Christmas Cookies

December 23, 2015December 27, 2015 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

For over thirty years my friend Georgia and I have gotten together for a Christmas candy/cookie making marathon. We turn nearly 30 pounds of butter, 40 pounds of flour, 4 dozen eggs, 25 pounds of sugar, lots of nuts, chocolate and other things into delicious and beautiful candy and cookies that we share with friends and family. This year we made overs 2,000 cookies, 35 pounds of fudge, and 8 gallons of caramel corn. In our younger days we did this over a 3 day weekend but we are getting older…and slower. I retired several years ago and Georgia retired a year ago. The last couple of years we’ve taken a week to work our magic. We have developed an easy routine. We each have certain “jobs” that we do. She measures and mixes the cookie doughs, does the chocolate dipping and nut rolling, and counts and packages all of the cookies. I roll dough, shape cookies for baking, and do the candy stirring. We both do cleanup as we work. A clean and neat work environment makes a huge difference. Our cookies and candy are an awesome result but the real treasure is a very long term and loving friendship and the ability to work together so smoothly in a kitchen without conflict. I want to share some of our long standing recipes with all of you. Some are family recipes and others are recipes we have picked up and added over the years.

Spritz

1 1/2 cups butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

4 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and extracts. Beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add gradually to creamed mixture. Dough will be stiff. Do not refrigerate.

Divide dough into batches and add food coloring if desired. Force through a cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400. Cool on wire racks.

Lemon Cream Cheese Spritz

1 cup butter at room temperature

6 oz cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tsp lemon extract or lemon oil

2 T zested lemon peel

3 1/2 cups AP flour

1 tsp salt

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar. Add egg yolk, zest and lemon extract. Stir in dry ingredients.

Force through a cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes at 400. Cool on wire racks.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

5 cups AP flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

Cream together sugar, butter and eggs. Combine dry ingredients and alternate beating in with the sour cream and vanilla. Refrigerate dough overnight.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350. Cool on wire racks. Ice and decorate as desired. If you have children or grandchildren let them help with the decorating! Thank you Chloe for doing such an awesome job and for the very generous sprinkling of red hots!

Candied Fruit Slices

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 egg

2 1/4 cups AP flour

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup candied red and green cherries

Cream together butter, sugar and egg. Stir in dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and fruit. Shape the dough into logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. Slice. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 8 minutes at 350. Cool on wire racks.

Thumb Prints

1 cup room temperature butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs separated

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream together butter, sugar and egg yolks. Add vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll the dough into balls and dip into whisked egg whites. Roll in nuts and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make an indentation in the center with your thumb. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. Cool on wire racks. Fill centers with your favorite jam or jelly.

Chocolate and Almond Tipped Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups AP flour

6 squares baking chocolate or chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups finely chopped almonds

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Shape into logs and cut in about 2 inch pieces. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake 15-17 minutes at 325. Cool on wire racks.

Melt chocolate. Dip one end of cookie into chocolate and sprinkle with almonds. Place on wax paper to set.

Rugalachs

1 cup room temperature butter

8 oz of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of flour

1/2 tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup sugar

2 T ground cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Combine flour and salt and gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths making each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until easy to handle. Room out each disc on a lightly floured surface into a 12 inch circle. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with butter. Sprinkle with 3 T of cinnamon sugar and 2 T of pecans. Cut into wedges and roll each wedge up from the wide end forming a crescent. Place seam side down on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 24-26 minutes at 350. Cool on wire racks. (Seems like a long baking time but it is correct.)

Ginger Shortbread People

2 sticks butter at room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 T molasses

2 3/4 cups AP flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

Cream together butter, sugar and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture slowly. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a cookie cutter and place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes at 350. Cool on wire racks.

