Recipes

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

Stir flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cloves in small bowl to blend. Set aside. Using electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in oatmeal and cranberries.

For each cookie, drop one tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 2 inch apart. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly golden, rotating baking sheets, front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even browning, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the Cookies:
1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons half-and-half cream
Food coloring and colored sugar, optional
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE COOKIES:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-in. cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

FOR THE FROSTING:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and enough cream to achieve desired frosting consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Frost cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonalkalized cocoa
Pinch salt
8 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture; beat until well blended (if you're using an electric mixer, set it on low speed). Divide the dough and shape it into two flat disks; wrap one in plastic while you work with the other. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk 3/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes and set them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the other disk. Combine the scraps, chill them if they feel warm, and reroll. Bake the cookies until the tops look dry and you see flaky layers when you break a cookie in half. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Decorate the cooled cookies.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Peanut butter
12 oatmeal raisin cookies
1 pint vanilla ice cream or flavor of your choice
Miniature chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Spread peanut butter over the bottom of six cookies. Top with a scoop of ice cream. Top with another cookie; press down gently. Roll sides of ice cream sandwich in chocolate chips. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze until serving.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
9 low-fat graham crackers (4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
8 ounces nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
1/2 cup squash puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray

Process graham crackers, oats, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Add milk; pulse until completely moistened.

Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in squash puree until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust.

Bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder American-style or Dutch-process
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (50-72% cacao), coarsely chopped, plus 2 1/2 ounces chopped into mini chip-size pieces, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or canola oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup blended with 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (see Tip), optional

Tip: To toast chopped walnuts, heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Dark Fudgy Brownies Recipe at Cooking.com
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DIRECTIONS
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil, letting it overhang on two opposing sides. Coat with cooking spray.

Sift flour, confectioners' sugar and cocoa together into a small bowl. Combine the 3 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate and butter (or oil) in a heavy medium saucepan; place over the lowest heat, stirring, until just melted and smooth, being very careful the chocolate does not overheat. Remove from the heat and stir in granulated sugar, corn syrup mixture, vanilla and salt until the sugar dissolves. Vigorously stir in egg until smoothly incorporated. Gently stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and the remaining 2 1/2 ounces chopped chocolate just until well blended. Turn out the batter into the pan, spreading evenly.

Bake the brownies until almost firm in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out with some moist batter clinging to it, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 1/2 hours.

Using the overhanging foil as handles, carefully lift the brownie slab from the pan. Peel the foil from the bottom; set the slab right-side up on a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, trim off any dry edges. Mark and then cut the slab crosswise into fifths and lengthwise into fourths. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth between cuts.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (do not use instant or quick oats)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup (packed ) dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dark robust-flavored molasses (do not use blackstrap)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe at Cooking.com
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 2 large (16-by-14-inch) nonstick baking sheets.

Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, both sugars, butter, egg, molasses and vanilla in large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until blended (do not over beat). Mix in peanuts.

Using about 3 tablespoons dough for each, drop 9 mounds of dough on each sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake cookies 8 minutes. Reverse cookie sheets and continue baking until golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature).

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For Pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup chilled margarine or unsalted butter
2/3 cup sweet wine
For Filling:
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour or fine bread crumbs for dusting
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for egg wash

Nut-filled Cookie Sticks Recipe at Cooking.com
DIRECTIONS
Chill a pastry board.

TO MAKE DOUGH: In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the margarine or butter with a pastry blender until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. Add the wine and stir and toss with a fork until the mixture just holds together. Remove the dough and gather into a ball. (The dough can also be made in a food processor, pulsing it to cut in the butter and processing to bring the dough together.) Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

TO MAKE FILLING: Pour the honey into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add the cinnamon and cloves, and boil until it forms a ribbon when a spoon is lifted, about 10 minutes. Add the nuts, citrus zests, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until you can touch the mixture without burning yourself.

Dust the chilled board with flour or bread crumbs. Pour the filling onto the board and using your hands, roll it into 6 long, thin ropes, each 12 to 14 inches long. Act quickly as the mixture sets up fast!

