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!


Monday, June 7, 2010

Cookie Recipe #156 - Almond Cream Spritz


Light and nutty describes these little spritz cookies.

Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened, 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups all-purpose flour, finely chopped almonds.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds. Add sugar, almond extract, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Beat in flour until thoroughly incorporated.

Pack dough into a cookie press. Force dough through press onto an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with almonds. Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges of cookies are firm but not brown.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

"Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies", Meredith Corporation, Des Moines, IA, 2003.

Cookies Rule!!!
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)