The pile on this year's cookie exchange plate included vanilla bean sugar cookies with chocolate filling, slice and bake butter cookies, toasted sesame seed sugar cookies, cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies, chocolate chunk cookies (with bittersweet and white chocolate) and chewy-crunchy ginger cookies, always one of my favorites.
As if the lure of a cache of three dozen cookies wasn't enough, Barbara poured pear Bellinis, brewed coffee and made a fabulous brunch of quiche Loraine, arugula salad with poached pears, bleu cheese and vinaigrette, homemade sweet rolls and "stretch'' bread from Patisserie, a bakery behind the Sherwood Inn, in Skaneateles. As you begin your holiday baking, here are a couple recipes to consider. Gloria's Cranberry, White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies With Orange Glaze Frosting Adapted from a recipe in The Post-Standard Food section, 2008 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups quick-cooking oats 1 cup butter, softened 1½ cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup raisins 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 2 cups white chocolate chips Orange Glaze Frosting (see note): 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar 2 teaspoons orange juice Beat together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well. Scrape bowl to incorporate. Add flour, oats, baking powder and baking soda; mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Roll dough into small balls and place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, pressing dough balls down to flatten slightly. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden. Drizzle glaze on cookies. Makes about 36 cookies. Orange Glaze Frosting: Mix the confectioners’ sugar with the orange juice. If mixture is too thick, add a little more orange juice to make a drizzling consistency. Note: Gloria says the glaze recipe can be cut in half. Maureen's Toasted Sesame Seed Sugar Cookies (Recipe from McCormick spices) 2 and three-quarter cups flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 and a half cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 jars (1.62 ounces each) toasted sesame seeds (about 1 cup, divided) 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar; beat until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture and one-quarter cup of the sesame seeds on low speed. Refrigerate dough two hours, or until firm. Shape into one-inch balls. Roll in remaining 3/4 cup sesame seeds. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is set. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
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