cookies – Page 2 – TasteFood

Baking, Christmas, Cookies, Denmark, Desserts, entertaining

Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

December 19, 2011August 16, 2014by Lynda Balslev19 Comments

~ Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies ~

We’ve waited until very late (for us) to get our Christmas tree this year. Normally it’s up in early December, and by time the 25th arrives, we light the candles in a last hurrah, before dismantling it the next day. This year is a little different. We harvested our tree only this past weekend, on Saturday evening in the dark. As we picked it out, it felt like we were back in Denmark, searching for a tree in the darkness of the nordic winter. We spent Sunday decorating and will continue to do so over the next few days – after all, everyone has to have their way with the decorations. Then on the 24th, we will light the tree in its full glory as we celebrate julaften or Christmas eve, when we eat our big holiday dinner. In true Scandinavian fashion we use live candles, and it’s truly the most beautiful sight to behold.

Since the tree is so fresh, it will remain standing for a good week after Christmas, which is perfect, since we are home for the holidays this year and look forward to friends stopping in for wine and gløgg. In anticipation, I’ve made an extra large batch of these Ginger Molasses Spiced Cookies to have on hand for any last minute tree tweaking and unexpected guests who might surprise us. The spice of these cookies goes very well with a glass of warm spiced gløgg.

Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

I was honored that Food52 selected these cookies last week as their contribution to a virtual cookie swap, hosted by Food Network and Yahoo! Shine. And Alicia, the talent behind the delicious blog Weekly Greens, has featured this recipe in her Whole Foods Market Cooking Column. Christmas has indeed come early this year!

Makes about 42 (1 1/2 inch) cookies.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1/3 cup finely diced candied ginger, optional
Granulated sugar for rolling

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, salt, and cloves in a bowl to combine. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in the candied ginger. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour some granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then in the sugar. Arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and gently flatten. Bake in oven until set and crinkled on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Cookies, Desserts, Vegetarian

Dried Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti

September 5, 2011August 11, 2014by Lynda Balslev23 Comments

~ Dried Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti ~

In my never-ending quest to create new recipes to please my family and my readers, I rarely follow a published recipe to a “t”. Instead I create, tweak and spin recipes to my taste, reading cookbooks and magazines for inspiration then casting them aside while I let my thoughts simmer and stew until a wisp of the season, a sudden craving or an irresistable market item presents itself as motivation. Except for these biscotti.

This recipe is nearly a direct re-production of a recipe from Bon Appetit. It follows the recipe almost to the “t”, and then a change I made was not my idea at all, but the idea of my friend, Pam, who brought these cookies to our annual Summer Solstice beach barbecue this summer. I knew I was in trouble when I found myself walking around the beach munching on 2 fistfuls of these cookies before we even started grilling.

These biscotti have everything that I like in a cookie: fruit, nuts, a restrained sweetness, and the perfume from orange zest. Pam’s idea was not to fully bake them to enamel-cracking crispness. Instead they were baked to a wonderful crumbly perfection, which begged for more tasting without breaking my teeth, enabling further eating – to which I happily complied.

~
Dried Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes approximately 30 biscotti

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Zest from one orange
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the first 6 ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle. Blend on low speed, 30 seconds. Whisk eggs, oil, zest, vanilla and almond extracts together in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the flour. Beat on medium speed until combined, 1 minute. Stir in cherries and pistachios.
Divide dough in half. Shape each dough half into a 16 inch log. Arrange on a baking sheet, spaced 5 inches apart. Flatten each log into a 2 inch wide strip. Bake until golden brown and set, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a rack. Cool 15 minutes.
Reduce oven to 250 F. (125 C.) Transfer biscotti to a cutting board. Cut in 3/4 inch strips with a serrated knife. Return biscotti to the baking sheet and arrange cut side down. Bake until firm and golden, 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on racks.
Biscotti may be made up to 3 days in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

chocolate, Cookies, Desserts

Banana Chip Bars

June 9, 2011August 11, 2014by Lynda Balslev13 Comments

Banana Chips, Coconut, Dark Chocolate

This time I blame the banana chips. Due to a last minute panic-induced purchase for a school event, I had a bucket of them sitting in my refrigerator. You might understand the situation which led to this: Worried that (heaven forbid) not enough dessert would be provided for a tropical-based menu for a lunch at my daughter’s school, I threw a few, er, many packages of banana chips into my shopping basket on the way to the lunch – just in case the mob inhaled all 47 other dishes represented in the school-wide buffet and were up in arms about not enough sugar to complete their smorgasbord. (As if banana chips would be sufficient to stave off an angry sugar-deprived crowd – what was I thinking?) As it turned out, any testy unrest was avoided, since we (naturally) had too much food in the first place. And so the banana chips came home with me and have been patiently waiting in my refrigerator to be put to use – until today.

