We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Cookie Recipe #31 - Gingerdoodles




I made this recipe during the summer of 09 while experimenting with different combinations. Why not unite two of my favorite cookies? (And there isn't even any chocolate involved!) Gingersnaps + snickerdoodles = Gingerdoodles (or Snickersnaps). The only down side is that you have to mix up 2 different kinds of cookies, so make them up the night before and refrigerate until you're ready to bake (they don't have to be chilled, though, if you want to make them the same day). Both cookie recipes have been presented previously, but I'll post them again so you have them at your fingertips ready to be put into use (these recipes have already been cut in half).




Ingredients (Snickerdoodles): 1/2 cup shortening (I use butter flavored), 3/4 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon.




Instructions: Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together in small bowl; set aside. In mixing bowl, cream shortening with sugar; add egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar into same bowl and thoroughly combine. Set aside while mixing up Gingersnaps as follows:




Ingredients (Gingersnaps): 3/4 cup shortening, 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 egg, 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger.




Instructions: Put the 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl and set aside. In mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar together; add molasses and egg and continue beating. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger into same bowl and thoroughly combine.




Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With your fingers, roll a small amount of gingersnap dough into a ball and drop in bowl of sugar; roll around until completely covered. Repeat with snickerdoodle dough dropping into cinnamon/sugar until covered. Remove both balls and squeeze together to form one ball (do not try to roll together, just squeeze and pat together). Repeat with the rest of the doughs. Place on ungreased baking sheet and pop into the oven. Bake about 9 minutes or until flattened but still soft (slightly underbaked). Remove from oven and allow to cool about 2 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.




If you have leftover dough of either one, just bake them alone (still delicious by themselves!).




Makes about 5 dozen cookies (1 dozen of these ended up being plain gingersnaps). Store in airtight container or ziploc bag - freeze well.
Cookies Rule!!!




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2 comments:

  1. Are you going to go around again with a year in cookies? There must be lots more that you want to try, and, now that I've found you, so do I! How can I subscribe to this 3rd effort by email?

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  2. This website is just perfect for me. Baking cookies is one of my hobby. Another hobby of mine is collecting cookbooks. I probably have around 300 cookbooks or more. Thanks for all of the good cookie recipes.

    ReplyDelete