Peanut Blossom Cookies: Perfect for Christmas

As the time of Christmas gets nearer, it's time to think about baking Christmas cookies. Cookies could become the ideal Christmas gift if made in a proper way. Apart from being a wonderful gift, it can be taken to the office and enjoyed during the coffee break.

Everyone like cookies and making cookies along with your family members would be the perfect idea for spending quality time in the company of each other. While baking the Christmas cookies together with your family, you will get the fun and enjoyment.

There are numerous kinds of cookies you can make like raisin cookies, chocolate chunk cookies,shortbread cookies etc.

The given write up is dedicated to a very simple and scrumptious recipe of peanut blossom cookies. The best part of this cookie lies in the fact that it comes in beautiful shapes and sizes. One of the most well-liked shapes is that the cookie includes a chocolate kiss on the top.

The major things required are:

½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
as well as ½ tsp salt.

For coating, you will need 1/3 cups granulated white sugar and for garnishment, you can use milk chocolate kisses.

Preparation:

Beat the butter with either an electric mixer or hand mixer in a bowl. Add both the sugars along with peanut butters and beat them properly to make light and fluffy mixture. Add vanilla extract and egg and again beat the mixture. Beat in the milk. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until it becomes smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the batter for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees and put the rack in the centre of the oven.

Roll the batter into round balls and coat each ball in a granulated white sugar. Put each ball on the baking sheet and bake them for around 10 minutes till the cookies become golden brown. When you take away the cookies from the oven, place chocolate kiss in the centre of each cookie, pressing down until the cookie starts to crack. Let the cookies to become cool before you serve them.

Enjoy!

For more details on some great Christmas cookie recipes please browse christmas cookie recipes. You may also have a peek at chocolate recipes by visiting chocolate recipes.

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Secrets to Making the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

When you hear the words "chocolate chip cookies," what is the first thing that comes into your head? Moist, chewy, and delicious? Fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk? Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies. The people who perfected the best known recipe in the country, Nestle, have generously printed their recipe on the back of chocolate chips bags for decades. If you want to find out how to bake world-class Toll House Cookies, read on.

The Toll House Recipe from Nestle is the best recipe to follow, you can find it online at several different websites. After you've had a chance to peruse the ingredient list and methods, discover some tested tricks that will allow you to get the best results.

Cookie Bake

Tricks and Tips

· Use non-stick cookie sheets. These are Teflon-coated and will ensure that your cookies don't stick. You can also use a SilPat silicone mat (found at kitchen stores) that will allow to slide off any cookie sheet.

· All ovens are different. Don't rely on 9-11 minutes before you check on your cookies. When cookies have spread out in the oven and start to puff up, it's time to take them out. If you wait until you see a hard, crusted surface, you've baked them too long. Take your cookies out a few minutes sooner than you think you should. This will allow for the fact that chocolate chip cookies harden as they cool.

· Don't use melted butter in place of softened butter that the recipe calls for. Melted butter will prevent your cookies from solidifying properly. Then you'll be tempted to cook them longer and they'll become rock hard. You really should leave your butter out on the counter for at least an hour so it will soften on its own.

· Use the best vanilla you can find. Most vanilla extracts are largely alcohol with a little flavoring. Spend a little more to get an extract that contains a high percentage of vanilla bean and flavor as opposed to alcohol. The gourmet stores all carry excellent vanilla that will make a real difference in the taste of your gourmet cookies.

· Use fresh nuts and chips. Using stale nuts that expired last year will make for stale cookies. And that stale taste will permeate the entire batter. There's no excuse for using anything but the freshest ingredients.

· Don't substitute wheat flour for white that's called for. Wheat just doesn't make for the same type of chocolate chip cookie that this recipe aims for. There's nothing wrong with making whole wheat cookies. Just look for a recipe that allows you to accommodate for wheat flour.

Secrets to Making the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Image courtesy of Scubadive67 on Flickr's Creative Commons.

Betty Ann Sherman is a mother and a baker of tasty treats. She has a special passion for baking cookies, pies, cakes, and everything wonderful. Check back for updates from Betty on her delicious treat adventures.

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Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe With Convection Oven

Aching to do some baking? Fire up your convection powered oven and gather your supplies. It is finally time to make some awesome triple chocolate chip cookies that will be totally out of this world.

You Will Need The Following:

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Baking Convection Oven

Directions:

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Let butter cool and pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add sugars and beat for several minutes, until mixture is creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for one minute, or until eggs dissolve into butter mixture. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add butter mixture, stirring well. Add chocolate chips and walnuts if desired. Refrigerate cookie dough for two hours or until firm.

Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Drop by two tablespoonfuls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned and puffed up.

Cool on cookie sheet until they are firm enough to put on a wire rack.

And then serve. Remember eating with friends is better than eating alone. Food will probably taste much better if you have to fight for it(though no fighting is required to enjoy this scrumptious cookies).

That concludes this brief how to. If you want more cookie recipes(I know you do) or convection baking stuff in general. You should seriously consider going to Baking Convection Oven.

