Christmas Treats #1 — Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas is in two weeks so let’s bake some cookies. First up in my annual Christmas treat posts are ginger bread cookies. I know that gingerbread men are traditional at Christmas time but the disadvantage of small batch cookies is there isn’t a lot of dough to cut cookies out of. You could make the log a little rounder when you wrap them for the fridge and then decorate them with royal icing when they are baked and cooled.

Personally, I like them in all their perfect imperfection dunked in a glass of milk or mug of hot chocolate.

Ginger Bread Cookies

• Difficulty: Easy
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Adapted From the How To Bake Everything Cookbook

Note: Don’t use blackstrap molasses for these cookies

4 TBS butter, softened

1/4 cup molasses

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS packed brown sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

3/4 tsp ginger

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

In a medium bowl, Cream the butter, molasses, white sugar and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth.

In a separate small bowl, add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

Using a rubber spatula, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in three parts, mixing well after each addition. When all of the  flour is incorporated, turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a log and wrap in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies as thinly as possible, about 1/8 inch thick. Put the cookie slices about 2 inches apart on an ugreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are crisp. Watch carefully because the burn easily. Let cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. They will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend, Christina, posted this recipe for two perfect chocolate chip cookies on her Instagram feed last week.  They sounded so good but with heat in the high 80’s and no air conditioning I wasn’t about to turn on the oven to make them.  After  mourning my cookieless state for a while, I realized I could probably bake these in the air fryer so I tried it and it worked great.

I used a 7 quart Gourmia air fryer for this recipe.  The time and temperate  in the recipe are based on what it takes to get done in that air fryer.  If you have a different size or brand start with the temperature at 350 degrees and check them every 3 minutes until they are done to your liking.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Difficulty: Easy
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From Christina Lane’s Dessert For Two Instagram feed

2 TBS butter, melted

3 TBS packed brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1//8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla, until well combined.

In another small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, mix well.

Sprinkle the moist ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are combined.  Divide mixture into two mounds and press to flatten slightly.

Baking in the air fryer: Put the cookie dough in the air fryer basket.   Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the air fryer basket.

Cooking in the oven.   Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the  cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Press slightly to flatten.  Bake 17-18 minutes.  Eat.

Nutbutter Cookies

This is what happens when I get snowed in by a blizzard on my day off. I sit around feeling sorry for myself because all the things I had planned on doing got cancelled then I pull out my copy of Mark Bittman’s How To Bake Everything and start finding some recipes to adapt. Then I get in the kitchen and bake. I am still not happy about the snow but now I have cookies so it doesn’t seem nearly as bad. Lol.

These aren’t soft, fluffy cookies. They are actually on the flat and crisp side of cookies. They go nicely with a glass of milk for dunking. Use any nutbutter you have on hand. I used almond butter.

• Difficulty: Easy
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Adapted From Mark Bittman’s How To Bake Everything

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

4 TBS butter, softened

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup nutbutter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix well. In another medium bowl, cream togethet the butter, brown sugar and white sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the nutbutter, egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in three batches throughly mix them together before adding more flour mixture. Drop by tablespoonsful, 2 inches a part onto a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on the pan 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosted Cinnamon Molasses Cookies

Well, Guys, I have made it through 8 days of training and my head hasn’t exploded, although it’s been close at times. Yesterday, I was almost in tears because I just couldn’t quite understand what I needed to do. It was the last thing I thought about before falling asleep and the first thing I thought about this morning. In training this morning, we worked through more examples and I got it fine. I have to remember to be patient with myself. No one has all the answers after 8 days of training.

Last Friday, the class was on the phones for the first time helping real people with real problems. It was scarey af to push the go button but once I did, it was fun. Did I have all the answers? No. Did I do everything right? No. Will I do better when we are on the phone this Friday? Yes.

They talk a lot about the opportunities for advancement at my new job. I have already decided if I get the opportunity I would like to be a trainer or coach. I loved to train at my old job and many of my trainees said I was good at it. I think I would like to be the person who is as encouraging to others as our coach, Kelly, was to me. Yesterday, when I was having trouble and feeling very discouraged, Kelly sat beside me and gave me some concentrated help. She walked me through steps I needed to solve the problem. She didn’t make me feel like I was dumb for not getting it. After lunch she gave me an extra resource to help me understand. Kelly is very aware of who is struggling in class and is there to help before she is asked. I want to be that person for others.

I think it’s funny that three weeks ago, when I was approaching my last day at my old job, I was having serious doubts about leaving, now I am thinking about my future at my new job. As hard as it was to leave my old job, I am more certain than ever it was the right decision.

These cookies are my new favorite. I love molasses and think it’s a shame it isn’t used more often in all kinds of recipes. I don’t usually frost them because the cookies are great without it. I just like to enjoy the molasses flavor without any distractions.

Cinnamon Frosted Molasses Cookies

• Difficulty: Easy
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From Betty Crocker Right Size Recipes Cookbook

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 TBS butter, softened

2 TBS molasses

1 egg white

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2. tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp salt

Frosting:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 TBS butter, softened

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tsp milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter, molasses and egg white until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. Shape the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Leave about two inches between cookies. Bake for 11 -13 minutes or until just set and the cookies appear dry. Let cool on a rack for at least a half an hour. In a bowl, use a spoon to combine the powdered sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Add milk, a little at time until you have a smooth frosting. Frost your cookies.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

People who love to bake seldom love to cook and people who love to cook seldom love to bake. I, however, love to do both equally. I try to keep the baking half of my heart under control most of the time because no one needs sweets lying around all the time, not even small batches of sweets.

The one time of year I can indulge my love of baking is the Christmas season. The next few weeks I will posting my adaptions of traditional, at least in my family, Christmas treats. Let’s get started with one of my favorite cookies, date pinwheels. You can use any kind of date for this cookie but fresh Medjool dates will take it to another level. Cliché but true.

• Difficulty: Easy
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Adapted from my Mom’s recipe

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 TBS lightly beaten egg

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Date Filling:

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a seperate medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda; mix well. Add the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture. Mix well. Bring the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, bring the dates, sugar and water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until the mixture is thickened, 10 -15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When filling is cool, pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. When ready to make your cookies, place your dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll out until a 1/4 inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough until 1/4 inch from the edge. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough up jelly roll style. Wrap the rolled up dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When ready to bake the cookies, unwrap. Using a serated knife, cut the dough in 1/4 inch slices. Place slices on a sheet pan. Bake 10 – 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit 2 minutes before removing cookies to a wire rack to cool.