Recipe: Oatmeal Cocoa Chippers

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I cut this recipe out many years ago and it is a "keeper".  Recipe makes 54 cookies when using a small ice cream scoop.  

I did cook for the full 13 minutes for a crisp cookie that is chewy inside.

Printable recipe.

Reciipe: Quaker's Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These cookies are both delicious and good for you! You can find the recipe below. These can be made with either Old Fashioned Oats or Quick Oats. 

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Biscotti

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I thought I'd give this recipe a try and it worked out well!

 

Form the batter into these shapes 

After allowing dough to sit following first bake, 
cut into pieces and do second bake 

Then slice and enjoy!

Recipe: Checkerboard Sugar Cookies

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Using a combination of this Sugar Cookie Recipe, tinted green, and the Food Network Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe I assembled these checkerboard cookies.

After chilling the dough, roll it out into the shape of a rectangle and cut the two doughs into equal strips. 

Alternating strips and connecting both the strips and the different layers with egg wash,  form the bar of dough.  

Chill again and then slice in 1/4 inch slices before baking at 350' for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on a cookie sheet.  

You could also simply use the Sugar Cookie Recipe, divide the dough in half and tint it two different colors.  

These cookies freeze well. 

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Recipe: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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This recipe for very chocolatey, tasty sugar cookies made with unsweetened cocoa powder can be found on the 

Food Network's website.

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Recipe: Martha's Chewy Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

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 I made these cookies but omitted the fresh ginger and used a small ice cream scoop so yield was 36 cookies.  Also lessened the cooking time to about 12 mins. and substituted  Nestle's Chocolate Chunks for the semisweet chocolate.  

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Directions

1. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar until combined. Add fresh ginger and mix until combined. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Slowly add to butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
3. Add baking soda mixture and molasses; mix to combine. Stir in chocolate; Transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto baking sheet, 2 1/2 inches apart. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar and return to baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.                                                                                        

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Recipe: Red & Green Christmas Sugar Cookies

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I found this sugar cookies recipe on a greeting card my mother in law sent our youngest daughter when she was very young.  For approximately the past 30 years it has been my go to 

recipe and it never disappoints!  

I tint half the dough red and the other half green before rolling out.  

They can be made in advance and frozen.  

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Recipe: Gingerbread Men

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It has become a family tradition  
each year that I bake gingerbread men and women to use as place cards on the table Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. These can be baked ahead and frozen without decoration and are quite tasty.
 I use Betty Crocker tubes of red and green frosting to pipe names and minimal decorations on each gingerbread person: collars and ties for the men and holly for the women.

Ingredients:
(printable recipe)
2/3 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco which now comes in bars)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups flour
Directions:
Cream the vegetable shortening and sugar until smooth.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients while continuing to mix. Batter gets very thick so a stand mixer works best.

Knead mixture on a board until it forms a ball.

Roll dough out, dusting the surface with flour to prevent sticking. You can  roll between two pieces of extra wide plastic wrap, flipping it over during the process and dusting lightly with flour.  I invested in a silicone pastry mat from the Williams Sonoma Outlet Store and it works beautifully.

Cut with cookie cutters and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7-10 minutes at 375'.

To hang on tree, make a hole in head of gingerbread man before baking. Re-roll leftover dough to cut more cookies.

Recipe can be doubled and cookies freeze well.

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Recipe: Vanilla and Chocolate Spritz Cookies

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Here are this year's Vanilla and Chocolate Spritz Cookies. These are among various cookies I make  every year for holiday events.  These cookies are always tasty and they freeze well so can be made in advance.   
Click here for more recipes and here for a few pages of  past holiday entries. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

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Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

This delicious crisp/chewy cookie  freezes well if  you want to save some for a later date.  

I rolled these cookies in red and green sugar to add a festive touch for Christmas.

Enjoy!

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Recipe: Peppermint Chocolate Bark Cookies

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I found this recipe for Peppermint Chocolate Bark Cookies in the Boston Globe magazine of Dec. 9, 2012 and decided to give it a try.

TIP Use a sieve to separate candy pieces from 
dust. Reserve dust for sprinkling on hot cocoa.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces candy canes
2 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips 
(12 ounces)


In a small bowl, whisk flour and salt and set aside. 
Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar at 
medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 
minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat to 
incorporate fully. Add the flour mixture and beat on 
low just to incorporate. Scrape dough onto a piece 
of plastic wrap, knead it once or twice, shape into a 
disk, wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 and up to 48 
hours.

With the rack in the center position, heat the oven 
to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit a 
17-by-13-inch baking sheet. Rest the dough at 
room temperature for 15 minutes, then dust with 
flour and roll into a rectangle just smaller than the 
sheet and about 3/8 inch thick. Transfer the 
parchment and dough to the sheet, prick lightly with 
a fork, and bake until light golden brown and puffed, 
about 22 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway 
through.

