Oatmeal CookieBlog

2010: The Year in Cookies

Reader Query: Thaw Frozen Cookie Dough Before Baking?

JS5981 wrote in recently with a follow-up question about freezing cookie dough:

So can you bake them straight from the freezer or do you have to let the dough thaw?

Hi, JS5981.Thanks for writing in again! I freeze cookie dough all the time. It holds up really well in the freezer for a couple weeks or so, and the baked-off cookies taste as great as the ones you bake with fresh dough. The night before you plan to bake, move the frozen dough to the fridge to thaw. Then move the thawed dough to the kitchen counter for a few hours to come to room temperature before baking. Simple as that!

There's no harm in baking straight-from-the-freezer dough. The cookies will taste good, but they won't spread out much.

A Reader's Tip for Facilitating Freezer-Friendly Formulations

Shirley replied to yesterday's post about freezing cookie dough and had a really good tip for all you bakers out there who like to plan ahead:

When I freeze cookie dough I use my cookie scooper and make balls like I would when baking the cookies. I put them on a cookie sheet and once they are frozen I put them in a zip lock bag then return the bag to the freezer. I take them out when I want fresh baked cookies. This method has worked well for me, and my mother-in-law loves to have them in her freezer.

Hi, Shirley. Scooping and then freezing individually portioned cookie dough balls is an excellent idea. What a great daughter-in-law you are. Thanks for writing in and sharing your cookie wisdom!

Freezer-Friendly Formulations

A little while ago, Marya, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in with a question about the freezability of my recipes. Here's what she had to say after making and freezing batches of my XXX Cranberry Cookies and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies:

Hi! Well, as of yesterday both batches of cookies were gone. I froze two giant ziploc bags of cookie dough, and we hardly made any actual cookies after the initial day of baking (a dozen of each). We just warmed some dough up in the microwave and ate it like that. And baking two different kinds at once is DANGEROUS. because you can't just have one, you need to have one of each, but really who only has one cookie at a time? So it was most often two of each kind, and dang it was good. I can't wait to bake another recipe--although it will have to wait until after the new year! I think I will stick strictly to your recipe this time instead of adding a bunch of stuff like I usually do.

Hi, Marya! It just dawned on me that I have a sandwich bag's worth of leftover Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate dough hanging out in my freezer from my last round of baking. Thanks for jogging my memory! I've known it for a while, but you've prooved it: My recipes freeze really, really well.

I'm so glad you and your sister Em are real-life recipe users. I love hearing from you both. Happy baking. And have a happy New Year's!

Snow Music Is Cookie-Making Music

Hey there, all you bakers. I hope you're making the most of this blizzard. Hooray for snow days! Here's some weather-appropriate cookie-making music for you.

Listen, the Snow is Falling from Logan Jaffe on Vimeo.

Savoring Savory Parmesan & Black Olive Cookies

JS5981, a reader and real-life recipe user, made a batch of my savory Parmesan & Black Olive Cookies and had this to say:

Hi CookieGuy, Thanks again for another great recipe! I made these for my wife (an avid olive lover) as part of a Christmas gift. We both can not stop eating them. Thankfully I made extra because the relatives devoured them as well. I can't wait to tackle the next recipe. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Hi, JS5981. Merry Christmas, and thanks for writing in! I know savory cookies sound a little strange, but these guys are really good! They're perfect with a glass of red wine or as an accompaniment to a hearty pasta meal. I'm so glad you, your wife, and your relatives enjoyed these and that you made them a part of your holiday meal and celebration.

Merry Christmas

Reader Query: Coconut Tweaks?

Carol, a longtime reader and real-life recipe user, emailed me with some questions about my Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate cookies:

These sound delicious, Greg! I have lots of walnuts and almost everything else I need - just a couple of questions: I don't have coconut extract, not sure I want to buy some, so I'd like to try using vanilla extract only - what do you think? And, I have unsweetened coconut, is that right or did you use sweetened? Thanks, can't wait to try these!

Hi, Carol. Thanks for writing in! I always use Baker's brand sweetened coconut, but feel free to use what you've got on hand. Unsweetened coconut should work just fine. And if you don't have coconut extract, go ahead and use twice the amount of vanilla.

I ran out of milk the last time I made this recipe, so I had to soak the coconut in water instead. The cookies came out great--just as good as the regular batches. So don't worry about swapping out ingredients. Do a little improvising and use what you have on hand.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #12 Coconut, Walnut & Chocolate

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

Last Saturday, my friends Bill and Jim hosted a Christmas party at their superbly decorated home. (At last count, I believe the total for illuminated trees--ranging in size from humble to huge--was 34.)

They know how to put on quite a spread. And on top of that, everyone always brings something of his own to contribute to the feast. Jack brings his home-smoked ribs, which are a group favorite. And I, of course, bring my homemade cookies to top off the dessert table.

