How can a cookie with only 6 simple ingredients taste this good!!! Well, they’re not called Marvelous Melting Moments without good reason. One bite of these sweet temptations and, from the rich, tender crumb of the cookie, you’ll find they quickly melt in your mouth. Continue reading Marvelous Melting Moments Recipe
Sugar and spice and everything nice! That pretty much sums up the smell in the kitchen when these Molasses Spice Cookies are baking. These cookies have a lovely blend of spices that make them a real taste treat, especially with a tall glass of cold milk. Continue reading Molasses Spice Cookies
I have no idea why these tasty morsels are called cookies because, in my view, they in no way resemble my definition of a cookie! Nonetheless, they have always been called Frypan Cookies in my family and, regardless their name, they are mighty tasty. In fact, I think they’re actually more like candy than cookies.
Why they are called “Frypan Cookies” is a mystery to me but that’s what I’ve always known them as and my mother has been making them since I was a wee child (and probably even longer ago than that). My best guess is that, somewhere back in time, someone picked up a frypan and used it to cook the date, sugar, and egg mixture and simply named the result “Frypan Cookies”. In any event, we’ve continued the tradition of using a frypan which, I must admit due to its shallow depth, is easier to scoop the mixture from to make the balls than would be a deeper saucepan.
While these treats don’t take a lot of ingredients or any difficult-to-find ones, I tend to only make them once a year – at Christmas – probably because that was the only time of the year my mother made them and they were always considered to be a special Christmas treat.
The trick to making these balls is in the thickening of the egg, sugar, and date mixture. It is important to stir the mixture continuously as it cooks to avoid scorching. Once the mixture starts to thicken, it’s done. This generally takes about 5-7 minutes.
Don’t let the mixture get too thick as it will then be difficult to incorporate the rice cereal into the mixture.
Adding nuts, such as chopped walnuts or pecans, is optional in this recipe. I generally do not add them. One-half cup of chopped glazed red cherries can also be added, if desired.
There are a couple of options when it comes to the coconut coating for frypan cookie balls. Traditionally, sweetened shredded coconut is used – this is the long stringy kind of coconut.
While, sometimes, it is tricky to get the coconut to stick to the balls, this coconut makes a more showy frypan cookie ball.
The shorter, more fine-textured, macaroon coconut may also be used.
It makes a neater looking ball but is not quite as interesting and showy looking.
I often choose the macaroon coconut if I am making these balls for trays for an afternoon tea since they are more dainty and the coconut adheres better and does not tend to fall off the balls.
Choice of coconut in which to roll the balls is, of course, a matter of personal preference.
The mixture needs to be quite warm in order for the coconut to stick to the balls. So, it’s important to work quickly when making the balls. If the mixture gets too cool, you can transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and heat the mixture for just a very few seconds (i.e., 7-8 seconds) to warm it up.
The balls can be formed by hand but it’s a sticky process (although spraying the hands with cooking spray helps).
The best method is to use a small 1″ cookie scoop. This will also ensure that the balls are of consistent size.
These balls need to be kept chilled and will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. They also freeze really well if longer storage is needed. Whether refrigerating or freezing, just ensure that the balls are stored in an airtight container and are separated between layers of wax paper.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten until light
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ cups pitted dates, chopped
2 cups crisped rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Apx. 1½ – 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut or apx. 2/3 – 1 cup macaroon coconut
Method:
Line large baking sheet with wax paper.
In large frypan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and sugar together. Add the liquid mixture along with the dates to the frypan and reduce heat to medium low. Cook mixture, stirring constantly to avoid scorching, for approximately 5-7 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the rice cereal and nuts.
Place coconut in bowl. Using a 1” cookie scoop, form the mixture into balls then drop balls into coconut; roll to coat then place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container or freeze for longer storage.
Yield: Apx. 56 balls
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A rich, moist, and slightly crunchy date ball.
Ingredients
Instructions
Oatcakes are very versatile and take such basic, simple ingredients. A cross between a cookie and a cracker, they are savory bites and are not overly sweet. In fact, I would describe these artisan cookies/crackers as having a nice short, crisp texture. Scottish in origin, oatcakes probably made their debut in Canada when they arrived along with Scottish immigrants. Continue reading Old-Fashioned Scottish Oatcakes
Those who regularly follow my blog will recall that I made the commitment back in January 2013 to post one cookie recipe a month for the entire year. So, for ease of retrieval, I thought I would do a year-end round-up of all 12 cookies.
