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, December 9, 2010

Cookie Recipe #341 - Sour Cream Snowflakes


We don't get snow here in this part of California where I live, but today, in my kitchen, there were snowflakes...and they were filled with a mound of preserves...and you can eat them...I love Christmas cookies!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/3 cup shortening, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/3 cup dairy sour cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup raspberry preserves (or strawberry or apricot), sifted powdered sugar.

Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda; beat until combined. Mix in sour cream, egg, and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour; mix thoroughly. Divide dough in half, cover and chill for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch star-shape cookie cutter, cut out dough. Cut a small star shape (or circle) from the center of half of the stars. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Spread the center of the plain star cookies with about 1/4 teaspoon of preserves. Top with cutout star cookies, flat sides down, offsetting the points of the top and bottom cookies to look like a snowflake. Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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

Cookies Rule!!!

1 comment:

  1. I tried this recipe this year for cookie exchange I add some orange extract to it every one loves it, I My self I liked the dough really soft and nice one to work! :)

    ReplyDelete