Cookies
We're gearing up for the holidays, which is always a good time for homemade cookies. Of course, any time is good for cookies, but during the holidays, many of us love making, giving, and receiving homemade cookies.
Two examples: For a number of years, I worked at a local college's bookstore during their "rush" season, at the end of one semester and the beginning of another. It was always a temp job, but I did manage to do it for a number of years. At the end of each fall sememster, when everyone was going into the winter holidays, one of the full-time permanent women would make tons of homemade cookies and bring them in to work every day. Everyone who worked there looked forward to them!
Another friend, who I've known since childhood, posts batch after batch (after batch) of cookies on social media ever year, beginning the end of October or beginning of November. She and her husband freeze the batches (and batches), giving them out during the holidays.
So, for all who want to get started baking cookies for the holidays, here are six yummy cookie recipes to get you started, including Chocolate Peppermint Cookies and Strawberry Maple Oat 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
PILONCILLO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is from Rick A. Martínez at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Rick wrote, "Piloncillo, unrefined whole-cane sugar, is the key ingredient of these richly nuanced cookies. Known as piloncillo in Mexico; chancaca in Chile, Bolivia and Peru; or panela in other Latin American countries, it is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes and is made by crushing, extracting and boiling down the juice from sugar cane to caramelize the sugars. It adds notes of caramel, butterscotch and molasses to everything from cakes to barbecue sauce. In this cookie, the grated piloncillo complements the bittersweet chocolate and adds the nutty flavor of the toasted milk solids in browned butter, but without any of the work. It is a bit of a chore to grate, but the flavor it adds is well worth it."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: About 17 cookies
This was featured in "The Ingredient Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Are Missing," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025308-piloncillo-chocolate-chip-cookies.
While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
6 ounces piloncillo
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (preferably 72 percent cacao or higher)
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Preparation
With racks in the upper and lower thirds, heat oven to 350 degrees. Grate piloncillo using the large holes of a box grater. The grated piloncillo won’t look or feel like dark brown sugar; it will more closely resemble grated hard cheese and will have crumbly, irregular shapes with some larger split pea-size pieces. (The larger pieces will taste like and have the texture of broken bits of toffee inside the baked cookie.)
Whisk grated piloncillo, granulated sugar, butter and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Vigorously whisk in egg and vanilla until mixture lightens in color and becomes almost ribbony but with undissolved pieces of piloncillo, about 1 minute. This step is very important and will give your cookie a shiny top, like a brownie, that will crisp as it bakes.
Add flour and baking soda and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix until dough comes together and no floury bits remain, about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate until evenly distributed. Dough will be soft and may be warmer than room temperature. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 5 days; see Tip) to enhance flavor and allow the dough to firm up.
Portion out balls of dough (about 2 generous tablespoons each) and space about 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. (You can also form dough into table tennis-size balls with your hands.) Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle each ball with flaky or kosher salt.
Bake cookies, 2 sheets at a time, switching the pans halfway through, until edges are brown and firm but centers are still soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Tip
Cookie dough can be made up to 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill. Or portion into balls, cover with plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES
This is from Leah Maroney at The Spruce Eats. This recipe begins, "These peppermint cookies are bursting with chocolate and minty goodness. The dark chocolate treats are chewy and fudgy—like a brownie in cookie form. We add extract peppermint extract to the dough and top them with crushed peppermint sticks for a nice crunch.
"Bake up these cookies for Santa Claus or bring them to your annual holiday cookie swap. They’re different from your average sugar cookie, but still embrace classic Christmas flavors. Pair them with a steaming cup of peppermint hot chocolate on a cold winter night. They're sure to please every mint chocolate fan in your life."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chocolate-peppermint-cookies-4768572.
Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup peppermint candy canes (crushed)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in one-minute increments. Whisk after each increment until the mixture is totally smooth. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate can scorch.
Beat the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extracts together in a large bowl.
Beat the chocolate mixture into the egg and brown sugar mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms.
Gradually add in the flour mixture until it is combined. Be careful not to overbeat.
Scoop the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet with a cookie scoop. Leave a few inches in between each scoop.
Use a spatula to flatten the tops of the cookies. Keep the shape round and smooth the top as best as you can.
Place the cookies on the center rack of the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies have spread and the tops are cracked.
Spray each cookie with cooking spray and sprinkle the crushed peppermint sticks over the top. Make sure to do this immediately while the cookies are still warm.
Serve immediately with a glass of milk or store them in an airtight container for up to three days.
Tips
You can freeze these cookies for up to three months.
If you’d prefer to keep the cookies puffy then don’t flatten them before cooking. You can also replace the small amount of baking soda with a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. This will make smaller and rounder cookies. They will still be chewy, but a little more on the cakey side.
Recipe Variation
You can add in chopped walnuts to the dough or extra chocolate chips. The mini ones work especially well and keep the nice fudgy texture.
THE WHOLE JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This is from Kevin Ryan on AllRecipes. It begins, "This cookie got its name because a whole 18-ounce jar of peanut butter is used to make it. It is the creamiest, moistest cookie I have ever had, and bound to be a favorite with anyone who makes them. Just don't over bake them!"
Servings: 30; Yield: 5 dozen
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11520/the-whole-jar-of-peanut-butter-cookies/.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (18 ounce) jar peanut butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped peanuts
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Stir in peanut butter. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, stir in the peanuts. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should look dry on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cool completely on a rack. These cookies taste great when slightly undercooked.
