Crispy Thin Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 14 tablespoons butter (1 3/4 sticks), softened but still slightly cool
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

Cream butter and sugars.

 Mix in egg and vanilla.
Mix in first 4 dry ingredients combined.
Add the oats.
Scoop out 1 TBS dough onto baking sheet lined w parchment or Silpat. Leave 2 inches between.
Bake at 350 for 15 min.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Almond Cloud Cookies (Macaroons)

 

10 ounces almond paste

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract

1/8 teaspoon extra strong bitter almond oil (optional)

Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

• 10 ounces almond paste

• 7 ounces sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon extra-strong bitter almond oil
• Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

• 10 ounces almond paste
• 198g sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon extra-strong bitter almond oil
• Confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. Blend the almond paste, sugar, and salt until the mixture becomes uniformly crumbly; this is best done in a stand mixer.
3. Add the egg whites gradually, while mixing, to make a smooth paste.
4. Stir in the flavorings.
5. Scoop the dough by tablespoons onto the prepared pans. (If too thin, stir in some almond flour.)
6. Sprinkle the cookies heavily with confectioners' sugar, then use three fingers to press an indentation into the center of each cookie.
7. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool right on the pan.
8. Yield: 21 cookies.

 

Source: King Arthur Flour Website.

Rugelach

Dough:

8 oz cream cheese
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 c confectioner's sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a soft dough is formed.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Construction:

Split dough into 4 balls.  Roll out dough ball into a big circle (1/8 inch thick).
Spread apricot jam evenly over dough (about 1/4 cup).
Sprinkle chopped walnuts (about 1/4 cup).

Slice circle into about 12 thin pizza-like slices.
Starting from the outside, roll up each slice like a croissant.
Place on greased cookie sheet (or parchment paper on cookie sheet).
Beat one egg and brush on each cookie. Sprinkle crystallized sugar on each.
Do the same for the remaining dough balls.
A full recipe requires 1 c apricot jam and 1 c chopped walnuts.

Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Adapted from Jewish Cooking in America

I usually make a half recipe as my food processor is on the smallish side.
You can have other fillings as well.  Omit the jam and add cinnamon, sugar & raisins.
Or just use cinnamon & sugar & pecans and then dust later with powdered sugar and the cookie will resemble the taste of a 'Sconset Sweet.

Chess Squares

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. box confectioners sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 Combine cake mix, 1 egg and butter.  Press into 9 x 13 pan.

 Combine softened cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and 3 eggs.  Pour over cake mixture.

 Bake 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate-covered Matzo

4 unsalted matzo boards
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light-brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease.

Arrange matzo to fit on sheet, breaking boards as necessary.

Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until boiling.  Boil for 3 minutes.

Pour butter mixture over matzo  (I add a bit of salt here) and place baking sheet in oven. Turn the oven temp down to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle chips over.  Let stand 5 minutes then spread the melted chips.

Chop almonds and sprinkle on top of chocolate.  Chill in refrigerator until set.  Break into pieces when cooled.

Cherry Pecan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (3 3/4 ounces) old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup (4 ounces) dried tart cherries (sour cherries)
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or 4 oz. of chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl, mix together dried cherries, toasted pecans, oats, and chocolate chips.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together butter and sugar until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary and mix for about 30 seconds. On low-speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. Then turn off the mixer and fold in the oats and cherry mixture with a rubber spatula.
4. Roll dough into 1/4-inch balls and place on the baking sheet, lightly flattening each ball to 1-inch thickness. Place the balls 2 1/2 inches apart on the cookies sheets.
5. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 20-22 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through, until cookies are medium brown and the edges are set. Don't worry, the cookies will appear a little underbaked in the middle.
6. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine
• 14 soft caramel candies
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
2. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using 1/2-teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, about 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
3. Microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently re-press existing indentations. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Try not to devour them all at once.

From America’s Test Kitchen Holiday Cookies 2010 Special Issue

 

Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream:
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together in a sep. bowl:
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
dash salt

Add to the creamed mixture.
Stir in
12 oz chocolate chips
1 8-oz Hershey bar cut into squares (or 8 oz chocolate chunks)

Roll into golf ball size and bake @ 350F for 10 minutes.
Cookies should be light and look a little under done.

Recipe from Mary Pringle

Ginger Snaps

Cream:
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

Sift together:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and roll in a ball the size of a walnut.  Dip in sugar.
Bake @ 350F for 10 minutes

Recipe from Mary Pringle's Grandmother

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger Granulated or turbinado sugar, for dipping

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and molasses.
Sift flour with cinnamon, baking soda, salt and ginger.
Add to sugar mixture and mix well.
Roll into balls the size of walnuts and coat with granulated or turbinado sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Orangies

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure orange extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 recipe Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Orange Brownies:
Stir together flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven, allow to cool and pierce entire cake with a fork. Spread the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting over completely cooled brownies. Cut into squares.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together with a hand-held electric mixer. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until it is all combined and smooth. Beat in the orange zest and juice. Spread over brownies.
Yield: enough frosting for 1 batch of brownies
Prep Time: 10 minutes

From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/orange-brownies-recipe2/index.html

Rolo Pecan Caramel Candies

Mini pretzels -1 pkg. (63)
Rolo candies -1 13-oz. bag (there are exactly 63 pieces)
Pecan halves -1 pkg (need 63 pieces, will have 25-30 pieces left)


Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Put pretzel rings in single layer on sheet.
Unwrap Rolos and put one Rolo on each pretzel ring.

