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, November 5, 2010

Cookie Recipe #307 - Apple Cream Pennies


Two soft cookies holding an apple-flavored creamy filling is today's cookie recipe.

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup butter, softened, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup apple butter.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

Blend sugars in a large bowl; add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

Shape dough into marble-sized balls. Place balls on ungreased baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake 10-11 minutes. Do not brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Prepare the filling: Blend cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy. Add apple butter and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.

With a small knife spread 1 teaspoonful of apple cream on the bottom half of each cooled cookie. Top with another cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Makes 6 dozen pennies.

"Mrs. Fields Cookie Book", Time-Life Books, Inc., Alexandria, VA, 1992.

Cookies Rule!!!

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