It was a baking kind of day today, and I decided to throw together a simple bar cookie. Normally I include coconut and chocolate chips in my bars, and figured the banana chips would make a nice addition. I chopped a bunch up in my food processor (you may want ear plugs for this) and folded the chips into the batter. They added a wonderful chewy texture with a mild buttery flavor to the bars, without an overpowering banana flavor or excess sweetness. Toothsome and chewy, they almost made the bars feel…healthy? Ok, that may be pushing it.

Banana Chip Bars
Makes 24 – 2 inch bars

1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut, plus extra for the topping
1 cup coarsely chopped banana chips
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment. Whisk sugars and butter together in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Combine flour, wheat germ, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add to the sugar and butter and mix well. Stir in coconut, banana chips and chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with additional coconut. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Cookies, Desserts

Easy Weekend Baking: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

April 18, 2011August 10, 2014by Lynda Balslev19 Comments

I am very picky about my oatmeal raisin cookies. I like them crunchy, I like them chewy, and I like them rich, with a dissolving sweetness in the mouth. I want it all.
This recipe is the closest I have come to the perfect cookie. It’s packed with oats and raisins with just a little flour to bind it all together, along with a blast of wheat germ for nutty crunch. There is no white sugar in this recipe – only brown sugar, which gives the rich, deep sweetness I crave. Let me know what you think.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Refrigerating the cookies before baking will ensure a thicker, chewier cookie. Makes about 30 – 2 inch cookies.

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups raisins

Whisk butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Stir the flour into the butter and sugar and thoroughly combine. Stir in the oats and wheat germ; then add the raisins. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.) Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake until cookies are set in the middle and golden brown, 12 – 14 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Cookies, Desserts

Lemon Bars

January 27, 2011December 30, 2019by Lynda Balslev12 Comments

Citrus is winter’s gift, so why not put this gift to use and make lemon bars? Bright and zingy, Lemon Bars will bring a ray of sunshine into your kitchen. Whether you are knee deep in snow or lucky enough to live where lemons grow on trees, this is one pick-me-up everyone will enjoy at this time of year. Cool creamy custard bursting with zest rests on a firm bed of shortbread. Each bite is a balance of sweet and tart. The recipe is simple and quick to make – the only caveat is that the results are dangerously addictive. Be forewarned: One will never be enough.

Lemon Bars with Sea Salt

This recipe is adapted from and inspired by many sources, including Ina Garten, Food52, and my personal weakness for sea salt. Makes 32 (2-inch) square bars.

Shortbread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool, cut into cubes

Filling:
6 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, then line the pan with parchment and butter the parchment.
2. Combine the shortbread ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until the dough resembles coarse lumps and just begins to come together. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and, with your fingers, evenly press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan.
3. Bake the crust until it just begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, but do not turn off the oven heat.
4. Whisk the filling ingredients together in a large bowl until blended, then evenly pour over the crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set but not coloring, about 25 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a rack.
5. Cut into bars. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and lightly sprinkle with sea salt flakes before serving.

Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, holiday

Russian Teacake Cookies

December 1, 2010August 8, 2014by Lynda Balslev11 Comments

Russian Teacake Cookies

Is it December yet?

Thanksgiving is over, and for the last 5 days of November, all I have thought about is Christmas. December is here at last, and it’s time to unabashedly release all that penned up yuletide energy. Parties are being planned, recipes are flying about, pumpkins are switching out with holly, and any lingering scents of spice are preparing to mingle with our next aromatic houseguest, the Christmas tree.

I love this window of time when we anticipate and prepare, while we have a moment to appreciate the singular pleasures of the season – a walk in the woods, a cup of gløgg, crafting a wreath. I remain mindful of this enjoyment, because I know that all too soon holiday pandemonium will break loose. Steady preparations will accelerate into a flurry of activity, a whirlwind of guests and a smorgasbord of food. Now, I bask in the expanse of time. And I bake cookies.

Russian Teacake Cookies (also known as Sandies and Mexican Wedding Cookies) are a favorite holiday cookie in our home. If we are baking them, it means that Christmas is just around the corner. They are uncomplicated and appealing to kids of all ages, including us. The batter is egg free, encouraging lots of tasting, and the final touch requires a good roll in powder sugar, resulting in a snowy round cookie that resembles a snowman’s mid-section. And, of course, they are finger-licking good. We bake a batch of these each week leading up to the holiday, in part because they are so easy to make, but mostly because they never last long in our home.

