The Cookbook

Molasses Ginger Cookies


1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Red hot candies

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the butter and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the egg, vanilla and molasses and beat until completely incorporated. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper, allspice and salt and add to the mixture. Stir until combined. Roll the dough into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in sugar. Place a Red hot in the center of each. Place 1/2-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 11 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then cool on wire racks.

Flash McCord

Boston Cookies

They're delicious.

1 cup of sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups dates, cut up
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Blend the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla.

Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Gradually add to creamed mixture and stir until combined. Stir in dates and walnuts.

Drop spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes.

Just Me

Fudge Crinkles

30-48 cookies
15 min, 5 min prep

1 (18 1/4 ounce) box devil's food cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist suggested)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
confectioners' sugar


Preheat oven to 350°.
Stir (by hand) dry cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl until dough forms.
Dust hands with confectioners' sugar and shape dough into 1" balls.
Roll balls in confectioners' sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until center is JUST SET.
Remove from pans after a minute or so and cool on wire racks.

klh6656

Sugar Cookies


Cream together:
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar

Add:
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together and add:
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Chill overnight.
Roll out and decorate.
Bake at 375 for 6-8 min.

tennis gal

White House Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the ones baked on an almost daily basis at the White House.

Makes about 70 cookies


Molasses keeps my chocolate chip cookies chewy for more than a day. It also gives them a more intense brown sugar flavor than Toll House-type cookies. I bake these cookies at 400 degrees for a good reason: High heat browns the outside while keeping the inside moist and almost gooey Don't overbake these, or they will overbrown on the outside and dry out the inside.


3 cups plus 3 T all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (one 12 oz. bag) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts



Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixed fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Then stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat pads.

Drop heaping tablespoons or #40 ice cream scoops of the dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, flattening them slightly by hand. (Balls of dough may be placed next to each other on parchment-lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to sipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Place frozen cookies on prepared sheets as above, and defrost on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.)

Bake until just light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before using a metal spatula to transfer them to wire rack to cool completely. Chocolate Chip Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Jami

Frosted Cranberry Orange Drops

Cookies:
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter (softened)
½ cup No Fat Sour Cream
¼ cup honey
2 eggs
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Frosting:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons butter (softened)
1 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

Prep Time: 45 minutes Baking Time: 10 minutes Cooling Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 ½ dozen cookies

Heat oven to 350°. In large mixer bowl combine all cookie ingredients except 1 cup of flour, cranberries and orange peel. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth (approx. 1 to 2 minutes). By hand, stir in remaining flour, cranberries, and orange peel until well mixed.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

In medium bowl stir together powdered sugar and butter. Stir in enough orange juice for desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies.

Store in airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie)
Calories 80; Protein 1g; Carbohydrate 14g; Fat 2; Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 55mmg

Jami

7 Layer Bars

If you want easy, this is a good one. My 10-year old neighbor makes them with me. And they are a heart attack waiting to happen.


1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter
1 cups chocolate chips
1 cups butterscotch chips
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup coconut
1 12-oz. can sweetened condensed milk.

Melt the butter in a 9 x 12 (or similar) pan. Add the graham crackers and pat to form the crust. Add the remaining ingredients in layers. Pour the milk all over it.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 or until very lightly browned. Let cool, or chill. So, so decadent. I think this is an Eagle brand recipe. So simple, but they go quick.

DiamondGirl

Watermelon Cookies

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Red food coloring
Green food coloring
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons water


Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Stir in egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Add a small amount of red food coloring to color dough, beating until blended. Shape into a ball; cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Divide dough in half; store one portion in refrigerator. Roll remaining portion to ¼ in. thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Cut dough with a 3 in. round cookie cutter (or a 3 in. round glass), cut circle in half. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Press several mini-morsels in each cookie. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 min. (do not brown) Cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

Combine powdered sugar and water, mixing until smooth. Add a small amount of green food coloring, mixing until blended. Dip round edge of each cookie in green frosting. Place on wax paper until frosting is firm.

Yield: 3 dozen

gopher