ANISE COOKIES
Cream:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon anise extract
MIX & ADD to creamed ingredients:
4 teaspoons anise seed
3 ¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Bring dough together into a ball. Divide dough into 4 smaller balls and flatten.
Chill overnight. Roll each dough-ball out and cut in desired shapes.
Bake at 375ºF for about 10 minutes.
ROLLED SWEET COOKIES
The recipe above is excellent for any flavored cookie. Just omit the anise seed and flavoring and add 1 teaspoon of your favorite flavoring: vanilla, lemon, lime, orange, almond or rum. You can make icing for the cookies by by combining 1 cup of powder sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the same flavoring and enough water for desired spreading consistency.
ARMENIAN COOKIES
| Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature.
Cream: Divide dough into 6 separate balls. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate over night. Before rolling out balls. Have ready a mixture of the following:
|
Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface into a circle (8 to 10 inches round). Cut dough with a sharp knife into 12 pie shaped wedges. In each wedge, spread a small amount of the sugar-nut mixture.
Roll up each wedge starting from the wedge point. Place each roll on a cookie sheet, open end down.
Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 10-20 minutes. Repeat until all dough is used.
Cool cookies and roll each in granulated sugar before storing. Recipe makes 6 dozen cookies.
NOTE: Watch closely while baking. Temperature and time vary depending on ovens. Adjust
temperature as needed to ensure cookies bake through without over browning.
STEP 1: (BELOW) REMOVE CHILLED DOUGH BALL FROM REFRIGERATOR; LET SIT AT ROOM TEMP FOR 1/2 HOUR
STEP 2: (ABOVE) CUT BALL INTO 6 EQUAL PORTIONS AND ROLL INTO BALL
STEP 3: (ABOVE) ONE AT A TIME, ROLL EACH SMALL DOUGH ROUND INTO A CIRCLE
STEP 4: (ABOVE) COVER DOUGH ROUND WITH SUGAR-NUT MIXTURE; PRESS INTO DOUGH
STEP 5: (ABOVE) CUT ROUND INTO 12 PIE-SHAPED WEDGES
STEP 6: (ABOVE) AFTER ROLLING COOKIES SCRAPE LEFT-OVER NUT-SUGAR MIXTURE ONTO A SPATULA AND SAVE IN A SMALL BOWL.
STEP 8 (ABOVE) ROLL WARM COOKIES IN GRANULATED SUGAR
STEP 8: (ABOVE) AFTER ALL THE ARMENIAN COOKIES HAVE BAKED, SPREAD REMAINING SUGAR MIXTURE ONTO A COOKIE SHEET AND TOAST IN THE 350ºF OVEN for 5 MINUTES. COOL AND USE IN DEEP-DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP DELIGHT COOKIE RECIPE UNDER THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPES IN THIS SECTION.
BISCOTTI
Della's Recipe Inno's Recipe
Mom and Dad had very a very different opinion about how to make a perfect biscotti. So much so that they developed different recipe, although I think my father's recipe was a take off on Gina Mattei's recipe. In the end, Dad made the biscottis as he did all the cooking and baking after Mom announced that when she turned 80 she would only supervise in the kitchen. Dad learned to quickly to cook and bake.
Some like their chocolate chip cookies with nuts, some without. I make two batches. Just omit the nuts from one of the batches. This recipe makes thick cookies. Reduce flour by 1/4 to 1/2 cup for flatter baking cookies. Experiment to see which types of cookies your family enjoy. These cookies are a family favorite. A true DELICIOUS MEMORY.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Mix together with a beater:
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Stir together in separate bowl:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon salt
Combine: flour mixture with creamed mixture
Mix in:
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Drop rounded teaspoons 2” apart on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375ºF for 6-9 minutes. If cookies spread or flatten add more flour. Makes
60 - 2” cookies.
Deep-DARK Chocolate Chip Delights
Follow the recipe above omitting the traditional chips and nuts. In place of those ingredients...
ADD
1 cup of the roasted walnut and sugar mixture from the Armenian cookies (see ARMENIAN recipe)
12 oz bag of extra dark chocolate chips
(I use Guittard 63% cacoa)
There are a surprising number of chocolate chips to choose from these days. Mix and match types in your cookies. You can also find peanut butter chips and other flavored chips.
