Cinnamon Spiral Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've had this recipe for a while now, but I don't use it as often as I should. It makes cookies that will have  your socks going up and down, but the thought of a multi-step recipe wears me out before I get my apron on and they have become an occasional treat. That's pure foolishness on my part because the steps are not that difficult to execute. Getting started is. To make a long story short, I needed a cookie that would be appropriate for an afternoon tea. I also wanted my contribution to the tea table to be a standout, in flavor if not appearance. This cookie's time had come. These spirals have the added advantage of being good travelers and they generally get to their destination in one piece. While chilling the cookie dough takes some time, the dough can be made in about 30 minutes and once the cookies are made, they will stay fresh for several days if they are stored in an airtight container. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. It comes from The Culinary Institute and it is foolproof. Here is how the spirals are made.

Shortcut Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Somewhere, at some point in your life, someone told you to "never say never." Chances are it was your mother who hadn't yet realized you knew more than she did. I remember those heady days, but the universe conspired against me, and following a particularly embarrassing debacle, I quickly learned it was much better to say "almost never" rather than bet the ranch on the outcome of my endeavors. Are you ready for my disclaimer? Folks who follow my blog on a regular basis know I prefer "from scratch" cooking. They also know I've been known to take a shortcut or two when it's necessary. This weekend the Silver Fox and I attended a large multi-age barbecue. I was responsible for the sweet stuff and spent more time than I should  making the adult desserts. I was time-pressed to produce something that would appeal to the children. A couple of ideas popped into mind. I decided to go with ice cream sandwiches, which could be made with cookies and ice cream from the grocery store, and peanut butter and jelly bars. I knew Ina Garten had a recipe for the bars, but I wanted to make something a bit less involved than that. I let my fingers do the walking and they found a truly simple recipe for the bars on the Land O' Lakes website. The base of the recipe was a packaged cake mix. I looked at the clock and gave myself absolution and permission to proceed with the shortcut version of the cookies. I'm glad I did. This is a nice recipe and it is nearly effortless to prepare. I hope you'll give it a try. Here is how these moist bars are made. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My poor children were born to a mother who was under the influence of Adelle Davis and Gayelord Hauser. I know these names are unfamiliar to many of you, but back in the day, these two nutritionists were commanding personalities in the food and diet industries. They adhered strictly to FDA dietary guidelines and didn't believe a morsel should reach the alimentary canal if it wasn't good for you or contribute, in some fashion, to vibrant good health. They were more concerned with nourishment of the body than the soul, and that put a serious crimp in to the diets of many food and dessert lovers. A lot of folks considered them to be the first " food Nazis" and simply tuned them out. I mention them, only because I was so under their influence, that my children were in university before they knew cookies could be made with anything other than peanut butter or oatmeal. There were excesses in my kitchen to be sure, but cookies and snack foods were not among them. The only upside to that, is the cookies that I did make had to be really good. Today's recipe comes from that period of my life. The cookies have a faint taste of peanut butter but most of their flavor comes from the addition of chocolate chips to the cookie dough. They were originally made made with semi-sweet chocolate chips because nothing else was available. These days, I like to use milk chocolate or a combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips when I whip them up. They make a perfect lunchbox cookie and I suspect your family will love these crisp treats. I know you'll like them because they are so easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Pecan Sandies

From the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had some young helpers today and thought making cookies would help keep them engaged and happy. It was an uplanned visit so I had to make do with the ingredients I had in the pantry, and I was pretty limited in what I had on hand. Without chocolate chips or peanut butter, I decided Sandies would be the easiest thing for them to make successfully. Because they were so young, I needed a recipe just as simple as the cookies. You know the kind, I'm sure. Ingredients were chopped and measured before they began their work so all they needed to do was mix and shape the cookies. They did really well. As you know, Sandies are a buttery cookie whose flavor comes from pecans, and like all nutty cookies, these taste better the day after thy are made. If you don't yet have a favorite recipe for Sandies, I hope you will give this one a try. Here is how the cookies are made.

