October 4, 2018

Celebrate National Cookie Month with Some Tasty Treats

October is National Cookie Month, so if you like to bake, you have a good excuse to try some new recipes. Cookies are great treats you can serve for any occasion, and they can be made with a wide range of ingredients. Celebrate National Cookie Month and try one of these top-tier cookie recipes.

Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

Makes: 2 dozen cookies

Preparation Time: about 1 day

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (chips are fine)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 heaping cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 2/3 cups bread flour
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Place 1 cup of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or chips) in a microwave safe measuring cup and add 2 tablespoons butter. Heat for 45 seconds, then remove and stir. If chocolate is not all melted, return to microwave for 10-second increments until fully melted.
  2. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; this takes about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time.
  4. Slowly add in melted (and slightly cooled) chocolate and vanilla.
  5. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until just combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.
  6. Refrigerate dough for 24 to 36 hours. (Do not skip this step!)
  7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. (325 for convection)
  8. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake. Slightly gooey centers is the best way to eat!

Snickerdoodles

Makes: 48 cookies

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose or unbleached flour
  • 2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Mix 1 1/2 cups of sugar, the butter, shortening, and eggs in large bowl. Stir in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack.

Oreo-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes: 18-24 cookies

Preparation Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups peanut butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 18 -24 Oreo cookies (You can use Peanut Butter Oreos too)
  • Flour

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until they are smooth.
  3. Add in the eggs, one at a time.
  4. Stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
  5. Using a medium ice cream scoop, (roughly 1 to 2 tablespoons) scoop out the peanut butter cookie dough and set it on top of the Oreo cookies. Repeat until the Oreos all have peanut butter cookie dough on them.
  6. Carefully press the dough around the cookie (try not to break it) so that all of the Oreo is covered in peanut butter dough.
  7. Repeat until all of the Oreos are covered.
  8. Using a fork dipped in flour, press the fork into the top of the dough and create the crisscross pattern.
  9. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are just starting to brown on the edges.
  10. Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Giant Sugar Cookies with Cherry Buttercream Frosting

Makes: 12 large cookie

Preparation Time: about 30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (or 3 sticks)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. almond extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder

Cherry Buttercream

  • 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
  • 1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
  • Rainbow sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

Cookies

  1. In a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until well combined; this takes about 2 minutes.
  2. Add in eggs and extracts; mix until just combined.
    In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add dry ingredients to the butter mixture. (You can use a mixer or wooden spoon.)
  3. Mix ingredients until combined. If you over-mix this dough, it will get too tough.
  4. Put dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. (If your dough is sticky, add more flour, up to 1 cup.) When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350°F. (325 for convection)
  5. Roll dough out, use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out cookies, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The cookies are better when slightly underdone, not golden around the edges.

Cherry Buttercream

  1. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
  2. Add almond flavoring and cherry juice continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more juice if needed for spreading consistency.
  3. Spread frosting on cookies and top with optional Rainbow Sprinkles.

Inspiration from:
iambaker.net (recipes 1, 3 & 4)
bettycrocker.com (recipe 2)

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