‘Tis the season to bake cookies, and I need your recipes!
For the third year in a row, BiteClub is looking for your best cookie recipes — from family classics to updated confections.
See the Competition: 2010 Cookie Entrants (that I’ve baked and photographed so far…)
If your recipe sounds good, I’ll bake up a batch, photograph it and consider it for my Ultimate Holiday Cookie Winner.
The Ultimate Winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Lucky’s supermarkets and a $25 gift certificate to Savory Spice Shop.
HOW TO ENTER YOUR RECIPE?
- COMMENT BELOW: Enter your recipe in the comments below. IF YOU DON”T SEE IT SHOW IMMEDIATELY, PLEASE EMAIL ME. Some got stuck in my spam comments with 770 spams and I may have lost it.
- or EMAIL ME: heather@biteclubeats.com with Cookie Recipe in the subject line.
- Want to put it in the mail?
Press Democrat
c/o BiteClub Holiday Cookie Contest
427 Mendocino Ave.
Santa Rosa CA 95401
Kokanee Circles
From my house in Nelson, BC Canada, I can see Kokanee Glacier Park and it gives me inspiration for many things. I decide to name these Kokanee Circles after it.
Directions
First layer:
2 1/4 cups pecans
Put pecans in a food processor and process until very fine.
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups arrowroot powder
2 Tbls. Rapadura or Sucanant (whole cane sugar)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 ½ tsps. Vanilla extract
2 eggs
Add all of the above ingredients to the pecans and process until well blended. Press into a 9” x 13” glass pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.
Second layer:
1 cup butter
2/3 cup honey
¾ cup Rapadura or Sucanant
Place the above ingredients into a pot and melt together on medium heat until it starts to boil. Boil for 5 minutes while stirring and then take off burner.
Add:
5 Tbls. of whipping cream.
Pour this sweet mixture on top of pecan crust and bake again for 20 min.
Third layer:
Right when you take it out of oven, sprinkle with:1 1/2 cups of good bittersweet chocolate chips or cut-up from a bar.
Let cool completely and use a cookie cutter and cut out into circles.
Chocolate “Cake” cookies
1 box of Chocolate cake mix (I go for Pillsbury devils food)
1 8 oz block of cream cheese, room temp.
1 stick of butter, room temp
1 egg
1 teas. vanilla
powered sugar for dusting
pre heat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer: Cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Beat in Egg and Vanilla
Then beat in the cake mix. Cover and put in the fridge for two hours.
Roll in tablespoon sized balls. Roll balls into the powdered sugar and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 min. The cookies will be gooey. Let them cool completely and sprinkle with more powered sugar right before serving. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES
Everyone loves these mini cheesecakes!
Filling:
3 (8 oz. each) pkg. cream cheese–soften to room temp.
1 Cup Sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:–mix together and set aside until cupcakes have finished baking
1 1/2 Cups Sour Cream
3/8 Cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare filling by creaming together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Fill cupcake paper lined tins 2/3 full with the mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. They will sink in the middle.Spoon topping into center of cakes and bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool in tins and then remove and store in covered containers in the refridgerator. Makes 2 1/2 dozen
Note: I use decorative cupcake papers to fit the holiday–Christmas, 4th of July, Valentine’s Day, etc.
~Pine Nut Lemon Polenta Cookies ~
1/4 pine nuts
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 T lemon zest
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 T lemon juice
Pre heat oven to 350
1. Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Then add lemon extract.
3. Add dry ingredients to the batter, beating until blended. Stir in pine nuts.
4. Drop heaped teaspoons on a cookie sheet. Bake 7 -8 minutes. Or until cookies are golden brown around the edges. Remove to a rack and cool.
5. Mix together zest, confectioners sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Cookie Brownies
Brownie Batter:
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13×9″ baking pan. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in double boiler, stir until smooth. Beat in sugar, then eggs. Stir in flour and baking powder. Spread in prepared pan.
Cookie Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto brownie batter; press down to push cookie dough slightly into brownie batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until brownies are set and edges look dry.
