cookies

Chinese Almond Cookies!

Jennifer Leave a comment

almond-cookies

Happy Chinese New Year! I wanted to make something special to share for the New Year and these are one of the traditional desserts. One of my friends in high school used to bake almond cookies for all different occasions. My Mom used to make a similar cookie during Christmas but she would top it with half a maraschino cherry. Brushing egg whites on the top before baking gives them a nice golden finish. Enjoy!

Yield: about 42 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon water

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork. Place almond in center of cookie.
3. In a small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush over cookies.
4. Bake at 325° for 14-16 minutes or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Double Chocolate Crinkles!

Jennifer Leave a comment

double-chocolate-crackles

I typically make these cookies around the holidays for friends and family, but I wanted to bake something special to bring into the office this week. These are pretty simple to make and don’t require any out of the ordinary ingredients, but the dough does need to chill before it is shaped to bake. This has been one of my favorite recipes and is perfect for anyone that loves chocolate 🙂
Ingredients:
2 cups (12oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup powdered sugar

Procedure:
1. Microwave 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a bowl, uncovered for 1 minute and stir. Microwave at additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Stir. Beat sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Then mix in the remaining chocolate chips. Cover; refrigerate just until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll in the powdered sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until sides are set but centers are still slightly soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and move to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe is adapted from Nestle’s Firecracker Fudge Cookies.

Dark-Chocolate Pecan Oatmeal Cookies with Maldons!

Jennifer 1 Comment

dark chocolate-pecan cookies

Maldon sea salt is hand-harvested in England and is perfect as a finishing salt on just about any dish. The soft, flaky, pyramid-shaped crystals really elevate these oatmeal cookies by enhancing the chocolate flavor. Salty and sweet pair so well together. Share these with your loved ones 🙂 Also, be forewarned that these are quite addictive! My co-workers and friends really enjoyed them.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups organic whole cane sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces dark chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Maldons (Large flake sea salt), for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. In large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and butter. Using an electric beater or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them into the butter and sugar mixture. Add in the vanilla as well.
5. With a rubber spatula or with the stand mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
6. Spoon the cookie dough by 1 tablespoon-size balls onto cookie sheet. Place the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 13 minutes.
7. When the cookies come out of the oven IMMEDIATELY sprinkle each cookie with a few crushed sea salt flakes. This is really important to do while the cookies are hot.
8. Let the cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Snickerdoodles!

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snickerdoodles

Since I will be going to a potluck tomorrow, I’m planning on bringing these snickerdoodles, which I’ve been making for years. They’ve been a favorite of my friends and aren’t incredibly unhealthy, considering the recipe yields close to 4 dozen cookies! My friend’s toddler is allergic to eggs, so I decided to use flax eggs this time. Organic cane sugar has some redeeming qualities in that it is less processed than white sugar and is also free of pesticides. With less processing, sugar retains more of the nutrients present in cane juice, including 17 amino acids, 11 minerals, and 6 vitamins, as well as antioxidants. But, of course, sugar is sugar and should be consumed sparingly. At least this will make you feel a little better about having a cookie or two 🙂 These cookies hold up nicely in an airtight container and also freeze well. Enjoy!

Yield: about 4 dozen

1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 ¾ cups natural cane sugar
2 eggs or 2 flax “eggs”**
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
natural cane sugar and cinnamon for rolling (about ½ cup sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs or flax “eggs” until uniform.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
5. Using a 2-teaspoon ice cream scoop, form dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
6. Place on prepared sheet tray and flatten slightly, leaving about 1 ½ inches between them, to allow room for spreading. They will puff up as they bake and then flatten out as they cool.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until barely golden. Remove from oven before they flatten out. Allow cookies to cool on sheet tray for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

**each flax egg requires 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of water. Grind whole flax seeds in coffee grinder and stir in water in a bowl. Allow to set for 10 minutes before using.