White Chocolate Coconut

A simple oat and coconut cookie drizzled with white chocolate and topped with toasted coconut. Perfect for entertaining!

Yield: 3-4 dozen

Source: Paula Deen contributed this recipe to the Food Network website.

Here were my requirements for this week's cookie:

First, no frosting. Not that I am opposed to frosting in any way, mind you. It's just that I was getting a little tired of frosted cookies. I needed a break. I wanted something that didn't require that extra step.

Second, for similar reasons, something that didn't involve chocolate or peanut butter. I wanted something kind of classy, something you don't normally make for your grade-school kids, something really nice.

I definitely think I accomplished these small goals, especially the second. Paula Deen's White Chocolate Coconut cookie was a perfect fit for this week.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup quick oats

3/4 cup shredded coconut

Topping:

8 oz. white chocolate, melted

3/4 cup toasted coconut

I think the dough turned out nice. It reminds me a little bit of cobbler crust. Personally, I am a big fan of coconut, so it made my cobbler-crust cookie even better!

Paula Deen calls for the oats and coconut to be folded into the dough. I can see why. Honestly, I think I over mixed my dough just a touch, and I think I overdid the flour as well. They turned out kind of heavy, and looking not at all like Paula's. Disappointing.

Roll (or, more appropriately, squish) the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. I did flatten some of mine, and left others unflattened (which Blogger tells me is not actually a word. But you get the idea.) . I like them better flat. It's easier to do the next step.

Once I was done baking the cookies, I used the cookie sheet to toast the coconut. It only took a few minutes, with the oven still on 350.

Melt the white chocolate (I gave mine 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring after the first minute). I started by dipping the cookies into the chocolate, but honestly, I just made a big mess doing that. I then moved to using a wooden spoon to drizzle it onto the cookies. That seemed to work a little better. Once your white chocolate is drizzled on, top it with the toasted coconut.

The plain cookie reminds me a lot of this Coconut Crispies recipe. Of course, Paula Deen's cookie doesn't use Corn Flakes! However, I do like this cookie a lot, precisely because of the addition of the white chocolate. It really adds a new layer to the flavor. Plus, it makes these cookies really, really pretty!

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Chocolate Frosted

Yield: about 3 dozen

Source: My mom got the recipe from her aunt, who it seems learned it from her mother, who got it from who knows where?

When I started this blog, my mom told me about her favorite cookie from her childhood. Apparently, her grandmother used to make these chocolate frosted cookies, and my mom remembers loving their cakey texture and frosting. Who wouldn't? My mom had to call her aunt for the recipe, and I for one, am glad she did. Now that I have made the cookie myself, I almost cannot forgive Mom for not making this cookie when I was a child!

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk (I have never come across a recipe with buttermilk that I didn't love!)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. soda

1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

There's no real trick to making this dough. Just melt the chocolate, (I melted mine in the microwave) and mix the ingredients together in order. I will say that I used bread flour, only because this recipe has a tendency to get a little dry and heavy. I was definitely glad that I did.

You can skip poison checking this dough. It is not the greatest raw dough I have tasted. Instead, have a warm cookie right out of the oven, before they are frosted. Yum.

The dough does not go on in neat little balls. As you can see, they are unruly piles of dough. It's part of their charm. I made the cookies quite small, as well. I recommend making them small, because the yield is only about 3 dozen, and you will want to make use of every tool in your arsenal to make these babies last more than a day or two.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. I cooked them for 10 minutes, because they were small-ish. See how they bake up all puffy and beautiful? If they are not puffy, consider adding a touch more flour. Let them cool a few minutes before adding frosting.

I have trouble putting a frosting recipe down on paper. I'm just not the type to measure frosting, or purchase ready-made frosting, for that matter. I will tell you that for this recipe, I started by melting about 3 tablespoons of butter, and it turned out to be not quite enough. So, start with about 4-5 T. Melt the butter, add a little vanilla (about 1/2 tsp) and some cocoa powder (about 1 T.). Give that a quick mix with the hand mixer to smooth all those ingredients together, and then add some powdered sugar. Once again, I don't ever measure it, I just start adding some in a bit at a time, until it gets to the right consistency.

Today, I accidentally made the frosting too thick and it turned into little frosting pebbles. Still delicious, but terrible for spreading. I added about a teaspoon of milk, and the problem was solved. Honestly, the greatest thing about frosting is that it is so forgiving. Just keep adding powdered sugar or milk until you get the right consistency. Just keep some graham crackers on hand to spread the excess frosting on, if you have any! For this cookie, I actually wanted the frosting to be just a touch thin, and as it turned out, I got the consistency exactly right. (an unusual feat for me!)

I frosted the cookies gently and left them out to continue cooling. I was disappointed that my frosting only lasted as long as 21 cookies. :( Ah, what a wonderful cookie. I'm so glad to be re-introduced to a cookie my great-grandmother used to serve her family.

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Soft Sugar Cookies

Yield: varies, but about 5-6 dozen

Source: My mother has been making this recipe for years. I have no idea where she got it. It is the only sugar cookie I have ever known.

I hope you don't think less of me if I tell you that this cookie I make is amazing. It is delectable. It is soft, and sweet, and creamy, and wonderful. You know those giant sugar cookies with the pink icing that sit near the counter at the gas station? This is just like that. Only, possibly better. I have had numerous people ask me for the recipe, and one friend has told me at least a dozen times how wonderful this cookie is.

