COOKIES ITEMS

How to Make the Best Cookies:

How to Make the Best Cookies:

Making the best cookies is easy as long as you follow some rules. Learn how to measure flour, how to read a baking recipe, and find tips for tender, perfect cookies every time.

• Top 10 Tips for Making the Best Cookies
• Step by Step: Right and Wrong Ways to Measure Flour
• How to Measure Flour
• How to Measure Everything Else 

Cookie Science:

Don't be scared - this type of science is easy. Cookies are made with a combination of fat, sugar, flour, leavening, and flavorings. These ingredients combine in different ways to produce everything from chewy chocolate chip cookies to dense brownies to fruit-filled bars. Read through this information to put science behind you in the

Poinsettia Cookies

Poinsettia Cookies

Photo: Poinsettia Cookies

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  Cook Time:

  12 min
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  Level:

  Easy
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  Yield:

  30 servings
  
  

  Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Parchment paper
• 30 wooden Popsicle sticks
• 1 cup red sugar
• 30 green M &M candies

Directions

With a paddle attachment beat butter, cream cheese and egg yolk until smooth, reserving the white for later. Stir in flour and baking powder. Mix until stiff dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Lightly beat egg white and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough, 1/2 at a time, into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. With sharp knife, cut dough into 3-inch squares. Place 3 inches apart on ungreased, parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Brush with egg white. Lightly press about 1 1/2 inches of wooden stick into bottom center of each dough square. With sharp knife, cut the dough diagonally from each corner to within 1/2-inch of center of each square. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon red sugar over each square. Fold alternate corners of the square to the center to form pinwheel, overlapping the dough at the center pushing down gently to seal in center. Press one M & M in center of each pinwheel.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until set. Using spatula, immediately remove from cookie sheet

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Peppermint Hershey Kiss Cookies

 

Dark chocolate Hershey kisses and peppermint sugar cookie dough make a showstopping combination in this kiss cookie recipe. A packaged sugar cookie mix makes it easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 17.5 oz. package sugar cookie mix
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1-3 Tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• 4-5 drops red food coloring
• 18-20 dark chocolate Hershey kisses

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Dump cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Add softened butter, egg and one tablespoon of flour.
3. Using an electric mixer or your hands, mix until it forms a soft dough.
4. Divide dough in half. Add peppermint extract to one half. Knead it into the dough until well-incorporated. Add a tablespoon of flour if dough is too sticky.
5. Add red food coloring to the other half. Start with 4 drops of food coloring, and add more until you get a nice, deep pink color. Add a tablespoon or two of additional flour if the dough is too sticky.
6. Pinch off a teaspoon of pink dough and a teaspoon of white dough. Stick together and form a ball. Important: Don't knead them together, or the dough will all turn pink. You want a nice candy cane stripe.
   
7. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom.
8. Remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey kiss in the middle of each cookie.

 

My Mother's Sugar Cookies

 

 

 

 

1/2 c Butter 1 c Sugar 2 Eggs 1 tbsp Light cream 2 1/2 c Flour 2 tsp Baking powder 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1 tsp Lemon juice 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and cream. Add flour sifted with baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Then add lemon juice and vanilla, and mix well. Chill dough for at least an hour. Roll out thin on a floured board, cut with cookie cutters, and bake at 350^F for about 8 minutes until golden. Do not let cookies get too brown. Decorate as desired Makes 4-5 dozen.

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

 

 

 

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies 

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  Cook Time:

  10 min
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  Level:

  Easy
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  Yield:

  12 to 15 sandwiches

  Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring 

  
  

  For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 pound cream cheese, softened
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, optional

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  
  Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
  
  Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Then beat in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring. Once combined, add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  
  Onto a parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter using an ice cream scoop, forming 2-inch round circles.
  
  Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through. Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

  For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.
  Spread the cream cheese frosting between 2 cooled cookies and roll the edges in finely chopped pecans, if desired.
  