In January, just in time for Robbie Burns Day, I shared my recipe for Shortbread.
In February, with sweet Valentine’s Day, old-fashioned Sugar Cookies topped the list.
In March, Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies, made with a hint of stout, were ready for St. Patrick’s Day.
In April, thoughts turned to lighter, more spring-like, fare like these Lemon Spritz Shortbread Cookies.
In May, old-fashioned Cherry Winks proved they are still a perennial favorite.
In June, the no-bake Spider Cookies proved they are just as much a favorite today as they were when I was growing up!
In July, as we celebrated “Christmas in July”, the Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies brought back memories of the kinds of cookies often found in grandma’s cookie jar.
In August, Chocolate Drop Cookies, were a hit with the chocolate lovers!
In September, crisp and light-textured Peanut Butter Cookies made it on to the cookie of the month roster.
In October, the substantial and tasty raisin-filled Plum Puff Cookies heralded the fall season.
In November, when the days turned cooler and thoughts turned to the sweet smell of cooking with spices, the old-fashioned icebox Gingersnaps made their debut.
In December, these Coconut Cherry Macaroons made a fine addition to trays of sweets and to gift boxes.
I hope you have enjoyed some of my favorite cookie recipes. Do you have a favorite cookie?
Barbara
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These delightful Coconut Cherry Macaroons have been a longtime favorite recipe in our family. Continue reading Chewy Coconut Cherry Macaroons
Today, I am sharing my recipe for old-fashioned Gingersnaps. These wafer-thin, crisp cookies are flavoured with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, all scents that make the kitchen smell divine when they are baking. Continue reading Gingersnaps
Plum Puff Cookies
Plum Puff Cookies are hearty cookies because each one is actually two cookies sandwiched together with a tasty raisin filling. These cookies can also be filled with your favorite jam, date , or even lemon, filling.
Cookie Ingredients:
¼ cup butter
½ tbsp lard
½ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla
1¼ cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
¼ tsp soda
1/8 tsp cardamon
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat butter and lard together. Add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla.
Sift flour, salt, soda, and cardamom together. Stir into wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
Knead dough into ball. If dough is soft, place in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/8” thickness. Divide dough in half. Using a 2 – 2½” linzer round crinkle cookie cutter, cut out one half of the dough into solid circles. Cut remaining dough into the same size circles but fit the linzer cookie cutter with desired cut-out for cookie centers. (Note: If you don’t have a linzer cookie cutter, simply use any cookie cutter shape you have and then use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies.)
Place cookies, about 1½” – 2” apart, on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on center rack in oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on rack for 2-3 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
When cookies have cooled completely, spread cooled raisin filling (recipe follows) on flat side of each solid cookie, then top with the flat side of a cookie that has center cut out.
Yield: 2-dozen sandwich cookies
Filling Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 tbsp flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ tsp vanilla
Pinch of cinnamon
Smidgeon of salt
Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Over medium-low heat, cook raisin mixture until thickened.
An old-fashioned wholesome cookie.
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Peanut Butter Cookies are an old favourite and, over the years, many a cookie jar has been filled with them. Continue reading Peanut Butter Cookies
I have always been a chocolate lover. These chocolate cookies were ones my Mother often made when I was a child. I like the rich chocolate flavour and somewhat chewy center they have. These cookies don’t take any uncommon ingredients or ones most serious bakers wouldn’t have in their cupboards. Of course, using the best cocoa you can find will make for a richer, more flavourful cookie.
This cookie recipe calls for shortening (as opposed to butter). While some think that butter is the only fat to use in baking, I would disagree. There are times when the flavorless shortening can actually produce a better quality baked good with sought-after attributes.
For these cookies, I wanted puffy cookies with a soft, tender texture so shortening was my fat ingredient of choice. This is because shortening has no water content so, unlike butter with its water content, there is no water to create steam. Less steam means less gluten is likely to be formed thus giving the cookies their soft, tender texture.
