Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Lorinda

I tend to like making complicated creations, even though they aren’t very popular with people who work, have kids, or have a life. But today I made something easy.

Easy and unspeakably delicious, if I do say so myself!

I gave some to my ~~guinea pig~~ neighbor, Pam and she called them Chocolate Raisin Puffs because they were so light. I don’t know if they qualify as “puffs”, but it was a very nice compliment.

These chocolate oatmeal cookies are made with espresso powder and chocolate covered raisins, and when baked for precisely twelve minutes, have a slightly crispy outer layer (like the edge of a brownie) and are very tender inside. Seriously, I’d rather have these than brownies any day!

I made some in a silicone mini-heart pan, and they popped right out in a very cooperative manner. They may not be the prettiest cookies I’ve ever made, but in this case I truly believe it’s what’s inside that counts.

I really think that the combination of Special Dark cocoa and espresso powder took the flavor over the top. And unless you have a real aversion to raisins (in which case you could use chocolate chips) don’t skimp on the chocolate covered raisins. The cookie dough isn’t overly sweet, so the sweet, chewy raisins add important texture and sweetness. Here are what the drop cookies look like inside:

Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes 36 average cookies, or 72 small heart-shaped cookies using a 24-cavity silicone heart mold. These cookies are SO addictive, you may want to double the batch.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon espresso powder
¼ cup Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick-cook oats
11 oz (about 1¾ cup) chocolate covered raisins

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F
If you are making drop cookies, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy - at least 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and beat 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl often. It will lighten in color and look just a little curdled; that's fine!
Add the vanilla, espresso powder, cocoa, flour, salt, and baking soda. On low speed (cover the bowl if possible, or stir by hand first to avoid a mess) mix together until well blended.
Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate covered raisins.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment. The cookies won't spread much, so an inch and a half between each is fine. If you are using a silicone heart mold, fill each cavity ¾ full. (No need to grease the mold.)
Bake for 12 minutes. Move baking sheet or silicone mold to a cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool. Cookies may be moved to the rack when barely warm. If you are making hearts, let them cool completely in the pan before turning them out.

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Beat the butter and brown sugar well.

After the eggs are beaten in. It looks a little curdled, but that’s okay!

Making heart cookies.

Scoop for regular drop cookies.

See? Easy peasy. Don’t expect that from me too often, but when a chocolate craving hits, I realize the wisdom of being able to make cookies quickly!

If I’ve lulled you into a false sense of security with this simple cookie recipe, you’d better be prepared; I have Valentine petits fours on my mind…coming soon!

Lorinda

Gingerbread Friends

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Lorinda

Gingerbread ~~Men~~ Friends? I’m being politically correct; you can’t just call them gingerbread men when some of them are obviously…not men. Right? So these little boys and girls are my buddies, especially since some of them are bearing gifts of chocolate and booze – and who doesn’t love a friend who brings you presents like that?

The cookies are really easy to make, unless you are trying to make them hold their arms out straight. I could describe all of my failed attempts, but I’ll just cut to the chase. Two methods worked for me: propping their little arms up with foil as they baked, or amputating their arms right from the get-go, and then gluing them back on with royal icing as they were decorated.

Little foil splints to hold his arms out.

Little foil splints to hold his arms in place.

Surgical option.

Alternatively, you can cut cute little shapes out of dough (gifts, stars, drums, candy canes) and wrap the gingerbread friend’s arms around it before baking. Kids would get really creative with this!

Three amigos.

Or…make them the traditional way, of course.

Here’s the recipe I used. For my second batch I used half shortening, which made the dough more stable. You can use all butter if you prefer, but it might spread a tiny bit.

Gingerbread Friends

Author: The Rowdy Baker

I can't tell you how many this will make - it depends on the size of your cutters. But it's a pretty generous recipe.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
2¾ cup all-purpose flour
ROYAL ICING:
1 pound powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder (found with cake decorating supplies)
½ teaspoon vanilla (I use clear vanilla for the whitest possible icing.)
6 tablespoons warm water
FOR DECORATING: melted chocolate, sprinkles, colored sugar, gold dust.