EXPERIMENT SHARE YOUR FAVORITES
CHRISTMAS TRESS
5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 pound of butter (4 sticks), softened
4 eggs
grated rind of one lemon
Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In another bowl cream butter with sugar. Add eggs and lemon rind to creamed mixture. Add butter mixture to flour and mix until ingredients form a large ball. Turn dough onto plastic wrap, seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
This dough is difficult to work with as it warms to room temperature. Push through a cookie press or roll into dough balls then flattened.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until set, about 5 to 6 minutes.
DATE & NUT BARS
Beat until foamy:
2 eggs
Beat in:
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
Sift together and stir in:
½ cup sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Mix in:
1 cup chopped walnut
2 cups finally chopped dates
Spread in well greased 8” square pan (8x8x2). Bake at 350ºF for 10 - 20 minutes or until tops are dull brown. Cut in squares while warm. Cool. Remove from pan. Roll squares in confectioners sugar.
HERSHEY KISS COOKIES
48 Hershey Kisses
½ cup shortening
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
granulated sugar
Heat oven to 375ºF. Remove wrappers from chocolate. Beat shortening, peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned, immediately press chocolate piece into center of each baked cookie; cookie will crack around around edges. Remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack. Cool completely. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
HERSHEY T-BARS
Cream butter and sugar:
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
Add:
1 beaten egg
3 or 4 drops maple flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
Spread on greased cookie sheet (with sides) and bake 15 minutes at 350ºF. Remove from oven.
Place squares of chocolate over top of cookie:
½ pound plain Hershey chocolate bar
Return to oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread chocolate over top.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), about ½ a cup.
Cut into squares and cut before chocolate hardens.
FRUIT CAKE BON BON
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup orange juice
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs
¼ cup dark corn syrup
2 cups raisins
1 package pitted dates, cut up (8 ounces)
1 pound mixed candied fruit (2 cups)
½ lb pecan halves, chopped (2 cups)
red & green candied cherries cut in half for garnish small muffin tin liners, preferably holiday pattern
Heat oven to 275ºF. Line small muffin tin pans with decorative liners.
Measure all ingredients except fruits and nuts into a large mixer bowl. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in fruits and chopped nuts. Spread evenly into small lined muffin pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. If necessary, cover with foil to avoid excessive browning.
Remove from pan and cool.
May add small amount of bourbon or brandy to each bonbon before storing in a tin in a cool place. After fruitcakes are “cured” for a week or more, glaze with ¼ cup apple jelly melted over low heat and cooled. Place ½ red or green cherry on the top of each fruitcake bonbon.
TO FORM COOKIES: Spread cookie bottoms with ½ teaspoon of apple or cherry jelly (Mom used homemade crab apple jelly) for the cookie center. Top jelly with cookie top to form a “sandwich”. Store in tins in a cool place. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
When we were young we used to pick crabapples from a tree next door at my Granda's in Cincinnati. Mom and Grandma would make crabapple jelly that Mom used in our Christmas jelly cookies. If you'd like a good crabapple jelly click below to purchase a quality jelly sold on Etsy made in Montana, USA.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/657749501/crabapple-jelly?
JELLY COOKIE
5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 pound of butter (4 sticks), softened
4 eggs
grated rind of one lemon
Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In another bowl cream butter with sugar. Add eggs and lemon rind to creamed mixture. Add butter mixture to flour and mix until ingredients form a large ball. Turn dough onto plastic wrap, seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
These are the cookie bottoms: Remove dough from refrigerator, slice into 6 equal portions. Return 3 slices back into refrigerator to keep cool. On lightly floured surface roll out dough portions. Cut dough with a 2” cookie cutter or glass rim (dipped in flour). Place dough circles on an parchment lined cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until circles are set, about 5 to 6 minutes (be sure cookie rounds don’t brown). Repeat process until 3 dough portions are unused.
This dough is difficult to work with as it warms to room temperature. Rerolling dough scraps from each portion is not recommended. Scraps can be pushed through a cookie press or rolled into dough balls then flattened. Sprinkle “scrap” cookies with colored sugar.
TO FORM COOKIE TOPS: Prepare an egg mixture of 2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Also have ready in a bowl 2 cups of finely chopped walnuts. Roll out last 3 dough portions, separately as directed above. After cutting circles, again cut a small center circle with a small thimble, dipped in flour. Cookie top should resemble a flat doughnut. Place each cookie top on a parchment lined baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush top of dough rounds lightly with egg mixture and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake as directed above.
