Cookies

Cookies are almost a perfect dessert. You can cook up a few cookies now and the rest later (or do them all at once), there's usually enough to share, you can have one (or more), and they taste good.

With all that going for them, here are six cookie recipes to try, including Chocolate Chip Ice Box Cookies, Strawberry Maple Oat Cookies, and Italian Lemon Cookies. Enjoy!

3 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Three ingredients? Who'da thunk?

The people at the Food Network, that's who. This recipe starts off, "It only takes three basic ingredients and 20 minutes to make these cookies from start to finish. They're also gluten-free—no alt flours required!—but you would never guess it by their rich taste and texture."

Active Time: 10 minutes; Total TIme: 50 minutes (includes cooling time); Yield: 24 cookies; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup creamy, salted peanut butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the peanut butter, brown sugar and egg to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Roll pieces of dough into tablespoon-size balls and divide between two baking sheets. Flatten each ball with the tines of a fork to form a criss-cross pattern.

Bake until the cookies are set and just turning golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. For this yummy cookie recipe, Dorie wrote, "Deeply chocolaty like devil’s food cake, speckled with sugar on the outsides and filled with soft chocolate or jam in the centers, these cookies are a double pleasure: delightful to eat and fun to make. While “thumbprints” is an adorable name, it’s a misnomer: You use every part of your hands to form these. The cookies need to be pinched, patted, rolled around and poked before they’re sent into the oven. It’s a great project to do with kids — small thumbs are perfect for forming little dimples in the dough. What you fill the centers with is up to you. Chocolate with chocolate is great — naturally pink ruby chocolate is particularly pretty — and jam is delicious, too."

Yield: About 40 cookies; Time: 45 minutes, pus chilling

This was featured in "Mistakes Happen. In the Kitchen, That Can Be the Best Thing." (which was Dorie's final column for the Times), and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023005-double-chocolate-thumbprint-cookies.

By the way, I have to add this note: Dorie, you'll be missed! Thanks for all the yummy recipes over the past few years!

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1-1/3 cups)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cold large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sanding or granulated sugar, for coating (about 1/3 cup)

For the Filling:

4 ounces chocolate (white, milk, dark or ruby), chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 teaspoon canola oil (optional)

Directions

Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Place a heatproof medium bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water; don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Drop in the chunks of butter and scatter over the chocolate. Heat, stirring now and then, until the butter and chocolate are melted, but not so hot that they separate, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the sugar. (Don’t be alarmed when the mixture turns grainy.) One by one, add the cold eggs, whisking vigorously until the mixture is thick and smooth, and the whisk leaves tracks. Beat in the vanilla, then switch to a spatula and add the flour in 3 additions, stirring gently between each addition, until the flour disappears into the dough. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 days.

When you’re ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and heat it to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Put the sanding or granulated sugar in a small bowl and, if you’ve got one, have a cork from a wine bottle at hand.

Using a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon, scoop mounds of dough, each a scant tablespoon. Roll the dough into balls and then roll the balls in the sugar to coat. Place the balls on the baking sheets, giving them 1-1/2 inches or so of space to spread. Press the cork into the center of each cookie or use your thumb to make an indentation.

Bake 1 sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies feel firmish. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack. The indentations will have puffed in the oven, so you’ll want to press them down again. Repeat with the second sheet. Let cookies cool completely.

Fill the prints: Melt milk, dark or ruby chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. If using white chocolate, add oil before melting and stir until smooth. While the chocolate is still warm and fluid, use a small spoon to fill each indentation to the brim, letting the chocolate fall from the end of the spoon. Slide the cookies into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate. The cookies will keep for about 5 days in a covered container at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "The “crinkle” in this recipe’s name comes from their distinctive crackle-top. The look is achieved through the transformation of sugar-coated dough balls into distinctively textured cookies. Not only are chocolate crinkle cookies beautiful to look at, they’re the perfect combination of chocolatey taste and chewy texture."

Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; Servings: 72

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

When baking batches of cookies, use completely cooled cookie sheets. Cookies will spread too much if put on a hot or warm cookie sheet.

tip 2

What is baking chocolate? In its most traditional form it’s unsweetened, made from 100% chocolate liquor—which is processed and ground cocoa beans. It’s used in recipes that have enough sweeteners to balance its bitterness, serving up a deeply satisfying chocolate flavor.

tip 3

Because this dough is a dark, use your fingertip to check for doneness—err on the side of removing them from the oven a tad early rather than risk overbaking them.

Tip 4

Use baking parchment to line your baking sheets (instead of shortening or cooking spray) to make removing the warm cookies a breeze. You can reuse the sheets multiple times before recycling or composting them.

CHOCOLATE CHIP ICEBOX COOKIES

This comes from Diana Rattray, who writes for The Spruce Eats. She wr0te, “These icebox cookies are filled with ground chocolate chips. Use a small food processor or chopper to grind or chop the chocolate chips for these cookies. The dough is chilled slightly and then it's rolled into logs and thoroughly chilled until it's very firm. Plant to let the dough logs chill for at least four hours, or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 11 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Yield: About 3 dozen

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup butter (8 ounces)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour, 13-1/2 ounces

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, ground or finely chopped

Preparation

In large mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars together until light; add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour. Stir in the ground chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape.

Divide dough into 2 portions; form each portion into a log and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 4 hours, or until very firm.

Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or lightly grease the pan.

Cut a log into 1/4-inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.

STRAWBERRY MAPLE OAT COOKIES

This is from Crofter’s Organic, and was featured in the December 2018 issue of Taste For Life, which I’d picked up at one of my favorite places, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you’re ever in St. Pete (especially if you live nearby), check it out!

Anyway, the recipe begins, “This recipe is far from your grandma’s oatmeal cookie. These cookies are the epitome of summer - chewy oatmeal goodness bursting with juicy strawberry flavor all thanks to our strawberry premium fruit spread. Count us in. This flavor combination is one for the books and will take your cookie game to the next level. Not to mention, they’re healthier than your average cookie but shhh no one needs to know. That’s because they taste great. Give them a try and see for yourself! Yum!”

Serves 6 - 8; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Check them out online at https://croftersorganic.com/recipe/strawberry-maple-oat-cookies/.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts

1 egg

2 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup Crofter’s Organic Strawberry Premium Fruit Spread

Directions

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients - flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add spices and walnuts. Mix all together until combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix well with a whisk until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix. Finally, stir in the diced strawberries. Mix gently with a spoon. Let the mixture sit for few minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

With a scoop or spoon, scoop the dough, and place it on the baking sheet. Arrange the cookies 2-inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough with the spoon.

Bake 12-15 minutes until the edges of the cookies begin to brown.

Remove cookies from the oven, and let them cool for few minutes on a baking sheet. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 ServingsServing Size: 2 cookies

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup light butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.

Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.

Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes:

These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g

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