Thursday Recipe - Snickerdoodles

I posted a version of this recipe a while back, but it's good enough to post again.

I love snickerdoodles. I don't make them very often mostly because they require all white flour and I just can't do that anymore. You need the white flour to keep them the right flavor and consistency. Whole wheat would make them too moist and chewy. A good snickerdoodle has a crisp outside with plenty of cinnamon sugar and a soft inside. So bake them on high heat for less time than you think they need.

The cream of tartar in the recipe does several things. First, it adds that tang to the flavor that is unique to these cookies. Second, it helps the dough stay white. Third, it's a leavening agent. It helps them rise. You can find cream of tartar in the baking section of your local grocery store.

This recipe is based off an old Betty Crocker one.

Snickerdoodles

1/3 c. butter, softened but not melted
1/3 c. shortening or coconut oil
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat again until very light colored and creamy. Stir in flour by hand.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Scoop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll gently to coat. Place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, until just set and very lightly browned on the edges. Remove to a rack to cool.

Optional spiced sugar mix:
Instead of just using cinnamon, I like to mix in a few more fun ingredients. Try adding a dash of nutmeg, ginger, allspice, ground cloves, or cardamom. If you're feeling really adventurous, try this recipe with Chinese 5-Spice instead of cinnamon.

Thursday Recipe - Plate Tectonics, Take 2, aka Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are another great example of plate tectonics. As the cookies heat up, they expand and spread. The cinnamon "crust" breaks apart into plates that float on the surface of the semi-molten interior.

Okay, I'm stretching it just a bit. These are my favorite non-chocolate cookies. Unless you count the ginger ones. Or the spice ones. Or the nutmeg logs. Can I help it if I love cookies?

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
1 t. soda
2 t. cream of tartar

1/4 t. salt

2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 3/4 c. flour (use white flour for this one)
1/2 c. sugar mixed with 2 T. cinnamon

Cream sugar, butter, and shortening. Add everything else except the flour. Beat well. Stir in flour just until mixed. Shape into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 8-10 minutes at 400°. Makes 6 dozen.

Thursday Recipe - Sweet Potato Cookies

There's something about winter that makes you want to hunker down and eat spicy cookies. At least it makes me want to. This recipe, the original version, was included with a bag of sweet potatoes I bought at Costco. My husband has accused me of never being able to make the same thing twice because I tinker with recipes. Here's my version of their cookies. Not too sweet with a good bite of spice, these are similar to pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies. They are wonderful with some cream cheese.

You can see how we roll at my house - serve them off the cookie sheet with a block of cream cheese straight out of the box. The recipe makes a lot more than this, that's just what's left of a double batch made last night.

They also work on my diet, as long as I don't eat too many of them. Only a dozen or so...

Sweet Potato Cookies

2 c. cooked sweet potatoes or yams (Don't use the canned version. Buy some fresh ones and roast them. Instructions are in this post.)
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
2/3 c. oatmeal
1 c. flour (use 1/2 c. whole wheat and 1/2 c. white if you want)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Put sweet potatoes, spices, sugar, salt, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use a stick blender to whip it smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, use a potato masher or something similar. You want this to be as smooth and creamy as you can get it. Don't use a regular blender, it will be much too thick.

Stir in soda, baking powder, and oatmeal. Add flour and stir just until blended. Generously grease or spray two baking sheets. Drop batter onto pans, leaving plenty of room for spreading. Each drop should be about 2 T. of batter. Bake for 12-18 minutes, just until set (Mine took 15 minutes). Let cool at least 5 minutes before trying to remove from cookie sheet.

Optional add-ins to stir in with the flour:
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
1 c. dried cranberries or raisins
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
3 T. finely chopped candied ginger or orange peel
1/2 c. shredded carrots for a carrot cake type flavor
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, well drained

Optional fillings or frostings:
Whipped cream cheese, plain or with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Cream cheese spread with pineapple
1/2 c. cream cheese, 1 T. softened butter, 1/3 c. honey or brown sugar - whip all together
Cream cheese frosting
Caramel frosting - Try this to-die-for recipe, just scroll past the goat cheese recipe

Thursday Recipe - Cookie Mix for Gifts

AKA - Cookies in a Jar. If you have quart jars hanging around, these are perfect presents. It only takes a few minutes to put it together and makes a nice gift. The recipient can make the cookies fresh whenever they want. Plus, if you're careful when layering the cookies, they look very pretty in the jar.

Layer ingredients in quart jars in the order given. Use a clean lid (doesn’t have to be new) to seal the jar. Be careful not to shake the jars. Attach the recipe card to each jar with your own personal message.