Bill and Jim and the rest of the boys are fans of my recipes, and I've even started taking requests. At the top of the wishlist of ingredients are coconut, walnuts, and chocolate, and I decided to roll them all into a single cookie for the Christmas party.

Something I saw a few weeks ago on an epsiode of Top Chef: Just Desserts has stuck with me. It came up during a cake challenge when one of the guest judges was Sylvia Weinstock, cake decoratory extraordinaire. One of the contestents made a coconut cake, and Sylvia asked why the person hadn't soaked the coconut in anything to moisten it and, ultimately, the cake. "A-ha!" I thought. "She's talking about enplumpening!"

I soak dried fruit in all sorts of stuff--tea, booze--to get them juicy and plump. But it never occurred to me to try enplumpening coconut. And, boy, does it work. Thanks, Sylvia Weinstock!

Next up: walnuts. I could have toasted them to bring out their nuttiness even more, but I decided to just use a whole mess of them instead. Two cups' worth, as a matter of fact. With that many walnuts in the dough, you're guaranteed to get some crunch in each bite.

The final element was chocolate. A simple twist on a standard semisweet chocolate chip cookie recipe wouldn't do. I had to bust out the milk and the dark chocolate in addition to the standby semisweet chips if I wanted to knock the boys' socks off with this cookie. I used one of those rotary cheese grater contraptions to grind up a big bar of Hershey's milk chocolate, and then I roughly chopped a big bar of Ghirardelli dark chocolate.

The final flavor element was just a hint of cinnamon to tie everything together.

Out of 48 cookies, there were only 3 left at the end of the night. So trust me: These babies are good! Chewy and crunchy, nutty, sweet, and rich. Absolutely delicious.

Makes 4 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 tablespoon vanilla
Enplumpenings	1 1/2 cups coconut 1 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Dry Ingredients	2 cups roughly chopped walnuts 1 1/2 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 4.4 oz. milk chocolate bar, grated 1 4.4 oz. dark chocolate bar, chopped 3/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Soak the coconut in the milk, vanilla, and coconut extract for 30-45 minutes. Set aside until Step 6.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. Drain the coconut, discarding the remaining liquid. Add the enplumpened coconut to the combined wet ingredients and creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
   
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Scoop dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
11. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Kookoo for Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies

My BFF Ken is a huge fan of my Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies, and he sent an email to make it official:

As you know, I have tried out a few of your recipes, which have never disappointed, and you even inspired me to create one of my own recipes (Peppermint Pattie-stuffed).

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and the Coconut, Walnut & Chocolate Cookies you brought to Bill & Jim's party. Now, I've had my share of cookies, but boy oh boy did you knock it out of the park on these babies! I stand up and salute you, sir, for making such a great cookie.

Thanks, Ken! I made my third batch of this recipe for another get-together at Bill & Jim's last Saturday. Four dozen--yup, that's right four dozen--cookies disappeared. They're that good.

Singing the Praises of Oatmeal Snickerdoodles

Teddi tried my Oatmeal Snickerdoodles recipe recently and this to say:

Absolutely delicious! My hubby really likes cinnamon, so the extra cinnamon was a GOOD CALL.

We didn't even grind up the quick oats, and they still turned out great. Daddy and the kids made these while I was out, and I came home to a wonderful treat.

Thanks for posting this!

Hi, Teddi. Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so glad you and your family liked these guys. Hats off to your in-house baker and his staff!

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #11 Cheesecake Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

This oatmeal cookie with a cheesecake filling and a graham cracker outside "crust" is one of one of my most popular recipes. It's also a perfect example of a stuffed cookie. 

When I thought up the idea of cheesecake-stuffed cookies, of course I had to name them the "Golden Girls" after one of my favorite 80s sitcoms. Whenever Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sofia couldn't sleep (which, let's face it, was pretty often...because they're old ladies) and needed to work out their problems (which, let's face it, are a given when an ugly duckling, a dimwit, a slut, and a Sicilian live together), they went straight to the refrigerator, grabbed a cheesecake, and sat around the kitchen table talking, eating, laughing, eating, fighting, and eating some more. 

 

Many of the funniest moments in TV have taken place in their kitchen. I'm sure my Golden Girls cookies would meet the girls' standards!

Filling	8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese 4 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla
Creamables	2 sticks butter 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients	3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	2 cups finely ground graham crackers 1 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Add the filling ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well.  Let the mixture cool and solidify in the refrigerator until step 7.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
5. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
6. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
7. Remove the filling mixture from the refrigerator and stuff each dough ball with 1 teaspoon of the mixture.  Put the stuffed dough balls in the freezer for five minutes to firm up.
8. Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Kudos for Cranberry Crunch Cookies

Hi, everybody! Thanks so much for your interest in my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies posts. A few real-life recipe users wrote in recently with some raves about my Cranberry Crunch Cookies.