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar.
Add egg and molasses and beat well. The batter should lighten in color.
Add baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Mix well.
Stir in the flour, beating well. Make sure all of the flour is well incorporated.
Place dough in an airtight container and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is better).
Heat oven to 375 F.
Roll dough approximately ¼-inch thick between sheets of parchment.
Cut out shapes and place on parchment covered baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, depending on how soft or crunchy you want them.
Slide parchment onto a cooling rack and cool cookies completely before decorating.
To make royal icing, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. If you have a stand mixer, I recommend you use it, with the whisk attachment.
Add the vanilla. Slowly add the water, beating continuously. Beat on medium high for 5 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to achieve the right thickness for piping.
Place in a pastry bag with a small writing tip and pipe directly onto the cookies. A small amount can be thinned if you want to brush it on with a paintbrush. (Pink cheeks, clothing, etc.)

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Yes, yes, I forgot the baking powder. Pfffft.

Cutting out the shapes.

Occasionally you’ll get a butt-ugly one like this! Makes me laugh.

Do you give out plates of cookies and candy at Christmas? If so, why don’t you customize a gingerbread cookie with the recipient’s name for that personal touch? Personalized cookies would also be the perfect place card at a holiday meal!

I hope you’ll use your imagination and find some other fun ways of decorating your cookies. Just…lock them up well at night so they don’t wander. (I was going to insert a picture here from “Gingerdead Man”, but it was just too creepy. And I don’t want the copyright police breathing down my back.)

Lorinda

Pumpkin Pecan Raisin Cookies

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Lorinda

I know it’s only August, and in a previous post I may have promised I wouldn’t bring out the pumpkin recipes until Fall.

I lied.

Our mornings already have a crisp feel to them, and the corn is almost ready to pick, so I hereby officially declare it…

I’ve made pumpkin cookies for years (they’re a big time favorite in my family) but made a few little changes to the recipe today and loved them even more, if that’s possible. The recipe for the icing is very generous, because – well – it “evaporates”. Or something. Let’s just say it disappears before your very eyes, and leave it at that, OK?

You know how I always give you photo after photo of preparation instructions? I’m taking a wild guess that you can beat ingredients together and scoop dough onto a cookie sheet without looking at pictures. If you’re new to this baking business and need help, check out some of my other cookies recipes…most of the steps are very similar.

In other words, I was in a hurry when I was making these, and forgot to take pictures. Sigh. I’ll be making them again in a couple of weeks for my guys to take hunting, but I don’t want you to have to wait that long!

Pumpkin Pecan Raisin Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Delightful, soft cookies that are soft and delicate, but rich and flavorful. Makes 3 dozen.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins
½ cup toasted pecans, chopped (please toast them...it adds flavor!)
ICING:
1½ cups brown sugar
⅓ cup milk
5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ - 1½ cups powdered sugar
Pecan halves for decorating, if desired

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
Mix in the egg and pumpkin and beat well. It may look a little curdled - that's normal.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Beat until thoroughly combined.
Stir in the raisins and toasted pecans.
Using a cookie scoop (or a rounded tablespoon) scoop balls of dough about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake approximately 12 minutes. Cookies should be just showing a little brown around the bottom edges. Place baking sheet on cooling rack for a few minutes, and then transfer cookies to the rack to finish cooling.
To make the icing:
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in the vanilla and 1¼ cups powdered sugar. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if necessary. Icing should be just thick enough to spread on the top of each cookie without dripping down the sides.
Put a generous dollop of icing on each cookie and top with a pecan if desired. Be careful - icing is very hot! If the icing thickens too much to work with, reheat gently on low heat, adding a little milk if needed.
Store cookies in an airtight container.

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Boiling the icing

Whisk in the powdered sugar

So it begins. My pumpkins are taking their sweet time this year, and I’m guessing they might not be ripe before the first freeze. Luckily, I have no problem using solid-pack pumpkin. I freeze any unused portion, so nothing goes to waste. I guess I’d better stock up, because it’s going to be nothing but pumpkin recipes on Facebook and Pinterest for the next 4 months!