Russian Teacake Cookies a.k.a. Sandies
adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book

Makes about 36.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds
Additional confectioner’s sugar for rolling

Mix butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until lightened in color and fluffy, 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Stir flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Add flour to butter and mix to combine. Stir in nuts. Chill dough at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C.) Roll dough in 1 inch balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until firm, but not brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Roll in additional confectioner’s sugar. Place on tray and cool completely. Roll in sugar again.

Baking, Cookies, Desserts

Easy Weekend Baking: Coconut Blondies

October 24, 2010September 10, 2018by Lynda Balslev8 Comments

Coconut Blondies are the perfect antidote for a rainy weekend day. They are simple to make, kid-friendly and sinfully delicious. Filled with chocolate chips and flecked with coconut, these buttery rich squares will make you want to stay inside and bake. Make a batch on your own or with the kids, curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and enjoy the sound of the rain outdoors. Bliss.

Coconut Blondies

Makes 16 (2-inch) bars

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, divided
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk together; set aside. Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk to blend. Stir in the flour until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and the chocolate chips. Spread the batter in the pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup coconut over the top. Bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack and cut into small squares.

Cookies, Desserts

Tweaking a Classic: Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 7, 2010July 12, 2019by Lynda Balslev9 Comments

When I cook I cannot resist the urge to tweak a recipe – even when it’s a classic. Yet, I also believe in the motto that if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The following recipe for chocolate chip cookies is a compromise. We all know the familiar tollhouse recipe we grew up baking and eating, and there is no denying its perfection. However, over the years I have tweaked and experimented, adding oats, an extra egg, using more brown sugar, less brown sugar, fiddling with light or dark brown sugar. Tiny tweaks, but enough so that I have a recipe that satisfies me.

I combine both semi-sweet and dark chocolate in these cookies. The dark chocolate is grated or finely chopped, so that the small pieces fleck the dough, imparting a hint of chocolate without extra sweetness in every bite.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 36 – 2 inch cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet (60%) chocolate chips
3.5 ounces dark (72%) chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well. Place butter and sugars in a bowl of electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in flour and mix well. Add chocolate and stir to combine. Place rounded tablespoons of the batter on baking trays lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on rack.

Cookies, Desserts

Bake Sale #4: Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

February 9, 2010August 1, 2014by Lynda Balslev1 Comment

It’s time for bake sale #4, or is it #5? If you have school-age children, you know what I am talking about. Every year a rite of school-year passage involves a bake sale, or two, or ten. I find myself baking throughout the school year to raise money for field trips, dances, class parties and charities. Over the years I have learned a few lessons. For instance, 5 year-olds are not as fond of rich dark chocolate as adults. Or that the term “healthy” really isn’t appropriate or welcome at a bake sale, despite maternal instict. Or that there is an alarming number of peanut allergies in the U.S. (interestingly, far more so than in Europe), with these allergies resulting in schoolwide nut-free policies as locked down as a demilitarized zone. And, finally, if not most importantly: Size does matter. So, after my earlier laughable attempts at flourless-triple-dark-chocolate-truffles, carrot cakes packed with dried fruit, grains, flax and wheat bran, or (even worse) anything containing peanut-butter, I am now a seasoned, if not broken, bake sale contributor.

My latest contribution is a batch of these cookies. Catering to the discerning audience of my children’s primary and middle school, I took a basic chcolate chip cookie and ramped it up a bit, adding white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. After all, as the bake sale motto goes, less is not more – and if you inadvertently dump an entire container of psychedelic candy sprinkles over your creation, all the better.

Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 16 if size matters

1/2 lb. (225 g.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (170 g.) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 g.) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cup (140 g.) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (60 g.) oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 oz./180 g.) dark chocolate chips
1 cup (6 oz./180 g.) white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale in color, light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg; mix well. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together in a mixing bowl. Add to batter and stir to combine well. Mix in oats. Stir in chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Drop spoonfuls of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool on rack.

Cookies, Desserts

More Easy Weekend Baking: Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

January 19, 2010August 1, 2014by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

Bring on the rain. Winter in northern California often means rain, which is a good thing. Yes, it’s a nuisance, but in a climate that sees no rain from spring until fall, it’s important that the water tables are replenished in the winter. An added plus is it’s a good excuse to stay inside and bake. Here is an easy cookie that’s quick to make and fun to do with children. A few more baking weekends like this, and our freezer will be packed with cookies for the dry season.

Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

Candied ginger adds extra spice and texture to these cookies. Makes about 30.