Search Results for: raspberry butter cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Sandwich Cookies…..

Wow, posting three days in a row!  Feeling a little more settled and not so frazzled these days.

I’m finishing up a cookie order for a sweet table for a dear friend’s wedding.  I made all of her favorites.  Oatmeal Raisin Sandwich Cookies(pictured),  Snickerdoodles, Raspberry Bars, Chocolate Chip with M & Ms the colors of her wedding, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars, and Iced Sugar Cookie Hearts, with icing the color of her wedding, of course!

This cookie tastes as delicious as it looks.  I use the smallest cookie scoop so that the cookies are uniform and don’t come out too large.  Simply make my Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and the filling below.  Add any ingredients to the cookies you like.  They’d be delicious with walnuts and craisins or pecans, mini chocolate chips and raisins.

The cookie recipe makes about 3 dozen large cookies.  If using a small scoop, the recipe should yield about 5 dozen cookies or 2 1/2 dozen sandwich cookies.

It is very rare that I use shortening or margarine in a recipe.  It is needed to create the fluffy texture and will hold up nicely in the heat.

Fluffy Cookie Filling

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup softened margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons milk

In a stand mixer, beat the butter, margarine and shortening until well blended.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk one tablespoon at a time while the  mixer is on low.  You may have to adjust the liquid depending on the humidity.    It should be spreadable and fluffy.

Enjoy!!

Have a great weekend:-)

Angie

 

Best Holiday Cookies Ever!

Hi Everyone-

This is the perfect time to start cookie baking.  I find it much easier to mix one day, bake another, and decorate yet another.  This is a good time to get started.

First check out my tips for holiday baking essentials.  This is my equipment guide to successful cookie baking, easy clean up and efficient use of your time in the kitchen.

Cookie dough will keep very nicely wrapped in cling wrap and into a zip storage bag.  Label and date, as always, especially if you’re making a wide assortment of cookies.   The dough will keep nicely for 2 weeks.  I’ll be mixing gingerbread dough (aka “people cookies”) today.  I’m thinking I’ll mix approximately 6 batches as they are the #1 cookie tradition in our house.  My boys always look forward to these.

FYI, after the gingergread cookie dough has completely chilled, it may seem quite unmanageable.  Allow the dough to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before you begin.  Cut off a chunk and really work it with your hands to make it pliable to roll out on your board.  After you cut out the first batch, bring all the scraps together and add another chunk, working it together.  It is very easy after the initial batch.

Another lovely dough I like to use is a roll out butter cookie that has no levening.  It is the perfect recipe for layered and filled cookies.  Same deal here with rolling it out.  Use the same recipe for darling snowmen cut outs.

Mix your dough a day or two ahead then bake.   If you’re not ready to decorate at this point simply freeze the cooki  Pick a day closer to Christmas to actually decorate and put some aside for the kids to go crazy and decorate!  There is plenty of finger licking going on here, so I put their personal creations into their own bag.

I mix up my assortments as I do not like to decorate every cookie I make.  Lovely bars such as raspberry bars, and festive peppermint brownies are perfect because they slice beautifully and make for a pretty presentation.  My other Christmas cookie fav’s include santa thumbprints and chocolate dipped coconut macaroons.  Beautiful and delicious!

I’m so ready to get baking!

Have a great day-
Angie

Santa Thumbprint Cookies

Ahhhhh, a butter cookie topped with some delicous raspberry preserves, what’s not to love?  I love this simple, old fashioned cookie. 

1 cup softened unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts
¾ cup raspberry jam, or your favorite

1)  Preheat oven to 400’.  Cut a sheet of parchment paper to cover your cookie sheet.
2)  In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, vanilla & sugar until light & fluffy.
3)  Combine flour and salt; add to butter mixture and blend well.
4)  Place nuts into a small bowl.  Shape dough into 1” balls and roll in nuts to coat.  Place on cookie sheet and press a divot with your thumb into the center of each cookie.
5)  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from heat and carefully slide the parchment with the hot cookies onto your cooling rack.
6)  Using a small spoon, carefully spoon about ½ teaspoon of jam into centers.  Cool completely.  I like to let these cookies sit out overnight for the jam to set.  Store in an air tight plastic container being careful not to disturb centers.

Wedding Shower Favors…..

I love creating beautiful cookies.    I found these bead like little balls on line awhile ago and had this flaky iridescent sugar on hand which I used for the bottom of the dress.  I used melted white chocolate instead of icing which I applied like you would regular icing.  I used a recipe that is more like a shortbread cookie.  Basically butter, sugar, flour and eggs, no leavening to make the cookie rise.  This is the best type of recipe to use because the cookie doesn’t rise and lose the crisp shape of the cookie cutter design.

Anytime you want to decorate a cookie using white or dark chocolate, you’ll want to add the sugars and decorations before the chocolate sets up.  Makes sense, right?  Once it sets up the decorations are held firmly in place.  This will make for easy packaging.  Wrap them individually in cellophane bags and add a pretty ribbon.  Lovely.

Have a great evening!

Angie

Homemade Warm Challah Bread….

Good morning-

I hope all of your Christmas shopping is coming together nicely.  I’ve done most of mine on line, such a great way for me to shop!

It’s been hard to post during this flurry of parties, baking, and..well, you know, we’re all busy.

I had the lovelist surprise from my friend Genevieve.  A warm loaf of Challah bread.   Definitely a December highlight.  First because she took the time to make something special for ME during this very busy time of year.  Secondly, have you ever had a warm loaf of homemade Challah bread?  If you have, you know what I’m talking about.  Slightly sweet.   Firm yet tender texture.  A beautifully browned lovely crust.  Pure heaven.

Needless to say, my friend not only shared the warm Challah, but the recipe too!!  Yippee!!  Genevieve tells me she’s been making it for about ten years and she’s “tweeked” it over the years to her taste.  The best recipes around are the ones we tailor to our own taste.

This is going to be good.  I’m going to make a homemade Challah, photograph it, and share it with you, compliments of Genevieve.  This will become a regular in my rotation of baking, for sure.

Planning on baking my brains out this weekend. In addition to the Challah bread, I’ll be making Raspberry Bars, Festive Peppermint Brownies, Peanutbutter Bars (with red and green M&M’s, Gingerbread CookiesPecan Squares, Coconut Macaronns, and Santa Thumbprints

Have a blessed day.

Angie