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.
Shortbread
In February, with sweet Valentine’s Day, old-fashioned Sugar Cookies topped the list.
In May, old-fashioned Cherry Winks proved they are still a perennial favorite.
Cherry Wink Cookie
In June, the no-bake Spider Cookies proved they are just as much a favorite today as they were when I was growing up!
Spider Cookies
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 September, crisp and light-textured Peanut Butter Cookies made it on to the cookie of the month roster.
Peanut Butter Cookies
In October, the substantial and tasty raisin-filled Plum Puff Cookies heralded the fall season.
Plum Puff Cookies
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.
Gingersnaps
In December, these Coconut Cherry Macaroons made a fine addition to trays of sweets and to gift boxes.
Coconut Cherry Macaroons
I hope you have enjoyed some of my favorite cookie recipes. Do you have a favorite cookie?
Barbara
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November brings days with shorter daylight hours and cooler temperatures. If you are like me, when late fall arrives, your thoughts turn to comfort foods that include spicy cookies. My choice of cookie of the month for November is the old-fashioned gingersnap. These wafer-thin, crisp cookies are flavoured with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, all scents that make the kitchen smell divine when they are baking.
Gingersnaps are not difficult to make but they do take some time since this recipe requires the dough to be shaped into logs and then refrigerated for 24 hours. While these cookies are tasty any time of the year, they make a great addition to holiday sweet trays and gift boxes. The dough can also be frozen, then thawed, sliced, and baked when desired.
Old-fashioned Gingersnaps
Ingredients:
1/3 cup molasses 2 tbsp brown sugar ½ cup margarine
1 tsp soda
1 egg yolk
1½ cups flour 1 tsp ginger ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp salt
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Into medium-sized saucepan, combine molasses, brown sugar, and margarine. Over medium-low heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring regularly to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat once mixture has started to boil. Add soda and stir well. Cool mixture to room temperature.
Add egg yolk to cooled mixture. Stir well.
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients into wet ingredients to make a stiff dough. Stir well to combine.
Turn dough onto wax paper and roll and shape into two logs each about 2½” – 3” in diameter – either round or rectangular-shaped. Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap. Chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375F. Remove cookie logs from refrigerator and unwrap. Using a very sharp knife, slice each log into 1/8” slices.
Place cookies about 1” apart on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan for 2-3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
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Wafer thin and crisp, these old-fashioned Gingersnaps are flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Good spicy warmth of the wonderful tastes and scents of the Christmas season. A holiday classic!
Course Snack
Keyword cookies, icebox cookies, Christmas cookies
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
1/3cupmolasses
2tbspbrown sugar
½cupmargarine
1tspsoda
1egg yolk
1½cupsflour
1tspginger
½tspcinnamon
¼tspcloves
¼tspsalt
Instructions
Assemble ingredients.
Into medium-sized saucepan, combine molasses, brown sugar, and margarine. Over medium-low heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring regularly to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat. Add soda and stir well. Cool mixture to room temperature.
Add egg yolk to cooled mixture. Stir well.
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl and mix into wet ingredients to make a stiff dough. Stir well to combine.
Turn dough onto wax paper and roll and shape into two logs each about 2½” - 3” in diameter. Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap. Chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375F. Remove cookie logs from refrigerator and unwrap. Using a very sharp knife, slice each log into 1/8” slices and place about 1” apart on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan for 2-3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
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.
Peanut Butter Cookies are an old favourite and, over the years, many a cookie jar has been filled with them.
These cookies take very few ingredients and nothing out of the ordinary that would not be in most cupboards. Either smooth or crunchy peanut butter may be used – whichever is your preference – in the cookies. In order to keep the cookies a bit soft, watch the baking time, checking them at the 10-minute point.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
¼ cup shortening ¼ cup butter ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white sugar ½ cup peanut butter 1 egg, well-beaten 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup flour 1 tsp soda 1/8 tsp salt
Method:
Assemble ingredients. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350F.
Cream shortening, and butter together. Beat in brown and white sugars until fluffy.
Mix in peanut butter.
Add egg and vanilla.
Sift flour, soda, and salt together. Add to wet ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
If dough is very soft, refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Shape dough into small balls about 1” in diameter. Place on baking sheet about 2 ½” – 3” apart as these cookies spread.
With fork dipped in sugar, press down cookies in a traditional criss-cross pattern with the tines of the fork.
Bake on center rack in oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
Classic peanut butter cookies have been a cookie jar favorite for years and these melt-in-your-mouth cookies take very few ingredients and are easy to make.
