What's your favorite cookie?

[Anne]

ok, 'tis the season for cookies, at least here.

What's your favorite?

It's just not Yule for me without Hermits

http://novaclutch.typepad.com/novaclutch/images/2007/07/22/004_hermit_cookie_4.jpg

(moleasses, nuts, raisins, spices)

and caramel refrig cookies.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wTB2n4D2Q4A/SgR2p4ijyYI/AAAAAAAAAd0/tKngHbQRMAU/s320/caramel+refrigerator+cookies+028+5x3+120+dpi.jpg

(like the slice and bakes from the store, only better)



Other than that, I'm making peanut cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chips, molasses, those toffee bars that were popular in the 80's, angel wings, mocha cookies... there has to be more and I'm forgetting them...

[muidiri]

Oh goodness... so many to choose from.

I'm very fond of gingersnaps and pfeffernusse... but my husband likes neither. he likes peanut butter cookies and oatmeal scotchies... which I dislike. I'll probably make some lemon tea cookies, maybe some shortbread cookies. I recently found a store that carries ground dried coconut, so I might try macaroons again.

[Octavia]

I love chocolate afghans, with walnuts on top. Yes, I'm sure you're all very surprised. :p

I also like Anzac biscuits, especially when they're warm from the oven.

[Christina]

I'm making only things that Joe likes so that I don't end up eating all of anything. So far he wants pretty simple things - gingerbread, sugar cookies, jam centered ones, oatmeal/raisin and these very decadent dessert bars. Plain sugar cookies are kind of boring to me.

[Anne]

I forgot hazelnut butter cookies. I love those.

and oatmeal raisin.

[Octavia]

I do love gingerbread men, too. Do they count as cookies?

[Christina]

Sure, and they're really easy to make unless you hate rolling out dough.

[Octavia]

Even if I did, and I don't, I'd roll it out anyway just to decorate the little sods.

Also, is it wrong if I eat their heads first? I think it's over quicker for them that way...

[Christina]

I'm terrible at decorating because my hands aren't steady enough anymore so Joe does it. They don't tremble in any noticeable way but I can feel it. Joe eats the heads first and I eat the legs or skirt, then the arms, then the head, then the middle. I don't know why.

[Anne]

I am a heads first person too.

We made ours with a molasses cookie recipe found in a dead great aunt's box of recipes this year. they are quite different, and very tasty.

[Christina]

I've never made them without molasses. I didn't know that it wasn't an essential ingredient. Is that what you meant or did you mean that you don't use a lot of ginger?

[Anne]

Oh! I meant that the cookie was labeled as 'molasses' not 'gingerbread' in her box!

It's lighter in color and taste than a gingerbread cookie that I'm used to, and lighter in color and taste than molasses cookies I'm used to.

I'd think molasses is essential to a gingerbread cookie, as well.

She has another cookie labeled 'cookie' in her box that I want to try as well. Looks like a real old fashioned sugar cookie.

It's weird going through a dead woman's recipes, especially since I never met her. But I also feel a companionship.

[Christina]

I think that someone would be happy to imagine that another person that loved to cook too would come to love her recipes as well as she did and continue to pass them on.

I asked this in the other thread but it's really about cookies. Does anyone use margarine instead of butter and can you taste the difference? I don't like it but some kinds are lower in fat and healthier so if they feel and taste the same I would use it.

[Anne]

I don't--- I only use butter (or lard, if called for).

I think I can tell the difference. I know some people who claim to enough they don't like one or the other.

I'd need to have a taste test, and I don't want to do that much work.

:)

My boy is reading everything I type over my shoulder as fast as I can type it, and I'm going pretty fast right this second. He needs to get back to chores!!!!!!

His favorite cookies are hermits as well, with a second fave being chocolate chip.

[Christina]

I suppose I could do a trial on just a quarter of a batch or something but I don't want to do that much work either. On the other hand, if Joe liked them and I didn't I wouldn't eat so many.

[Anne]

I find that butter is more satisfying so I eat less.

[muidiri]

My boy is reading everything I type over my shoulder as fast as I can type it, and I'm going pretty fast right this second. He needs to get back to chores!!!!!!


