It is seldom that family or friends will turn down the offer of a homemade cookie.
With Christmas coming quickly and the possibility of unexpected company, the wise homemaker will have cookies baked, or at least pre-frozen to bake on demand.
This week’s recipes from a favourite cookbook, offer ideas for three tasty cookies.
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Classic Oatmeal Cookies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup golden raisins
3 cups rolled oats
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, salt and spice.
In another bowl, cream butter, sugars and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and then stir in raisins and oats.
Drop by heaping teaspoons, three inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Lightly press cookies down.
Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Makes about 40 cookies.
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Peppermint Snowballs
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut flakes, for rolling
Glaze:
2 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
3 tbsps. hot water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream icing sugar, butter. shortening and peppermint extract. Add flour and salt and mix to form smooth dough.
Roll into 1 inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar, peppermint extract and hot water.
Coat the cookies with the glaze and then roll in the coconut flakes. Let cookies dry before storing in an airtight container.
Recipe makes about 36 cookies.
Note: almond extract or lemon extract may be substitued for peppermint extract to give a different flavour to the cookies.
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Ginger Spice Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp. finely grated orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a small bowl.
Cream butter, brown sugar, zest and vanilla extract until light. Beat in eggs to make a soft dough.
Pack dough into a cookie press and fit with desired design disc.
Press dough out onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing one inch apart.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until slightly firm to the touch. Makes about four dozen.
Note: if you don’t have a cookie press, scoop dough by the teaspoon, roll into a ball and place onto the cookie sheet. Gently use the bottom of a glass dipped in flour to slightly flatten the dough. Bake as directed.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
