Showing posts with label 52 weeks of cookies. Show all posts

52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 10): New Classic Coconut Macaroons

 


Coconut macaroons are one of my husband's favorite cookies. I've always been indifferent to them, but this version definitely has me changing my mind. Instead of the usual sweetened condensed milk and shredded coconut mixture, instead you use chewy coconut chips and an egg white/sugar mixture. It's a little bit more work (you have to gently cook the egg whites with the sugar), but for me it's well worth it. The edges get toasty and caramelized, while the insides are delightfully chewy. 

It's become my go-to for using up spare egg whites that I have lying around my fridge. You can also add a bit of chocolate to the middle if you wish, but I love the unadulterated coconut flavor without it. 

New Classic Macaroons

(Recipe from Food52 Genius Recipes)

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 3 1/2 cups (210 grams) unsweetened coconut chips
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Slightly rounded 1/4 tsp salt

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large heat-proof mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel. Set the bowl directly over a pot or wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom to prevent burning, until the mixture is very hot to the touch and the egg whites have thickened slightly and turned from translucent to opaque, about 5-7 minutes. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes to let the coconut absorb more of the egg white mixture. 
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
  3. Using 2 tbsp of batter, make small heaps 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for about 5 minutes, just until the coconut tips begin to color, rotating the two pans from top to bottom to ensure even baking. 
  4. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies are cream and gold with deeper brown edges, again rotating the pans from top to bottom midway through. 
  5. Remove from oven and let cool completely before gently peeling from the parchment. 

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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 9): Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 


I've made a lot of cookies in my life, and I have to say these are my favorite. They're also my husband's favorite, and he actually gets upset when I bring them to work, because it means he doesn't get to eat all of them. I don't blame him though. They're addictive, and they have the melt-in-your-mouth quality of all the best peanut butter cookies, but with both chocolate and peanut butter chips for texture. They truly celebrate the awesomeness of peanut butter. 

This recipe makes a ton of cookies, so feel free to cut it in half. I doubt anyone will complain about having extra of these cookies lying around though. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home)

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I'm not sure if this works with the natural kind)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 oz (1/2 package) chocolate chips
  • 6 oz (1/2 package) peanut butter chips (you can also use 1 full package of peanut butter chips instead of the chocolate chips, which I sometimes prefer)

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or leave ungreased.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
  3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. 
  4. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture and beat until combined. 
  5. Stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. 
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. 

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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 8): Cardamom Currant Snickerdoodles

 


As classic and comforting as snickerdoodles are, I often get bored with them. Enter these cardamom currant snickerdoodles from Food52, which are fragrant with just the right amount of cardamom and just the right amount of tang because of the currants. I don't even really like soft cookies, but I love these. Last Christmas, I brought them into work and my attending was skeptical, but after one bite, quickly grabbed three more. This year my mother-in-law and I included them in our joint cookie boxes that we sent to family. They really are so good!

Cardamom Currant Snickerdoodles

(Recipe from Food52 Baking)

  • 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup plus 3 tbsp (235 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110 grams) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom (make sure it's fragrant and not too old)
  • 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (75 grams) dried currants

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment. 
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, 1 cup (200 grams) of the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and 1 tsp of the cardamom to combine. 
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and eggs. Stir in the vanilla. 
  4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the currants, and stir just until everything comes together to form a dough. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
  5. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons (35 grams) granulated sugar and 1 tsp cardamom. Roll the chilled dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll each ball in the sugar mixture. Place the balls on baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. 
  6. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until golden and cracked on top but still a bit doughy in the middle. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly. 

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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 6): Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread

 


I made these espresso shortbread once in med school to give out as part of Christmas cookie boxes and remember being unable to stop snacking on them. So when I wanted to bake cookies for a coffee-loving couple friend of mine to welcome their new baby, these immediately came to mind. They're a little more involved than a drop cookie, since you have to roll them out, refrigerate them, and cut them into squares, but Deb's suggestion to roll them out in a gallon bag is genius. They make melt-in-your-mouth shortbread that my husband couldn't stop snacking on as well.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread

(Recipe from Smitten Kitchen)

  • 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
  • 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temp
  • 2/3 cup (80 grams) confectioner's sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup storebought mini chocolate chips or 4 oz (115 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water and set aside to cool. 
  2. Working with a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioner's sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is very smooth. 
  3. Beat in the vanilla, espresso, and salt, and then reduce the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough (don't overmix!). Fold in the chocolate. 
  4. Transfer the soft, sticky dough into a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll out the dough into a 9" x 10.5" rectangle that is about 1/4" thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn't cause creases. When you get to the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out excess air, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. 
  5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. 
  6. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and cut open along the seams. Turn the firm dough out on the cutting board and cut into 1 1/2" squares, using a ruler if needed. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one a few times with a fork. 
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes. The shortbreads will remain pale. Remove from oven and transfer to a cookie rack. 

