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, March 23, 2010

Cookie Recipe #80 - Mocha Thins


If you're not a coffee drinker, you may not like these cookies. On the other hand, I never used to drink coffee, but liked coffee-flavored foods such as yogurt or ice cream, so give them a try.
Ingredients: 1/3 cup shortening, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cold espresso coffee, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, coffee beans.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar; add egg and espresso coffee (you probably could use just regular coffee) and beat well. Combine flour, instant coffee crystals and cinnamon in small bowl, then gradually add to creamed mixture. Gather up in your hands and form into a ball. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll out on floured surface as thin as possible. Cut with a flour-dipped 2-inch fluted cutter, rerolling scraps until all is used. Place on ungreased baking sheet about an inch apart and place a coffee bean in center of each before popping into the oven. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until beginning to brown at edges. Remove and transfer to cooling racks.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies. "The Ultimate Cookie Book" published by Tormont Publications Inc., Montreal, Canada, in 1997.
Cookies Rule!!!

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