In addition, shortening has a higher melting point that does butter. This gives the cookie dough a longer chance to set and establish its shape before the fat melts and spreads the cookies out flat. The result? Cookies with a higher rise and a softer, more tender texture. You can read more about the choice of using butter and/or shortening in cookie baking by clicking here.
These cookies are very easy to make and, being drop cookies, there is no rolling the dough and cutting out shapes and no need for any icing. Simply scoop up some dough with a teaspoon and use another to slide the dough off the spoon and on to the cookie sheet. These cookies can be dressed up with 1/2 cup of either chopped nuts, dates, raisins, or even chocolate chips. However, I don’t add any extras to them as I like the smooth texture and flavour they have on their own without any further additions.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 375F.
With electric mixer, beat shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk.
Into separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake or cookies will be dry.
Yield: Apx. 3 dozen
These cookies are good any time and make good lunch box treats as well as picnic basket fare. They are especially good with a dish of vanilla ice cream!
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Yield: Apx. 3 dozen
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
Today, I am sharing an old family favourite – Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies. Continue reading Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies
Oh, these bring back sweet childhood memories! I grew up knowing these as “Spider Cookies” though they are known by a host of other names, too. Sometimes, they are simply called “Uncooked Chocolate Cookies”. Regardless their name, they are simple to make and very tasty; in fact, I’d say they are a close neighbour to candy. Continue reading Spider Cookies Recipe
My Mother often made Cherry Wink Cookies when I was a small child so they have been a family favorite for many years. They are not difficult to make and don’t take any hard-to-find or unusual ingredients.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening or butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, unbeaten, room temperature
4 tbsp milk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped pecans
apx. 2 1/2 – 3 cups cornflakes
apx. 15 maraschino cherries, blotted dry in paper towel, and cut into quarters
Method:
Preheat oven to 375F.
In bowl of stand mixer, cream shortening or butter. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Whisk together to blend. Mix in the dates and pecans. Add to creamed mixture and stir until well combined.
Crush cornflakes crumbs by placing in a sealed ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
Transfer crumbs to shallow bowl. Shape dough into small balls. Roll each cookie ball in the crumbs to coat. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Top each cookie with piece of cherry.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.
These cookies go especially well with a glass of cold milk!
…and one is never enough!
A box of these cookies makes a wonderful, tasty gift!
What are your memories of cherry winks?
Yield: Apx. 4 dozen cookies.
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Spritz cookies are dainty-shaped cookies that are crisp and buttery. They are made by pushing soft cookie dough through a cookie press which is a cylinder fitted with a decorative disk that has patterned holes through which the dough is “squirted” or pressed into shapes. Typically, cookie presses come with many different decorative disks – mine has probably 20 or more.
These cookies are popular at Christmas, special occasions, and are very suitable for afternoon teas as they can be made in so many different shapes and colors and can be further embellished with icing, colored sugar, miniature gumdrops, or dragées.
My recipe for Lemon Spritz Cookies is buttery rich and delicate. I like the flavour burst of lemon juice and zest in these petite cookies.
This recipe does best when the dough is chilled for 24 hours to allow the egg yolk to get fully incorporated and absorbed into the other ingredients. Unlike most liquids, such as water or milk, for example, eggs take a lot more time to become incorporated into the dry ingredients. When the dough comes out of the refrigerator, it will be too hard to push through the cookie press so let the dough sit at room temperature for about an hour or so until it becomes pliable enough that it can be formed into a roll that can be inserted into the cookie press cylinder. You’ll notice this recipe has no baking powder or soda. This is because that would cause the cookies to raise which, in turn, would result in them losing their shape and design that makes them spritz cookies.
Lemon Spritz Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup icing sugar
½ cup cornstarch
1 egg yolk
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond flavouring
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 2/3 cup flour
smidgeon salt
pinch cardamom
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Cream butter and icing sugar.
Blend in cornstarch.
Add egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla, almond flavouring, and lemon zest.
Add the flour, salt, and cardamom to creamed mixture, stirring until well combined.
Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for apx. 1 hour. Form dough into a roll that will fit inside the cookie press cylinder. Insert dough roll into the cookie press.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Follow manufacturer’s directions for your cookie press to form the cookies into decorative shapes. Decorate with colored sugar, if desired. Bake at 400F for 7-8 minutes. Watch the cookies closely as their high butter content and small size means they will burn easily and quickly. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes then transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling.
