Cookie 4- Chocolate Chip Heaven Cookies pg. 119

So I went baking happy and now the cookie jar is most definitely full, in fact, overflowing.




These I decided to do because we needed a more classic cookie around. Of course, they aren't your typical chocolate chip cookie because they have walnuts in them (Yum ^_^). Here you go- enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups copped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chapped walnuts

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together four, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.




In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.



Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.



By hand, fold in chocolate and walnuts. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at leat 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.



Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.



Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Cookie 3- Cinnamon Spirals pg. 554

Huzzah! Snow day!



After darling took me out for a nice lunch I came back and decided to repay him with cookies. Today we're working on these fun little treats that are not as simple as some of the previous. Not to say they are difficult either tho.

Cookies-

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vnilla extract

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.



In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.



Add egg and beat well. Beat in vanilla.



Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.



Shape dough into a flat rectangle.



Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at leat 1 hour.





Using confectioner's sugar or flour, lightly dust a pastry board, clean countertop or other flat surface and a rolling pin. Unwrap dough and roll into a 12- by 9- inch rectangle of uniform thickness.

Filling-

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon until well blended.



Spread melted butter evenly over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges.



Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter.



Starting with long edge, tightly roll up dough jelly-roll style to form a log.




Tightly wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.



Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Unwrap chilled dough log. Using a sharp knife, cut log into 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) slices.







Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart.



Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.

Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to rack and cool completely. This recipe yields approximately 45 cookies.

Cookie 2- Spice Cookies pg. 85

I wish I had been baking more since last post, but life has been busy.

Luckily things worked out very well today and I had time to bake! I decided to go with these cookies because the recipe is simple and because Amendt describes them as "Warm spice notes make these cookies a perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea," which is just what I need after all this snow and shoveling.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional granulated sugar

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, ginger and salt until well combined.



Set aside.



In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.



Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, Scrape down sides of bowl.



On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.



Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at leat 1 hour.



Preheat over to 350F (180C). Lightly grease hands with nonstick cooking spray.



Roll pieces of dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls.



Roll balls in granulated sugar.




Place about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 10 20 12 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.



Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.


This recipe will yield about 50 cookies.

Cookie 1- Brown Sugar Cookies pg. 82

These looked like a fun simple cookie so I started with them.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda until well combined.



Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.





Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.





Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease hands with nonstick cooking spray. Roll pieces of dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Place about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.





Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.



Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely. This recipe will yield about 40 cookies.



Now if you want them to be crispy you can bake them 10 to 14 minutes. I accidentally forgot to set the timer on the last pan so I made them crispy. Consensus seems to be that the softer ones are better, but crispy is good if that's your thing.



I don't know if I'll have time for another cookie tonite. I hope so! In the meanwhile I'm going to shower and get ready for swing dancing.

Happy baking!

First Post

Welcome! This will be my explorative diary as I work my way through a cookie book I purchased for my darling. It's called "400 Sensational Cookies" and can be found here: on Amazon. We've already made a couple of them, so at some point in time I'll go back and either make those again (likely because we enjoyed them very much) or will simply post about them.

I hope to post the recipes, how we fared, suggestions, and general feedback from our friends and fellow cookie eaters. Any and all comments are welcome as we progress down this cookie baking road, especially those from people who are also cookie fiends like ourselves.

Today I will probably post again because while darling is at work I'll be busy in the kitchen. I hope to try at least two cookies today (I bought him a cookie jar and I'd like to fill it up!).

So welcome fellow cookie eaters! May the fun begin!

^_^