Works for me!
Lorinda

Pumpkin Pecan Raisin Cookie, from The Rowdy Baker

Star Spangled Cookies

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Lorinda

Each month a group of crazy food bloggers gets together to make theme-related recipes. This month we’re running with a rousing patriotic Red White and Blue theme! After you’ve read this post, click on the links at the bottom of the page to see what the other gals have come up with. There are still a few to come, so check back every morning for the latest creation.

Can you hear the John Philip Sousa march playing in the background? Smell the burgers on the barbecue? See the kids lined up at the fireworks stand? Independence Day is right around the corner, and do I have a fun recipe for you! Kids will love to help with this one. Presenting…Star Spangled Cookies!

I used cinnamon Jolly Ranchers for the red cookies. You’ll find lots of hard red candies to choose from, and may prefer cherry or strawberry flavors. Your biggest challenge will be finding hard blue candy. I used Dum Dum suckers from the dollar store, but found that there was blue and then there was blue.

My first batch turned green when they baked. Apparently blueberry flavored suckers held their color, and blue raspberry didn’t. I recommend that you test one or two cookies first, just to be sure they’ll turn out a nice, patriotic blue. Red white and green just doesn’t have the same impact. Unless you’re Italian.

I have two more options for you. I tried baking the cookies until they were almost done and then pulled them from the oven and VERY carefully dropped the crushed candy in the centers, returning them to the oven just until the candy was melted. That worked quite well. The candy didn’t cook as long, so it didn’t get that amber tone to it. (Yellow + blue = green, as I found out.)

The other option is to make your own hard candy. It’s really very easy to do. Here’s a simple hard candy recipe from Lorann Oils. I would recommend making the candy, letting it harden, and crushing it. Pouring hot candy into the small star centers would be very tricky. If you have better hand-eye coordination than I do, you might be able to pull it off. I’d make a mess of that!

Whoops…did I say two options? I have one more, though it’s a little artsy-fartsy. I think it’s pretty, and you could mix colors this way too. Bake your cookies and as soon as they’re done, add the crushed candy. The heat from the cookie and the baking sheet will partially melt the candy. It won’t be smooth and flat, but as long as the candy is touching the sides of the cookie in a few spots, it will stay put. Kind of interesting, huh?

This is fun, too!

I used a strong freezer bag and a hammer to crush my candy. It worked like a charm and got some of that aggression out! The cookie itself is a sturdy shortbread. If you have a favorite sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t spread too much, that would work well too. You’ll need two star cookies, one large and one smaller. Here’s my recipe and easy instructions.

Star Spangled Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Festive, summery shortbread cookies with a stained-glass candy window in the center. Makes about 36 cookies, depending on the size of your cutters.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
⅔ cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla (clear vanilla, if you have it)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup crushed blue hard candy
½ cup crushed red hard candy
For decorating: ½ cup white chocolate chips, sprinkles, nonpareils.

Instructions

In a large bowl (a stand mixer is best) beat the butter and powdered sugar together until creamy.
Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
Add the flour and cornstarch. Mixture will be stiff - switch to a dough hook or stir by hand if necessary. Cover and chill for one hour.
Heat oven to 350 F.
Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Using a large star cookie cutter, cut out stars and place them on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
With small cookie cutter, cut a star out of the middle of each.
Carefully put enough crushed candy in the center of each cookie to cover the parchment, but don't overfill or it will bubble up the sides. Use a toothpick to distribute the candy evenly. Make sure there are no little bits of crushed candy on the cookie dough. (Use the toothpick to flick them down where they belong!)
Bake for about 10 minutes. Place baking sheets on cooling racks and let the cookies cool completely.
Drizzle the cookie with white chocolate or royal icing if desired, and sprinkle with sugar decorations.

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Here’s what you’ll need (plus fun decorations)

Distribute the crushed candy.

Just think of how pretty these will look in a basket on your picnic table this Fourth of July. They’ll be a hit with young and old alike. Now strike up that band and march over to these blogs to find some other great recipes!