Course Cookies
Keyword cookies,, peanut butter cookies
My Island Bistro KitchenBarbara99
Ingredients
¼cupshortening
¼cupbutter
½cupbrown sugar
½cupwhite sugar
½cuppeanut butter
1egg, well-beaten
1tspvanilla
1cupflour
1tspsoda
1/8tspsalt
Instructions
Assemble ingredients. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
In bowl of stand mixer, cream shortening and butter together. Beat in brown and white sugars until fluffy.
Mix in peanut butter.
Add egg and vanilla.
Sift flour, soda, and salt together. Add to bowl mixture and mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
If dough is very soft, refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Shape dough into small balls about 1” in diameter. Place prepared baking sheet about 2½” – 3” apart as these cookies spread.
With fork dipped in sugar, press down cookies in a traditional criss-cross pattern with the tines of the fork.
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
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 bakers wouldn’t have in their cupboards. Of course, using the best cocoa you can find will make for a richer, more flavourful cookie.
They 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]
Chocolate Drop Cookies
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!
Chocolate lovers will love these easy-to-make rich Chocolate Drop Cookies with their slightly chewy interior
Course Cookies
Keyword chocolate cookies, cookies,
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
1/2cupshortening, softened
1cupwhite sugar
1egg
1tspvanilla
1/2cupmilk
1 1/2cupsflour
1/2cupcocoa
1tspbaking powder
1/4tspsalt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
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 creamed mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake or cookies will be dry. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx. 3 dozen
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Chocolate Drop Cookies
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Happy Christmas in July! I know, I know, I know! It’s only July but it’s never too early to think about Christmas cookies! So, as I continue on with my Cookie of the Month series in 2013, I am sharing an old family favourite – Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies – as the July cookie.
Brown Sugar Jam-filled Cookies
This recipe was shared with me by a neighbour lady 36 years ago. It has long been a favourite cookie in our household. It is not too sweet but is very tasty….bite into one of these cookies and you’ll find that one will not be enough!
Brown Sugar Jam-filled Cookies
You can also vary the flavour by using different jams and jellies in the center, although red jam is always the most showy. I have used some of my fresh batch of strawberry jam as the filler in the cookies in these photos.
Brown Sugar Jam-filled Cookies
When my neighbour made the cookies, she never added cherries or nuts; however, I think these additions make the cookies a bit more special, particularly around holiday time.
I do a lot of special baking around the holidays but have discovered that not everyone wants gooey squares and rich decadent cookies, balls, and candy that always seem to adorn sweet trays during the holiday season. For some, they are just too rich and sweet. These cookies are the perfect alternative. They are what I would class as a ‘substantial’ cookie yet the nuts and cherries still keep them within the Christmas ‘zone’.
Brown Sugar Jam-filled Cookies
But don’t reserve them just for the holidays! They are good any time of the year and are especially good picnic fare and lunch box treats. They also make a great tea-time snack (yes, I took my Christmas China to the beach for a mid-evening tea and had to watch out for the seagulls who were eying the cookies pretty well!).
The Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies are easy to make and don’t take uncommon ingredients. They also freeze well so are great to have on hand.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp milk 1 egg ½ tsp vanilla
1¾ cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp cardamom ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts ¼ cup chopped maraschino cherries
Favorite jam or jelly
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Assemble ingredients.
In medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
Chop well-drained cherries. I drain them on, and dry them with, paper towel. The cherries need to be very well-drained and dried as, otherwise, they will color the dough pink. Chop macadamia nuts. Set both the cherries and nuts aside.
In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
On slow “stir” speed, stir in dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
Stir in cherries and nuts by hand.
On parchment-lined baking sheet, drop dough by teaspoonfuls. With thumb, press indent into center of each cookie. Fill with ¼ – ½ tsp of favorite jam or jelly.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Yield: Apx. 30 cookies (depending on the size you choose to make)
The combination of bright red jam or jelly and a tender, soft, and butter crumb make these Brown Sugar Jam-filled Cookies a real treat!
Course Sweet Treats
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
1¾cupall-purpose flour
½tspbaking soda
¼tspsalt
¼tspcardamom
½cupchopped macadamia nuts
¼cupchopped maraschino cherries
½cupbutter, softened
1cupbrown sugar
1tbspmilk
1egg
½tspvanilla
Favorite jam or jelly
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and assemble ingredients. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
Chop the cherries and nuts and set aside.
In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
On slow "stir" speed, stir in dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
Remove bowl from stand and stir in the cherries and nuts.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. With thumb, press indent into center of each cookie. Fill with ¼ - ½ tsp of favorite jam or jelly.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx. 30 cookies (depending on the size you choose to make)
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Oh, these bring back sweet childhood memories! I grew up knowing these as “Spider Cookies”. However, they are often 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.