Double Chocolate Brownies:
Jar - layer:
1 c. white flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. cocoa
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. chocolate chips (any variety)

Recipe card:
Empty jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir dry ingredients until well mixed. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, and 3 eggs. Stir until mixed. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Gourmet Flavored Brownies:
Jar - layer:
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 gourmet flavor hot cocoa drink mix (dry)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa

Recipe card:
Empty jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir dry ingredients together until well mixed. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 4 eggs, and 1 t. vanilla. Stir until mixed. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Oatmeal Scotchies:
Jar - layer:
2/3 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butterscotch or chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Recipe card:
Empty jar into large bowl. Stir to mix dry ingredients. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 1 egg, and 1/2 t. vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.

Coconut Oatmeal Bars:
Jar - layer:
3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
2/3 c. chocolate chips (any variety)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. brown sugar

Recipe card:
Empty jar into large bowl. Stir to mix dry ingredients. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 1 egg, and 1 t. vanilla. Stir together. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, just until set. Cool before cutting.

Thursday Recipe - Cherry Bars

I had a craving for these and I just happen to have several jars of maraschino cherries that need used. I thought you might enjoy them, too. They're nice and red/pink, great holiday colors. And they're very delicious and decadent.

(Anyone out there good at food pictures? My bars look like weird alien brain squares, not delicious pink cherry bars. They still taste very good.)

If you want them more pink, just add some food coloring.

Cherry Bars

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 T. shortening
3 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
1/2 c. maraschino cherry juice
4 eggs
4 1/2 c. flour
1 c. maraschino cherries, halved

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond extract, cherry juice, and eggs. Beat until very smooth and creamy. Stir in flour and cherries. Spread in greased jelly roll pan (15x10). Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Thursday Recipe - Applesauce Cookies

Note to self: I need to create an index of recipes so I know what I've already posted. Maybe next week.

This is the season for cookies and treats. Right? Wrong. Any season is the season for cookies and treats. These cookies come out moist and tender with a great spice apple flavor. If you use at least half whole wheat flour, they're also healthy. As healthy as cookies can get, anyway. This recipe makes quite a few cookies so prepare to share.

Applesauce Cookies

2 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
4 eggs
3 c. applesauce
5 c. flour (half whole wheat if you like)
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar. Stir in salt, vanilla, soda, spices, eggs, and applesauce. Beat well. Stir in flour, oatmeal, and chocolate chips. The dough should be pretty sticky. Bake a single cookie. If it spreads too much, stir in an extra 1/2 - 1 c. flour. Cookies bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on sheets for a few minutes. They will set up more as they cool.

Thursday Recipe - Freezer Cookies

No, these aren't a weird variant of no-bake cookies. These are cookies that used to be really popular but you just don't see them anymore, except in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Pillsbury sort of filled the niche. The homemade version of icebox cookies is so much better.

Mix up a huge batch on a day when you've got lots of energy or help, wrap the logs of dough, and freeze. Then on those lazy days when you just don't want to move, pull a roll out, slice, and bake. Tasty homemade cookies in no time. Here's the basic vanilla recipe, which turns out a lot like sugar cookies, and lots of variations. If I can get moving, I'll make a batch and post some pictures. Except mine tend to look like mutant alien heads. But they still taste nummy.

Freezer Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. salt
3 c. flour
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and salt. Beat until very light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add flour. Stir just until mixed. Divide dough in half. Color as desired. Shape one half into a roll 2 inches in diameter and about 7 inches long. Wrap tightly in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Freeze at least 4 hours, or up to one month.

Heat oven to 400°. Cut roll into 1/8 inch slices. Bake on lightly sprayed cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes. Cool one minute. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack. One roll makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Variations:
Instead of vanilla, use:
Lemon: stir in 1 t. lemon flavoring. Sprinkle cookies with dry lemon jello just before baking.
Orange or lime: same as above except use orange or lime flavoring. Color dough as desired.
Eggnog: add 1 t. rum flavoring and 1 t. nutmeg to dough. Dip cooled cookies into vanilla glaze.
Almond: add 1 t. almond extract. Sprinkle with chopped almonds if desired.

Peanut butter: use 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c. peanut butter. Use 1 c. brown sugar instead of white.
Graham: use whole wheat flour and brown sugar instead of white.
Coconut: add 1/4 c. shredded coconut and 1 t. coconut flavoring. Substitute 1/2 c. brown sugar for the white.
Peppermint: add 1 t. peppermint flavoring, add coloring as desired.
Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate, add sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, etc.
Make into sandwich cookies - spread jam or frosting on the bottom side of one cookie. Top with another cookie.

Thursday Recipe - Chocolate Frogs

Today's recipe comes from a miserable failure of an activity. I thought since my kids were going to be home for two weeks over Christmas, I would set up a mini-Hogwarts school. They were big into Harry Potter at the time. I had all these great ideas for activities and cool things to do. The only parts that worked were making fancy wands out of pencils and cooking up the fun recipes I found.