Lorinda

Devilish Buffalo Eggs From Tampa Cake Girl.
(deconstructed) Berry Pies From An Affair from the Heart.
Double Decker Patriotic Pizookie From Cooking From a Stay at Home Mom.
Berry Pound Cake From Moore or Less Cooking Blog.
Red, White (chocolate) and Blue Trifles From Aunt Bee’s Recipes.
Red White and Blue Berry Poke Cake From Crumbs in My Mustachio.

Sugar Cookies – Straight Up!

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Lorinda

My father liked his cookies just the way he liked his martinis: straight up! He’s been gone for years now, but Father’s Day (closely followed by his birthday) is coming soon, which always makes me nostalgic.

Here’s to you, Pop!

So I’m bringing you his favorite treat, my grandma’s Sugar Cookies. No sprinkles, no frosting. But just as a martini needs an olive, he insisted that this cookie needed a single raisin right in the middle. I’ll admit, I like to put a very thin sugar glaze on mine, or a light dusting of sugar, which doesn’t overpower the sugar cookie experience at all. But I’ll leave that up to you.

Glazed, sugared, or adorned with a raisin…your choice!

These aren’t crunchy sugar cookies that can be cut into shapes; they’re soft and sweet and puffy. For Christmas and Dad’s birthday I would make four or five different types of cookie dough and freeze cookie-sized scoops of dough in zipper bags. Dad loved being able to bake a few cookies at a time. But without a doubt, the sugar cookie dough was eaten first!

Here’s Grandma’s recipe. Don’t leave out the nutmeg – it really adds a lovely, light flavor. And yes, Grandma…I measured my ingredients. Pretty much.

Soft Sugar Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

No bells or whistles - these sugar cookies are the real deal. Soft, tender, and sweet. A little plain, but that's what makes them so charming. Add a thin powdered sugar glaze when cookies are cool, or sprinkle them with sugar before baking if you'd like. Makes about 4 dozen.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sour cream
Raisins

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Add vanilla and beat until combined.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg.
Beginning with the flour mixture, and ending with the sour cream, add alternately in three increments to the creamed mixture in the bowl. Cover and chill for an hour (or more).
Heat oven to 375 F.
On a floured surface or between two pieces of parchment, roll the dough out to a thickness of ¼-inch. Cut into circles using a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press one raisin directly in the middle of each cookie. (Sprinkle with sugar if you wish.)
Bake 11-12 minutes, until barely golden on bottom edges.
Cool on a rack.

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Cream the butter and sugar.

Sift the dry ingredients.

Add one third of the dry ingredients…

Add one third of the sour cream….etc.

Roll and cut.

…and sit on the porch with a cold glass of milk and a plate of cookies!

Chocolate Orange Pecan Cookies

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Lorinda

I’ve never tried topping a cookie before baking, but after sampling these Chocolate Orange Pecan Cookies last night, I have a feeling you may be seeing a lot of “cookie crust” variations in the months to come! Brainstorming has consumed my thoughts and I have some great ideas, though I’ll try to intersperse the cookie recipes with other genres of baking so I don’t make you crazy, too. They won’t win any awards for beauty, and I’m doubtful they will go viral on Pinterest, but hey…looks aren’t everything, right? So here’s what we have: A deep chocolate cookie covered with a pecan, sugar, orange zest and egg mixture – basically a chewy meringue. The topping bakes along with the cookie, and turns into a dense, flavorful crust that hardens just enough to make them easy to store without fear of mushing the cookie tops.

The story here isn’t about the cookie; I used my cookie dough recipe for Nonpareil Cookies, which worked nicely. The story is about the topping, and how it complements the cookie’s flavor and texture. Here’s the recipe for the topping:

Orange Pecan Cookie Topping

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Will top 3-4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

1 large egg and 2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
2 cups pecans (lightly toasted, for best flavor)

Instructions

Finely chop the pecans (a food processor works best).
In a medium bowl, beat the egg and egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, beating continuously until all sugar is added. Beat about 3 minutes, until the mixture lightens in color.
Add the orange zest, vanilla, and salt and mix well.
Stir in the pecans.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto thin unbaked cookies and bake following the cookie recipe instructions.