These are indeed a vintage cookie. I don’t know their origins but do know they were popular in the 1960s and since. They have often been found at picnics and, whenever there was an event at school, inevitably somebody’s mom showed up with these treats in tow.
The great thing about these cookies is that you don’t have to bake them, they don’t take uncommon or a long list of ingredients, and they are relatively quick and easy to make, even for novice bakers.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Spider Cookies
Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup margarine, butter, or shortening pinch of salt 1 tsp. vanilla 2 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats (not instant) 1/2 cup coconut 6 tbsp cocoa
Method:
In medium-sized saucepan, combine sugar, milk, margarine, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir.
In large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, and cocoa. Stir well to combine.
Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients in bowl. Stir to combine. Mixture may seem soft but resist the urge to add more rolled oats which will make the cookies hard and chippy. Let mixture stand, undisturbed, for 15-20 minutes and it will begin to firm up.
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax-paper lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for apx. 1 hour to firm up cookies.
Yield: apx. 36 cookies
Store in airtight container. These cookies also freeze well.
Make sure you use a good quality cocoa to get the best, richest taste in these cookies.
These old-fashioned cookies are known by several names, including "Spider Cookies". Easy, no-bake confections.
Course Snack
Keyword nobake cookies, Spider Cookies
Servings36
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
2cupswhite sugar
1/2cupmilk
1/2cupmargarinebutter, or shortening
pinchof salt
1tsp.vanilla
2 1/2cupsquick cooking rolled oatsnot instant
1/2cupcoconut
6tbspcocoa
Instructions
In medium-sized saucepan, combine sugar, milk, margarine, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir.
In large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, and cocoa. Stir well to combine.
Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients in bowl. Stir to combine. Mixture may seem soft but resist the urge to add more rolled oats which will make the cookies hard and chippy. Let mixture stand, undisturbed, for 15-20 minutes and it will begin to firm up.
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax-paper lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for apx. 1 hour to firm up cookies.
Store in airtight container. These cookies also freeze well.
Recipe Notes
Yield: apx. 36 cookies
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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]
Cherry Winks
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!
Cherry Winks are a cookie jar favorite! Cookies are coated in crushed cornflake crumbs and topped with a cherry. Both showy and tasty!
Course Snack
Keyword cherry winks, cookies,
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
¾cupshortening or butter, softened at room temperature
1cupwhite sugar
2eggs, unbeaten (room temperature)
4tbspmilk, room temperature
1tspvanilla
2¼cupsall-purpose flour
1tspbaking powder
½tspsoda
½tspsalt
1cupchopped dates
¾cupchopped pecans
apx. 2½ - 3 cups cornflakes
apx. 15 maraschino cherries, blotted dry in paper towel, and cut into quarters
Instructions
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
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 cornflake 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.
Recipe Notes
Yield:Apx. 4 dozen cookies.
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Cherry Winks
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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.
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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Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies Made with Stout
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!). If any of you know of a traditional Irish cookie, please do share the information.
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. PEI does have one 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.
For the chocolate, I chose to use semi-sweet squares of chocolate because I find their 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.
The chilled dough, though, will be really hard making it next to impossible to use a cookie scoop (I know as I have already gone through two of them!) to form the cookies into shapes for baking. Cookie scoops are great to make uniform-sized and shaped cookies; however, dropping the cookies by teaspoons on to the baking sheet also works well.
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.
My Island Bistro Kitchen’s Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
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 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!)
My Island Bistro Kitchen's Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
These Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies are both tasty and showy. Flavoured with a wee bit of stout. A treat anytime but especially good for a St. Patrick's Day treat!
Course Snack
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
1/2cupbuttersoftened
1/4cupshorteningsoftened
1/2cupbrown sugar
1/3cupwhite sugar
1egg
2tbsp.cold brewed coffee
1 1/2tbspstout
2tbspmilk
1tspvanilla
2 1/2squares of semi-sweet chocolatemelted
2cupsflour
1/2tsp.salt
1/2tspbaking soda
1/2tspbaking powder
1cupchocolate chips
Instructions
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 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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Double Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
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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.
Growing up in PEI, sugar and molasses cookies were a standard staple in many Island homes. My grandmothers always had them on hand yet their cookies varied significantly because, of course, they used different recipes and probably some different ingredients or proportions. One grandmother always made round cookies while the other always cut her cookies into squares. One made soft cookies while the other made cookies that were quite hard.