Sheri said:

Love them and so happy and proud to have my hubby bring them to his High School's teacher cookie exchange. Will give you credit and even post your web page for all to enjoy. Happy Holiday Season.

Carol said:

These are so fantastic! Absolutely delicious, and unusual enough to stand out in a crowd of cookies. These made me fall in love with Oatmeal Cookie Guy. :-)

Thanks, Sheri and Carol. Happy holidays...and keep baking!

Reader Query: Fixing Too-Soft Cookies?

Sheri was baking up a batch of my Cranberry Crunch Cookies the other night. She ran in to a problem and emailed me the following question:

Your newest award wining cookie ... the Cranberry Crunch Cookie... seems very soft when we remove it from the oven at 12 minutes. Your thoughts? HELP.

Ugh...ovens. Sometimes they run hot. Sometimes they run cold. (Don't even get me started with the story of how it took all day to bake an apple pie in the oven in my first New York City apartment.) Seldom is one lucky enough to have the Goldilocks oven whose temperature is just right.

But fear not! The solution for fixing a too-soft cookie is simple. Don't put the cookies back in the oven. If you do, you're likely to accidentally overbake them. Instead, let the too-soft cookies rest a bit on the cookie sheets before you remove them to the cooling racks. Just let them hang out on the sheets until the sheets are cool to the touch. There's enough heat in the sheets to do some carry-over cooking that will firm up your cookies without turning them into hockey pucks.

Sheri tried my trick, and this is what she had to say:

You rock. The cookies rock. The oven sucks.

Thanks, Sheri!

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #10 Salted Caramel Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

I've had salt-topped chocolates before, and the flavor is just delicious. The saltiness and the sweetness bounce off each other in your mouth. If you haven't tried this flavor combination, you must!

For this cookie, I stuck with my signature chocolate base that I also used in my Fake-Out-Eos. The next layer I wanted to add was caramel because I wanted not only a contrast of salty and sweet but also a contrast of crunchy and chewy. Caramel was the obvious choice. Plus: who (other than Mumma) doesn't like caramel? I decided to do a thumbprint cookie filled with caramel sauce and topped with a pinch of sea salt.

I ran out of my favorite caramel sauce and couldn't find a replacement at the grocery store, so I tried using a thinner caramel sauce that Jon found at Williams Sonoma. I filled the thumbprint holes with a 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel sauce, but as the cookies baked, the sauce got absorbed by the dough and disappeared.

I thought about it for a while and came up with a sure-fire fix: Rollos! These candies are the perfect caramel delivery system because the caramel itself is creamy and stays semi-soft at room temperature, and the chocolate coating prevents the caramel from "bleeding out" into the surrounding cookie dough. I used Rollos to great effect in my Girl Scout Samoa knockoffs, so I knew they would work here.

Push a Rollo into each dough ball and then top with a pinch of sea salt before baking. For a gooier caramel center, pinch the Rollos to crack the chocolate coating before pushing into the dough balls. (Remember to unwrap each candy!) Makes about 4 dozen.

Creamables	2 sticks butter 2 cups dark brown sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients	2 eggs 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla 2 tablespoons milk
Dry Ingredients	3 1/2 cups roughly ground Cocoa Pebbles cereal 2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, microplaned 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, microplaned 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling	48 individual Rollo candies
Topping	sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
4. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
5. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
6. Push a Rollo candy into each dough ball.
7. Place Rollo-studded dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
8. Top each dough ball with a pinch of sea salt.
   
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #9 Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

A few weeks ago, my blog buddy Alicia asked if I could do a pumpkin version of my cheesecake-stuffed Golden Girls cookies. And then Mumma got wind of these and asked for them as well. How could I say no?

Here you go, Alicia and Mumma! This is the perfect cookie for season because it combines two of the most popular desserts: pumpkin pie and cheesecake. Yes, they're rich and decadent, but they're perfectly sized for portion control. (Or not!)

Stuffing the cookies is a labor-intensive process, but it's well worth the effort. These pumpkin cheesecake-stuffed cookies taste amazing and will definitely wow your holiday guests.

Makes 2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies.)

Filling	6 ounces room-temperature cream cheese 1/3 cup canned pumpkin pie filling 3 tablespoons sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Creamables	1 stick butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Wet Ingredients	1 egg yolk 1/4 cup canned pumpkin pie filling 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups oatmeal 1 cup finely ground graham crackers 3/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Add the filling ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well.  Let the mixture cool and solidify in the refrigerator until step 7.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
5. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
6. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
7. Remove the filling mixture from the refrigerator and stuff each dough ball with 1 teaspoon of the mixture.  Put the stuffed dough balls in the freezer for five minutes to firm up.
8. Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #8 Cranberry Crunch Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

This recipe was my entry in this year's cranberry recipe contest. I don't know how I did yet, but these guys are pretty darn good! I won. This is an award-winning recipe!

