Topic: Favorite Cookie

[duh]

This is really hard but I think as I grow older I like ginger cookies.  Not giner snaps because they are to hard but giner cookies.  The only difference is I use 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda. 

[Dianna]

My favorite cookie would have to be peanut butter. I love those cookies!

[blahblah]

My fave is homemade chocolate chip, can't beat that! I may have to make some now!

[Triss]

Gingerbread cookies here.  I usually only make them during the holidays but every time they remind me of my Grandmom.

[barleychown]

Molasses cookies for me...dunked in a big mug of milk until it drips. My horse also loves them.

[Penny]

I have 2 favs....one is gingerbread.......LOVE it!!!
And the other is Ginger cookies, another favorite of mine!

[Triss]

Would you like my recipe Penny?    That would be a very good baking project for ya.

[patches]

Darn, I thought I was going to find some great cookies recipes here because I was looking for something different to take to a housewarming next week.  Guess I'll just have to go through my tried and true recipes.   

Actually, my favorite cookie would be Chruscikis, they are the Polish Bow Ties and they seem to melt in your mouth.  I usually make the for Christmas, but I have made them for other holidays.   

[Triss]

Well you could add the first recipe Patti. "hint hint"

[patches]

Well, Triss, I can do that, but I thought that was why this topic was listed in Recipes, instead of General Discussion.    Guess I thought it was for sharing our favorite recipes, tips and other techniques that work for us in the kitchen.   

Chrusciki – Polish Bow Ties

Ingredients:

2 eggs at room temperature
4 egg yolks at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1 shot (1 1/2 ounces) of brandy, rum, brandy, or whiskey  (optional)

vegetable shortening, canola oil or lard for frying

confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, egg yolks and salt until thick and lemon colored. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, brandy and alcohol of choice.

Change to the dough hook attachment on the mixer. Slowly mix in 2 cups of flour. Use the dough hook to knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. The dough should be thick, almost like bread dough.

Rolling and Frying the Cookies
To roll the dough you will be working with small balls of dough. Keep the rest of the dough in the bowl, covered with a clean damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out while you are working.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a baseball. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out very thin -- 1/8 of an inch at the most!

Take a sharp knife and cut the rolled out dough into strips about 2 inches wide. Then cut the other way on a diagonal to make pieces of dough that are about 2 inches by 4 inches.

Then take your knife and cut a small slit (1 inch or less) in the center of each piece. 

To form the cookie, take one end and place it through the slit.
 
Now, very gently pull the end of the dough through the slit to form a bow shaped cookie.

In a large pot or deep skillet heat about 3-4 inches of shortening, oil or lard until very hot. (You could alternatively use a deep fat fryer with clean oil.) Test the oil by putting in a small scrap of dough, it should sink to the bottom then immediately float to the top. When this happens your oil is ready.

Fry the cookies in small batches -- depending on the size of your pot -- no more than 6 at a time. Fry for about 30 seconds then use tongs to gently turn the cookies over. The cookies should just be barely golden brown. Drain on paper towels or on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Dust liberally with confectioner's sugar. Store cool cookies in an airtight container for a week or so.

This recipe makes About 6 dozen cookies

These are awesome cookies!!!    

[Triss]

Sure looks good.  I added it to my recipes.  And here is mine.  These have been handed down from my Mom-Mom to my mom and to me... I make them every year at the holidays.

Mom-mom's Gingerbread Cookies

1 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups margarine
2 Tbsp ginger
2 Tbsp cinnamon
3 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp vinegar (to sour)
7 cups flour

Add vinegar to milk to sour, set aside. Mix molasses, sugar and margarine; add ginger cinnamon and baking soda. Mix thoroughly. Into batter, alternate sour milk and flour until thoroughly mixed. Chill dough at least 1 hour. Roll 1/4 inch thick and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Place on lightly floured cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes at 375.

[Tina]

 I have that recipe but called by a different name in my Jewish cookbook, Patti. I love most things fried, but I dislike the mess more and more as I age.
These are fairly crispy, Triss? I love ginger cookies that are cakey (cake-like).

[Triss]

These are very cakey, and you roll them pretty thick as well.  Perfect cooking for sopping up a glass of milk.

[patches]

I have that recipe but called by a different name in my Jewish cookbook,

Tina, I would be very interested in knowing what it's called.  We had a Jewish family that lived down the strret from us when I was a kid and their mom made something that was like our Chrusciki, but they called it by a different name. 

[Tina]

I looked it up. It is called "Bowknots (also called Crushchiki)". It is closer to your name than I thought. The recipe is slightly different than yours but very similar. It has lemon rind, sour cream and vanilla added. No egg whites just 5 yolks.

[patches]

Bowknots, that's the name I was trying to think of, but I just couldn't come up with it.  When I was little, I remember thinking they were saying donuts and I knew what they had sure didn't look like donuts to me.      Thanks, Tina, I can't tell you you how glad to have that finally settled so it's not on my mind tonight.     Geesh, I hate it when I can't think of something that's right on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't recall it.   

[Tina]

Actually, I've had raised donuts formed it the same manner, Patti. I love collecting and reading cookbooks. Sometimes i even do recipes from them.

[blahblah]

I printed both the recipes out, thank you for sharing them Triss, & Patti! I love to cook with my 7 year old during holiday season, and the gingerbread cookies sound like so much fun! AND yummy! I will make the Chrusciki cookies on my own so I don't have to chance him "tasting" the brandy! 

[Tina]

Favorite cookie. I love peanut butter cookies, all kinds. Different kinds. But all peanut butter. Old fashioned PB and the girl scout's PB cookies. I love home made PB sandwich cookies. Could make a meal of them alone.

[patches]

With the holidays fast approaching here is another favorite of mine.  These are like a drop sugar cookie and the kids love them. They are great and easy to make.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Ingredients: 
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds
1-3/4 cups Milk Chocolate Chunks

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture.  Stir in almonds and milk chocolate chunks.  Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set.  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack.  Cool completely. 

Note:
To toast almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On shallow baking pan, place slivered almonds on pan and toast until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

[Penny]

Hey thanks Patti, those sound really really yummy too!!!

Might have to try those ones