I remember this from the old fora but don't see it here; if I overlooked it, I do apologize and perhaps someone could point me there.
What are you making this year? I'm doing the traditional (for us):
Holly cookies (1970s goodness)
icebox cookies (1920s goodness)
Kolacky (also 1920s goodness)
decorated cut out butter cookies
peanut butter balls
probably fudge
maybe almond cookies-daughter's friend brought some and it brought back nice memories
jam thumbprint cookies
and maybe these from NYT: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021710-chocolate-peppermint-shortbread?action=click&module=RecipeBox&pgType=recipebox-page®ion=all&rank=1
and these (eggnog snickerdoodle): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021715-eggnog-snickerdoodles?module=Recipe+of+The+Day&pgType=homepage&action=click
I just made a deal with a friend on FB that she would send me some peppermint bark from TJs in exchange for homemade cookies. I'm immune-compromised so not going out, but she is not, so goes out more. I like this deal. But now I need to get backing.
Yay for cookies!
I really enjoy baking/cooking, even if I can't really indulge at the moment. In the past, we have made almond cookies (some dipped in milk chocolate), peanut butter cookies, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies with a swirl and challah bread (I know, not a cookie).
It will be fun to try some new recipes this year. Thanks for the ideas!
Edit: I almost forgot. We have made Xmas crack in the past (saltines with homemade caramel, covered in chocolate and crushed almonds or pecans).
It's just my husband and me this year, and we're both trying to take off some pandemic weight, so I'll be doing less baking than usual. Nevertheless, I plan to bake molasses spice cookies or ginger cookies, plus iced butter cookies.
Quote from: cathwen on December 12, 2020, 11:59:48 AM
It's just my husband and me this year, and we're both trying to take off some pandemic weight, so I'll be doing less baking than usual. Nevertheless, I plan to bake molasses spice cookies or ginger cookies, plus iced butter cookies.
Responding specifically to you and in general to others: I will be making ginger cookies with sorghum, rather than molasses. Several years ago, my cousins grew sorghum and so made it from scratch!! I even helped a little. Their version is deliciously light, though I also love molasses. I used it with my oatmeal, too.
Sugar cookies, cut with my grandmother's cookie cutters, which are at least 70 years old.
The "Washington Post" published its annual holiday cookie recipe special in this Wednesday's (12/9) Food section print edition. Here's the online version:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/voraciously/holiday-cookie-recipes/ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/voraciously/holiday-cookie-recipes/)
Happy cookie baking!
I'm feeling a little bit better, so I may try baking some cookies tomorrow. I may try making some molasses or ginger snap cookies. Not quite sure yet. Looking at recipes now...
Quote from: evil_physics_witchcraft on December 19, 2020, 06:08:37 PM
I'm feeling a little bit better, so I may try baking some cookies tomorrow. I may try making some molasses or ginger snap cookies. Not quite sure yet. Looking at recipes now...
if you do make ginger snaps, I recommend including fresh ginger. Makes a biiiiiig difference.
Quote from: nebo113 on December 20, 2020, 06:41:08 AM
Quote from: evil_physics_witchcraft on December 19, 2020, 06:08:37 PM
I'm feeling a little bit better, so I may try baking some cookies tomorrow. I may try making some molasses or ginger snap cookies. Not quite sure yet. Looking at recipes now...
if you do make ginger snaps, I recommend including fresh ginger. Makes a biiiiiig difference.
I'll consider that. I have some 'fresh' ginger root (rhizome) and I can always dig more out of the pots in my living room.
evil....Wow!! Your own fresh ginger!
I made sugar cookies with powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar and OMG, they are delicious!
Quote from: nebo113 on December 21, 2020, 05:49:29 AM
evil....Wow!! Your own fresh ginger!
I made sugar cookies with powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar and OMG, they are delicious!
Damn straight! :)
Yum yum!
COOKIE!! COO--KIEE!!
Also, this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVfj9FfvcOA
More than one way to get a cookie...
M.
I made brown butter coconut cookies, spice cookies, and fruit cake cookies last week to send to distant relatives.
I'm going to make some eggnog snickerdoodles and homemade marshmallows this week, I might make some spicy gingerbread cookies as well.
I've made the old-family-standard pfeffernusse, and today did the spice cookies and chocolate-mint cookies. Note to self for future years: only chill that chocolate dough for an hour or so. Chilling overnight renders it exceedingly stiff, and you'll bruise your palms trying to chisel it out and onto the cookie sheets.
I finally got around to making two loaves of challah bread, peanut blossoms and peanut butter cookies. SO made fudge. I just didn't have it in me to make any almond cookies. Maybe tomorrow I'll do that and try to do some kind of gingerbread/molasses cookies and maybe sugar cookies.
These two guys started off having a bake-off, and ended up organizing a cookie distribution service for essential workers:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baking-competition-essential-workers-coronavirus-pandemic/
Funny how that works...