I used dried cranberries (craisins), of course, and orange, which is a cranberry's best friend. Toasted almonds and a roll in turbinado sugar add the crunch. (If you've got almond extract on hand, feel free to add a 1/4–1/2 teaspoon to the wet ingredients.)

Jon and I are heading up to Massachusetts next weekend for the cranberry harvest festival. I'm sure Mumma will have me baking something while we're there, so stay tuned for more cranberry recipes and pictures of the harvest and other local specialties.

(Check out this video of an olde tyme dry harvest in my hometown of Carver. Wow! Dick Ward, my high school gym teacher, is the town's agricultural commissioner.)

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Cranberry Crunch Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons milk 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups dried cranberries (craisins) 1 cup finely ground graham crackers 1 cup toasted slivered almonds 1 cup oatmeal 3/4 cup flour 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
4. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
5. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
6. Roll each dough ball in turbinado or raw sugar.
7. Place sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
8. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #7 Boston Cream Pie Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

These cookies are for Em, who challenged me to come up with a Boston cream pie cookie. Ta-dah...I did it!

When I wrote this recipe, I thought a lot about Boston cream doughnuts. The doughnutty part is airy and chewy, but its flavor is pretty light because the doughnut itself is really just a delivery system for the custard filling and chocolate glaze. Simple enough, right?

So I got to work on a cookie base that would have a good texture and a yummy flavor but that wouldn't steal the show from the headlining duo. The solution? An oatmeal sugar cookie as the delivery system. (Stay tuned for more holiday-themed creations that use my oatmeal sugar cookie recipe as a base.)

Real Boston cream pie is filled with custard, but I used store-bought instant vanilla pudding instead because I wasn't sure if real custard would be stable enough--or thick enough--to hold up in the oven. (And because I've only made custard once or twice before and didn't want to risk it.) I also used 1/2 cup less milk than the package instructions called for so that the pudding would be thick and sturdy. (There's nothing worse than a filled/stuffed cookie whose filling/stuffing "bleeds out" in the oven.) Though I made a thickened pudding mixture, I wasn't convinced that it would hold up as the center of a stuffed cookie. So I decided to use the pudding as the filling for a thumbprint cookie instead.

A Boston cream pie wouldn't be Boston cream pie without the chocolate topping, of course. I decided to use semisweet chocolate chips that I melted over a double boiler. I then dipped the baked, cooled cookies, top-sides down, in the chocolate.

Makes 21 cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Boston Cream Pie Cookies.)

Thumbprint Filling

1 pack (1 ounce) instant vanilla pudding 1 1/2 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Glaze	1 1/4 cups chocolate chips, melted

1. In a small bowl, make the pudding. Use 1/2 cup less milk than the box instruction call for, and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Put the pudding in the refrigerator to cool until Step 10.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
8. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
9. Place the  dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Use your thumb to make an indentation in each dough ball. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the thumbprint filling.
11. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.
12. Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the chocolate. Return the cookies to the wire racks so that the chocolate cools and solidifies.
    

 

 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #6 Peppermint-Bark Stuffed Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

Boy, oh boy. It's like I blinked, and it's Christmas week. It's about time I posted a new seasonal cookie here! And so here it is: an inside-out (or is that outside-in?), stuffed version of my Yuletide (A.K.A. Peppermint Bark) Cookies.

This recipe uses my basic oatmeal sugar cookie base--but with a twist. I cut the white sugar to 1/2 a cup and added 1/2 a cup of light brown sugar because I wanted a chewy exterior to contrast with the crunchy bits of candy cane in the interior.

An all-white sugar version is great, especially if you want a crispy cookie. (I know because I've made that version before a bunch of times.) But because this recipe is for a stuffed cookie, I wanted a soft, pliable dough that would hold up to scoping, stuffing, rolling, and baking and still come out of the oven chewy. I chose right!

The semisweet chocolate chips are just right for the filling. They're rich and chocolaty and sweet but not too sweet--they compliment, not overpower, the crushed candy canes.

When I put the first tray in the oven, I had my fingers crossed because I was a little afraid that the candy cane bits would melt and solidify and turn into a tooth-shatteringly hard chunk o' peppermint flavored rock candy. You know I breathed a sigh of relief when these guys came out just right.

Here's a tip, though: you don't won't big pieces of candy cane here. I put my candy canes in a plastic sandwich bag and used a pan to crush them down into mostly powder. If you have any pieces that are bigger than a pencil's eraser, keep smooshing.