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Well, for my Cookie of the Month for March, I tried to find out if there is a cookie recipe that traces its origins to Ireland or, alternatively, a cookie that is particularly popular on the Emerald Isle. However, I had no luck in tracking down any (maybe it was lack of Irish luck!)
I decided to create a special recipe and give it a distinctly Irish flavour using stout in honour of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. As you know, whenever possible, I like to feature Island products in my cooking and baking. At the time of writing, PEI does have a brewing company that produces stout – The Island Brewing Company produces Gahan Sydney Street Stout. However, it is apparently a limited edition and is not available in local liquor stores year-round — at least I couldn’t track down any. So, instead, I opted to use Montreal-brewed St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout because it boasts hints of espresso and chocolate.
I knew I was going to be making a chocolate cookie with a hint of coffee flavour so a stout with both chocolate and coffee flavour could only enhance the cookie’s taste. Like any ingredient, moderation is the trick. My goal was to flavour the cookie with the stout and bring out the chocolate flavour – I wasn’t aiming for a beer-tasting cookie. Therefore, I used only 1 1/2 tablespoons of stout as part of the liquid ingredients.
This recipe calls for both butter and shortening in the ingredients and I recommend both be used. For more information on why some cookie recipes call for both types of fat, click here.
For the chocolate, I chose to use semi-sweet squares of chocolate because I find the flavour a bit more intense than powdered cocoa. Using some brewed coffee gives these cookies a distinct mocha flavour. For interest, color, and texture, I used swirled milk and white chocolate chips.
This dough does well when it is chilled and allowed to “rest” for 24 hours after mixing and before baking the cookies. The purpose of letting the dough “rest” is to allow the liquid ingredients, including the egg, to get fully incorporated and absorbed into the other ingredients. The “resting” period makes for a drier and firmer cookie dough and this controls its spread while baking so you don’t end up with a really flat cookie.
Refrigerating the cookie dough also allows the fat content in the dough to firm up, and cold, firm butter/shortening takes longer to melt in the oven. This delay in melting gives the cookies a chance to rise up instead of immediately spreading out. As a result, the cookies begin to bake, create structure, and are able to hold their shape before the butter, in particular, breaks down and flattens and spreads them out. I do not recommend skipping the dough chilling step for these cookies.
If the dough is particularly hard when it comes out of the refrigerator to the point that it can’t be scooped or spooned without chibbling it, let it rest at room temperature for 10 – 15 minutes. Do not, however, bring the dough completely back to room temperature and soften as that will defeat the objective of having the butter and shortening firm up in the dough before the cookies enter the hot oven and start spreading out.
I like the drop cookies to be soft and somewhat chewy and, of course, the key to that texture is to slightly underbake the cookies – bake these no more than 10-12 minutes at 350F and let them cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. cold brewed coffee
1 1/2 tbsp stout
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 squares of semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Cream butter and shortening.
Add brown and white sugars. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until blended.
In separate bowl, or large measuring cup, mix coffee, stout, milk, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add to mixture. Mix well.
Add melted chocolate and mix to blend.
Combine dry ingredients. Add to mixture and stir just until flour is incorporated.
Stir in chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 24 hours.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop by cookie scoop or spoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Bake at 350F oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
These make a fine treat for St. Patrick’s Day (but are just as good any time of the year!)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop by cookie scoop or spoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Bake at 350F oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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[This post was last updated March 11, 2024]
These Old-fashioned Sugar Cookies are one of the plainest cookies yet they have endured throughout time and are often counted amongst the favorites in many families. The cookies are aptly named given the amount of sugar in them in proportion to the amounts of other ingredients. Despite the amount of sugar in most sugar cookie recipes, they are not really an overly sweet or rich cookie. Continue reading Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
While some will argue that Shortbread is not a cookie per se, I chose to include it in my Cookie of the Month series I ran a few years ago and, at the time of original writing, featured it for January given that is the month Robert Burns Day is celebrated. There are so many recipes and versions (and opinions!) of Shortbread and what follows is mine. Continue reading Shortbread Recipe