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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 5): Camping Cookies

 


Way back in July (I know, these are old posts), we went on a backpacking trip up to Mount Isolation in the White Mountains. It was a challenging hike and not the greatest of campsites, but we persevered, helped in part by these delicious cookies that I made and packed just for the trip. I'm a pretty picky eater, and when our cooked food plans fell flat, I pretty much lived on these cookies all weekend. Maybe it was because I was so ravenous, but I think these are my favorite cookies yet! They are super crunchy from the Rice Krispies, slightly chewy from the oats and coconut, rich from the nuts, and satisfying from the chocolate and buttery cookie base. The only thing they're lacking in is the looks department, but I find them kinda endearing. We took to referring to them as Hagrid's rock cakes during our trip. I think I'm going to make them for every backpacking trip from now on!

Camping Cookies

(Barely adapted from 3191 Miles Apart)

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup to 1 cup chopped toasted pecans

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined. 
  3. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir in oats, coconut, rice cereal, chocolate, and pecans (make sure pecans have cooled). 
  4. Stir together dry ingredients and wet ingredients until well-combined. The dough will be dry and crumbly. 
  5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. 

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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 4): Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies



I made these cookies a week and a half ago to celebrate being finished with 6 weeks on service. I don't think I've ever felt so drained after 6 weeks of working in the hospital, but that's COVID for you...

Don't be fooled into thinking these are just any oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The recipe from King Arthur was named their Recipe of the Year back in 2015, and when you take a bite, it's easy to see why. They strike the perfect balance between sweet and salty in a way that makes you want another, and another, and another. The texture is the perfect balance between crispy and chewy. The amount of chocolate chips is just right. They're perfect. 

Part of the joy of bringing these into work was watching people take one and then 5 minutes later, show up asking for more. I heard "These are really good!" more than a few times that day. They also make a lot of cookies, so we currently have 16 frozen dough balls in our freezer waiting for the next time we have a craving for something sweet. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Recipe from King Arthur Flour)

  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (213 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temp
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temp
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (241 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (99 grams) quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats (I used quick-cooking)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (or 3/4 tsp table salt)
  • 3 cups (510 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  2. Beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. 
  3. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
  4. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix to combine. 
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  6. Scoop your cookies onto the tray (I used a tablespoon cookie scoop which made about 50 cookies), leaving about 1 1/2" between cookies. 
  7. Bake for 12-17 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown with slightly darker edges. 
  8. Remove the cookies from oven and transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy!
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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 2): Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies


One side effect of this pandemic is that suddenly everyone is stress-baking. I spent my first week doing this too until we realized that we were running low on flour and that every time we went to the grocery stores, there was no flour in sight. I haven't seen flour in a grocery store since early March at this point. Hearing that there was flour at Wegman's, I patiently waited in line for an hour at 8AM yesterday, only to find upon walking in that the only flour left was white whole-wheat flour. I bought it however, and plan on baking with it later this week.

Meanwhile, I wanted to make cookies for a friend of mine who was having a rough week. I pulled out this flourless peanut butter cookie recipe from King Arthur and quickly went to work with the three jars of peanut butter we had sitting in our pantry.

It's not the easiest cookie dough to work with, especially if you use crunchy peanut butter like I did, but chilling it in the fridge helps a bit. The result is a chewy, intensely peanut buttery cookie. Not bad for a naturally gluten-free cookie!

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Recipe from King Arthur Flour)


  • 1 cup (269 grams) peanut butter, smooth or crunchy (but smooth is easier to work with)
  • 3/4 cup (161 grams) brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. In a mixer at medium speed, beat the peanut butter, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt until well-blended.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla, and blend on low speed until incorporated. 
  4. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  5. Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and slightly flatten the tops (if you're having difficulty with the dough holding together like I did, it helps to chill the dough for half an hour in the fridge, roll the dough into balls, and then flatten while on the baking sheet). 
  6. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on the pan. 
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52 Weeks of Cookies (Week 1): Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies



Inspired by a series of posts on Jumilla Stories, as well as my own personal love for making cookies, I decided to embark on a challenge to try 52 new cookies recipes this year. 

 This first cookie recipe came to me by way of Dinner: A Love Story and the author Jenny Rosentrach's inspiring daily posts about coping as a family with life in this new post-coronavirus world. When she wrote about how she and her family were making these slice-and-bake chocolatey cookies, I couldn't resist whipping up some dough and throwing it in the freezer for later. 

 The end result is delicious. Bake them longer if you want a crispy sable-type cookie. Or bake them less for a more fudgey brownie-like cookie. Either way, the cayenne and black pepper really elevate them to something more than your typical chocolate cookie. 

 Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
(Recipe from Dinner: A Love Story who adapted from a recipe by Maida Heatter)

  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the vanilla and egg.
  2. While butter and sugar are creaming, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 
  3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl until the dough is uniform in color and no unmixed flour remains. 
  4. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a round log about 8 inches long. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours. (Note: Freezing the logs inside tall drinking glasses helps them maintain their round shape)
  5. When ready to use, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unwrap dough logs and slice into 1/4" thick rounds. Place on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they feel a bit firm on the edges. 
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