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!


Friday, May 7, 2010

Cookie Recipe #125 - Choco-Coco Pecan Crisps

These are circles of chocolate with bites of pecans surrounded by an outer edge of coconut flakes.

They are a refrigerated log cookie that can stay in the freezer for up to 6 weeks, easily removed, sliced, and baked.


Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup flaked coconut.


Cream butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, pecans, cocoa, and baking soda in small bowl until well blended, then add to creamed mixture, blending until stiff dough is formed. Sprinkle coconut on work surface. Divide dough into 4 parts. Shape each part into a roll, about 2 inches in diameter; roll in coconut until thickly coated. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least an hour or up to 2 weeks.


When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut rolls into 1/8-inch thick slices and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.


Bake 8-10 minutes or until firm. Allow to cool on baking sheets for a minute before transferring to cooling racks.


Makes about 6 dozen cookies.


"Treasury of Holiday Cookies" published by Publications International, LTD, Lincolnwood, IL, in 1994.


Cookies Rule!!!

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