MILK CHOCOLATE OREO CREAM CHEESE BALLS
INGREDIENTS
1)12 OUNCE) BAGS OF MINI MILK CHOCOLATE
8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE ( SOFTENED)
12 OUNCES OREO COOKIES ( EITHER ORIGINAL OR DOUBLE STUFF )
DIRECTIONS
1. CRUSH THE OREOS WITH THE BLENDER UNTIL POWDER LIKE.
2. THEN HAND BLEND THE OREO POWDER AND CREAM CHEESE.
3. ROLL THE OREO AND CREAM CHEESE INTO BALLS AND SET THEM ON A PLATE AND CHILL UNTIL SOLID.
4. MELT CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN DOUBLE BOILER THEN DIP OREO BALLS IN CHOCOLATE THEN LET SET.
Viva Italiano Christmas Cookies (Great for gift giving. Ti’s the season!)
1 pound almond paste
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large egg whites
About 1 pound slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly butter sheets.
Be sure to measure the almond paste accurately, as too little almond paste will create a super sticky dough that will be harder to work with. Break almond paste into pieces. Place in bowl of a food processor with the sugar. Pulse into almond paste is crumbled finely, and evenly combined with sugar.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Stir a little of the egg whites into the almond mixture; it will be fairly dry. Fold in remaining whites.
Place almonds in a shallow bowl. Roll almond paste mixture into 1-inch balls, keeping them as round as possible. If mixture is too sticky, alternately drop heaping teaspoonfuls into the bowl of almonds; use your fingers to roll the dough ball around until coated evenly with slivered almonds. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake cookies until evenly pale gold, 15 to 17 minutes.
Cool cookies in pans on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. With a spatula, very carefully transfer cookies to the rack to cool completely. These macaroons keep well; store in an airtight container. You also can freeze the cookies in sealable plastic bags. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
1 cup butter
.75 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
.25 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
.5 cup dried Montmorency cherries, plumped in water, discard water and snip each cherry in half if they are large
.5 cup chocolate chips – I like Ghirardelli semi sweet
About one cup of your favorite Chocolate Ganache or .75 cups powdered sugar & 2 tbsp cocoa – again Ghirardelli – mixed together
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Please butter and .75 cups of powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat with electrical mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and almond extracts and blend. Add flour and beat until well blended. Stir in cherries (well-drained!) and choc chips.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls (mine always come out bigger). You should have 40 balls (for me 25!). Place balls on un-greased baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart (2″ for the bigger size). Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Let cool about 5 minutes if using the powdered sugar/cocoa blend. If so, roll in that mixture while still warm. Let dry and roll again. If using the ganache, wait til the cookies are completely cool and dip one side on the ball in the ganache. Ganache needs to be a soft but firm consistency. I like to put these in small paper cookie cups to catch the ganache for eating! A les délices!
CANDY CANE COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies (AKA- CANDY CANES)
Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in crushed candies. Shape into a 15-in. roll; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/8-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Original Recipe Yield 36 servings
Thank you,
Tina Lameyse
User Submitted Recipes
Melting Moments
Trish Laam
Cook/prep time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Number of servings: 3 dozen
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Corn Starch
1 Cup Confectioners Sugar (Powdered sugar)
1 1/2 Cups Butter
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Cooking instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, corn starch and confectioner’s sugar in medium bowl.
In large bowl, beat butter at medium speed until smooth. Add flour mixture and vanilla.
Beat until well blended. If necessary, refrigerate one hour or until easy to handle. Shape into 1″ balls; place 1 1/2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets, flatten lightly.
Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
Remove, cool on wire rack. Dust heavily with confectioners sugar after cookies are cool.
Serving suggestions: Great holiday cookies for the office!
Additional comments: These cookies have seen (and won) many cookie contests!
I will admit some serious trepidation on these, but they rock!
Light As Air Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position 2 racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter with sugar, baking soda, and egg. Roll tablespoons of the dough into 24 balls. Set the balls on 2 baking sheets and, using a fork, make a crosshatch pattern on each cookie, pushing it slightly flat. Bake for 15 minutes, shifting the baking sheets from front to back and bottom to top halfway through cooking time, until the cookies are lightly browned and set. Let cool on wire rack.
Makes 2 dozen cookies
SEBASTOPOL APPLESAUCE COOKIES
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup smooth applesauce
½ cup oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Cinnamon sugar for top of cookies:
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together whole wheat flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In separate bowl, mix together sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture, stirring well to combine. Take walnut-sized spoonfuls of batter and place on ungreased baking sheets, leaving 1-2 inches between cookies. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Combine ¼ cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle each cookie generously with cinnamon sugar. Bake 10-14 minutes in oven. Let cool 10 minutes on baking sheets before moving to wire wracks to cool completely.