I remember visiting one grandmother and, as soon as I’d get in the door, I’d always ask for cookies to which the response was ‘you don’t have to ask, just go and help yourself’. I’d trot into her pantry and there were always two large cookie tins on the counter – one for molasses cookies and the other for sugar cookies. I’d return to the kitchen to find Gramma, with a big, happy smile on her face, having taken up her position in her Boston rocker beside the stove, waiting for me to occupy the companion rocker and have a visit. I’d rock away munching on the cookies — a sugar in one hand and a molasses cookie in the other — and we’d chat about this and that and nothing in particular. I think it made her day to have me pop in for a visit and to see little fingers fishing cookies out of the tins! I never remember visiting that there weren’t cookies in those tins! Gramma really was a cookie-type grandmother! Great memories!
Sugar Cookies and Hot Cocoa
Both molasses and sugar cookies were considered wholesome and substantial cookies that didn’t take ingredients homemakers would not be likely to have in their pantries. So, they were quite an economical cookie to make. No matter the recipe, sugar cookies have common ingredients – some kind of fat (butter, shortening, or lard), sugar (white or brown or a combination), eggs, flour, leavening agent (baking soda, cream of tartar, and/or baking powder), vanilla, and often a small quantity of milk. Sugar cookies can be rolled and cut into desired shapes or they can be drop cookies, depending on the recipe used.
The recipe I use is for rolled sugar cookies. They are neither soft nor hard. The batter is quite dense. These cookies hold their shape well. I chill the dough for a couple of hours before rolling it out and then chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before baking them. This helps to contain their shape and keep them from spreading. I add just small amounts of two spices – cardamom and nutmeg — not enough to change them from sugar to spice cookies but sufficient to give the flavour a bit of complexity for the taste buds. I also add the seeds from one-half of a vanilla bean as well as 1 tsp pure vanilla. I like the flavour from the vanilla bean seeds and I especially like the little black specks in the appearance of the cookie. My recipe calls for butter but some will use half shortening and half butter. Butter, of course, will make a richer cookie.
The key to baking cookies that will determine if they are soft or hard is the baking time. For softer, more chewy cookies, remove them from the oven when they are ever-so-slightly undercooked.
So, I introduce you to my old-fashioned sugar cookies.
Old-fashioned Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened at room temperature 1 cup white sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/4 cup milk, room temperature 1 tsp vanilla
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp cardamom 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Method:
Using the tip of a sharp knife, split open the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the edge of the knife blade , scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds. Beat just until combined.
In separate bowl, sift or sieve flour, cream of tartar, soda, salt, cardamon, and nutmeg. Add to liquid ingredients and stir just until flour mixture is combined with liquid ingredients.
Chill dough for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On floured surface, gather dough together and roll out dough to a scant 1/4″ thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
Decorate with raisins and/or sprinkle of sugar, if desired.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1½” apart. Chill cookies in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Remove and bake for 8-10 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen – 2 5/8″ cookies. Yield will vary depending on size of cookie cutters used.
Store cookies in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or store in freezer for longer storage.
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Simple, classic Old-fashioned Sugar Cookies are perfect for the cookie jar and the dough is perfect for making cut-out cookies in any shape desired.
Course Cookies
Keyword cookies,, sugar cookies
My Island Bistro KitchenBarbara99
Ingredients
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
1cupbutter (no substitutes), softened at room temperature
1cupwhite sugar
2large eggs, room temperature
¼cupmilk, room temperature
1tspvanilla
3¼cupsall-purpose flour
1½tspcream of tartar
1tspsoda
¼tspsalt
1/8tspcardamom
1/8tspnutmeg
Instructions
Using the tip of a sharp knife, split open the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the edge of the knife blade, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds. Beat just until combined.
In separate bowl, sift or sieve flour, cream of tartar, soda, salt, cardamon, and nutmeg. Add to liquid ingredients and stir just until flour mixture is combined with liquid ingredients.
Chill dough for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On floured surface, gather dough together and roll out dough to a scant ¼" thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
Decorate with raisins and/or sprinkle of sugar, if desired.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1½" apart. Chill cookies in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Remove and bake for 8-10 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
Recipe Notes
Makes about 3 dozen - 2 5/8" cookies. Yield will vary depending on size of cookie cutters used.
Store cookies in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or store in freezer for longer storage.
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A few years ago, I did a “Cookie of the Month” series where, once a month, I posted a recipe and photographs of a favourite cookie.
Shortbread “Petticoat Tails”
While some will argue that Shortbread is not a cookie per se, I have chosen to include Shortbread in my Cookie of the Month series and for January, in particular, 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→
(Mostly) PEI and Maritime Food – Good Food for a Good Life!
