Cookies Everywhere: The Unique Cookies

SPICE COCKTAIL COOKIES.

1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

¼ cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

1 egg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ Teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon rum extract

Topping. – 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons dark rum or apple juice

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons coarse sugar

METHOD:

Heat oven to 375 degree F. In medium bowl, stir cookie ingredients until soft dough forms.

On floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Reroll and cut remaining dough. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of the milk, the rum and powdered sugar until smooth. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time to desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until glaze is almost set; sprinkle with coarse sugar.

BOURBON – SPIKED GINGER BROWNIE BALLS.

INGREDIENTS:

Brownies – box (18.3 oz.) fudge brownie mix

2/3 cup butter, melted

3 eggs

½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup bourbon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 cookies)

Garnishing. (If required).

½ cup powdered sugar or unsweetened baking cocoa

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger.

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350 degree F. Spray bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In medium bowl, mix brownie mix, melted butter, eggs, 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, 1/4 cup of the bourbon, the ground ginger and crushed cookies. Mix until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean.

Cool completely, about 1 hour. In medium bowl, crumble cooled brownie into chunks; stir in remaining 1/4 cup bourbon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls.

In small bowl, place 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Drizzle or coat with melted chocolate and garnish with crystallized ginger. Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 1 week or in freezer up to 1 month.

SPICED ORANGE COCKTAIL COOKIES.

Ingredients:

Pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

¼ cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

Topping.

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Orange edible glitter, if desired.

METHOD:

Heat oven to 375 degree F. In medium bowl, stir cookie ingredients until soft dough forms. Refrigerate 1 hour.

On generously floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll and cut remaining dough. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of the milk, the orange liqueur and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in orange peel. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time to desired consistency. Spread over cookies, sprinkle with edible glitter.

DULCE DE LECHE COOKIES.

INGREDIENTS:

Garnish – 1 cup flaked coconut.

Cookies – cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

3 tablespoons dark rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups Gold Meal all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar

Filling – 1 cup caramel apple dip.

Method –

Heat oven to 350 degree F. Spread coconut in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Turn off oven. In food processor bowl with metal blade, place cooled coconut. Cover process until ground. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Add egg yolks, rum and vanilla. On high speed, beat about 1 minute or until blended.

In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degree F. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. On ungreased nonstick (not insulated) cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart. Dip bottom of small glass into 1/4 cup sugar; press on cookies to make about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Bake 10 to 11 minutes or just until edges begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

For each sandwich cookie, spread about 1 teaspoon of the caramel apple dip on bottom of 1 cookie, spreading to edge of cookie. Top with second cookie. Gently squeeze until filling oozes out a little around the side. Roll edges of cookies in ground coconut.

HAPPY BAKING!

BY SANGITA MAITY