This recipe came about by my experimenting to get the same flavor as Twin Hill Apple Farm’s Apple Bread that they have at their farm in Sebastopol.
Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 oz bag) fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
Orange glaze (optional)
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice and the almond extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and slivered almonds, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.
I’m recipe testing tonight for a first batch to appear in the Press Democrat next Wednesday. Having a very hard time not adding my own “touches” to everything. Like uh, smoked paprika salt atop the bourbon balls. Yeah. I know.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
This is a very soft cookie and very popular with my friends and family. Loaded with calories.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar (plus extra white sugar)
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
11.5 oz package of Ghirardelli 60% Cacoa bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter, peanut butter and both sugars together, beating well.
Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat well.
Mix flour and baking soda together, add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
Mix in chocolate chips.
Shape dough in 1 inch balls, rolls in white sugar and put on cookie sheets (do not flatten balls). Bake for 10 minutes at 350, cool on wire racks, makes 5 or 6 dozen.
Cashew-Caramel Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen
Ingredients
* 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups roasted salted cashews
* 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
* 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
* 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 24 cubes soft caramel candy (7 ounces)
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour and salt together. Coarsely chop 1 cup cashews; set aside. Process remaining 1 1/2 cups cashews in a food processor until finely chopped. Pour in oil. Process until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Put cashew mixture, butter, and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture. Mix in reserved chopped cashews.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; space 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 6 minutes; gently flatten with a spatula. Bake until bottoms are just golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
4. Melt caramels with cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring. Let cool. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over cookies; let set. Store airtight in single layers.
Just try to resist these – I dare you!
Cardamom Date-Nut Squares
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3 eggs, beaten (2 if using extra-large eggs)
Confectioner’s sugar for coating
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 15 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ jelly roll pan.
Whisk together the dry ingredients, then stir in the dates and walnuts. Make a well in the center of the bowl and drop in the eggs. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs and incorporate them into the rest of the ingredients.
Spread the dough evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake at 350F about 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch squares. Allow the cut squares to cool to room temperature before removing them from the pan and rolling in confectioner’s sugar.
Meltaway Cookies
1 cup salted butter softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup confectioners sugar for coating
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. In another bowl whisk the 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch and AP flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes in the preheated oven.
When cool, roll in remaining confectioners’ sugar
These are wonderful, and many ask why not just buy the graham crackers………………because these are so awesome!!!!!!!!
Use a good chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Valhalla!
Also, I would suggest a great brand of raspberry jam, Bonne Maman!!
Graham Cracker Cookies
3 cups flour
2 cups whole wheat graham flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, unsalted,softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 cup raspberry jam
Whisk to combined first 6 ingredients in bowl and set aside.
In a mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minuets.
Beat in honey. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture.
You will have to scrape down sides numerous times to mix throughly.
Divide dough into 2 pieces, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minuets.
Then roll out each piece and using a 2 inch wide glass, or cookie cutter cut into rounds.
Place on baking sheets covered in parchment paper. Pierce dough with fork all over to creat dotted lines, and chill for 30 minuets.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Melt chocolate in double boiler, and fill plastic bag or pastry bag with chocolate, drizzle over half the cookies! Let chocolate harden.
Spread a spoonful of jam over remaining cookies, and top with chocolate drizzled cookie!
my wife tried 3 times last night to put hers on here and it wouldn’t let her do it
LIZ
Ginger cookies.. the BEST ever
I took a recipe that was given to me by my sister Devorah who got it out of a cookbook and I doubled the ginger.. and cut the baking time so they would be softer. These are soft cookies and get a lot of compliments.
Sift and have ready:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground Allspice
2 teaspoons baking soda
Beat:
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
then beat in,
1 egg
then beat,
1/4 cup dark molasses
mix the dry with the wet until blended (wooded spoon works best, plus it’s like free therapy)
Measure dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and roll them into white sugar. Don’t flatten them. They will all be the same size and have that ginger cookie crackled top that makes us feel like cookie geniuses.