Koulourakia or Biscuit Cookies

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

3 T half-n-half

2 1/4 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Sesame and/or poppy seeds

1 egg yolk and 3 T half-n-half whisked together for brushing

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in 2 egg yolks one at a time. Stir in 3 T half-n-half. Combine dry ingredients gradually and mix until well combined. Take approximately 1 T of dough at a time and roll into a rope and shape into a knot. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and brush with egg and half-n-half mixture and sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

NOTE: We make double and triple batches of most of these cookie recipes but the Koulourakia cookie is best NOT doubled. All butter and cream cheese should be at room temperature for easy of creaming. We use only air bake cookie sheets.

Snickerdoodles

April 8, 2015April 8, 2015 / featherheadlady / 3 Comments

This is more of a tribute post than a recipe post. A very dear family friend passed away a couple weeks ago and I inherited a few boxes full of knitting and quilting and sewing patterns. In her files I found clippings from 1961 and 1962 when she wrote a column in a local newspaper entitled “A Pinch of This…A Pinch of That…” She had a “blog” before there were blogs.

She was a beautiful lady who graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Home Economics. She was a great cook and baker, an incredibly talented seamstress (she made my wedding dress), a fantastic hand quilter, and a whiz with knitting needles and a crochet hook. Right up to the time she passed away she was knitting hats for newborns that she donated through her church. She was a patient teacher who passed on her skills to her sons and grandchildren. And a few to me. When I took up knitting a few years ago I would call her for long distance assistance and whenever I visited she wanted to see my latest projects.

In her “A Pinch of This…A Pinch of That” column she gave advice and helpful hints and, you guessed it, the recipe for Snicker doodles. I am a real sappy sentimentalist so when I found this particular column I had to make the cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (I used butter flavor Crisco)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar + 1/4 cup for rolling

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Beat the shortening, eggs and sugar together thoroughly.

Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Chill the dough and roll into balls about the size of a walnut. While the dough is chilling whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and still soft.

Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy.

In her column my friend talks about making these for Halloween. She says, “I just finished a batch of cookies and put them in the freezer in anticipation of many little trick or treaters. It’s fun to see the smiling faces as you hand each small fry his surprise. This is a good time to remember too much candy for growing youngsters is not a good idea. Vary your gifts, fruit such as apples or oranges along with a homemade cookie. A plain napkin with the goodies in the center and the corners brought together and tied with string, is much easier to handle.” Those were the days. When kids got excited about a homemade cookie and a piece of fruit and parents would actually let their kids eat the homemade cookie and piece of fruit.

I was so happy to find these clippings. I’ll share more of the helpful hints in the future. Rest in Peace Peggy Johnson. I believe that having her in my life made me a better person. She will live on always in my heart and mind and with every snicker doodle I make.

💕

Rugelachs

December 13, 2014 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

Every year, for nearly 30 years, my very good friend and I have a candy making, cookie baking marathon for the holidays. We used to do it over a three day weekend. Now that she recently joined the ranks of the retired we held our marathon over an entire week and we were able to go to lunch a couple times and even got a little shopping in. The real significance of our candy making, cookie baking bonanza is not just that we make the most beautiful, awesome tasting, melt in your mouth sweet treats. It’s really about two good friends in sync with one another in the kitchen. Over the years we have fallen into a comfortable routine. I make most all of the cookie shapes (balls, sticks, knots, cookie press) and my friend does the messy stuff (dipping in chocolate, rolling in nuts, powdered sugaring). We both make dough. We both do cleanup. Not everyone can work well with another person in the kitchen. And our ability to do that makes our Christmas goodies just a little more special.

We have cookie recipes that we have made forever. And every so often we experiment with a new recipe. A few years ago we started making the Rugelach and it has become one of our favorites.

Ingredients:

Dough

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 8-oz package cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of flour

1/2 tsp salt

Filling

1 cup sugar

2 T cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

(We make a double batch. Actually we make two double batches.)

In a stand mixer cream butter and cream cheese together. Combine the flour and salt and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths and roll into balls.

Wrap each ball in wax paper and refrigerate for one hour or more for easy handling.

Preheat oven to 350.

After dough has chilled roll out into approximately a 12 inch circle. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush each circle with the melted butter. Sprinkle with 3 T cinnamon sugar and then with 2 T chopped pecans. Cut each circle into 12 wedges.

