These cookies are great for a summer dessert and make for easy entertaining. Serve with ice cream for a special treat.
Makes about 14 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup golden raisin
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Soak the raisins in warm water to cover and let soak for 20 minutes then drain.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the oats, walnuts, and drained raisins.
With a ¼ cup muffin scoop drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart or 5 per baking sheet.
Bake, rotating the position of the pans halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.
Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Makes 2 dozen
Remove the eggs and butter from the refrigerator the night before baking.
Ingredients
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), very soft
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant or quick cook)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cups chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F, and line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, butter, sugars, vanilla, and mix with a spoon until smooth.
Add the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and stir to combine.
Add the walnuts and stir to combine.
Using a muffin {¼ cup} scoop, form mounds and place on a prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart (6 cookies on each sheet)
Bake 2 pans for about 20 minutes, switching pans halfway through baking.
Repeat with the second two pans. Cool the cookies on the parchment on the kitchen counter.
Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Using a few products from the market can create these easy bars for dessert.
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
1 box of yellow cake mix
½ cup salted butter, melted
1 egg
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Top Layer
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Combine cake mix, butter, lemon juice, and egg in a large bowl; mix until thoroughly combined. (Batter will be crumbly) Spread the mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking pan with your fingers, patting it down firmly.
Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and, lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pour over the top of the cake mixture.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar for an attractive presentation.
Making cookies for Christmas is an important part of my family’s holiday tradition. This week I am sharing some of our favorite recipes.
Christmas Butter Cut-out Cookies
Yield: about 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 cups butter ( 4 sticks)
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups flour
Powdered sugar icing (see below) and red and green colored sprinkles, for decoration
Directions
In a large electric mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and smooth.
Separate 3 of the eggs and leave one whole. Beat the 3 egg yolks and the remaining whole egg into the butter-sugar mixture. Set aside the eggs whites and use for another recipe.
Beat in the vanilla. Gradually add the flour and mix well. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
Divide the dough into four equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one-fourth of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and re-roll the scraps until all the dough is used.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Frost the cookies lightly with the icing and sprinkle with colored sprinkles.
Store in tightly covered containers for up to two months in a cool place, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Powdered Sugar Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
Mix together to make a thin icing.
Italian Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter
3 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cold water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans halves
Powdered sugar icing, see below
Multi-Colored sprinkles
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Beat butter, powdered sugar, water, and vanilla until creamy in an electric mixer. Add flour and salt. Mix well.
Cover a pecan half with 1 tablespoon of dough and place on cookie sheets.
Bake for 30 minutes until lightly brown. Cool cookies on a rack.
Frost with powdered sugar icing and sprinkle colored sprinkles on top.
Powdered Sugar Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
Mix together to make a thin icing.
Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups, softened (2 ½ sticks)
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Red food coloring
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together the butter, egg, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Divide the mixture in half. Add 1 teaspoon red food coloring to ½ the dough. Chill both halves.
Divide each half into 60 small balls. Press a red ball and a white ball together. Roll the two into a 4-inch rope and form into a candy cane shape. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 9 minutes. Cool.
These cookies also freeze well.
Making cookies for Christmas is an important part of my family’s holiday tradition. This week I am sharing some of our favorite recipes.
Rainbow/Venetians/Neapolitan/Tri-Color Cookies
Ingredient
1- 8 ounce can almond paste
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 drops green food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
12-ounce jar apricot preserves
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dishes; line with waxed paper; grease paper.
Break up paste in large mixer bowl with a fork. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and extract and beat with the mixer until fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in the flour and salt.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir into almond mixture with a wooden spoon, using turning motion similar to folding.
Remove 1-1/2 cups batter; spread evenly into one of the prepared pans. Remove another 1-1/2 cups batter to small bowl; tint green with coloring. Spread into the second pan. Tint remaining 1-1/2 cups batter red. Spread in remaining pan.
Bake 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden; cake layers will each be 1/4 inch thick. Immediately remove cakes from pans onto large wire racks. Carefully peel off waxed paper. Cool.
Place red layer on upturned jelly roll pan or large platter. Heat preserves; strain; reserve chunks in a strainer for other uses. Spread half of the strained preserves over red layer. Top with a white layer. Spread with remaining preserves. Cover with a green layer, top side up.
Cover with plastic wrap. Weigh down with a large wooden cutting board, heavy flat tray or large book. Refrigerate overnight.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water.
Trim off the uneven cake edges with a sharp knife. Frost the top layer with half of the melted chocolate. Let chocolate dry. Turn the rectangle over and frost the remaining chocolate. Cut cake crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip into 1-inch pieces. Makes about 6 dozen. Cookies freeze well.
Marshmallow Fudge Squares
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon. salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 (6 oz) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons milk
30 large marshmallows
Directions:
In a 1-quart saucepan melt butter and chocolate squares. Remove from heat.
Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Into large mixer bowl, measure flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat at low-speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally. With a spoon, stir in chocolate mixture. Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate pieces and milk. Remove from heat.
Remove baking pan from oven; arrange marshmallows in rows on top of the baked layer. Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are soft and puffed. Remove to wire rack. With a metal spatula, flatten marshmallows and spread evenly.
Drizzle melted chocolate mixture over marshmallow layer. Cool on rack 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate, until cold and the top is firm, about 2 hours. When cold, cut into small squares,
Store in tightly covered container in the refrigerator to use up within 3 days.