  
  

  Chewy Chocolate Cookies

  

   

  Turn these oversize cookies into ice-cream sandwiches by spreading 1/4 cup vanilla ice cream between them. Wrap individually, and freeze until firm.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Ingredients

  • 1 1/4  cups  butter or margarine, softened
  • 2  cups  sugar
  • 2  large eggs
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 3/4  cup  cocoa
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1  cup  chopped pecans

  Preparation

  Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well blended.
  Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in pecans. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place on lightly greased baking sheets.
  Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool.

  
  

  Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp Bars Recipe

  

  Prep Time: 20 minutes

  Cook Time: 45 minutes

  Total Time: 65 minutes

  Ingredients:

  • 1 (22-1/2 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup peanut butter flavored chips
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup finely crushed salted plain thin potato chip crumbs

  Preparation:

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick foil.
  
  In medium bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, and water; mix well (mixture will be stiff). Pour into foil-lined pan.
  
  Bake 20 minutes; remove from oven. Sprinkle peanut butter chips evenly over brownie crust. Pour condensed milk evenly over chips.
  
  Return to oven; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Cool thoroughly.
  
  Melt chocolate chips and butter, mixing together well. Fold in crushed potato chips. Spread evenly over cooled bars. Chill 15 to 20 minutes. Peel down foil and cut into bars. Cut these smaller than you normally would, because they are extremely rich, much like a candy bar.
  
  

  Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

  

  Ingredients
  1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
  1 stick butter, at room temperature
  1 egg
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
  Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
  Directions
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and “gooey.” Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
  

  Tombstone Cookies

  

  
  

  These cookies are designed as accessories for our Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème, but they also make a nice Halloween snack. Follow our simple design or cut the gravestones into more elaborate shapes topped with crosses or lunettes. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus 1 hour to chill. Notes: Cocoa nibs, also called "cacao nibs," give these cookies a mottled look that resembles stone. We made the recipe with both chocolate-covered nibs made by Scharffen Berger and plain nibs from Dagoba Organic Chocolate, and both worked well. Find both types in gourmet markets. Or substitute 2 tbsp. finely chopped bittersweet chocolate if you prefer. Make up to 3 days ahead; store airtight.
   

  Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 dozen
  
  

  Ingredients

  • 2  tablespoons  cocoa (or cacao) nibs (see Notes)
  • 6  tablespoons  butter, softened
  • 1/2  cup  sugar, plus extra for sprinkling cookies
  • 1  large egg
  • 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla
  • 1 1/3  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • Melted semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

  Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a blender, whirl cocoa nibs until each is about the size of a grain of rice.
  2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar until creamy; beat in egg and vanilla.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa nibs; gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly, to form a soft dough. Divide dough into thirds, cover each portion tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour), or up to 3 days.
  4. On a floured board, roll out dough, a portion at a time, to a thickness of 1/8 in. (keep dough refrigerated when not in use). With a sharp knife, cut out free-form tombstone shapes (about 1 1/2 by 3 in.; cut bottom edges at an angle to make them easier to poke into the pots de crème), and place slightly apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with sugar.
  5. Bake cookies until edges are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool completely before handling.
  6. Using a pastry bag with a very fine tip, pipe the letters "RIP" in chocolate on at least 8 of the cookies. Stick these cookies into the Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème and serve the rest of the cookies alongside.
  Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.

  Nutritional Information

  Calories:

  66 (38% from fat)

  Protein:

  0.9g

  Fat:

  2.8g (sat 1.7)

  Carbohydrate:

  9g

  Fiber:

  0.2g

  Sodium:

  53mg

  Cholesterol:

  13mg

Double Chocolate Ribbon Cake

Nutrition (per portion)

• 760 calories
• 58g fat (34g saturates)
• 54g carbs (38g total sugars)

Ingredients

For the biscuit base
40g (11/2oz) butter
10ml (2 level tsp) cocoa
125g (4oz) bought shortbread biscuits
75g (3oz) milk chocolate hazelnuts (see Cook’s Tips)

For the filling
400g (14oz) full-fat cream cheese
125g (4oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
142ml (5fl oz) carton double cream
125g (4oz) plain chocolate, melted and cooled
125g (4oz) white chocolate, melted and cooled

For the custard
1 vanilla pod
142ml (5fl oz) carton double cream
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
3 large egg yolks
50g (2oz) caster sugar

For the chocolate ribbons
125g (4oz) plain chocolate
Cocoa powder to decorate
Fresh orange segments and caramel to serve (optional)

Method

1 Line the tin (see Cook’s Tips). For the biscuit base, melt the butter in a small pan, add the cocoa and cook for 30sec. Place the biscuits in a food processor with the hazelnuts; pulse until finely chopped. Stir in the butter mixture; spoon into the tin, pressing well to make a smooth layer. Chill for 30min.