Meanwhile, place candy in a zippered bag and use 
a heavy pan to crush it, then shake in a sieve to 
remove dust from small pieces (you should have 
about 1 cup).

Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and 
immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the hot 
cookie. Let soften for 4 to 5 minutes, then spread 
the chocolate evenly over the cookie. Immediately 
sprinkle with the crushed candy, pressing gently to 
adhere. Cool until set, about 90 minutes, then cut 
and serve (or store in an airtight container for up to 
1 week).

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Recipe: "New House" Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I am linking up my cookie recipes at the Christmas Cookie Exchange 

at Stuff and Nonsense

Our son and his wife moved into their first house so I baked these cookies with their house number to serve to friends and family who assisted on moving day.  Adding chocolate to the basic sugar cookie only enhances the final product ! 

Chocolate Sugar Cookies
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract  
Variation: Add 3 ounces of melted unsweetened chocolate along with other ingredients for chocolate sugar cookies. You will need about a cup more flour as well to attain the correct dough consistency.
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg and milk. Sift flour and baking powder together, adding half of it at a time to the above mixture. Add vanilla. See Note.

Roll out 1/4" thick on floured board with floured rolling pin. Refrigerating dough in plastic wrap or wax paper for a short time will make it easier to roll out the dough. 

Cut into shapes, place on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle cookies with sugar. [Use appropriate color sugar for the occasion.]  Chill cookie sheet after it comes out of the oven before baking next batch. 

Bake in a preheated 375' oven for 10-12 mins.  Transfer immediately to a rack to cool. These cookies freeze well so can be made in advance.
Note: You will probably need more flour - use enough to just keep dough from being sticky. Dough rolls out well and makes great cookies in any shape. Use food coloring to tint dough orange for Halloween, red for Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's Day etc. This recipe is also great for cutting out numbers or letters (monograms) for party favors. 

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Recipe: Holiday Sugar Cookies

These cookies are a favorite amongst family and friends - one family member and one friend in particular! I have been making them for many years using most of these cookie cutters some of which belonged to my mother. The red and green ones are Hallmark and the small cutters, a recent purchase, are Wilton and are made to hang on the side of a cup, as shown.

SUGAR COOKIES

Description:
Tasty cookie that rolls out easily into any shape you like for any occasion. I roll these out thinly so that will be crisp when baked.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg and milk. Sift flour and baking powder together, adding half of it at a time to the above mixture. Add vanilla. See Note.

Roll out 1/4" thick on floured board with floured rolling pin. [I use a floured silicone sheet like this one along with a floured rolling pin.]

Cut into shapes, place on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle cookies with your choice of colored sugar. [I do spray sheets with Pam and wipe off excess with a paper towel.]

Bake in a preheated 400' oven for 10-12 mins. [I use 350' for 10-14 mins.] Transfer immediately to a rack to cool. These cookies freeze well so can be made in advance.

Note: You may need more flour - use enough to just keep dough from being sticky. Mix until it pulls away from the side of the mixer bowl.  Dough rolls out well and makes great cookies in any shape. 

You can tint dough red and green for Christmas, orange for Halloween, red for Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's Day etc. Also great for cutting out numbers or letters for party favors. 

Variation: Add 3 ounces of melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate along with other ingredients for chocolate sugar cookies. You will need additional flour as well to attain the correct dough consistency.

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Recipe: Vanilla Spritz Cookies from McCalls Cookbook 1963

A cookie press is required to make these cookies and an electric cookie press is the easiest to use.  This cookie is a favorite especially at Christmas time when I tint them red and green and sprinkle them with decorative sugar.  See Chocolate Spritz Cookie recipe for an even tastier variation ! (Because it's chocolate, of course...)

Vanilla Spritz Cookies
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla or 1/4 tsp. almond extract

Directions:
Refrigerate ungreased cookie sheets until ready to use.   Preheat over to 375'.
Sift flour with salt and set aside.
In a large bowl or electric mixer beat butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Beat in flour mixture just until combined. If desired, you can tint the dough with food coloring.
Fill cookie press.   Force dough through desired disk of press onto cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart.   (If dough is too soft to hold it's shape when pressed, refrigerate 30 mins.)
Sprinkle with colored or granulated sugar.
Bake 8-10 mins. or just until cookies are set but not brown. Remove to wire rack, cool.
These can be frozen for later use.
Number Of Servings:   Makes 3 1/2 dozen

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Table Settings and Recipes: Christmas Gingerbread Men

It has become a family tradition that each year that I bake gingerbread men and women to use as place cards on the table Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. These can be baked ahead and frozen without decoration and are quite tasty. I use Betty Crocker tubes of red and green frosting to pipe names and minimal decorations on each gingerbread person: collars and ties for the men and holly for the women.