The finished cookies come out perfectly round, perfectly plump. Kinda like Santa.

Makes 2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Peppermint Bark-stuffed Cookies.)

Filling	1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons milk 8 candy canes
Creamables	1 stick butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 teaspoon milk
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

 

 

1. Melt the chocolate chips and milk over a double boiler or in the microwave. Add the crushed candy canes and mix. Let the mixture cool and solidify in the fridge until step 7.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
5. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
6. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
7. Remove the filling mixture from the fridge and stuff each dough ball with 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture. Put the stuffed dough balls in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up.
8. Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #5 XXX Cranberry Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

If you liked my Blueberry Muffin Top Cookies, you'll love these. The two recipes are almost the same, but there's an added dash of orange juice and orange zest in the cranberry version. (Oh...and you can feel good about eating these because they're eggless.)

Longtime readers know I hail from cranberry country, so cranberry cookies are a no brainer. But why did I call these guys XXX? Simple...because I use three forms of cranberries: dried (craisins), fresh (or thawed frozen), and cooked. And because they taste so good it's obscene.

The cranberries cooked with orange juice and orange zest have a fresh, bright flavor that's the perfect background for the sweetness of the craisins and the tartness of the fresh cranberries. The white chocolate chips provide richness, and the ground-up Nilla Wafers lend a light vanilla-y note. A final roll in turbinado sugar before baking gives the cookies a crunchy exterior that contrasts the moist, chewy interior.

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing XXX Cranberry Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1/2 cup fresh cranberries 4 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	2 cups oatmeal 1 cup finely ground Nilla Wafer cookies 3/4 cup flour 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup halved fresh cranberries 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	turbinado sugar

1. In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, milk, orange juice, orange zest, and white sugar over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, crushing the cranberries until the the mixture is smooth and evenly red.
2. Remove cranberry mixture from the heat and set aside to cool until Step 5.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. Add vanilla to the cooled cranberry mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
6. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Roll each cookie dough ball in turbinado sugar.
    
11. Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
12. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #4 Peppermint Bark Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

Here it is: my new and improved Yuletide Cookie!

In version 1.0 of this cookie, I used ground-up candy canes as the sugar. But that didn't work out so well.

For version 2.0, I decided to put shattered candy canes on the outside and to use chocolate as the glue to hold them in place. To add to the spectrum of colors and flavors, I used three kinds of candies: red peppermint candy canes, green spearmint candy canes, and blue wintergreen starlight mints.

This is the  first non-"drop" cookie I've made, so I was a little nervous. (My cookie scoop is my security blanket for creating perfectly round, perfectly uniform cookies every time.) But it was really easy-peasy. I used chopsticks as thickness guides as I rolled out the dough, and I used a biscuit cutter to cut out perfectly round dough circles.

I used melted semi-sweet chocolate chips as the glue on these cookies because that's what I had on hand, but white chocolate, milk chocolate, and even dark chocolate would work.

I put each kind of candy in its own plastic bag and than tap-tap-tapped each one with a hammer to shatter the candy into nibble-sized pieces. This is a really good way to exorcise your holiday angst. If you're feeling less violent, you could always just drop the still-wrapped candy canes on the floor a couple times.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Yuletide [A.K.A. Peppermint Bark] Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, melted 10-12 candy canes, crushed

1. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
2. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
3. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
6. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 mintutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350º.
8. Roll the cookie dough into a sheet about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out the individual cookies.
   
9. Place the cookie cutouts about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.
11. While the cookies are baking, shatter the candy canes and place the pieces in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
    
12. Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the chocolate and then into the crushed candy canes.
    
13. Return the cookies to the baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes so that the chocolate cools and solidifies.
    

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #3 Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

A rerun of Paula's Party on Food Network last night inspired this cookie. Red velvet cake is a Southern specialty, y'all! [Insert bawdy double entendre here.]

According to the admittedly cursory research I've done on the topic, red velvet cake got its color as a result of sugar rationing during World War II. Because people couldn't run next door to borrow a cup of sugar, bakers started using boiled beets as a sugar substitute in their cakes. Along with the beets' sweetness came the beets' blood-red color. And lo, an American classic was born

About five years ago, Jon and I baked a red velvet cake for Christmas. We made this cake only once because...well...let's just say all the red food coloring caused a certain reaction, so we never made it again.

Paula got me thinking that I should give the red velvet recipe another try, but this time in oatmeal cookie form--and with a twist. Instead of icing the cookies, I decided to stuff them.

Be careful when you work with the food coloring. That stuff stains, and you don't want to spend the night scrubbing your hands and mumbling like Lady Macbeth about getting damned spots out.

Makes 2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies.)

Filling	6 ounces room-temperature cream cheese 1/3 heaping cup toasted, chopped pecans 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 3 tablespoons red food coloring 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon milk 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
Dry Ingredients	1 1/2 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Toast the pecans then roughly chop them.
   