Betty's Snickerdoodles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I tend to keep my cookie jar full during the summer. Friends and family drop in more often and I like to have something for them - particularly the younger ones - to nibble on. The jar is usually stuffed with our cookie jar favorites which include peanut butter, oatmeal and that strange creation called the snickerdoodle. It's hard not to love snickerdoodles. They are easy to make and the required ingredients are pantry staples in most homes. Best of all, their name makes the preschool set giggle, and the giggle of a three year old is pretty hard to resist. They are a light drop cookie that can be soft or crisp depending on how long they are baked, and anyone who likes cinnamon sugar will love them. Snickerdoodles have been around for a long time. Recipes for the cookies appeared during the 19th century and the cookies quickly became a favorite in New England and Pennsylvania. Folks generally believe the cookie is of Dutch or German origin and that their name comes from the German word Schneckennudeln, which is the name of cinnamon-dusted sweet rolls. There is even a children's book about a tiny hero, called Snickerdoodle, who travels around in a peanut mobile doing good deeds. While I'm lukewarm about the book, I am a fan of the cookies. The recipe I use for summer baking comes from Betty Crocker and it consistently delivers cookies that are delicious and easy to make. I think you would like them, too. Here is how they are made.

Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots and Toasted Almonds

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The only "rocks" better than these cookies are diamonds. I know I confound people when I direct them to the sites of test kitchens operated by food manufacturers. Lots of us think that a recipe that appears on the back of a box is something that doesn't deserve a second glance. I suspect we forget the time, effort and repeated experiments that have led to its publication by the manufacturer. I found the parent version of this recipe on the Diamond Nuts website, and once I tried them they replaced what had been my favorite oatmeal cookie. My family loves them as well and they have become permanent residents in my cookie jar. We joke that they are never-stale cookies. They just don't last long enough for that to happen. I think you like them too. Here's the recipe for a new take on a favorite old-fashioned cookie.

Chunky Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was cleaning the pantry today and found a cache of dried cherries left from my holiday baking. I'm getting the house ready for weekend guests, so, while I wanted to use them up, I didn't want to add an involved recipe to my to-do list. I remembered seeing a recipe for oatmeal cookies in an for parchment paper last month. The recipe was dirt simple and cookies, surprise, surprise, never seem to go to waste around here. As soon as I finished the pantry, I made and froze half the dough to bake off when our guests arrived. That left half the dough for the Silver Fox and I. I shaped and baked the dough tonight and can report that oatmeal cookie lovers have yet another recipe to try. These cookies have crisp edges and soft chewy centers. They are large and tastefully stuffed with add-ins. I used cherries, chocolate chips and walnuts, but in cookies of this type, you're not limited to what is in the ingredient list. Any dried fruit or nut can be used, but I'd keep the add-ins to a cup or less. If you enjoy oatmeal cookies do give this simple recipe a try. Here is how the cookies are made.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cracks

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a while since I featured a recipe for cookies. The chocolate and cinnamon gems I'm featuring tonight are the result of trying to replicate cookies one we had on Whidbey Island last weekend. While I have to do more testing before I get it exactly right - or, alternatively, request the recipe from the innkeeper - my first effort produced a very nice, very chocolate cookie that's good enough to share with you. These crinkly topped cookies are delicious and I know all chocolate lovers will appreciate the chocolate and cinnamon combination. The cookies are simple to make, though the dough must be refrigerated before they can be formed and baked, so chill time must be factored into your baking plans. Couples and small families will especially like this recipe because the dough can be shaped and frozen in sensible quantities that can be baked at a later date. Here is how they are made.

Spiced Coffee Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw these cookies on the blog In Katrina's Kitchen and I just had to give them a try. These buttery gems will delight those who like to nibble on simple European-style cookies as they sip their coffee or tea. They are soft spice cookies that are flavored with cinnamon, cloves and, believe it or not, fresh, unused coffee grounds. The coffee is what makes these cookies unique and interesting.It is important that you use real, unbrewed, coffee grounds when you prepare the cookies. Powdered coffee or crystals will not impart the flavor that you want these cookies to have. Katrina suggests that you use bread flour to make the cookies. She reasons that the extra protein in bread flour helps to bind to all of the butter in these cookies. If you use all-purpose flour you will need to add 3 to 4 more tablespoons of flour to your ingredient list. I must admit my cookies, which mounded,  do not look like hers which are flatter and resemble crackle cookies. Normally, I'd be upset, because mine are not pretty, but I so liked the cookies that I wanted to share them with you. It takes minutes to make the cookies and unless you have a raging sweet tooth, I think you'll love them. Here is how they are made.