This cracked me up :D.

[muidiri]

For most dinner-type cooking, I don't care. When it comes to baking, though, I prefer unsalted butter. Maybe its the lack of salt, but I also think it's the texture.

I know I've made my grandma's pie crust with butter, margarine, and shortening, and can tell the difference between each. It has the best texture when made with shortening... but the best flavor when made with butter. Margarine was a loss all around.

I've got a couple of recipes that just won't work with margarine. I've got a mushroom buerre blanc sauce that requires butter - margarine doesn't cream, it just melts, then the sauce isn't yummy it's just oily.

[Sodong]

I used to bake all kinds of cookies, though not so much any more. Two of my favorites are gingersnaps and coconut-oatmeal-chocolate chip. I make the gingersnaps with both powdered ginger and lots of grated fresh green ginger. They're spicy and I love them. The c-o-cc turn out kind of crispy and chewy and are delicious too. I also like shortbread if it's the melt in your mouth variety. I don't really eat cookies any other time of year so I never substitute the butter. I only like peanut butter cookies if my mom makes them because mine and any others I've tried just aren't the same.

[Christina]

I'll stick to butter then. Nothing about Christmas cookies is supposed to be healthy anyway.

[Anne]

good call, Christina!

I used to bake all kinds of cookies, though not so much any more. Two of my favorites are gingersnaps and coconut-oatmeal-chocolate chip. I make the gingersnaps with both powdered ginger and lots of grated fresh green ginger. They're spicy and I love them. The c-o-cc turn out kind of crispy and chewy and are delicious too. I also like shortbread if it's the melt in your mouth variety. I don't really eat cookies any other time of year so I never substitute the butter. I only like peanut butter cookies if my mom makes them because mine and any others I've tried just aren't the same.

mmmm... recipes?

[Daydream]

I love SOFT enormous chocolate chip cookies, warm right out of the oven. :D

[Christina]

Damn. I went to the store and got everything I needed to start the baking tomorrow and I forgot to get parchment paper. Now I'll have to go back to town in the morning unless I go now.

[DMB]

English people don't have cookies. Instead we buy biscuits and I like the very dry ones. For cheese my favourites are Bath Olivers. They were invented in the 18th century by a Dr Oliver of Bath as a diet aid for his gouty patients. But for sinfulness, there is a smaller version covered in thick bitter chocolate, called Chocolate Olivers. They were apparently a favourite of John Lennon's who reportedly asked on one occasion to be paid for something in Chocolate Olivers.

See William Oliver (physician)

[Christina]

I hate this morning. Everything is going wrong so far. My electric mixer just died and most of my recipes call for whipping the butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy. Is it possible to get it to that state by hand? I never tried but people made cookies long before mixers existed so maybe it's OK. I don't even have one of those weird old hand mixers.

ETA: It worked fine. I just had to stir very, very fast. Then I realized that I was out of molasses. I want to go back to bed but I drank too much coffee.

[Unbeliever]

Snickerdoodles. Cinnamon sugar cookies, basically.

[darjeeling]

Lemon ricotta cookies with a lemon glaze.

[B Cereus]

I hate this morning. Everything is going wrong so far. My electric mixer just died and most of my recipes call for whipping the butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy. Is it possible to get it to that state by hand? I never tried but people made cookies long before mixers existed so maybe it's OK. I don't even have one of those weird old hand mixers.



I've always creamed the butter and sugar by hand. Make sure the butter is softened first, either by microwaving it briefly (not enough to melt it), or by leaving the butter out at room temp for a few hours. I can get light and fluffy enough by hand, using a wooden spoon to mix, and my cookies have always been sufficiently tasty. :)

[Christina]

Yes, it came out fine. I got a mixer when I went to the store but the wooden spoon works just as well and with less mess to clean up.

[B Cereus]

To answer the OP: mint brownies, a recipe I got from my sister-in-law. Basically brownies, with a layer of peppermint frosting, then a topping of chocolate.

[Sodong]

good call, Christina!