2. Add all the filling ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spatula until well blended. Let the mixture cool and solidify in the freezer until step 8.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
6. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Remove the filling mixture from the freezer and stuff each dough ball with 1 teaspoon of the mixture. Put the stuffed dough balls in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.
9. Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #2 Eggnog Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

'Tis the season! Break out the punch bowl...or, in this case, the cookies.

This is a tweaked and much-improved version of a recipe I improvised at Mumma's house last Christmas. This time around, I used finely ground Nilla Wafers instead of graham crackers, and I cut way back on the nutmeg.

The original cookies were good, but the graham crackers distracted from the vanilla and butter flavors I wanted to highlight, and 2 tablespoons of nutmeg were just too much. (With this potential side effect, what was I thinking?)

As far as I know, there is no eggnog extract, and store-bought eggnog alone isn't enough to impart the right amount of eggnogginess. (Update: See here.) I use a small shortcut to capture the rich, smooth, calorie-laden flavor I want: butterscotch. Melt a mere 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips and add it to wet ingredients that include (surprise!) store-bought eggnog, vanilla and rum extracts, an egg yolk, and nutmeg, and you've got yourself a super shot of flavor. (If you've got rum on hand, feel free to use it to replace or supplement the rum extract.)

To finish these cookies off, I give the dough balls a quick glaze of eggnog before baking.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Eggnog Cookies.)

Creamables	2 stick butter 2 cups dark brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1/4 cup butterscotch chips, melted 1/4 cup store-bought eggnog 1 egg yolk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Dry Ingredients	3 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup finely ground Nilla Wafer cookies 2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze	store-bought eggnog

1. In a small bowl, heat the butterscotch chips and eggnog in the microwave in 20-second increments until the chips melt. Stir to combine the melted chips and eggnog, and set aside to cool until Step 4.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and rum extracts, and nutmeg to the cooled butterscotch-eggnog mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
8. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
9. Place the  dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Glaze each dough ball with a small amount of eggnog.
    
11. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #1 Toffee Figgy Pudding Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

Or should they be called Figgy Toffee Pudding Cookies? Or am I thinking of sticky toffee pudding? One thing's for sure, though: These guys are a tastier, chewier, homemade version of Fig Newtons. (Incidentally, I learned in Francine Segan's cookie talk at the 92nd St. Y that Fig Newtons were named for the town Newton in Massachusetts, not for Sir Isaac of apple/gravity fame.)

Figgy pudding is a traditional English Christmastime treat. In the U.K., a "pudding" can be anything from a steamed cake to a sausage. I know...wacky, right? (I have a feeling Jell-O won't be making Blood Pudding Pops anytime soon.)

I got the idea for this cookie from an episode of Nigella Lawson's show on Food Network. She made a chocolate fig cake for her Christmas episode. It was so English-y! Scenes from Love Actually and all my favorite Britcoms ran through my head. And so I started researching figgy pudding and how to turn it into a cookie.

Traditional figgy pudding has four main components: figs, spice, citrus, and a sweet, creamy topping. To incorporate all those flavors into a cookie, I used plumped-up dried figs, two kinds of ginger, cinnamon, and orange and lemon zests. To duplicate the sweetness of the pudding's creamy topping, I used toffee bits.

This is the second version of the recipe. In the first, I used fig preserves as the main wet ingredient. The taste was there, but the cookies were hard as a rock when they cooled. To correct that, I eliminated the fig preserves and decided to reconstitute the dried figs in warm water to plump them up and to add some more moisture to the dough. Success! (If you enjoy a little nip now and then, try reconstituting the dried figs in some booze. A mixture of 2/3 cup rum and 1/3 cup water would be brilliant!)

One bite of these cookies will have you saying "God bless us, every one." Happy Christmas!

The baked cookies don't spread or flatten much because the figs are so thick. For a flatter cookie, smoosh the dough balls a little with a spatula about halfway through baking.

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Toffee Figgy Pudding Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 2 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons orange zest 2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 teaspoons microplaned fresh ginger 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chopped dried figs, soaked and strained
Dry Ingredients	2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup toffee bits 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Roughly chop the dried figs and soak in 1 cup warm water to plump for 15-20 minutes.
    
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. Strain the figs, discarding the remaining water. Add the plumped figs to the combined wet ingredients and creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
   
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Place the  dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
11.   
    Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool. (For a flatter cookie, smoosh the dough balls a little with a spatula about halfway through baking.)

 

 

The List...Updated

Here’s the most up-to-date list.

