Christmas Gifts: Snickerdoodles

This is Martha Stewart's recipe, because, well, the woman can make a good cookie.

Snickerdoodles

*Makes 4 dozen

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodles - Martha Stewart Recipes

Iced Oatmeal-Apple Cookies

These cookies are full of flavor, soft, chewy, and they stay that way-- they don't turn into bricks the next morning. They are one of my favorite go-to cookies and the only way to make an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Iced Oatmeal-Apple Cookies

*Makes about 2 dozen

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large apple, peeled and grated

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup golden raisins

For glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix butter and sugars together. Add egg and grated apple. Mix until well blended. Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in raisins.

Scoop onto a greased cookies tray. Bake for 7-8 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. That them out when they start to turn golden brown but aren't quite set. Let them cool completely.

For glaze, whisk together sugar and syrup until liquidy and smooth. Drizzle over cookies, let set.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wanted to make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, however I ran out of raisins, so chocolate chips took their place. This recipe comes from the Joanne Fluke novels again. Her cookies are the best that I have ever made. They always come out perfect. I know everyone has their favorite kind of cookie, but I love mine to be soft and chewy. 

The secret to getting perfectly golden round chewy discs every time-- melted butter, and a lot of it. These cookies aren't for the calorie conscious, I don't want to even to figure out how many sit-ups I must do to burn off a batch.

The point is: desserts are treats, to be eaten in moderation. It is perfectly fine to eat a sinful cookie or two every once in a while. If your going to eat a low-carb, no sugar, 1-1/2 calorie cookie then your missing the point of having a cookie.

Okay, my rant is over (Mother). The only thing I would change next time I make these is that the recipe didn't call for any spices. I like my oatmeal raisin cookies with a bit of cinnamon and all-spice. Another thing I might add to them is shredded apple and a cream cheese icing drizzle. Mrs. Fields has an oatmeal raisin cookie with those and it is delicious.

Wash your cookie down with a glass of milk, you will get extra calcium. 

Sinful Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Makes a little over 2 dozen cookies

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

2 cups oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add sugar and mix. Then add vanilla, salt, and baking soda.

Next stir in eggs. Add the flour then raisins and oatmeal.

Roll walnut sized dough balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of a spatula.

Bake for 6 minutes.--Don't worry if they are still a little doughy in the middle, they will cook more as they cool and as a result, be chewier longer. Cool on baking sheet for two minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Molasses Crinkles

It has been forever since my last post, that is what I get for taking 18 credit hours at college and having a part time job. Finally, school is over (at least for the summer) and I have been itching to get back in the kitchen.

I have been reading Joanne Fluke novels. They revolve around a baker who solves murder mysteries. Sounds awesome right? The best part is that she gives you recipes throughout the book. I have only tried two recipes, but so far they both have been amazing. The Molasses Crackles come from her book the Strawberry Shortcake Mystery. Don't worry, I will hopefully be adding the strawberry shortcake recipe soon.

These cookies came out of the oven perfect. They were nice and golden, chewy, and sparkling with sugar. They have a very mild taste, kinda like a ginger cookie minus the ginger. My boyfriend described them as tasting similar to a graham cracker or a teddy graham.

These cookies are best fresh from the oven. By the second day they are still delicious, but they loose some of the softness and chewiness. Next time I make these, I am going to amp up the spices a bit. They were just a bit too mild for my taste.

Molasses Crinkles
*I cut this recipe in half and ended up with just shy of 2 dozen cookies.

1 1/2 cups melted butter (3 sticks)
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups of flour

extra sugar for rolling dough in

Melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in sugar and molasses. Add eggs, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring after each addition. Add flour one cup full at a time. The dough will be quite stiff and glossy.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll chilled dough into walnut-sized balls (this may seem like a big size, but they form the perfect sized cookie). Put some sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in it. Placed dough balls on a greased baking sheet (6 to a sheet) and press them down with the back of a spatula (or turner). ---Just a little, not too much!---

Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will flatten out all by themselves. Let cool for 2 minutes on the cookies sheet and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

*My boyfriend sampling*