I used to bake all kinds of cookies, though not so much any more. Two of my favorites are gingersnaps and coconut-oatmeal-chocolate chip. I make the gingersnaps with both powdered ginger and lots of grated fresh green ginger. They're spicy and I love them. The c-o-cc turn out kind of crispy and chewy and are delicious too. I also like shortbread if it's the melt in your mouth variety. I don't really eat cookies any other time of year so I never substitute the butter. I only like peanut butter cookies if my mom makes them because mine and any others I've tried just aren't the same.

mmmm... recipes?Sorry I didn't see this until now, the big kahuna soon to be upon us. For the ginger snaps, if you have a favorite recipe just add an extra teaspoon of powdered ginger to the dry ingredients and peel a two inch chunk of green ginger and use a fine-toothed grater. It should produce a heaping tablespoon of grated ginger you should add to the wet ingredients. Most of these recipes call for several hours to overnight refrigeration of the dough and preheating of the oven. Don't skip either step or you won't get that "snap" texture to the cookie. I like to roll out the dough into a sausage shape, wrap it in wax paper and refrigerate. Then when I have the oven preheated I can take the roll out and slice it nice and thin with a sharp knife. If sufficiently refrigerated they'll only spread out a little. If you skip this step, you will end up with one giant cookie instead.

My recipe for coconut-oatmeal chocolate chip is out at my mom's and I'll see if I can dig it out and post it over the holidays. It's one of those finicky recipes that aren't amenable to messing around with (cutting the quantities in half, for example) unless you don't mind ending up with some consistency other than crispy/chewy...and you don't want that, really. :)

[Anne]

http://images.savontv.com/im/nwimages/garlic-twist.jpg

that is a 'garlic twist'.

It also finely minced ginger.

Just a FYI.

thanks, Sodong! I have 2 cookies left to make, and 2 more to bake, and then a tree cake...

[Mediancat]

Berger Cookies (http://bergercookies.com/)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JUFTd9kMlPw/RoRGGceiOsI/AAAAAAAAAos/c8iXs0b-pjI/s400/P1000743.JPG

Those of you who don't live in the Baltimore area, I feel sorry for you.

Rob

[Sodong]

http://images.savontv.com/im/nwimages/garlic-twist.jpg

that is a 'garlic twist'.

It also finely minced ginger.

Just a FYI.

thanks, Sodong! I have 2 cookies left to make, and 2 more to bake, and then a tree cake...
If the ginger is fresh and juicy (which is best) I can do it like that in my garlic press. I call it the pursuader. :)

[RBH]

Chocolate chip cookies are the staff of life, with oatmeal cranberry chocolate chip a very close second.

[Anne]

I don't have the heand strength for that, Sodong... :( But I'll pass it on. :)

[Christina]

I'm so sick of cookies.

[Anne]

not me not yet... :)

[miss djax]

I'm so sick of cookies.

i miss cookies...diabetes is a buzz kill :(

[Anne]

(((hugs)))

would heavy nut and butter cookies be better?

Jeez--- I've found a ton of gluten free things... there must be diabetic as well!

[Christina]

What do you need to avoid besides sugar?

[miss djax]

i'm still trying to figure that out :( i have an appt with a nutritionist in a week-ish and there are no diabetes classes starting any time soon :( so mostly from what i gather white flour too. basically anything that isn't a complex carb..i'm so starved for something chocolate its pathetic, really

[Anne]

hot cocoa? Cocoa has no fat and sugar, until you add it...

So sorry!

[Christina]

Sugar Free Dove's Dark Chocolate (http://www.diabeticfoodcritic.com/dfc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114&Itemid=36) is delicious. It's about 200 calories for 5 pieces so if you can keep it to 2 that's barely any calories. It comes in a few flavors.

Here are a bunch of hits (http://www.google.com/search?q=glueten+and+sugar+free+chocolate+cake+rec ipe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) for sugar and gluten free chocolate cake if that could work.

[Anne]

reddi whip makes a chocolate whipped cream that's incredible... it has 15 calories for 2T, which is 1 1gr sugar and 1 gr fat.

