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, November 29, 2010

Cookie Recipe #331 - Clove Cookies


A cookie using a different spice, cloves, reminds me of the glaze I use on my ham. The cookie is crisp and spicy.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cloves.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.

Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until well combined; then stir in vanilla. Add egg and beat until mixture is smooth. In a small bowl, stir together flour and cloves; gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.

Drop dough by level teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 1/2 - 3 inches apart. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are golden brown and puffy tops start to crinkle and collapse. Immediately transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

"Sunset Cookies", Lane Publishing Co., Menlo Park, CA, 1985.

Cookies Rule!!!

1 comment:

  1. These are delicious! I have made them many times and they are always a hit.

    ReplyDelete