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 356F (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.
Two examples: For a number of years, I worked at a local college's bookstore during their "rush" season, at the end of one semester and the beginning of another. It was always a temp job, but I did manage to do it for a number of years. At the end of each fall sememster, when everyone was going into the winter holidays, one of the full-time permanent women would make tons of homemade cookies and bring them in to work every day. Everyone who worked there looked forward to them!
Another friend, who I've known since childhood, posts batch after batch (after batch) of cookies on social media ever year, beginning the end of October or beginning of November. She and her husband freeze the batches (and batches), giving them out during the holidays.
So, for all who want to get started baking cookies for the holidays, here are six yummy cookie recipes to get you started, including Chocolate Peppermint Cookies and Strawberry Maple Oat 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
PILONCILLO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is from Rick A. Martínez at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Rick wrote, "Piloncillo, unrefined whole-cane sugar, is the key ingredient of these richly nuanced cookies. Known as piloncillo in Mexico; chancaca in Chile, Bolivia and Peru; or panela in other Latin American countries, it is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes and is made by crushing, extracting and boiling down the juice from sugar cane to caramelize the sugars. It adds notes of caramel, butterscotch and molasses to everything from cakes to barbecue sauce. In this cookie, the grated piloncillo complements the bittersweet chocolate and adds the nutty flavor of the toasted milk solids in browned butter, but without any of the work. It is a bit of a chore to grate, but the flavor it adds is well worth it."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: About 17 cookies
This was featured in "The Ingredient Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Are Missing," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025308-piloncillo-chocolate-chip-cookies.
While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
6 ounces piloncillo
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (preferably 72 percent cacao or higher)
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Preparation
With racks in the upper and lower thirds, heat oven to 350 degrees. Grate piloncillo using the large holes of a box grater. The grated piloncillo won’t look or feel like dark brown sugar; it will more closely resemble grated hard cheese and will have crumbly, irregular shapes with some larger split pea-size pieces. (The larger pieces will taste like and have the texture of broken bits of toffee inside the baked cookie.)
Whisk grated piloncillo, granulated sugar, butter and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Vigorously whisk in egg and vanilla until mixture lightens in color and becomes almost ribbony but with undissolved pieces of piloncillo, about 1 minute. This step is very important and will give your cookie a shiny top, like a brownie, that will crisp as it bakes.
Add flour and baking soda and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix until dough comes together and no floury bits remain, about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate until evenly distributed. Dough will be soft and may be warmer than room temperature. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 5 days; see Tip) to enhance flavor and allow the dough to firm up.
Portion out balls of dough (about 2 generous tablespoons each) and space about 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. (You can also form dough into table tennis-size balls with your hands.) Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle each ball with flaky or kosher salt.
Bake cookies, 2 sheets at a time, switching the pans halfway through, until edges are brown and firm but centers are still soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Tip
Cookie dough can be made up to 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill. Or portion into balls, cover with plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES
This is from Leah Maroney at The Spruce Eats. This recipe begins, "These peppermint cookies are bursting with chocolate and minty goodness. The dark chocolate treats are chewy and fudgy—like a brownie in cookie form. We add extract peppermint extract to the dough and top them with crushed peppermint sticks for a nice crunch.
"Bake up these cookies for Santa Claus or bring them to your annual holiday cookie swap. They’re different from your average sugar cookie, but still embrace classic Christmas flavors. Pair them with a steaming cup of peppermint hot chocolate on a cold winter night. They're sure to please every mint chocolate fan in your life."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chocolate-peppermint-cookies-4768572.
Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup peppermint candy canes (crushed)
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in one-minute increments. Whisk after each increment until the mixture is totally smooth. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate can scorch.
Beat the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extracts together in a large bowl.
Beat the chocolate mixture into the egg and brown sugar mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms.
Gradually add in the flour mixture until it is combined. Be careful not to overbeat.
Scoop the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet with a cookie scoop. Leave a few inches in between each scoop.
Use a spatula to flatten the tops of the cookies. Keep the shape round and smooth the top as best as you can.
Place the cookies on the center rack of the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies have spread and the tops are cracked.
Spray each cookie with cooking spray and sprinkle the crushed peppermint sticks over the top. Make sure to do this immediately while the cookies are still warm.
Serve immediately with a glass of milk or store them in an airtight container for up to three days.
Tips
You can freeze these cookies for up to three months.
If you’d prefer to keep the cookies puffy then don’t flatten them before cooking. You can also replace the small amount of baking soda with a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. This will make smaller and rounder cookies. They will still be chewy, but a little more on the cakey side.
Recipe Variation
You can add in chopped walnuts to the dough or extra chocolate chips. The mini ones work especially well and keep the nice fudgy texture.
THE WHOLE JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This is from Kevin Ryan on AllRecipes. It begins, "This cookie got its name because a whole 18-ounce jar of peanut butter is used to make it. It is the creamiest, moistest cookie I have ever had, and bound to be a favorite with anyone who makes them. Just don't over bake them!"
Servings: 30; Yield: 5 dozen
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11520/the-whole-jar-of-peanut-butter-cookies/.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (18 ounce) jar peanut butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped peanuts
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Stir in peanut butter. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, stir in the peanuts. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should look dry on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cool completely on a rack. These cookies taste great when slightly undercooked.
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 356F (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.
Comments
Post a Comment