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!


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Cookie Recipe #194 - Chocolate Spritz Cookies 2


The first Chocolate Spritz recipe (#149) I made didn't taste so great. This one is so much better-a light chocolatey bite rather than the dissolve-in-your-mouth-need-a-drink taste of the first one. (the corn starch was the culprit, I believe).

Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon salt, colored or chocolate sprinkles.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; add egg and vanilla, continuing to beat. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

Fill cookie press with dough. Press dough onto ungreased bakiing sheets. Garnish with sprinkles of choice.

Bake 5-7 minutes or just until set. Remove from baking sheet to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen spritz cookies.

"Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook", Brimar Publishing Inc., Montreal, Canada, 1993.

Cookies Rule!!!

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