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Instead of rolling out the cookie dough, I rolled the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and went the ~~lazy~~ efficient route and used a cookie stamp (or you can crisscross it with a fork, like a peanut butter cookie) to flatten it to about 1/4-inch thick.

Flatten with a cookie stamp or fork.

Add topping.

I baked them at 350F for about 12 minutes. If you want a crispier cookie, try stamping (or rolling) the dough thinner or cooking them for another minute or two.

After being sealed in a plastic bag overnight they actually had a fairly soft texture, more like a brownie. Yum. Perfect with a hot cup of coffee.

For the record, I’m really not fond of coconut, but tried a few cookies rolled in coconut and a few with chopped coconut added to the topping. Both were excellent – if you like coconut!

I’ll be back with more. Chocolate topping, streusel topping, berry topping…you can’t stem the flow of this tide! If you’re looking for me, I’ll be in the kitchen.

Lorinda

Sundae Swirls

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Lorinda

When we moved from the city to the country seven years ago we knew we would be making some concessions. There would be no malls, Starbucks, pizza delivery, or ballet. What we didn’t understand, and trust me, we might have reconsidered, was that there would be no Dairy Queen.

We used to live less than ten minutes away from our local DQ and often flipped a coin to see who’d make the drive for Peanut Buster Parfaits or Buster Bars. Every once in a while one of us will suggest that the other “run down” and get one of these treats, and then we laugh like hyenas. After seven years I thought I had successfully managed my addiction.

Then I visited my son in California, and was treated to a Buster Bar. Vanilla ice cream with fudgy, peanutty layers. The longing hasn’t left me since.

So…there I was, sitting in my chair, fantasizing about Buster Bars, when an idea for a cookie came to me. The inspiration may have been from DQ, but the cookie took on a life of its own. And it only took me two tries to get exactly what I imagined: a vanilla dough with swirls of chocolate and peanuts.

Maybe if I put a glob of vanilla ice cream between two of them….

Sundae Swirls

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes approximately 36 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup butter
½ cup coconut oil (you may substitute shortening if you prefer)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons vanilla (yes...you want a LOT of vanilla flavor!)
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces chocolate, melted and cooled (chips are fine...semisweet or milk)
1½ cups lightly salted Spanish peanuts

Instructions

Cream together the coconut oil (or shortening) and butter.
Add the brown sugar and white sugar and beat well.
Add the milk, vanilla, and eggs. Beat for one minute.
Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until well combined.
Working with half of the dough at a time, place the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Dust the top with flour and put another piece of parchment over the dough. Roll out into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Use your hands or a spatula to shape the dough if necessary to get the sides straight.
Spread half of the melted chocolate on the dough, leaving a ½-inch clean edge, and sprinkle with half of the peanuts.
Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough like you would for cinnamon rolls. It may help to use the parchment to lift and help roll the dough. Try to keep it snug, with no air pockets.
Roll up the roll of dough in the parchment and place in the refrigerator. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Allow the rolls to chill for 2 hours.
Heat oven to 375 F.
Slice the rolls into ½-inch slices and place 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until they begin to brown. For softer cookies, bake them to a golden brown. For crispier cookies, let them get a little darker.
Cool thoroughly on racks until the chocolate is firm.

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Put dough on floured parchment and roll it around to coat lightly

Yes, I roasted my own peanuts. I do NOT expect you to do that!

Roll dough out to 8″x12″. Spread with chocolate and peanuts.

Use the parchment to help roll it up

Rolled and ready to wrap in parchment and chill

Chilled and sliced

Ready to bake

Baked to perfection!

These cookies won’t drip down my chin or give me brain freeze, but I guess if I get to hankerin’ (that’s how we talk here in the country) for a DQ fix I could pop a couple of them in the freezer and get my “frozen treat” experience. Sigh.

Extra Spicy Gingersnaps

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Lorinda

When the weather turns cold and wintry, my first instinct is to start adding spices to everything. We just had a homemade chicken soup full of garlic, ginger, and homemade noodles (if you’re sick, this will cure whatever ails you) but since this is a baking blog, I had to look for something else to offer you. Something that would light a mild fire in your belly and make you sigh with happiness.

Something like EXTRA SPICY GINGERSNAPS!