Cookies may be frozen with between layers of wax paper.
Making cookies for Christmas is an important part of my family’s holiday tradition. This week I will share with some of our favorite recipes.
Pine-nut (Pignoli)Macaroons
Use only almond paste, not marzipan or canned almond filling.
Ingredients
1 can (8-ounce) almond paste, cut in small pieces
2/3 cup sugar
2 egg whites, from 2 large eggs
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 cup pine nuts, pignoli
Directions
Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In mixer bowl beat almond paste, sugar, egg whites, and lemon peel with an electric mixer until smooth. Drop heaping teaspoonfuls dough 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with pine nuts to cover, then press them gently to adhere.
Bake 22 to 25 minutes until tops feel firm and dry when lightly pressed. Cool completely on cookie sheet on wire rack. Store airtight at room temperature. (Cookies are best eaten within 2 weeks, or they can be frozen.)
Italian Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar ( for rolling baked cookies in)
Directions
Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.
Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.
Chill dough if it seems too soft.
Form dough into 1 inch balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.
Cookies may (optionally) be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature. Cookies freeze well.
Yield: 48 cookies.
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Combine wet ingredients: butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a separate mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes until creamed together. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
Add dry ingredients: Gradually mix in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop dough: Measure out 1/4 cup balls of dough and place them on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for15 minutes or until set around the edges (don’t overbake!).
Allow cooling for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Make-ahead Instructions: Make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.
Freezing Instructions: The cookie dough balls may be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
I double the recipe and freeze some of the cookies for a later date.
Ingredients
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons warm rum or water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
For the cookies: Toss the raisins in the warm water and let soak for at least 10 minutes then drain.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the oats, walnuts, and the drained raisins.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2-inches apart.
Bake, rotating the position of the pans halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
When all you want is a simple cookie to have with a cup of tea, the easy recipe below fits just perfectly.
Vanilla Shortbread
Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
Stir in vanilla extract and almond extract until blended.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
On a large sheet of plastic wrap, with floured hands, shape the dough into a 12-inch by 2-inch log.
Wrap tightly and place in a large freezer bag. Freeze for several hours or even overnight hours.
The dough may be frozen for up to 1 month.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Let the log stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cut the log into 24 ½-inch thick slices with a sharp knife.
Place shortbread slices 1 inch apart {12 to a pan{ on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake shortbread for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden. Reverse pans halfway through the baking time.
Remove shortbread from baking sheets after 10 minutes, and place on wire racks; let cool completely.
Store in airtight containers.
America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan, as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland. True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation”.Each culture brought their cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Although often called simply rainbow cookies in much of the continental United States, some local names for this special cookie are:
Neopolitan cookies
Seven-layer cookies
Tricolor cookies
Venetian cookies
In southern Italy almond paste cookies are abundant, but rainbow cookies weren’t found in this region or anywhere else in Italy. Although it is reported that recently some bakeries in Italy feature the cookie during the Christmas holidays. Rainbow cookies are an Italian American invention and most likely created to honor the color of the Italian flag. While it can be pretty difficult to pinpoint the exact history or creator, Rainbow cookies were made popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s by Italian-American bakeries, particularly those found in New York City, such as De Lillo’s and Ferrara’s.
Here is a modern twist video on this old-time treat from CBS News:
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/rainbow-cookies-get-a-colorful-twist/
Rainbow cookies are also a common dessert for Jewish Americans. As Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe settled in New York at the turn of the 20th century, they often settled in areas that also had an Italian population. It was at this point that Jewish Americans were introduced to the rainbow cookie. The original rainbow cookie was made with butter and featured the Italian flag-like design in white, red and green. Jewish Americans adapted this cookie to suit their own Kosher dietary needs, substituting margarine for the butter. Jewish Americans were the first to change the original Italian flag design from a white layer to a yellow layer and the cookies are quite popular at Jewish delicatessens.
Italian American Rainbow Cookies
Ingredient
1- 8 ounce can almond paste
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 drops green food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
12-ounce jar apricot preserves
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dishes; line with waxed paper; spray the paper with cooking spray.
Break up the almond paste in an electric mixer bowl with a fork. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and extract and beat with the mixer until fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in the flour and salt.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir into the almond mixture with a wooden spoon, using a turning motion similar to folding.
Remove 1-1/2 cups batter; spread evenly into one of the prepared pans. Remove another 1-1/2 cups batter to small bowl; tint green with coloring. Spread into the second pan. Tint remaining 1-1/2 cups batter red. Spread in the remaining pan.
Bake 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden; cake layers will each be 1/4 inch thick. Immediately remove cakes from the pans onto large wire racks. Carefully peel off waxed paper. Cool.
Place red layer on upturned jelly roll pan or large platter lined with foil. Heat preserves; strain. Spread half of the strained preserves over the red layer. Top with a white layer. Spread with remaining preserves. Cover with a green layer, top side up.
Cover with plastic wrap. Weigh down with a large wooden cutting board, heavy flat tray, or large book. Refrigerate overnight.
Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler over hot water.
Trim off the uneven cake edges with a sharp knife. Frost the top layer with half of the melted chocolate. Let chocolate dry. Turn the rectangle over and frost with the remaining chocolate. Let the chocolate dry. Cut the cake crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip into 1-inch pieces. Makes about 6 dozen. Store in a container in the refrigerator. Cookies freeze well.