This place setting included some Christmas candy and a Christmas CD for each guest. A framed menu - printed using The Print Shop on the computer - stands at each end of the table which is decorated with votive candles and a collection of ornaments from the Nostalgic Houses Series from Hallmark. Evergreens from the yard adorn the chandelier from which red apples hang at varying lengths.
If you notice a difference in the look of the dining room in this photo compared to the Christmas table setting photos, you are most observant! This photo was taken before we painted the dining room and renovated the kitchen.

Ingredients:
(printable recipe)
2/3 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco which now comes in bars)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups flour
Directions:
Cream the vegetable shortening and sugar until smooth.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients while continuing to mix. Batter gets very thick so a stand mixer works best.

Knead mixture on a board until it forms a ball.

Roll dough out, dusting the surface with flour to prevent sticking. You can  roll between two pieces of extra wide plastic wrap, flipping it over during the process and dusting lightly with flour.  I invested in a silicone pastry mat from the Williams Sonoma Outlet Store and it works beautifully.

Cut with cookie cutters and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7-10 minutes at 375'.

To hang on tree, make a hole in head of gingerbread man before baking. Re-roll leftover dough to cut more cookies.

Recipe can be doubled and cookies freeze well.

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Recipe: Holiday Pinwheel Refrigerator Cookies in Chocolate and Vanilla

 This is a variation of the previous Pinwheel Cookie entry.  These are made in vanilla and chocolate and sprinkled with red and green sugar for Christmas.  I made the recipe as shown and after removing half of the dough, I added the unsweetened chocolate to the remaining batter.  

PINWHEEL COOKIES

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. milk
3 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Work shortening with a spoon until fluffy and creamy.  (I suggest a stand mixer!) Add sugar gradually, while continuing to work with a spoon until light. Add well-beaten eggs, vanilla and milk, and mix thoroughly. Sift together the dry ingredients and gradually add, beating after each addition.
If desired, divide dough in half and tint each half a different color- red and green for Christmas works well. Roll or pat one color dough on wax paper without flour, (I use plastic wrap or parchment paper and a rolling pin) into a rectangular sheet 10"x13". Do the same with the other color and flip on top of first rectangle.
Peeling off wax paper, roll up jelly roll fashion from 13" side, and chill for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Slice crosswise and bake in moderately hot oven of 375'F for about 10 mins. on a greased cookie sheet.

Variation: Make half of the vanilla refrigerator cookie recipe, adding 1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted, to the egg mixture. Tint the other half another color i.e. orange for Halloween, or leave vanilla.  
Note: If desired, this cookie dough may be wrapped in waxed paper and plastic or foil, stored in the refrigerator for a week or more, and then sliced and baked as needed. Cookies may be frozen.

Number Of Servings: Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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Recipe: Chocolate Spritz Cookies

Very good cookie which freezes well.   Spritz cookies require a cookie press to make and an electric cookie press works best.  The one pictured was purchased at Sears many years ago.   Recipe may be halved and cookies freeze well..

Chocolate Spritz Cookies
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp.s milk
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 ozs. unsweetened chocolate, melted

Directions:
Heat oven to 375'.
Cream shortening in electric mixer.   Add sugar and mix.
Add eggs, salt and chocolate.
Alternately, add milk and flour, while mixing.
Fill cookie press and bake on cold, ungreased cookie sheets.
Sprinkle with granulated sugar or colored sugar.  

Bake for 8-10 mins.  
Number Of Servings:  7 1/2 dozen cookies

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Recipes: Shower Favors - Alphabet Sugar Cookies

 This is a cute idea for a shower favor - using the Sugar Cookie recipe and alphabet cookie cutters, cut out the appropriate letters and hand them out to guests in a cellophane bag as a parting gift.  For the wedding shower  I used the monogram initials of the couple.  You can also use make "age" cookies for birthdays using number cutters.  The cellophane bags are available at ACMoore stores.  The cookie cutters can be found at Michael's among other places.  These could be dressed up with royal icing if you so desired.  Check out "Bake at 350" for inspiration and a royal icing recipe. She makes it look so easy!

 

This idea also works for birthday and anniversary party favors, using number cookie cutters.

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Recipe: Chocolate Cookies by Martha Stewart

Delicious, crisp chocolate cookie ! My absolute favorite ! Hands down...

Chocolate Cookies from Martha Stewart
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (2 sticks plus 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar, plus more for dipping
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Directions:
1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, 2 cups sugar, and eggs on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and combine with mixer on low speed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour. [Can refrigerate overnight too.]


3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats. [ I spray the sheets lightly with Pam] Roll dough into 1-inch balls. [I use small one inch ice cream scoop.] Dip top of each ball into sugar. [Or roll the ball in sugar. Can use red sugar for Christmas, orange for Halloween etc.] Place on prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until set, about 8 -10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies freeze well and are tasty frozen!
Number Of Servings: 50 large cookies

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