If you know me or have been following my blogs, you’ll know that I rarely do things the easy way. It’s all about experimenting and finding new challenges. So just because I went all out and toasted and ground whole spices, that doesn’t mean you have to. These cookies will be very, very good if you use ground spices from your cupboard. If you want them to be excellent, however, here’s what you’ll want to do:

Toast those spices!

Put one whole nutmeg, 12 whole cloves, and 2 or 3 sticks of cinnamon (broken in half) in a small pan. Turn the burner on medium-low and cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking or stirring them often. When the fragrance hits you upside the head, they’re done!

Set the nutmeg aside to cool and put the cloves and cinnamon into a clean coffee grinder. It’s going to sound awful when you turn it on, but do it anyway! Grind those babies up as fine as possible. I sift mine through a small sieve to keep big chunks out of the cookie dough, and then put the remaining bits back in the grinder for a few more seconds.

Sift out the stubborn chunks.

Grate the toasted nutmeg with a fine grater. I used 1 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg in this recipe. You can wrap the rest of the whole nutmeg up in plastic wrap and save it for another day if you wish.

Grating nutmeg.

You will be seriously amazed by the added flavor freshly toasted spices add to baked goods.

However, since I’m pretty sure most of you are rolling your eyes back in your head right this very moment, I used regular spices in the recipe below. If you are making these cookies using freshly toasted spices (FIST BUMP!) use the entire amount you just ground up.

Extra Spicy Gingersnaps

Author: The Rowdy Baker

These gingersnaps will warm you to your toes, and make you come back for more! Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
2-3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together until well combined and fluffy.
Add the egg, molasses, and grated fresh ginger. Mix well.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and then roll each ball in a shallow dish of sugar to coat completely.
Place at least an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. (Parchment is helpful, but not necessary.) Press down with a spatula or the bottom of a glass to flatten.
Bake for 10 minutes if you want the cookies to be a little chewy. Bake for 11 minutes if you like them crispy.
Remove from oven and place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for several minutes, then move the cookies to the rack to finish cooling.

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Roll in sugar

Flatten the dough.

fresh from the oven

At this point, you can just put the cookies on a plate and watch them disappear. OR you can decorate them a little with icing.

Decorative Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons powdered egg whites
2 tablespoons water

Whisk all ingredients together and put in a small plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag and drizzle over cookies. Allow the frosting to harden completely.

If you would like to roll the cookies out and cut them into shapes, it is possible, but a little more difficult. Chill the dough for at least an hour. Roll it out on a generously floured surface between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick. Cut out your shapes, sprinkle with sugar if desired, and place at least 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Put the entire sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake at 375F for 10-11 minutes. They will spread a little, but the shapes will be recognizable.

Hearts.

This is the most fragrant cookie you will ever bake, and the dough…oh, my word…the dough is delicious. Ahem.

I love to keep some of the balls of dough in the freezer to pop in the oven when company’s coming over. The house smells heavenly and welcoming, and the cookies are always a hit. Keep warm, my friends!!!

Chocolate Nonpareil Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Lorinda

I brought home one of my husband’s favorite treats the other day – nonpareil candy. You know, the little flat chocolate wafers with the crunchy white sprinkles on top? I love ’em too, but after sampling a few just to make sure they were fresh (ahem) I satisfied myself with staring at them and wondering if I could make a cookie that would have the same eye appeal.

Yes, yes…this is JUST what I envisioned!

They’re pretty and festive, and pack a lot of crunch! You can NOT go all frugal and just sprinkle the little nonpareil sprinkles on them. The crispy, rich (and I mean rich!) cookie has to be dunked in chocolate and then pressed into the sprinkles to look right. I’ll tell you right now that you’ll need at least 2 bottles, maybe 3 of the nonpareil sprinkles. I can’t tell you for sure because I ran out of them part way through! I had no idea it would take that many. Plan B was to dip the remaining cookies in chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. Ta Da!

Nonpareil Cookies

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes approximately 60 small cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cups unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
LOTS of nonpareil sprinkles. 2-3 large bottles.

