texasmesquite

Cookies are long-time favourite comfort food for families
JOYCE WALTER
The Moose Jaw Times Herald

When the weather outside is wet and dreary and the house is chilly and feels damp, there is no better way to bring some warmth than to spend an afternoon baking cookies. Cookie-baking offers a pleasant interlude for the family to work together, creating items for the last week of school lunches, and even to take on those much anticipated summer camping trips. And a box of cookies could be a pleasant gift for dad to receive for Father’s Day.
Today’s cookie recipes come from the family recipe box, and from some community cookbooks I’ve collected.
• • •
Sour Cream Raisin Cookies
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
1/2 cup commercial sour cream
1/2 cup chopped raisins
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix butter, first sugar and egg.
Stir dry ingredients together. Blend into shortening mixture alternately with sour cream. Stir in raisins.
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto greased baking sheet, leaving about two inches between. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
Mix the second sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle on top of cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. Makes about three dozen cookies.
• • •
Thimble Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk, well-beaten
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white, beaten
3 tbsps. long-thread coconut
1/3 cup strawberry jam
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together, in order, the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, flour, baking powder and vanilla.
Roll pieces of the dough into walnut-sized balls, Dent the top of each ball with a thimble or fingertip. Dip the tops into the beaten egg white and then into the coconut and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and dent the tops again. Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and fill the dents with jam.
• • •
Bag Cookies
Base:
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tsps. baking powder
4 egg yolks
Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. For the base, mix the sugar, butter, flour, almond extract, baking powder and egg yolks into a dry but consistent crumble.
Distribute evenly on big cookie sheet and flatten lightly with the palm of your hand.
For the meringue, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in the brown sugar and coconut. Spread the meringue mixture on top of the cookie base.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes or until barely browned — lighter is better. Let cool. Cut into squares with a wet knife. These cookies keep for a long time when frozen but separate layers with waxed paper.
• • •
Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats, ground
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup shredded coconut
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream the butter and sugars. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Using a grinder or food processor, finely grind the oats.
Combine the ground oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Add to the creamed mixture gradually. Stir in the chocolate chips, cranberries and coconut. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. If the baking sheet is thin, line with the foil, dull side up.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. They should be light in colour. Do not overbake them. This recipe can be doubled.
• • •
Rolo Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1 tbsp. white sugar
48 Rolo candies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda. Blend.
In another bowl, combine 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar and butter.
Cream until fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans.
With floured hands, shape cookies by wrapping 1 tbsp. dough completely around one Rolo. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tbsp. sugar.
Dip the balls in this. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until cracked on top, about 15 minutes.
If Rolo candies can’t be found, you can substitute plain caramels, cut in half to approximate the size of a Rolo candy.
• • •
Thought for the day: “A father carries pictures where his money used to be.” — Unknown