2 For the filling, beat together the cream cheese and caster sugar in a large bowl until smooth; gradually beat in the eggs and cream. Divide the mixture between two bowls. Stir the plain chocolate into half the cream cheese mixture, then stir the white chocolate into the remainder.

3 Spoon the plain chocolate mixture on to the chilled biscuit base, then smooth with a palette knife. Cover with the white chocolate mixture and smooth again. Bake at 180ºC (160°C fan) mark 4 for 50min or until the filling is just set (see Cook’s Tips). Leave the cake to cool in the oven, then chill in the tin for at least 2–3hr.

4 To make the custard, place the split vanilla pod in a pan with the cream and milk and bring to the boil. Beat together the yolks and sugar, then pour on the hot milk and stir well. Return to the clean pan and cook over a very gentle heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens slightly. Take care not to let the mixture boil, or it will curdle. Strain and chill.

5 To make the chocolate ribbons, cut 12 strips of non-stick baking parchment 30.5cm (12in) long x 3cm (11⁄4in) wide. Brush the melted plain chocolate thinly over the paper strips, then arrange these over the handles of wooden spoons to make waves. Leave to set for about 20min.

6 Unmould the chilled cake. Carefully peel away the paper from the chocolate ribbons, then use them to decorate the cake before dusting with cocoa powder. Slice the cake and serve with the vanilla custard and fresh orange segments drizzled with caramel, if you like.


PREPARE AHEAD
Up to two days before, complete the recipe to the end of step 5, cover and chill cake, custard and ribbons separately.

TO FREEZE
Cool, wrap and freeze the cake at the end of step 3.

TO SERVE
Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge, then complete the recipe.

COOK’S TIPS
Use chocolate-coated nuts or break up a bar of chocolate with hazelnuts.

Base-line a 23cm (9in) spring-release cake tin by wrapping kitchen foil round the base, then clipping it into position.

The cake is cooked when it’s golden, just set round the outside and starting to shrink from the edge of the tin.

Cranberry Bars

Prep Time:
30 Min

Cook Time:
40 Min

Ready In:
1 Hr 10 Min

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package whole cranberries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, white sugar, and water. Cook, stirring occasionally until all of the cranberries have popped, and the mixture is thick, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, melted butter, and eggs. Stir in the oats, brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon. Set aside about 1 1/2 cups of the mixture, and spread the rest into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pack down to form a solid crust, getting it as even as possible. Spread the cooled cranberry mixture over the crust. Pinch off pieces of the remaining mixture and place evenly over the cranberry layer.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is lightly browned. Cool in the pan for about 40 minutes before slicing into bars.

 

Recipe : Almond cookies for Chinese New Year

RECIPE : Almond cookies
400 grams almonds – roast and grind till fine and powdery
400 grams wheat flour
350 grams castor sugar
pinch of salt
100 grams cold butter, cut into cubes
About 1 cup corn oil – You need to adjust quantity, i.e. use just enough to bind the above
1 egg white, beaten for glazing
Method :
Mix flour, sugar and pinch of salt in a big mixing bowl. Put in butter cubes and rub with fingers until they resemble bread crumbs. Put in ground almond and mix well. Pour corn oil and knead. Use the oil sparingly and just enough to bind them. Keep kneading because you want the sugar to melt. Otherwise, you will have a horrible crunch of sugar in your cookie.

Once they can be form into balls, you know you have used enough oil. Leave the mixture to stand for a while.

Dried Cherry and Almond Cookies with Vanilla Icing

 

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries (see Cook's Note)
• 1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (see Cook's Note)

Icing:

• 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons water, plus extra, as needed

Directions

For the Cookies:
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.

For the Icing:
Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.)

Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Cook's Note Alternative:
Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.