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F.
Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the vanilla, milk, and egg, and beat well.
Add the dry ingredients (slow down there, Tiger...the cocoa will fly everywhere! Beat it on low until it's incorporated) and mix together well.
For best results, roll out between two pieces of parchment until it's about ¼" thick.
Cut with a small round cookie cutter, or improvise with a shot glass or a plastic cap. With a spatula, lift the rounds carefully and place ½"-1" apart on ungreased bafking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. The cookies should be fairly firm. If they're still soft, give them another minute or two. They'll harden a bit as they cool.
Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cool, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave at 15 second increments, stirring each time. Dip the tops of the cookies in the chocolate, gently shake off excess, and then press into a separate bowl of sprinkles. Place on waxed paper and move to the refrigerator to set. (Approximately 15 minutes.)

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This is a wonderful basic cookie recipe to have on hand. The cookies keep their shape very well, so they’re perfect for a sandwich cookie. Fill them with peanut butter frosting, marshmallow fluff, mint ganache…wherever your imagination takes you!

Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment

Cut out small circles (I used a shot glass)

Dip them in the chocolate…

And then dip them into the nonpareil sprinkles.

Next week will be the big push to make and bake for Christmas platters. Stay tuned…lots of goodies are in the works.

Chocolate Walnut Meringues

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Lorinda

There are times when I really want to eat that huge piece of cake, or a big slab of pie, or a quart of ice cream. But sometimes (especially after a huge turkey dinner) I just want a taste of something sweet, to tell my mouth that I’m finished eating for a while.

Something light, crisp, and airy. Sweet, chewy, and satisfying. Throw in gluten-free and almost fat-free, and you have Chocolate Walnut Meringues.

If you’ve never had a meringue, you’re in for a treat. This recipe produces little delicacies that look like cookies, but dissolve in your mouth, except for the perfect chewy part in the center. They can be a light ending to a heavy meal, or a sweet pick-me-up with an afternoon cup of tea.

Crispy and a little crumbly, with a slightly chewy center.

Meringues cook at a low heat and then are left to dry out in the oven overnight, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. If you store them in an airtight container, they’ll stay crispy for days. They can be piped into any shape you want, which can be a lot of fun. (I had limited success piping the meringue around foil cones to make cornucopias. If you have cream horn molds it might be worth a try!)

I used walnuts in this batch, but pecans are lovely too. You can grate a little dark chocolate in the batter if you wish. I felt the cocoa powder gave it just the right level of chocolate goodness; you can be the judge of that. If you are baking gluten-free, here’s a great list of gluten-free chocolates. I was glad to see that Dove chocolate made the grade.

As always when making any kind of meringue, separate the egg whites and let them stand until they’re room temperature for best results. Use squeaky clean beaters and bowls, and you’ll get perfect results.

Chocolate Walnut Meringues

Recipe type: Makes approximately 36

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Dainty little treats with a lot of flavor. Gluten-free.

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped walnuts (or substitute pecans)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 egg whites (room temperature)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
chopped walnuts or grated gluten-free chocolate for decoration

Instructions

Heat oven to 250 F.
Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Chop walnuts (or pecans) finely. Set aside.
Combine the sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until they hold a soft peak.
Continue mixing as you add the sugar mixture ¼ cup at a time, mixing well between additions.
Beat until the mixture holds a stiff peak.
Gently fold in the chopped nuts.
With a small cookie scoop (or you may pipe shapes if you wish) scoop onto the parchment. They will barely spread, so you can put them fairly close together.
Sprinkle with topping of your choice. Nuts or grated chocolate look great. Use your imagination!
Bake for 35 minutes. Do NOT open the oven door. Just turn off the oven and leave them in there at least one hour. Overnight is even better.

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Finely chopped nuts.

This is what you want…stiff peaks.

Carefully folding the nuts into the egg mixture.

Sprinkle with grated chocolate or nuts. Or sprinkles!

I love, love, LOVE these little sweeties. They’re simple to make and impressive to serve. Offer a bowl of them next to the pumpkin pie and you might be surprised about which gets eaten first!

The Rowdy Baker

Irreverent offerings from a compulsive baker.

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Chocolate Walnut Meringues