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This cookie is designed for those whose love of shortbread is matched by a fondness for lemon curd. This simple cookie is a breeze to make and it is very forgiving. As far as ingredients go, homemade lemon curd is fine, but any commercial brand whose taste appeals to you can be used if you are pressed for time. This is a very short cookie, so I'm afraid it doesn't travel well. The cookies, however, are perfect for a coffee or tea that is held in your own home. Do give them a try. You'll find they are addictive. Here is how the cookies are made.

Small Batch Amish Sugar Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...As part of another project I've been working on, I've been taking a close look at Amish recipes. This one came up over and over again and it appeared so often in my searches that I don't know who to credit for the original version of the cookies. As a matter of fact, despite its title, I'm not sure the cookies are actually Amish. I can tell you that it has proved to be an enormously popular recipe that has staying power. It refuses to go away. These days, the Silver Fox and I don't need 5 dozen cookie in the kitchen, so I took the base recipe and created a half-batch version that is more in keeping with the needs of our small household. The cookies are simple to make and if you are looking for a basic sugar cookie this recipe has your name on it. I follow the recipe to a tee, save for the fact I refrigerate the dough for an hour or so before I shape and bake it to minimize the spread of cookies on the pans. This is a nice, if somewhat basic cookie, and I know those of you who try the recipe will be pleased with your results. Here is how the "Amish" sugar cookies are made.

Graham Cracker Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am not a big fan of cookie recipes that have bags of purchased candy in the ingredient list. It just seems at cross purposes to me. I'm a very basic person, and from my perspective, cookies are cookies, candy is candy, and never the twain shall meet. I do, however, relent when my grandsons, the world's biggest M & Ms fans, come to visit. I wouldn't dream of baking anything sweet for them unless a handful of M and Ms is added to the batter. Several years ago, I found the recipe for these fabulous cookies on a now inactive site called Bitchin' Kitchen. They quickly became a favorite of the boys and I can now make them with my eyes closed. They are very easy to prepare and they disappear quickly. In fact, they disappear so quickly I can't tell you if they are good keepers or have special storage requirements. Our boys have the metabolism of humming birds with hollow legs. Leftovers are never a problem, and cookies rarely last more than 24 hours in this house. The graham crackers give the cookies a soft and chewy texture that I think you will enjoy. Here is how these novel cookies are made.

Effortless Brownie Mix Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When I plan a dessert or "coffee" table, I make it a point to include something chocolate among the dishes I prepare. While my personal taste runs toward lemon, chocolate is so universally popular that its presence is missed when it is not offered. So, with that in mind, I made a plate of chocolate cookies to include with the other dishes on my "coffee" table earlier this week. I was pressed for time, and in order to get everything done, I resorted to something I rarely do. I used a brownie mix as the base for the chocolate cookies I planned to serve. I used a Ghiradelli brownie mix as the base for the cookies, and it took all of five minutes to make these moist, intensely flavored chocolate bites. The cookies are not particularly attractive, but they are delicious. They will be most enjoyed by those who like the flavor of bittersweet chocolate. The cookies look undone when they come from the oven, but they continue to cook on the cookie sheets once they are removed for cooling. If you need cookies in a hurry, I recommend you give this recipe a try. All you need to make them is a bowl and wooden spoon, so its a great starter recipe for children or adults who find themselves working in a vacation cabin or poorly equipped kitchen. Do give them a try. Here is how they are made.

Small Batch Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm hosting a coffee next week and I've started to prepare some of the treats I'll be serving for the get-together. I use occasions like to test new recipes that have caught my eye, and this afternoon I made a trial batch of these oatmeal cookies to see if they pass muster. They did. These are large cookies that have soft centers and crispy edges. They are very easy to make, but I do have one caution to share with you. The cookie dough must be refrigerated for several hours before it is baked or you will have paper thin cookies that have no substance. The recipe is straight forward and the cookies are quite nice, definitely in the keeper category. Here is how they are made.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This very simple recipe comes from the blog The View from Great Island. Those of you who love shortbread, peanut butter and milk chocolate are about to come one step closer to paradise, because these cookies have all three. It takes about 10 minutes to make the dough for the shortbread, but be forewarned, it must chill a bit before it can be sliced and baked. This is a very short (buttery) and crumbly dough, so don't be discourage if it crumbles when you cut it. That happens to me when I make these cookies, so, now that I am older, I simply do a bit of plastic surgery and press the dough back into a shape that resembles a disk. The younger me was a stickler and would never do, much less admit that it was necessary to reshape them. I'm not sure that is a good thing my standards have been lowered to that degree, but I have a family so enamored of cookies that they don't take time to check their appearance and I remain a heroine. I have one caution to share regarding preparation of these cookies. Do not use natural peanut butter to make them. The cookies need the extra oil that is found in commercial brands for proper consistency. Other than that, making them is a breeze. Here is how it is done.