S’mores Cherry-Vanilla Crispies Chocolate Malted Good Ol’ Peanut Butter White Chocolate Macaroons Dark Earl Grey Caramel-Espresso Eleven Madison Hawaii Cookies Coffee Cake Fourth of July Grasshopper Elvis Dulce de Leche Chocolate & Salted Caramel Shirley Temple Golden Girls Juliana Skiffle PB & J(onnie) Mocha Mint Rosh Hashanah ChocAlmScotch Sweater Weather Cookies Peanut Butter Cup Hot(ter) Chocolate Almond Brickle Fluffernutter XXX Cranberry Cookies Almond Joy Mulled Apple Cider Yuletides (Peppermint Bark) Eggnog Cookies Sin-a-Buns Lime in the Coconut Fake-Out-Eos Raspberry-Chocolate Fondue The Girl Scouts Are...Jealous Heeeere's Johnnycake! Do You Like Pina Coladas? Va-Va-Vanilla Rocky Road Hazelnut Coffee Florida Cookies German Chocolate Cake California Cookies Raspberry Graham...Crunch

Scarborough Fair Better...Oatmeal Raisin Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups Apple Jack Cookies Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Raspberry in the Coconut Blueberry Muffin Top Cookies Chocolate & Chipotle Cookies Orange in the Coconut Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies Lavender & Lemon Lovelies Redheads Chocolate Orange...Coconut Cranberry Crunch Cookies Cranberry in the Coconut Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies Boston Cream Pie Cookies Toffee Figgy Pudding Cookies Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies Flat, Crunchy Choc. Chip Orange & Mint Cookies Stuffed Date Nut Cookies Red Bean-Stuffed Green Tea Maraschino Cherry Cookies Wine & Chocolate Cookies Almond Butter & Raspberry Rum Raisinet Cookies Coconut Rum Raisinet Cookies Spicy Valentine's Heart Cookies Mojito Cookies Black Sesame Cookies Irish Breakfast Scone Cookies St. Patrick's Day Cookies Hot Cross Bun Cookies Chocolate Lime...Coconut Copycat Compost Cookie Strawberry-Rhubarb Cookies Meyer Lemon & Thyme XXX Strawberry Cookies Lemon in the Coconut Strawberry Shortcake Cookies Peaches & Cream Cookies Lemonade & Iced Tea Cookies Neapolitan Cookies Blueberry & Lemon Cookies

XXX Cherry + Chocolate Cookies Ambrosia Cookies Caramel Apple Bars Lemon & Gooseberry Biscuits Parmesan & Black Olive Cookies Beach Plum Thumbprint Cookies Margarita Cookies Rose Water Cookies Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies Halloween Pinwheel Cookies Nutella-Stuffed Cookies Goat Cheese Cookies Peanut Butter & Apple Cookies Oatmeal Cannoli Cookies Honey-Roasted PB Cookies Peppermint Bark-Stuffed Cookies Oatmeal Snickerdoodles Bellini Cookies Peanut Butter-Stuffed Nutella Nutella-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cherry-Lemon Joy Cookies Tea, Lemon, and Honey Cookies Vanilla and Lime Cookies Sage and Orange Cookies Coca-Cola Cookies Key Lime Pie Cookies Buffalo Wing Cookies Orange Creamsicle Cookies Banana Cookies Lemon-Lime Coconut Macadamia XXX Blueberry Cookies Killer Chocolate Cookies Berrylicious Cookies Salty Fluffernutter Cookies Lemon-Raspberry Thumbprints Orange-Cinnamon Grahams Crème Brûlée Cookies PB, Coconut & Choc Cookies Cranberry, Walnut, and Orange Cranberry, Lime, and Walnut Marathon Cookies Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate

Memorable Mulled Apple Cider Cookies III

Sarah wrote in with a really interesting--and seasonal--addition to my Mulled Apple Cider Cookies:

I made them with roasted chestnuts. Delicious!

Hey, Sarah. Thanks for writing in. And what a great idea to include roasted chestnuts! Hmmm...that's got me thinking.

Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies

Last Saturday, my friends Bill and Jim hosted a Christmas party at their superbly decorated home. (At last count, I believe the total for illuminated trees--ranging in size from humble to huge--was 34.)

They know how to put on quite a spread. And on top of that, everyone always brings something of his own to contribute to the feast. Jack brings his home-smoked ribs, which are a group favorite. And I, of course, bring my homemade cookies to top off the dessert table.

Bill and Jim and the rest of the boys are fans of my recipes, and I've even started taking requests. At the top of the wishlist of ingredients are coconut, walnuts, and chocolate, and I decided to roll them all into a single cookie for the Christmas party.

Something I saw a few weeks ago on an epsiode of Top Chef: Just Desserts has stuck with me. It came up during a cake challenge when one of the guest judges was Sylvia Weinstock, cake decoratory extraordinaire. One of the contestents made a coconut cake, and Sylvia asked why the person hadn't soaked the coconut in anything to moisten it and, ultimately, the cake. "A-ha!" I thought. "She's talking about enplumpening!"

