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!


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cookie Recipe #291 - Caramel Apple Cookies


This cookie resembles a caramel apple in looks, but is a spicy cookie dipped in caramel and nuts. Wrap individually in plastic, fasten with a fancy ribbon and share with your friends (or trick-or-treaters).

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon apple pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup (2 sticks)butter, softened, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, red and green food coloring, 24 green wooden craft sticks, 1 package (14 ounces) caramels, 3 tablespoons water, 1/3 cup chopped cashews.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, apple pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla; gradually add in flour mixture.

Remove 1/3 cup of dough to a small mixing bowl; tint with green food coloring. Tint remaining dough with red food coloring; divide in half.

On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the red dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using an apple-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes; place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Place a craft stick under "stem" end of each cookie, pressing dough lightly.

Using your fingers, mold a small piece of green dough into a leaf shape and place on top of each apple cutout on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake until crisp, but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, heat caramels and water over low heat, stirring often, until smooth. Set a wire rack over a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Dip the cookies into melted caramel and then into chopped nuts. Let cookies stand until caramel is set, about an hour.

Makes about 24 cookies.

"Great American Cookie Collection", MM International Masters Publishers AB, Pittsburgh, PA.

Cookies Rule!!!

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