These cookies are the big, soft chocolate cookies with powdered sugar. I usually call them Plate Tectonics Cookies, because they look like the big plates shifting around on the earth. It's a sneaky way to reinforce science concepts. Cookies lend themselves so well to teaching geology concepts. I should market an entire basic geology course mixed with a cookie baking course.

Chocolate Frogs were a hit with my kids. They still are.

Chocolate Frogs

2 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil
3/4 c. cocoa
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. flour
3/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix sugar, oil, and cocoa. Beat in eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour just until cookies are mixed. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°. Scoop dough into balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Cool before eating.

Thursday Recipe - Green Tomato Mincemeat Cookies

It's that time of year, when mother nature bites the garden with frost. It never fails. My tomato plants are just starting to really produce, then, WHAM! Frost and snow. What to do with all those green tomatoes hanging onto those forlorn vines? Make this recipe, of course.

The mincemeat can be made ahead, it's actually better if you let it sit for a day or two before making the cookies. If you're into canning, it can be bottled and processed. Follow the guidelines for your area if you decide to seal the bottles for storage.

Either way, 'tis the season for these flavors. Enjoy!

Green Tomato Mincemeat

9 c. finely chopped very green tomatoes
1 tart apple, like granny smith, peeled, cored, & chopped
1 c. raisins
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. minced orange zest, the orange part of the peel
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer about 1 1/2 hours until mixture is thick and goopy. Stir every ten minutes or so. Remove from heat and bottle, if desired. Otherwise, cool and refrigerate in covered containers. Makes about 5 pints. (You can cut the recipe in half if needed.)

Mincemeat cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until very fluffy. Add in egg, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in flour just until mixed. Form dough into two rolls about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 months.

To make cookies:
Heat oven to 375°. Let dough defrost for about 15-20 minutes. Slice dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place on greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with 1 T. mincemeat. Top with another cookie slice. Seal edges using a fork. Cut two or three slits in top crust. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until lightly browned on edges. Let cool before eating.

One cookie recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies and uses about 1 pint of green tomato mincemeat.

Thursday Recipe - No-Bake Cookies, or Gorilla Poops

I started cooking when I was nine. I distinctly remember my first batch of cupcakes from scratch. They looked odd and tasted funny, but I was so proud of them. My family grumbled a bit but ate them anyway. Later, I realized I'd mistaken 3 t. to mean 3 tablespoons. Three times too much baking soda equals not good cupcakes. Hey, I was nine.

Adventures in cooking continued. As a teen, I went on a weird cookie spree, trying out any and every recipe I had. Food coloring was my friend. The one cookie I've never really mastered? No-bake cookies. Despite careful measuring and stirring and cooking, I have no idea if they'll turn out soft and chewy or hard and crumbly. After one particularly crumbly, messy batch, I gave up trying to make it form cookies and just dumped the entire pot onto a cookie sheet in one big pile.

"What kind of cookie is that?" my sister asked.

"Elephant poop." And so the line of poop cookies were born.

(BTW, when these cookies turn out dry and crumbly, they make excellent ice cream topping or the basis of chocolate oatmeal for breakfast, just add some water and microwave for a minute or two.)

Gorilla poops are normal no-bake cookies. Elephant poops are when you're tired of scooping or it doesn't work so you dump the entire batch in one enormous cookie. Monkey poops are the peanut butter variety. Orangutan poops are chocolate AND peanut butter. Chimpanzee poops have extra goodies added. Are you sensing a theme here? Good, go make some gorilla poops for your kids.

Gorilla Poops

3 c. oatmeal, quick cooking if you've got it
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk or water
1/3 c. cocoa
1 t. vanilla

Mix oatmeal and coconut in a large mixing bowl, set aside. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add sugar, milk, and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. We're talking a rolling boil here that you can't stir down. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, then pour over oatmeal mixture. Stir quickly to coat the oatmeal. Scoop by teaspoons onto waxed paper. Cool for at least 15 minutes. If it's way too sticky, serve it on a spoon and call it spoon cookies. If it crumbles, make it into an elephant poop and serve over ice cream. If it turns out right, pat yourself on the back.

Monkey Poops - Omit cocoa. Reduce butter to 1/4 c. Add 1/2 c. peanut butter with the vanilla.

Orangutan Poops - Make Monkey Poops but leave in the cocoa.

Chimpanzee Poops - Reduce oatmeal to 2 c. Add 1 to 1 1/2 c. of whatever you want to the oatmeal mix. Suggestions - dried cranberries or cherries, mini-marshmallows, nuts, m&m's, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, crispy rice cereal, cheerios, fruity pebbles, captain crunch berry cereal, chow mein noodles, etc.