I soak dried fruit in all sorts of stuff--tea, booze--to get them juicy and plump. But it never occurred to me to try enplumpening coconut. And, boy, does it work. Thanks, Sylvia Weinstock!

Next up: walnuts. I could have toasted them to bring out their nuttiness even more, but I decided to just use a whole mess of them instead. Two cups' worth, as a matter of fact. With that many walnuts in the dough, you're guaranteed to get some crunch in each bite.

The final element was chocolate. A simple twist on a standard semisweet chocolate chip cookie recipe wouldn't do. I had to bust out the milk and the dark chocolate in addition to the standby semisweet chips if I wanted to knock the boys' socks off with this cookie. I used one of those rotary cheese grater contraptions to grind up a big bar of Hershey's milk chocolate, and then I roughly chopped a big bar of Ghirardelli dark chocolate.

The final flavor element was just a hint of cinnamon to tie everything together.

Out of 48 cookies, there were only 3 left at the end of the night. So trust me: These babies are good! Chewy and crunchy, nutty, sweet, and rich. Absolutely delicious.

Makes 4 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 tablespoon vanilla
Enplumpenings	1 1/2 cups coconut 1 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Dry Ingredients	2 cups roughly chopped walnuts 1 1/2 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 4.4 oz. milk chocolate bar, grated 1 4.4 oz. dark chocolate bar, chopped 3/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Soak the coconut in the milk, vanilla, and coconut extract for 30-45 minutes. Set aside until Step 6.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
4. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. Drain the coconut, discarding the remaining liquid. Add the enplumpened coconut to the combined wet ingredients and creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
   
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Scoop dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
11. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Stuffed (With Blog-Love) Red Velvet Cookies

Brittany, a reader and real-life recipe user, wrote in to say she made my Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies and customized them with a twist of her own:

OMG I made these today, but with my own stuffing. I omitted the nuts and added peppermint extract and melted white chocolate...absolutely to die for. I will be taking them to a cookie exchange tonight. Thanks!

Hi, Brittany. Thanks for writing in. Hmmm...I'm making cookies for friends' open house in a few weeks. I'll have to give that peppermint extract and melted white chocolate a try. Good on you for experimenting!

Memorable Mulled Apple Cider Cookies II

Juli wrote in recently with some blog-love for my Mulled Apple Cider Cookies:

Such amazing cookies!!!!!!! I added dried cranberries and they were so gooooooooood!

Hi, Juli. Thanks for writing in. Adding dried cranberries to this recipe was a great idea. Good on you!

Picturing Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies

Here's the recipe for my Coconut, Walnut, and Chocolate Cookies in process.

Enplumpen the coconut with milk, vanilla, and coconut extract.

Cream the creamables: butter, dark brown sugar, and white sugar.

Combine the the wet ingredients: an egg and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the creamed creamables. Mix.

Drain the coconut and discard the enplumpening liquid. Add to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix.

Combine the dry ingredients. That's right. There's semisweet chocolate chips, shaved milk chocolate, and roughly chopped dark chocolate in there.

Add the combine the dry ingredients and add to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix again.

Scoop and bake. Make sure you set a few of these aside. I brought these to a party, and they disappeared! These are a certified hit.

The Perfect Gift for the Baker on Your List: Ninja Bread Men!

My friend Brad gave me these cookie cutters for my birthday last month. Take a close look. Yup...they're shaped like ninjas.

The cutters come with a gingerbread recipe that includes instructions like "Quietly cream together the shortening...", "Moving like the wind, preheat the oven", and "Release the ninjas."

How awesome is that?

With Christmas around the corner, it was a no-brainer that I share this gift idea with you. Perfect for the baker on your list...or as a stocking stuffer for yourself!

Reader Query: Freezer-Friendly Formulations? II

Priscilla, a reader and real-life recipe user, emailed me a little while ago with a follow-up question about freezing cookies:

Hi! Thanks for your recipes - they're so yummy! I tried both the XXX Cranberry Cookies and the Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies yesterday, and they turned out great! I made several batches and I think I'll have enough left over for a party I'll go to next week. Do you know if I can freeze the cookies and thaw them in a few days? Will they taste the same? And what would be the best method for freezing/thawing them?

Hi, Priscilla. Congrats to you for making two batches in one day. Huzzah! Sorry it's taken me a little while to get back to you.

I've frozen cookie dough and baked-off cookies before, and both hold up really well in the freezer for a couple weeks or so. And they still taste great. When you're ready, move the frozen dough or cookies to the fridge to thaw. Then move the frozen dough or cookies to kitchen counter for a few hours to come to room temperature before baking or serving. Simple as that!