COOKIES

Date-Nut Pinwheels Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

 1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

1¾ cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

Date-nut Filling:

¾ lb. pitted dates, cut up into small pieces

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

½ cup finely chopped pecans

Cookies:

Cream together; butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Divide dough in half. Roll each of the two pieces onto waxed paper into a rectangle shape about 11x17”.

Filling:  cook the first three ingredients in saucepan, until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in nuts. Cool.

Spread date-nut filling onto rectangles. Roll up each rectangle tightly, beginning at wide side. Pinch edge to seal. Wrap each roll in waxed paper and chill several hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven, grease cookie sheet, remove cookies “logs” from waxed paper, cut into ¼” slices, place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 400, for 8-10 mins. Cool on wire rack.

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Vermont Maple Pecan Cookies

Chewy texture, lots of nutrition, addictive.

3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 2/3 cup flour (I use whole white wheat flour for the 2/3 cup part)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups packed light brown sugar (or 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup Splenda)

1 cup unsalted butter

½ cup maple syrup

2 Tbsp light corn syrup or rice syrup

2 tsp baking soda

¼ cup boiling water

1 tsp maple or vanilla extract (I use maple)

2 cups chopped toasted pecan

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Combine oats, coconut, flour, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a large bowl; whisk to blend.

Combine butter, maple syrup and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Heat over med heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.

Combine baking soda and boiling water, stirring to dissolve. Add to maple syrup mixture, stirring well. Add extract. Stir into dry ingredients. Add pecans; stir well.

Place ¼ cup size balls of dough on baking sheets, 3 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake 18 to 20 mins, until golden brown and set, rotating potions halfway through the baking process. Cool on the baking sheets 5 mins: transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookies.

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Dreamy Sugar Cookies (a Swig Cookie knock-off)

 

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

1 cup sour cream

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp almond extract

4 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

325 12 mins, cool on rack  8 mins

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Gorp Hermits

GORP is basically Trail Mix. It stands for Good Old Raisins and Peanuts

 

1 /2 cups raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup melted butter

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp dried ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

Zest of one orange

3 eggs

½ cup molasses

2 ¼ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup thick-cut oats

½ cup toasted chopped almonds

½ cup chopped peanuts

¼ cup crystallized ginger

½ cup mini-chocolate chips

Coarse sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9"x 13" pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment.

In a small saucepan over med-hi, bring 1” of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add raisins and cranberries. Cover and set aside.

In a med bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, spices and zest. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Stir in the molasses, flour, baking powder, then mix until completely incorporated.

Stir in the oats, peanuts, almonds, ginger, and chocolate. Drain the dried fruit, discarding any leftover liquid that is  not absorbed, stir fruit into batter. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 40 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then overturn onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment and cut into bars. Serves 24.

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Granola-Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

                                                         

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup unsalted butter, soft

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups granola

¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowls. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating until well combined, beat in vanilla. Beat in flour. Gently stir in granola, crans, and chips.

Middle rack, 350  degrees, silpat (silicon sheet) on sheet or lightly greased sheet, 12 to 15 mins, cool on racks. Makes 3 dozen.

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Not-Neiman’s Cookies

There is a ridiculous story, circulated for decades now about how Neiman’s Department Store would sell some amazing cookies, a lady asked for the recipe, they gave it to her, then charged her $500, legally she was obligated to pay it, so for revenge she published the recipe. Bogus story! I’m sure the cookies were great, but whether this recipe is from Neiman’s or not, they are legit, bona fide, darn good.

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

 1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 ½ cups oatmeal, blenderized

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

12 oz chocolate chips, semi-sweet

4 oz grated milk chocolate

1 ½ cups chopped nuts (pecans are best, walnuts are good, too)

Cream butter and sugar; mix in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add it to the butter mixture. Add chocolates and nuts. Roll into balls, about golf-ball sized. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 mins. Makes 4 ½ dozen, or less depending on how much dough you ate. (I know you did!)

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Nutmeg Logs

I found this one in the newspaper a few years ago. It became an instant classic for our family.

Cookies:

3 cups sifted flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp nutmeg, plus more for garnish

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp rum flavoring

Frosting:

3 Tbsp butter

 ½ tsp vanilla

1 tsp rum flavoring

2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 Tbsp evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cookies: Sift flour and nutmeg. Cream butter and sugar, blend in egg and flavorings. Gradually add the dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. Shape pieces of dough on lightly floured surface into long rolls, ½” diameter. Cut into 3-inch pieces; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake until light golden brown, 12-15 mins. Let cool.

Frosting: Cream butter with flavorings. Blend in ½ cup powdered sugar, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition until spreading consistency.

Spread Frosting onto cooled Cookies. Mark Frosting with tines of a fork to resemble tree bark. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 4 dozen.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

I got this from my Uncle Warren Hohnstein. He’d made some before I arrived for a visit when he and Ethel lived up on the Clearwater River in Idaho. They were the BEST that I’d ever had and he chuckled and had me copy the recipe from the label on the jar of Skippy.

2 cups quick oats

1¼ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

¼ tsp salt

Blend well.

In a large mixing bowl, mix:

1 cup margarine (I use butter)

1 cup chunky Peanut Butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

 1 tsp vanilla

Once those are mixed until smooth, add the flour mixture a large spoonful at a time.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet. 350 degrees for 12 mins.

 

_____________________________________________________________________Quadruple Ginger Cookies

 

2 cups flour, at our high altitude I add about 3 Tbsp more

2-3 tsp ginger (I do 3)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp salt

½ to 1 tsp cloves

up to 2 tsp coriander (or omit, but this gives it more spice, more punch)

½ to ¾ cup finely snipped crystallized ginger (I use ¾. Save a ton by buying it in bulk at natural grocers.)

½ cup shortening

¼ cup butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

1 tsp ginger juice (I put fresh ginger through a clean garlic press, but I use the juice and the fibers, too)

In med bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and spices. Stir in crystallized ginger. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine shortening and butter. Beat on med speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Beat in egg and molasses. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in ginger juice and fibers from pressing. Cover and chill for about an hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet, set aside. Place some sugar or Ginger Sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, rolls them in the sugar. Place 1 ½ inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 mins or until the edges are set. Cool on sheet for 1 min. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

Makes 4 dozen.

Note: to make Ginger Sugar. Coarsely chop enough fresh ginger to make 1/4 cup. In a small bowl combine the ginger and ¾ cup sugar. Let stand for 1 hour or overnight. Sugar will clump slightly. Strain through a fine sieve and discard ginger. I found this step to be cumbersome and the flavor wasn’t worth it. Regular sugar is perfectly fine and much easier.

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Raw Coconut Macaroons

 

3 cups coconut flakes

1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup honey

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Pinch salt

Process in food processor. Make into small balls, about 1 ½ tsp in size. Freeze 20 mins. Can be refrigerated or frozen.

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Trail Bars

 

¾ cup flour

½ cup oatmeal

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup toasted wheat germ

1 Tbsp grated orange peel

¾ cup brown sugar, divided

2 eggs

1/3  cup whole almonds

½ cup coconut

Heat oven to 350. Mix flour, oats, butter, wheat germ, peel with ½ cup brown sugar until just mixed. At med speed, mix for two mins (mixture will look dry). With lightly floured hands, pat dough into an 8” square baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix eggs with remaining ¼ cup brown sugar. Stir in almonds and coconut. Spread over mixture in pan. Bake 30-35 mins. Cool, cut into bars.