2T doesn't sound like a lot, but it's literally whipped cream and chocolate. mmmmm

[miss djax]

Sugar Free Dove's Dark Chocolate (http://www.diabeticfoodcritic.com/dfc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114&Itemid=36) is delicious. It's about 200 calories for 5 pieces so if you can keep it to 2 that's barely any calories. It comes in a few flavors.

Here are a bunch of hits (http://www.google.com/search?q=glueten+and+sugar+free+chocolate+cake+rec ipe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) for sugar and gluten free chocolate cake if that could work.

omg dove makes sugarfree chocolate? i could kiss you right now!!!!!!!!!!

[Christina]

Yep, they're usually in the candy aisle of the supermarket along with other kinds of sugar free candy. Drugstores often carry them also.

[Goldie]

I forgot hazelnut butter cookies. I love those.

and oatmeal raisin.

I'm a big fan of oatmeal raisin... but for the most part, I like my cookies light, crisp, not toooooo sweet and simple.
I really love fortune cookies and my peanut butter cookies.

I don't eat cookies very often.

[Shake]

Oh, so many to choose from. Cookies are my downfall. I love them.

In a prepackaged variety, I have to go with the Double Stuf Oreos.

Otherwise this:
I love SOFT enormous chocolate chip cookies, warm right out of the oven. :D

Though I do enjoy some of the Girl Scout cookies, snickerdoodles, and peanut butter cookies (which I can't have in the house due to my oldest having a severe peanut allergy). Oh, and I also love a good molasses cookie. The ones they sold back in school were always very good. As I recall, my ex-sister in law had a really good recipe, too.

[Abel.]

Macadamia nut mmmm,, num numms :joy:

[Sodong]

Ok, Anne, I realize I'm a tad late with this promised cookie recipe. Sorry. Maybe you can file it away for next cookie season :)

Oven Temp. 350 degrees

1 cup butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 to 1 1/2 cups coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp water

-Cream butter. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
-Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
-In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (except water).
-Add gradually into creamed mixture and beat constantly until dough is blended.
-Add water and beat briefly to bind dough.
-Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets.
-Bake for 11-14 minutes or until golden
-Cool briefly on cookie sheets and then carefully move cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

This recipe is overly sensitive to changes in quantities. I've even tried halving it and they don't quite turn out right, so best to follow it to the letter if you want the cookies to spread out and get all chewy and crispy. They spread out quite a bit too, so leave lots of room or you'll end up with one giant cookie. :)

[Sodong]

I don't have the heand strength for that, Sodong... :( But I'll pass it on. :)My hands are not real strong anymore either. My garlic press compensates quite adequately for that. It's a great heavy stainless steel thing with nice long handles (more leverage). I paid quite a lot for it (~$30), but it's worth every penny. Most garlic presses available that I've seen are pretty useless (short handles, light weight crappy metal construction and removable grids) all worthless junk. Ginger is easier to crush if you crush it with force perpendicular to the fibres. Of course, a decent cleaver will do the same thing.

[Anne]

Thank you!

[Rie]

:dunno:Now I feel all guilty! Because , once my kids flew the coop, I stopped cooking much at all.

Am I unnatural? Where are my feminine instincts? OH GOD, is there no hope for the likes of me!!!!!

[Horrorfan]

Molasses cookies are my favorite but there are many that are right close behind. Cookies are yummy. :)

[Jet Black]

I like my BBC news cookie. I keep it refreshed and up to date as often as possible.

[Valheru]

Secular Cafe board cookies, so I don't have to type in my fucking password every time!

Other than that, hands-down winnar is Baker's Eet-sum-more scottish shortbread.

http://www.senecahillperennials.com/uploads/images/sa_2_15_08/eet_sum_more.JPG

That shit is NOM!

[Matty]

Hobnobs. The king of dunkers.

if we mean cookie cookie as in actual, N American, Timmies type cookie rather than all biscuits, then Oatmeal Raisin ftw. The proper chewy sort. Chocolate chip is for people who really should just go buy a chocolate bar, they bring nothing to a cookie.


ETA. Okay if shortbread is included then yeah. That stuff is damn good.