorite biscotti recipe. Mom likes it too. Too hard to eat plain, but great dipped in hot coffee or tea.

1 3/4 cups hazelnuts
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark coffee beans, ground fine
2/3 cup chocolate chips
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat the oven to 325. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes. If they still have skins, cover the nuts with a dishtowel or paper towels for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven, and then rub the nuts with the towel to remove the skins. (Note: This never works well for me, don’t worry about it.) Set aside to cool.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and ground coffee beans into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Combine these ingredients on medium-low speed and then toss in the nuts and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the mixing bowl and mix until the dough comes together. Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in any remaining dry ingredients from the bottom by hand. Make four logs. Bake the logs at 325 for 30 to 35 minutes until the sides are firm, the tops are cracked, and the dough inside the cracks no longer looks wet. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cut the logs on a slight diagonal into 3/4" thick slices. Place the biscotti flat on the baking sheet and dry them in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the biscotti offer resistance when pressed. Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool. Can frost with melted dark or white chocolate. Peel the biscotti from the parchment and store in an airtight container.

No Peek Cookies, from Erin

No Peek Cookies, from Erin

Erin says: “My mom always made these for me when I had to bring a snack to school. They kind of look and feel like Styrofoam, but taste great!”

2 egg whites, room temp, put in mixer but do not beat until you add1/8 t cream of tartar
Now beat mixture STIFF

Then fold in:
¾ c sugar
1 shake of salt
Few drops of your favorite food coloring
1 c mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Grease cookie sheets and drop by teaspoons. Put into oven and turn oven off! DO NOT open or peek until morning!

Monster Cookies, from Annie-marie

Monster Cookies, from Annie-marie

(makes about 20 dozen!!)

6 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 1/3 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 T light corn syrup
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4 tsp baking soda
9 cups oatmeal
1 bag 12oz chocolate chips, 1 bag M&M’s

Bake 11 minutes at 350.

Grandma’s Crunchy Cookies

Grandma’s Crunchy Cookies

Grandma Fashingbauer made these for a cookie party on 12-14-69 and won first prize for best-tasting cookie. Mom didn’t go because Erin and Gael were babies (Gael was one day less than two!). But in 2006, when Gael’s friend Lisa had a bridal shower and everyone was asked to bring a cookie recipe, Mom recommended this one. I don’t think anyone’s made it recently though!

Cookie ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sifted flour

Finely chopped nuts to roll cookies in

Frosting ingredients:
Combine all for frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of one lemon (use less than all)
1 teaspoon butter

Cream butter and sugar until light. Add cornstarch and flour and beat well. Chill until easy to handle. Shape into balls (size of walnut). Dip in nuts. Flatten with glass dipped in flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes with nut side up. Cool and frost with frosting listed here.

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, from Gael

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, from Gael

1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup cocoa
1 package chocolate chips -- I like Ghirardelli Double Chocolate
2 drops mint flavoring, up to 3 drops

Preheat oven to 400. Combine cake mix, eggs, water, cooking oil, and cocoa. Blend this well, will be a sticky mess. Let stand 10 minutes, and then shape into small ½-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart, and smash down flat with large spoon sprayed with Pam. Bake for about 8 minutes. Let cool until they reach room temperature.

Heat chocolate chips in the microwave, or in a double boiler. When completely melted add a couple drops mint flavoring. Careful not to add too much, it is powerful. Spread the melted chocolate on the cookies, or dip the cookies into the chocolate.

Frosted or Sugared Cookies, from Dick Howard

Frosted or Sugared Cookies, from Dick Howard

Anne says these are very good.

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon lemon extract
5 1/4 cups flour -- sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pecans or other nuts -- finely chopped
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup oil -- warmed
2 eggs -- beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine all to make dough. Roll dough into small balls and place on greased pan. Press down with fork. Bake at 350 10-15 minutes or until a light tan. Frost with powdered sugar mixed with a little milk.

Cinnamon Crispies, from Anne

Cinnamon Crispies, from Anne

Beat together until creamy:
1 lb butter
4 c. sugar
3 eggs

Add and mix completely:
1 T soda
1/4 c. molasses
3 T cinnamon

Add:
6 1/2 c. flour

Drop on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 9-10 minutes at 350°
Makes about six dozen.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, from Gael

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, from Gael

These easy cookies are almost like little brownies. Yum!

3 eggs
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted (TIP: 1 oz of unsweetened choc = 3 T cocoa plus 1 T oil)2 t baking powder
2 c flour
1 ½ c sugar
½ c oil
2 t vanilla
Sifted powdered sugar

Beat eggs, granulated sugar, chocolate, oil, baking powder and vanilla with mixer until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill 1-2 hours or more. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Place one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and tops crackled.

Coconut Sugar Cookies, from Anne

Coconut Sugar Cookies, from Anne

Mom wrote: 8-4-95. Anne brought dough and Annie-marie baked them here when they came to clean tennis court and yard on 7/31/95 and everyone liked them. Anne omitted Rice Krispies and chopped nuts very fine.

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup salad oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup Rice Krispies®, optional
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 cup nuts, chopped fine

Cream first four ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, just until edges are brown.

Citrus-Chocolate Jammers, from Gael

Citrus-Chocolate Jammers, from Gael

I took the winning recipe from the Star Tribune cookie contest and altered it slightly, substituting apricot-pineapple jam for marmalade. This was my contribution to the Christmas cookie swap I hosted in 2007, on my 40th birthday!

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for chocolate dipping sauce
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 2 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1/4 c. apricot-pineapple jam, divided (use any flavor)
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and orange zest. Reduce speed to low and add flour until just combined.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 11/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, re-rolling and re-cutting until all is used. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets.

Using your thumb, make a slight indentation in center of cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon orange marmalade. Bake approximately 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate, whisking in enough butter (1 tablespoon at a time, up to about 4 tablespoons) to make a good dipping consistency. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate and place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.

Thumbprint Cookies, from Anne

Thumbprint Cookies, from Anne

3 1/2-4 c flour
1-cup brown sugar
I cup shortening
1-cup butter or margarine
4 eggs SEPARATED –(only use the yellow in the cookies – save whites for later)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
finely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350.

Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, egg yolks and vanilla in mixer. Mix in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough into one inch balls.

Beat egg white and a little water slightly. Dip each ball into eggwhite and then roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Press thumb (or index finger – but then they'd be called "index-finger cookies") Press deep enough to form hole but notthrough to cookie sheet. Bake until lightly brown – about 10 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheet – when cool, fill with colored frosting. (Makes about 10 dozen cookies)