(The dough circle pictured was small and was only cut into 8 wedges.)

Roll up wedges beginning with the wide end. Place pointed side down on ungreased baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Curve ends to form a crescent.

Bake for 24-26 minutes or until golden brown. Seems like a long time for cookies but they need to bake that long. Remove to wire racks to cool.

One of the secrets to really good baked goods is really good ingredients. Always use real butter, fresh, quality spices and chocolates.

Maybe one day our beautiful and amazing daughters will take over for us and we can wait anxiously to receive our cookie trays. That will be a happy day.

Peanut Butter Cookies

November 18, 2014 / featherheadlady / Leave a comment

My dad is visiting and these are one of his favorite cookies. It’s funny because he would never eat a peanut butter sandwich or have peanut butter on his toast or on an apple. And a Reese Peanut Butter cup has never crossed his lips. But peanut butter cookies he loves. It was also opening day for deer hunters and my non-hunting husband goes to opening day deer camp fish fries every year so I always send cookies.

Peanut butter, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin are my standbys. I like to freeze cookies 3-4 to a zip lock bag after they are cooled (unless of course they are all going to deer camp). They always taste fresh and I have something homemade on hand to serve with coffee or as a little dessert.

Preheat oven to 375

Cookie dough:

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together.

With a wooden spoon stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Once the dough is thoroughly combined use a cookie scoop and put on an un-greased cookie sheet. Use a fork dipped in white sugar and press to make ridges on each cookie.

Bake for 11 minutes. Remove to cooling racks. Enjoy!!

You can use smooth or chunky peanut butter, it’s a matter of personal preference. But I don’t recommend substituting oleo for the butter. Ever.

Everyone has their own favorites but I always use airbake cookie sheets. Especially when baking, it’s a good idea to have a thermometer in your oven to make sure the oven is at the proper temperature.

Macadamia and White Chocolate Cookies

November 5, 2014November 5, 2014 / featherheadlady / 3 Comments

Yesterday, while doing my every Tuesday grocery shopping with my friend Jane, we discovered macadamia nuts in the baking aisle. I never see macadamia nuts at my grocery! This is something new in our fairly rural Michigan grocery… I’m thinking…I must make some cookies. So we both bought a couple bags. I used the cookie recipe that was on the package. I’m sure I will find another creative use for the second bag of nuts or I may make another batch of cookies another time. Who knows. They are very good. A nice texture; a little crispy on the edges and soft in the center. It’s what’s for dessert tonight.

Cookie Ingredients

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups white chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)

6 oz (1 1/2 cups) macadamia nuts chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

In mixing bowl cream together butter and white and brown sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

In a smaller bowl whisk together dry ingredients.

With a wooden spoon blend in dry ingredients. Stir in white chocolate and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. I always use a cookie scoop for uniform baking and uniform cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

I thought I had white chocolate chips but I did not. I did, however, have large white Ghirardelli pieces so I chopped those into smaller pieces and substituted them for the chips. They worked fine. My mother used to say “necessity is the mother of invention.” She and Plato both said that. I think Plato said it first.

May you all find something new in your grocery and bring it home to whip up something you’ve never prepared before.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 24, 2014October 1, 2014 / featherheadlady / 1 Comment

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This morning I made chocolate chip cookies. I had an admirer who, years ago, studied for the priesthood. He said my chocolate chip cookies were quintessential…apparently Latin for an A-one cookie! My daughter says they are the best…sweet and a little salty.

Here we go. You too can make the quintessential cookie!

Preheat oven to 375°F

Cream together:
1 c shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
1 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp good vanilla

With a wooden spoon stir in:
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 generous cups chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)

Using a small scoop, place dough on un-greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 11 minutes.

Enjoy!!

A couple notes:
I use Airbake cookie sheets exclusively. I love them!

Once you put the cookies in the oven, don’t open and close and open and close the oven door to check on their progress.

These cookies, like most, are best right out of the oven. But I’ve found the best way to store them is to package individual servings (three or four cookies) in Ziploc sandwich bags in the freezer.