(Above researched online, may not be exact original.
We think mom also sprinkled shredded coconuts on top.)
M&M COOKIES
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup M&M'S
2/3 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Melt chocolate and shortening in 3 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Mix in sugar, vanilla and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients, except candy. Spread in greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with M&M'S®, press lightly. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull from sides of pan.
PECAN CAKES
Cream with beater:
¼ pound margarine (1 stick)
1 small package of cream cheese (3 ounces)
Add to mixture:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Turn dough onto plastic wrap, seal and refrigerate for at least two hours. Remove ball from refrigerator. Form into 24 balls and press into small cupcake tins. Fill each cup with filling below.
Filling: In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove pan from heat.
Add:
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
1 egg
dash of salt
Fill each cookie cup just below cookie rim. Recipe fills 24 cookies. Bake in preheated oven at 350ºF for 20- 30 minutes. Temperature and time vary depending on ovens. Dough recipe can be easily doubled.
PIGNOLI (Pine Nut Cookies)
Mix almond paste and sugar until very well blended:
1 pounds almond paste
1 cup sugar
In another bowl beat egg whites until very frothy:
4 large eggs whites (at room temperature)
Beat egg whites into almond paste-sugar mixture and beat 2 minutes.
Add almond extract and flour:
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
Drop dough by teaspoon 2” apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press five pine nuts into each macaroon.
Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Let macaroons cool about 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Then transfer to rack to cool completely. Store in air-tight container.
WHITE DIP:
HEAT white baking chips and oil in a microwave-safe bowl on medium power (50%) for about 2 minutes. Stir until chips are melted.
DIP cookies one at a time about half way up into chocolate. Place on a wax paper lined pan and refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes until white chocolate is set.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
(Recipe from Sun-Maid Raisins)
RAISIN BARS
¾ cup raisins
3 tablespoons orange juice
½ cup softened butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups old-fashioned oats or quick oats
1¼ cups white baking pieces
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
HEAT oven to 350ºF.
PLACE raisins and orange juice in a small microwave-safe dish. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute. Let stand.
BEAT butter and sugar in a large bowl using a mixer or wooden spoon.
ADD egg and orange peel; mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda. MIX in oats and raisin-orange juice mixture.
DIVIDE dough into 4 equal portions.
PLACE 2 portions, at least 6 inches apart, on baking sheet. PAT each portion into a 12 inch long log with well-floured hands (dough will be sticky) and flatten each log to 1½ inches wide.
BAKE until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
COOL on baking sheets 2 minutes.
CUT logs diagonally into 1 inch wide strips.
SESAME SEED COOKIES
Blend the butter and sugar with vanilla and sesame oil; you can use an electric mixer:
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons sesame oil
Blend in the flour until incorporated:
2½ cups flour
Add the cold water, or more, to form a dough:
2 tablespoons cold water, or more
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in sesame seeds.
¾ cup raw sesame seeds
Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the seeds begin to turn golden brown and the insides are not doughy.
SNOWBALLS
Mix together thoroughly:
1 cup soften butter
½ cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir together and stir in:
2¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix in ¾ cups finely chopped walnuts
Chill dough
Roll dough into 1” balls.
Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at
400ºF until set, but NOT brown (cookies shouldn’t spread). While cookies are warm roll in confectioners sugar. Reroll in confectioners sugar once completely cool.
Mom's Christmas Cookie List
SUGAR COOKIES
Cream together:
½ cup shortening
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
Mix into the above, in the following order:
1 egg
¾ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Topping:
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Chill dough for one hour. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of cookie dough. Bake at 400ºF for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
QUICK ICED THUMBPRINTS
Cream:
1 cup margarine (preferably Parkay)
1/4 cup sugar
Add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Refrigerate dough 1-2 hours. Roll dough into small balls, place on parchment lined cookies sheet. Make a deep thumbprint in each ball. Bake at 300 F for 20-30 minutes. WATCH closely, DON"T BROWN. Remove to rack to cool.
FROSTING
Combine 1 cup of powder sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring (or other favorite flavoring), and enough water to make the right consistency to drop off the tip of a spoon. Fill each cookie with frosting.