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 1 or 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured board, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 4-inch-wide strip of nut paste on the center of each piece of dough, and roll up the dough, fully enclosing the nut paste. Cut into finger-length cookies. Place on the prepared baking sheet(s). Brush the sticks with the egg wash glaze. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. These keep well but you won't have them long!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar, divided (see Tip)
1 large egg
4 tablespoons molasses
2 cups sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Tip: Turbinado sugar is steam-cleaned raw cane sugar. It’s coarse-grained and light brown in color, with a slight molasses flavor. The coarse texture adds great crunch when used in baking. Find it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets or at natural-foods stores.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies Recipe at Cooking.com
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix oil and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until combined. Beat in egg until combined. Stir in molasses until evenly incorporated. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Put the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in the sugar before placing 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Do not flatten.

Bake the cookies until set, but still soft when gently touched, 10 to 12 minutes.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Other necessary recipes:
A Quick Cookie Glaze

The Carlsmith Family's Gingerbread Cookies Recipe at Cooking.com
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DIRECTIONS
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a large bowl. Beat butter, oil and sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, molasses and vinegar; beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The dough will be very soft. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat several baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

Working with one portion of dough at a time, on a floured surface, roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut cookies using cookie cutters. Gather scraps and reroll. Using a spatula, place the cookies 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies, one batch at a time, until puffed but still soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Chocolate Oat Squares Recipe at Cooking.com
DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream 1 cup butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture.

Press two-thirds of oat mixture into a greased 15 by 10 by 1-inch baking pan.

In a saucepan, combine milk, chocolate chips and remaining butter and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in walnuts and remaining vanilla.

Spread over crust. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into squares.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the Macaroons:
1/2 cup whole hazelnuts
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 egg whites
For the Filling:
1 lb mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, plus extra for dusting

Hazelnut Macaroons Recipe at Cooking.com
DIRECTIONS
For the Macaroons:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and process to a fine meal. Sift the confectioners' sugar and baking soda, add the ground hazelnuts and mix well.

Turn the oven down to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with waxed (greaseproof) paper.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold in the hazelnut mixture. Using a pastry (piping) bag, pipe about twelve 3-inch rounds of mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce oven to 225 degrees F and bake for another 35 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the Filling:
Divide the mascarpone into 2 bowls. Add the chocolate syrup to 1 bowl and stir to combine. Add the coffee and 2 teaspoons of confectioners' sugar to the other and stir to combine.

To Assemble:
Using a pastry (piping) bag, pipe a layer of chocolate mascarpone mixture onto one-third of the macaroons. Top each with another macaroon and pipe on a layer of coffee mascarpone mixture. Top each with a third macaroon and dust with confectioners' sugar to serve.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup salted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Boot Tracks Recipe at Cooking.com
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.

Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.

Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron. (To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron). Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations).

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light or dark molasses
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Drinking straw or large skewer for making holes (optional)
Raisins and nonmelting candies for decorating
Decorative Icing

Gingerbread Men Recipe at Cooking.com
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, beat the shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg until well blended. Gradually sift the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg into the molasses mixture, and beat until blended. The dough will be sticky. Divide the dough into 4 balls, cover each ball with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill for at least 3 hours. (When tightly sealed, the dough will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. If the dough is wrapped in freezer-weight plastic bags or aluminum foil, it can be frozen for up to 6 months. To thaw, transfer the wrapped dough to the refrigerator for 2 hours before baking or let the wrapped dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.)

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or leave ungreased, and set aside.

On a lightly floured board, roll one of the chilled balls of dough 1/4 inch thick. Lightly dip a cookie cutter in flour (this makes it easier to release the cookie) and press it straight down into the dough. Press the edges of the cutter to make sure it has cut through the dough evenly. Cut cookies close together to avoid rerolling. The excess dough can be saved and rerolled once, but the cookies will be tougher.

With a spatula, gently transfer each cookie to the baking sheets. If a cookie is to be hung, use a drinking straw or large skewer to press a hole through the top. If not frosting the cookies, you may decorate them with raisins or nonmelting candies before baking by gently pressing them into the dough.

Bake until the cookies are set, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate the cooled cookies with Decorative Icing using a decorating bag. To add raisins and decorative candies after baking, dot the candies with icing and gently press them onto the cookie. Let the cookies dry on a wire rack until the icing is set, 20 to 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container, separating successive layers with sheets of waxed paper.