Cookies

It can be argued that Cookies are close to being the perfect dessert. You can make enough of them to share, they're easy to eat on the go, they taste yummy, they're usually easy to throw together...I could go on.

Here are six yummy cookie recipes to help you througoh the day, including Ginger Molasses Cookies and Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies. Enjoy!

GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.





Ingredients

1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1-1/4 C flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES

This was one of my grandmother's recipes. You can find it in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.



Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)

1 C butter or margarine

1/4 C boiling water

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking



Then cut down the center, like so:



Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling



CHOCOLATE-CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES WITH RAS EL HANOUT

This is from Nargisse Benkabbou in The New York Times cooking enewsletters. The recipe begins, "Everyone loves a good oatmeal cookie — and this one will take you straight to Morocco. Ras el hanout is a common Moroccan spice blend and translates to “top of the shop” in Moroccan Arabic, which suggests that the spices selected were the finest available in the merchant's shop at the moment. The fragrant and warming spices of ras el hanout pair beautifully with the sweetness of the oatmeal cookie and the sharpness of the dark chocolate. Because of the spice mixture, these cookies won't appear to brown much, so be careful not to overbake. You can use your favorite store-bought ras el hanout for your cookies or make your own blend (see tip)."

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023289-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies-with-ras-el-hanout.

Ingredients

2/3 packed cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ras el hanout (see Tip)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in a large bowl, and use a handheld electric whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to mix all ingredients until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the oats, flour, ras el hanout, baking soda and salt; mix on a low speed until everything is just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate.

Scoop the dough in single heaping tablespoonfuls and transfer them to the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each piece.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the center of each cookie is a bit soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.

Tip

If you’d like to make your own ras el hanout blend, stir together the following ingredients: 1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground ginger, ground cumin, ground cardamom and ground nutmeg, plus 1/2 teaspoon each ground aniseed (from about 1/2 teaspoon whole),ground caraway seeds (from about 1/2 teaspoon whole), ground fennel seeds (from about 1/2 teaspoon whole), ground cloves and ground black pepper. (Mixture makes about 3 tablespoons ras el hanout.)

GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES

This yummy recipe is from Jessie Sheehan at The Spruce Eats. Jessie wrote, "Our chewy ginger molasses cookies are a true holiday cookie dream. Take a bite of chewy centers, crispy edges, and the best fall spices like ginger, cinnamon, and a dash of white pepper for a little kick. Tossed in granulated sugar before baking, the resulting cookie is a sparkly treat with a wonderful bite. These cookies travel well when packaged carefully and are a perfect addition to any dessert table after the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. They also make a great everyday dessert when served on their own or with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.

"Making the cookies does not require a stand or hand mixer and they freeze beautifully, either pre- or post-bake, making them a fabulous choice if you like to plan and make ahead."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Chilling the Dough: 80 minutes; Total Time: 117 minutes; Servings: 18 servings; Yield: 36 cookies

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/ginger-molasses-cookies-5086423.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon white pepper, optional

6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

Granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper, if using.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.

Add the egg and yolk one at a time, whisking after each addition.

Add the vanilla and molasses and whisk until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a flexible spatula to combine. Place the dough in the refrigerator until it has a scoopable texture, or about 20 to 30 minutes.

Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoons.

Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets, about 12 balls per sheet. Place the sheets in the freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will prevent the cookies from spreading when baked.

Roll the cookie balls in granulated sugar again for extra sparkle. Bake for about 12 minutes until the tops are cracked and the cookies are slightly puffy. Once removed from the oven, flatten each cookie lightly with a spatula. Serve warm or cold.

For Great Results

Follow our expert advice to make unforgettable ginger cookies:

Bake for 12 minutes for a chewier cookie. For a crispier cookie, bake for 14 minutes.

Refrigerate the dough overnight and up to 72 hours for extra-chewy cookies.

Re-sugar the baked cookies by dipping each side in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar while still warm for even more sparkle.

Keep in an airtight container on the counter for three days or freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to a month.

Other Flavors and Additions

For a different flavor profile, here are some of our favorite variations:

Add cayenne pepper instead of white pepper for a different kind of heat.

Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks for a delicious ginger chocolate cookie.

Add 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty flavor and extra texture. If needed, use sunflower seeds for a cookie that's free of tree nuts.

Use turbinado sugar, rather than granulated, for even more sparkle and crunch.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, rather than just granulated, for an even spicier finish.

Scoop the cookies with a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, rather than one sized at 1-1/2 tablespoons, and make jumbo ginger molasses cookies.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 stick butter

2 heaping tablespoons cocoa

2 heaping tablespoons smooth peanut butter

1-teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups quick-cook oats

Directions

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and oats. You can add 1/3 cup finely chopped & toasted walnuts or pecans. Mix well and drop a spoonful of oat mixture on to wax paper. Let cool.

SPICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We know what you're thinking; cinnamon, chocolate and... cayenne in a cookie!? Yup! Our Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies are a decadent, dark chocolate cookie elevated with a perfect hum of heat. These ingredients are traditionally found in Mexican cuisine, and when combined in the form of a dessert, the result is out-of-this-world good! The flavor profile of our Mexican chocolate cookies is rich, warming and simply irresistible. Try adding our cayenne chocolate cookies to your seasonal cookie tray, or have fun experimenting with a truly exciting new recipe. Remember, no whisk, no reward!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Servings: 36

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups Gold Medal™ All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons Demerara (raw) sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and red pepper; set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in granulated sugar. Pour into large bowl. Beat in eggs with spoon one at a time until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.Shape dough into 36 (1-1/4 -inch) balls. Lightly butter hands if dough is sticky when shaping into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of Demerara sugar over top of each cookie.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Demerara sugar is an amber-colored cane sugar whose crystals are slightly larger than regular granulated sugar. Sprinkled over the top of these Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies, it adds a nice crunch and a lovely appearance.

Tip 2

When it comes to spices, freshness counts. To get the most flavor, spices should be stored in sealed containers and kept in a cool, dark place. Ground spices over a year old have likely faded in potency and won’t give your baked goods all the flavor they deserve.

tip 3

Cayenne may seem like a strange ingredient for a cookie, but, in this case, it adds just enough heat to be interesting, without being overwhelming.

tip 4

For best results, bake your Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies on the middle oven rack. For even baking, it’s best to bake one sheet at a time.

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