Cottage Cooking - Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's still raining here, but our visit has been so pleasant we decided to stay another day. We've walked the rim of the lake and were drenched in the process, but no matter. These short breaks from our daily routines are renewing. While the storm has taken out electric power a small generator, augmented with camp lanterns has made it possible for the Silver Fox to read and me to write and a pot-bellied stove has kept us warm. We've also been able to touch base with the "regulars" - folks who live here year round. That was wonderful, but I ran out of brownies yesterday and had to scramble to make something to serve those who came to visit. Fortunately, the meager pantry held a cake mix left over from the previous summer and I used it to make cookies, which I thought would go further than a cake. I found a recipe online that I used as a guideline for the cookies I made. I'm not a fan of red velvet anything. Adding a bottle of red dye to ingredients for cake or cookies has never made any sense to me but because I needed a dessert, I closed my eyes and put my principles on hold. Just this once, mind you. The recipe I used made cookies that a six year old with a strong arm could prepare. It used a bowl and a wooden spoon and took 5 minutes to prepare. The cookies are pretty good and they fit right into the scheme of simple cottage cooking. They are certainly worth trying and I hope you will do that. Here is how they are made.

Hungarian Nut Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've made a lot of bar cookies this holiday season. I have, of course, wanted to capture as many recipes as I can for my collection, but my fondness for bar cookies has more to do with how easy they are to store and transport than the arbitrary accumulation of recipes that may or may not be used again. This is a lovely cookie and it is sure to please. While it is expensive to make, it keeps well and it is very easy to make. If you are looking for a new, or another, nut bar recipe for your holiday collection, I urge you to give this one a try. Here is how the bars are made.

Chocolate Snowball Kisses

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These Christmas kisses are a chocolate lover's delight. They are simple to make and if you can bring yourself to share them, your guests will love these chocolate cookies that have chocolate kisses hidden inside them. The recipe comes from Hershey's and while most folks love the cookies, a few have reported they are too crumbly for their taste. I have not had that problem, and having made the cookies several times, I am comfortable sharing the recipe with you. Here is how the chocolate snowball cookies are made.

Chocolate Snowball Cookies...from the Kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Hershey's test kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup toffee bits
60 milk chocolate kisses
3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling

Directions:
1) Beat butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; add with milk to butter mixture until well blended. Stir in nuts and toffee bits.
2) Refrigerate until firm enough to handle, at least 2 hours. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Press chocolate piece into each ball, covering completely with dough. Reshape into balls; place on prepared cookie sheet.
3) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely; roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

                    

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                One Year Ago Today:                                                Two Years Ago Today:

                Cratchit's Crumble Pie                                                  Corn and Cod Chowder

                Three Years Ago Today:                                                  Four Years Ago Today: 

                   Apple Walnut Bread                                               Assorted Christmas Confections

Pecan Tassies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Pecan Tassies are a Southern cookie that is especially popular during the Christmas season. Like the bar cookies featured earlier this month, they are thought to be an adaption of an old French-American recipe for pecan pie that originated in New Orleans in the early 1700's. When all is said and done, tassies are miniature pecan pies. They are not hard to prepare and if you follow the recipe below, you'll have no trouble making them. Your problem will be keeping them, and you should be forewarned that they are addictive. Tassies can be made and frozen well before the holidays, so they are a perfect candidate for a stressless addition to your holiday cookie tray. There are literally hundreds of recipes for tassies. This happens to be my favorite one.

Brown Butter Sandwich Spritz Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I decided to feature this recipe because it uses brown butter to make an otherwise classic spritz cookie. It also uses maple syrup to "cement" two layers of the cookies together. I'm not sure you'll prefer these cookies to the spritz cookies you usually make for the holidays, but the recipe is food for thought and will give you another way to approach this Christmas classic. These cookies freeze and store well, so you can make them well before the holiday. I do hope you'll give them a try. Here is the recipe.