Bake at 375 for 7 minutes.
I slam the pan onto the counter, but I’m not sure that truly does anything… it just feels more professional
Liz Heflin
Aunt Ellie’s Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
• 1 pkg lemon cake mix
• 1/3C canola oil
• 1 egg
• zest of 1 lemon
For the filling:
• 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
• 1/3C sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3TBSP lemon juice
• 1 egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Mix the crust ingredients together until crumbly then set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Lightly pat the remainder in a glass baking dish (approx 11”X13”). Bake for 15 minutes. Meantime mix the sugar and cream cheese til well blended. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix well. Spread the filling on the baked crust and sprinkle the cup of remaining crust mix on top. Bake for 15 minutes more. Cool and cut into small squares. Refrigerate until served.
GREAT CHOCOLATE NUT COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
1 CUP PECAN HALVES (4 OZ)
6 OZ. SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, COARSELY CHOPPED
2 OZ. UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, COARSELY CHOPPED
6 TBL UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO TABLESPOONS
¼ CUP SIFTED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
½ TSP SALT
¼ TSP BAKING POWDER
¾ CUP SUGAR
2 LARGE EGGS
2 TSP INSTANT ESPRESSO COFFEE
2 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
6 OZ. CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1 ¼ CUPS WALNUT HALVES, BROKEN INTO LARGE PIECES (4 OZ)
METHOD:
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES AND LINE BAKING SHEETS. BAKE PECANS FOR 8 MINUTES STIRRING UNTIL LIGHTLY BROWN. TRANSFER TO PLATE TO COOL AND BREAK THEM INTO LARGE PIECES. IN A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, COMBINE THE SEMI-SWEET AND UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE WITH THE BUTTER AND STIR OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL MELTED. REMOVE FROM HEAT.
IN A SMALL BOWL, WHISK THE FLOUR WITH THE SALT AND BAKING POWDER. IN A LARGE BOWL, COMBINE THE EGGS WITH THE SUGAR, INSTANT ESPRESSO AND VANILLA AND BEAT AT HIGH SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY. ADD THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE AND BEAT AT MEDIUM SPEED JUST UNTIL BLENDED. ADD THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND BEAT AT LOW SPEED JUST UNTIL INCORPORATED. USING A WOODEN SPOON, STIR IN THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS, WALNUTS AND TOASTED PECANS.
SCOOP UP THE COOKIE DOUGH WITH A 1/3 CUP MEASURE AND DROP 5 MOUNDS OF DOUGH ON EACH BAKING SHEET; SPACE THE MOUNDS AS FAR FROM EACH OTHER AS POSSIBLE. BAKE ON THE UPPER AND MIDDLE RACKS OF THE OVEN FOR ABOUT 17 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THE TOPS ARE DRY AND SHINY; SHIFT THE SHEETS HALFWAY THROUGH BAKING. COOL ON WIRE RACK. FREEZE UP TO 1 MONTH. RECIPE YIELDS ABOUT 15 LARGE COOKIES. COOKIES CAN BE MADE SMALLER FOR GREATER YIELD.
Raspberry Ribbons
My family gobbles these up in no time flat!
Ingredients
• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Divide dough into six portions; shape each into a 5-in. x 2-1/2-in. log. Place 4 in. apart on parchment lined (dont use silpats the jam is really messy) baking sheets. Make a 1/2-in. depression down the center of each log. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
3. Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes. (logs are really fragile when hot) Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4-in. slices. Place on wire racks.
4. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cookies. cool completely.
If you plan on storing the cookies place a sheet of waxed paper between layers
Carly
PECAN SQUARES
Chewy gooey and thick with pecans… like tiny pecan pies.
Crust: 2/3 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 lb. or 2 stickes sweet butter, softened
Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Grease a 9 x 12 in. baking pan. Sift sugar and flour together. Cut in butter using pastry blender until fine crumbs form. Pat crust into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 mins. remove from oven.
Topping: 2/3 cup melted sweet butter
1/2 cup honey
3 tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cups shelled pecans, coarsely chopped
Mix melted butter, honey, cream and brown sugar together. Stir in pecans, coating thoroughly. Spread over crust. Return to oven and bakie for 25 mins. more. Cool before cutting into squares.
Im really suprised that people are lagging….It seems like such a fun contest!