M.
Quote from: mamselle on December 22, 2020, 07:37:32 PM
These two guys started off having a bake-off, and ended up organizing a cookie distribution service for essential workers:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baking-competition-essential-workers-coronavirus-pandemic/
Funny how that works...
M.
Awesome!
I'm doing less baking than usual, but today I'll make almond bark and pistachio cranberry biscotti. Per the recipe, the dried cranberries will be rehydrated in orange juice. I plan to dip the biscotti in white chocolate, so if I have any orange extract, I'll add a bit to the dipping chocolate.
Swwoooooooonnnnnnnn.....
M.
I know it's not cookies but I think I'm going to make a gingerbread yule log with eggnog buttercream for Christmas dinner. I've made german buttercream before, I figure if I add some fresh grated nutmeg and some rum extract that should work. I'll make some candied cranberries to go with it and we'll see if it turns out well.
Quote from: onehappyunicorn on December 23, 2020, 09:01:32 AM
I know it's not cookies but I think I'm going to make a gingerbread yule log with eggnog buttercream for Christmas dinner. I've made german buttercream before, I figure if I add some fresh grated nutmeg and some rum extract that should work. I'll make some candied cranberries to go with it and we'll see if it turns out well.
Sounds exciting! Yes, nutmeg+rum extract definitely gives the flavor of commercial eggnog. I've made macarons with this combination before. However, the rum extract doesn't taste much like actual rum, nor like high quality homemade eggnog. I ended up not liking it. If you like commercial eggnog, you should be pleased with how it turns out.
My mom used to make meringues each Christmas, and I found a recipe with some similarities that we love. Nuts and lemon zest make for a richness and avoid too much sweetness.
Andalusian meringue kisses. 2 egg whites, 1/2 c plus 2 T sugar into peaks. Fold in 1/2 c toasted ground almonds and a t of finely grated lemon zest. Bake 225-300* depending on your oven. Easy to make and wonderful to eat these are from Julie Rosso's Great Good Food.
Let's do a cookie exchange next year!
Quote from: onehappyunicorn on December 23, 2020, 09:01:32 AM
I know it's not cookies but I think I'm going to make a gingerbread yule log with eggnog buttercream for Christmas dinner. I've made german buttercream before, I figure if I add some fresh grated nutmeg and some rum extract that should work. I'll make some candied cranberries to go with it and we'll see if it turns out well.
NOW I know what I'm going to make next.
My cousin in Belgium has these every year.
Thanks! Lovely idea!
M.
I made 3.25 dozen almond cookies yesterday and I'm hoping to try some of them tomorrow!
So nice to see this thread pick up with so many great cookie/baking ideas! I"ve been busy baking for two days and hadn't checked.
So I may have broken my record this year. I think 10 cookies, plus toffee and 2 fudge types. Here's the haul (done over 2 weeks):
-cut out lemon butter, iced and decorated
-icebox (spice)
-crescent
-gum loo
-holly
-jam thumpprint
-eggnog snickerdoodle
-dirty chai
-peanut butter balls
-kolacky
-meringues
So, the crescent and Kolacky were my grandmother's, as were the gum loo. Gum loo are weird, and I could find nothing like it on line. Clearly a Depression cookie--very little sugar, some honey. As spouse said, they taste like little odd biscuits, and actually, they are quite filling and dough-y and I'm eating for breakfast (shh, don't tell). I made these for 89 year old Dad who has been depressed. I thought these--and some of the other ones of my Mom's (icebox, holly, cut-out) might cheer him up. He won't say if they actually do but I think he'll like it.
Dirty chai and eggnog snickerdoodle (no rum extract; made with straight bourbon) were NYT this year. The dirty chai we'll do again; probably not on the snickerdoodle. Jam thumbprints were a dud, and I think I need a different recipe next year. Dirty chai a hit with college student that loves chai.
Toffee--usually I do a decent microwave recipe. This time I did the real thing on the stove sans candy thermometer. Mostly great, a little, teensy on overcooked. But with coffee, so bitter and a glaze of chocolate on one side with roasted pecans on the other is pretty damn good.
Meringues--made with peppermint extract. Yum.
Plus cranberry orange bread, and 2 challahs. Tomorrow is a yule log--the one mentioned above sounds amazing. But we do a basic vanilla with almond flavored whip cream and shredded dark chocolate on top. I think candied orange peel would be yummy too but I"m pretty tired.
Thanks for some inspiration.
Those sound wonderful, reener!
https://imgur.com/gallery/NjzQEcO (https://imgur.com/gallery/NjzQEcO)
Turned out pretty well.
Quote from: onehappyunicorn on December 26, 2020, 04:27:12 PM
https://imgur.com/gallery/NjzQEcO (https://imgur.com/gallery/NjzQEcO)
Turned out pretty well.
That looks yummy! I like the sugar-coated cranberries.