Bake 4 minutes, or until the candies are softened.
Take out of oven and quickly place a pecan half onto each Rolo and push down to squish the chocolate into the pretzel and flatten out.

Cool on sheet for 15-20 minutes, then place in refrigerator for 10-20 minutes until candy
is firm. Transfer to plate or container.

Source: http://thepartyworks.com/rolo-pecan-caramel-candies-photo-a-697.html

Orange Crispies

1 cup sugar
1 cup Crisco
1 large egg
1½ tsp orange extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

BEAT sugar and Crisco at low speed with an electric mixture until creamy. Add egg and extract, beating until blended. Gradually add flour and salt, beating dough until light and fluffy after each addition.

DROP mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE at 375 F for 10 minutes or just until edges begin to brown; remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 5 dozen.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
2 large eggs
1¾ cups unbleached flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup dried cranberries
1½ cups unsalted shelled pistachios



1.Preheat oven to 350oF. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat olive oil and sugar together. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the eggs. Beat until mixture is completely blended.
3.In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder with a hand whisk. On a low speed, gradually add the flour mix to the egg mixture. Slowly beat in the cranberries and pistachios.
4.Divide dough in half on the cookie sheet, form each half into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Space about 4 inches apart (Rinse hands in cool water to prevent stickiness.)
5.Bake on a rack in the center of oven for about 35 minutes, or until light brown. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 275 degrees. Let logs cool on baking sheet 10 minutes.
6.With a long metal spatula, remove logs to cutting surface. Use a long knife to cut the logs diagonally into ¾–inch slices. Stand the slices upright on their sides on cookie sheet and return to oven for 8-9 minutes, until they are light brown.
7.Cool the biscotti on rack and store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper up to two weeks.

Almond Roca

1 lb butter, melted 2 cups sugar
1 cup almonds (blanched), chopped 1 cup walnuts
1 large milk chocolate candy bar (Hershey's)

Melt butter, add sugar - boil 5 minutes.
Add almonds and boil until 285 F.
Pour on cookie sheet - let cool.
Spread melted chocolate bar and press on walnuts.
Crack off cooled pieces.

Scandinavian Almond Bars

Preheat oven 325 F

1 & 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
a little milk
1/2 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

Almond Icing: 1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
enough milk to make thin, drizzling icing


Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl cream margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed.


Divide dough into fourths. Form each into a 12-inch roll. Place two rolls 4 to 5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten till 3 inches wide. Repeat with remaining rolls.


Brush flattened rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are light brown. While cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal into 1-inch strips. Cool. Drizzle with almond icing. Makes 4 dozen.

Chocolate Truffles

8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or grated
4 oz margarine cut into 1/2" cubes
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 Tbs framboise
cocoa (sweetened and/or unsweetened)

Melt chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
Remove bowl from hot water and whisk in margarine, then egg
yolks, then add the framboise.
Place bowl over pan of ice water and beat vigorously until
chocolate is thick and smooth.
When workable, form into little balls.
Roll into cocoa, place on plate and refrigerate until firm.
Roll in cocoa again and return to refrigerator until served.
Can be kept in a container in the refrigerator for 5 6 days.

(I used chocolate from Williams Sonoma, and I used their sweetened cocoa mixed with regular breakfast cocoa. We are talking extra yummy.)

Black Walnut Macaroons (Mac Heart Cookies)

2 cups sugar 1 cup margarine
2 eggs 1 Tbs vanilla
2 cups sifted flour 1 tsp baking soda
sprinkle salt 3 cups oatmeal
2 cups raisins 1 cup chopped black walnuts

Cream margarine and sugar at noon.
At supper time add eggs and beat lightly.
Add remainder of ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Set in cool place until next morning.
Make into little balls the size of hickory nuts and place far
apart in pan.
Bake in slow oven (300 F) and watch carefully (about 15 min).

Peanut Brittle

Mix together in a 1½ casserole: 1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes.
Add and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes: 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
Add, blend and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds: 1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add, gently stir until foamy: 1 tsp baking soda

Pour mixture onto non-stick coated cookie sheet. Let cool ½ to 1 hour.
When cool, break into pieces and store in air-tight container. Makes about 1 pound.

Peanut Butter Candy

Mix:
2 sticks margarine
1 lb box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 heaping cup peanut butter

Melt in top of double boiler:
12 oz pkg chocolate chips
1/2 square parafin

Make little balls of confection and place on parchment paper
on cookie sheets. Refrigerate several hours (overnight).
Dip balls into melted chocolate chips with a toothpick.
Place back on parchment paper and refrigerate until set.