Having said all of that, I will, however parenthetically, list the cons. These are kind of a pain in the butt to make. I basically only make them at Christmas, because that is the only time I have the patience for it. Plus, if I'm going to bother to make them at all, I generally go all out and double the already large recipe. It's time-consuming and tiresome, but we have sugar cookies coming out the wazoo. No one complains.

So here it is:

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream (the true genius of this cookie is in the sour cream)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

There is no magic to the recipe, just mix the ingredients in order. However, I will tell you that when I double it, it tests the limits of my Kitchen Aid mixer. I have to hold my hands around the edges to keep all that flour in. You absolutely cannot skimp on the flour. You will need even more of it for the next phase of the cookie making.

Once the ingredients are all mixed together, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, or, if you are lazy like I am, just throw it all in a large ziploc bag and close it up. Put it in the fridge for several hours. I prefer to make the dough in the evening, and let it chill overnight before rolling out.

Here's a picture of my dough, but keep in mind that this is a double batch.

So, after it sits in the fridge for several hours, it is time to roll it out. Be sure to flour your counter or rolling surface well before you begin. For good measure, I like to flour the rolling pin and the cookie cutters. And my hands, if the truth be told. If the dough gets on my fingers, then I just have to lick it off, and then I have to wash my hands again. It gets old.

This might be a good time to mention something to all the raw-cookie-dough lovers out there. This is quite possible the best dough ever for eating plain. I suggest eating a good meal before you start rolling these out, or you may have trouble controlling yourself.

So, grab a big glob of dough (technical term) and drop it on the floured surface. Start rolling from the center toward the edges. This is the most critical stage of the process. Sugar cookie success depends upon the rolling. This cannot be overstated. Be sure you do not roll it too thin. This cookie loses it's soft and creamy quality if it is too thin. It bakes into something crunchy and hard, something that requires dunking in coffee to enjoy. This is not what we are going for.

As you can see from the picture, it is about 1/4" thickness, perhaps just a touch thicker. This will seem pretty heavy for a cookie, but trust me. It is the key.

Now you use your cookie cutter to make cute shapes, lay them gently on the sheet pan, and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. DO NOT OVERBAKE these. If it looks like this pan full of cookies here, all soft and puffy, you are getting it right. If the edges are turning brown like this picture of the 2 candy canes, you have let it go too long. Avoid letting them turn brown. It is death to the soft sugar cookie.

Once they are baked, the next step is the frosting. Let me here interject a word or two about storing these cookies. Once they are cooled, it is best not to let them sit out for more than a couple hours. They will dry out and lose their identity. If you are not going to frost them right away, put them in an airtight container, or the ever-useful ziploc bag until you are ready. This will keep them soft and wonderful for a few days.

On with the frosting recipe:

4 oz. cream cheese

2 T butter

2 T milk

powdered sugar (I don't really have an amount... but plan on 2 cups or so)

1-2 drops food coloring, if desired

So, some tips to great frosting. First, make sure the cream cheese and butter are soft. I like to just put them on top of the stove while the cookies are baking, but you can use the microwave, or leave them out overnight. Start by creaming the cream cheese and butter together with the hand mixer. Then add the milk. Then start adding in powdered sugar a bit at a time. The reason for this is so you can get the consistency right. Just keep adding sugar until it's as thick as you like it. Personally, I think it needs to be pretty thick to stay on the cookie without making a mess, but if it is too thick, the sprinkles have a hard time sticking. Once it is all made, you can add a drop or two of food coloring, if you want.

Also, if you are not a big cream cheese fan, you can leave it out, double the butter and make your frosting that way. Just know that I will have lost all respect for you.

For my batch, I chose to do some with white frosting. I used wax paper to cut out a candy cane shape with stripes, and then placed it over the frosted cookie. I spread red and green sprinkles over the wax paper, then carefully pulled it away, leaving a cute striped cane look. I was pretty proud of myself. I am normally not quite that cutesy.

Cute, right? I also did some in pink and green, just to be festive.

Storing the cookies after frosting is similar to before. You should leave them out for an hour or so, to let the frosting dry and harden a little. This way they won't stick together when you stack them. Put them in some kind of plastic container with a good lid, with wax paper between layers. They will stay good for several days. They also freeze very well. They are great cold, but if you let them come back to room temperature, they return to their soft and creamy glory. Delicious.

Yield? With my double batch, I almost got 12 dozen candy canes. This will, as you might suspect, vary widely, depending on dough thickness, size of cookie cutter, and of course, how much raw dough you eat. I personally like when the cookies break, because it makes them completely unsuitable for sharing with others. Anyhoo... I'm calling it about 5.5 dozen of the cookie I'm sure they are eating in heaven.

Giant Ginger Cookies

Source: I got this recipe from my mother, who got it from a friend she works with. I'm really not sure where it originated. It is a newer recipe to our family, but an instant classic. It was immediately added to our family recipe collection and will be made every Christmas for the rest of our lives!

YIELD: 25 four-inch cookies

4 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar

- In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

- Beat shortening until softened. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.

- Add eggs and molasses, and beat well.

- Add flour mixture and beat until well combined.

- Use a 1/4 cup (4 T ) scoop, shape into 2 balls. Roll in coarse or granulated sugar. (I don't actually have a scoop, but these really are better if you make them big! I roll them in raw sugar. It is a similar color to the cookie, and gives a nice texture and extra sugary kick to the cookie.)

- Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. (If you overbake these, they will get crunchy. They are meant to be soft and chewy.)