All Entries in the "Cookies" Category

Holiday Cutout Cookies

Charlene also demonstrated some Holiday Cutout Cookies in the Peach Mennonite Church Community Kitchen.   This is a fun session as everyone can participate in rolling out the dough, cutting out the cookies, and decorate the cookies.

Above are some samples of the decorated Holiday Cutout Cookies.

Ingredients:

For cookies:

• refer Raspberry Diamonds

For Icing:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons water

For decoration:

• food coloring
• sprinkles

Tool:

• cookies cutters

Click on Read More for the instructions.

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Raspberry Diamonds

After the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen Christmas Potluck, a few of us went to Peace Mennonite Church Community Kitchen for a cookie making session.  This cookies making session is sponsored by Family Services and demonstrated by Charlene.

We made 2 types of cookies, one filled with raspberry jam and the other one is just holiday cutout cookies decorated with icings.   The dough for both the cookies are the same except that for the holiday cutout cookies, the dough has to be refrigerated for a firmer texture.

Ingredients

For cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lemon, grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For filing:

• 1/2 cup raspberry jam

For glaze:

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• drop of almond extract (optional)

Click on Read More for the instructions.

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Almond and Honey Cookies

Minoo made these Almond and Honey Cookies in the Caring Place Community Kitchen upon Ada’s request. Most of the time, it’s a challenge to get the members of the community kitchen to volunteer to demonstrate. Most of them are very shy. So, instead of asking for volunteer to demonstrate, Minoo will ask what we would like to learn. It’s not easy being a leader of the community kitchen.

This Almond and Honey Cookie is the puff up type, light and yet you can get the crunch from the crushed almonds.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup almonds, crushed or blended (not too fine)

Click on the link below for the instructions.

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Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Jean made this very easy but delicious Whipped Shortbread Cookies. It is always a challenge using a different oven from your home. The Gilmore Park Church has a gas oven which takes a long time to heat up. Usually, we will turn the thermometer up by 50F to achieve the same result as the electric oven.

However, this Whipped Shortbread Cookie is very delicate. You really have to watch the cookies as they burn easily. We burnt the batch we made in the kitchen due to the unfamiliarity with the oven.

This batch of Whipped Shortbread Cookies were made by Jean the day before. They are so buttery and they just melt in your mouth. Great for holiday cookies exchange.

Ingredients

• 1 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• dash of salt
• 1 capful of almond extract

Click on the link below for the instructions.

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Oatmeal, Raisin and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Minoo also made this scrumptious Oatmeal, Raisin and Chocolate Chip Cookies in the South Arm Community Kitchen. It is about time to switch on the oven to do some baking as the weather is getting colder. I love the aroma from baking sweet treats.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup raisins

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Corn Flake Cookies

Arkensen’s appetite has been growing lately. He is constantly looking for snacks. So, I decided to bake a batch of cookies to satisfy his huge appetite.

After browsing through my recipe collections, I decided to try this Corn Flake Cookies since I have some corn flakes in my pantry. My kids are not a fan of cereals. I bought the corn flakes to make Peanut Butter Pita Bread.

The Corn Flake Cookies came out thin, crispy and buttery, just the way Ben likes cookies. However, Arkensen would prefer chewier cookies.

This recipe yields 40 cookies. This is a very simple cookies recipe and I don’t think I need to illustrate the steps with pictures. I will just post the recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups cornflakes, whole

Instructions

• Cream the butter and sugar (I just cream them by hand).
• Mix all dry ingredients and add to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well.
• Add nuts, vanilla and cornflakes (no need to crush as the mixing will crush them). Mix until blended (by hand).
• Roll into balls about the size of an English walnut. I used a small ice-cream scoop to do the job.
• Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet (which I lined with parchment paper). Leave space (2″ apart) for spreading as the cookies spread quite a bit. Flatten the ball with a fork.
• Bake in a preheated 350F (I set mine to 325F as I’m using dark cookie sheet) for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let cool slightly on cookie sheet (cookie is very soft just out of the oven) before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

I hope you’ll enjoy this cookie as much as I do.

Tangerine Cookies

During Chinese New Year, tangerine is the official fruit. Every Chinese family will surely have tangerines. Tangerine in Cantonese is ‘kum’ which has the same pronunciation as gold in Cantonese. So, tangerine is an auspicious fruit during this festive season.

It is the Chinese customs to visit families and friends during the 15 days of Chinese New Year celebration. During such visits, the visitor will bring gifts which always include tangerines.

I saw this Tangerine Cookies in a recipe book which Ben brought back from Malaysia and its just perfect for Chinese New Year celebration. Unfortunately, the Tangerine Cookies did not turn out as pretty as those in the recipe book. I think its the temperature of the oven which caused the cookies to be slightly burn. Anyway, if you would like to try this recipe, I’ll recommend you lower the oven temperature.

Since the first batch of the Tangerine Cookies did not turn out as I expected, I used the rest of the pastry to make Pineapple Tarts. Actually its more to a Thump Print Pineapple Cookies because I do not have a pineapple tart cutter.

The Pineapple Tart turned out pretty good. Of course, I bake them in lower temperature that the recipe book recommended. I have always love the tartness of the pineapple in a slightly sweet pastry cookie.

Ingredients

• Pineapple filling (I will blog about this tomorrow)
• 300g plain flour
• 50g custard powder
• 1 tablespoon milk powder
• 180g butter
• 70g icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 beaten egg yolk
• Cloves for decoration

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