See you there! :)

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Family Cookie Baking Night

Does your family have a cookie baking night? You know, a night where you and the kids gather in the kitchen and bake cookies together. If you haven't adopted this yet, then it is time to get going. If you do this already, then I am going to show you how to add some variety. Get ready to kiss those oatmeal and chocolate chips goodbye and get ready for some cookie adventure!

I am the kind of cook that is always willing to try something new. I will not shy away from any idea or recipe. If you are not quite as adventurous as me, then you might need to hit that back button now. However, if you are ready to experience an explosion of flavor week after week, continue on my friend.

Cookie Bake

So lets get into what some of my recent adventures in cookies. I've tried many new recipes the past few weeks and am very happy that I did. Lets take a look at my favorite so far.

The other day at the great idea to use cake mix to make my cookies. This turned out unbelievably well. Tasted like actual cookies, but they were moister softer, then any I tried before. Right away, you should realize just how many choices you have available because of how many different types of cake mix there are.

Now this idea isn't necessarily new, but is something new that I tried. I made my dough from peanut butter. You can make a scratch or actually buy ready made peanut butter dough.

These couple ideas to get your brain spinning. There so many creative ideas, you can use for making cookies. The only limitation is your imagination.

Family Cookie Baking Night

Imagine the fun of making cookies together as a family each week. And now you can do it safer than ever before by using a silicone baking mat. Learn about silicone bakeware and silicone oven mitts today.

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Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Recipe

The chocolate marshmallow cookie recipe is loaded with chocolate, in both the cookie as well as the frosting. Although with this cookie it's what's hidden inside that makes this treat unforgettable; a soft fluffy marshmallow!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

18 large marshmallows, halved

Frosting:

3 tablespoons salted butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 pinch salt

4-6 tablespoons milk

Hardware

Whisk

Large bowl

2 x medium bowls

Cookie sheets

Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed cream together the shortening and sugar.

Step 4: Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla extract.

Step 5: Gradually beat flour mixture into the creamed mixture.

Step 6: Drop by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Step 7: Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and place a halved marshmallow, cut side down, onto each cookie. Return to oven and bake for 2 more minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cooling surface.

Frosting:

Step 1: In a medium bowl, cream butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt with an electric mixer.

Step 2: Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency.

Step 3: Frost cooled cookies.

Makes 36 cookies.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

For more great drop cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/drop-cookie-recipes.html

For some great tasting chocolate chip cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-recipes.html

For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

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Oatmeal-Fruit Bars Plus a No-Bake "Cookie"

Dried, fruits, nuts, oatmeal and spices are my favorite ingredients for healthful desserts and snacks to satisfy the sweet tooth. You can vary these recipes endlessly by using different fruits and nuts.

Oatmeal Bars

Cookie Bake

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup powdered (dry) skim milk

1/2 cup Splenda (or use the sweetener of your choice, to taste)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 cups applesauce (or use 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup canned crushed pineapple)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together. Pat into a non-stick 9x13" baking pan. Bake about 20 minutes, or until a little brown on top. Let cool slightly and cut into bars, then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Yield: about 16 bars

You can make many variations of this basic recipe with other fruits, nuts, and 2 cups of any moist, sweet ingredient such as apple butter, fruit puree and so forth. For another delicious version try:

Mango-Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup powdered (dry) skim milk

1 cup bottled mango sauce (Trader Joe's brand)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons buttermilk, milk or yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together. Pat into a non-stick 9x13" baking pan (spray with Pam or line with foil if desired). Bake about 20 minutes, or until a little brown on top. Let cool slightly and cut into bars, then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Yield: about 16 bars

Fruity Pebbles

3 cups mixed dried fruits

1 cup finely chopped pecans

grated rind of 1 lemon

½ cup toasted wheat germ, plus more for rolling

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons chocolate-orange liqueur (optional)

Chop the fruits in a food processor to blend. (If they are very dry, soak them in some water for several hours or steam them in a countertop steamer for about 15 minutes. Drain.) Combine the fruit mixture with the remaining ingredients. Shape into small (½") balls and roll in additional toasted wheat germ. If you have extra nuts, you can use finely ground pecans for rolling instead of wheat germ.

Yield: 40-50 small balls

Oatmeal-Fruit Bars Plus a No-Bake "Cookie"

FREE -- 100 healthful recipes, food lists and more in my Good Food Book

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

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No Bake Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

This is a simple peanut butter cookie recipe that involves no baking at all, it combines peanut butter with oatmeal. There are several other types of no bake recipes that call for cornflakes. I prefer the ones with oatmeal, it is all based on preference, and I like the texture of the oatmeal best.

2 Tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 Pinch of salt

1 Teaspoon of pure vanilla bean paste

1 Tablespoon of peanut butter

1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal

First you will get your ingredients all scaled out and a mixing bowl. You will then melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds, you will take it out of the microwave and give it a stir. You will then add the cocoa and start to stir in the cocoa until it is mixed in well. You will then add the sugar, milk and salt and stir all of the added ingredients together. The next thing you will add is the vanilla bean paste, peanut butter, and oatmeal. You will thoroughly combine, and mix the entire ingredients well. You will then take a Tablespoon and spoon out into your hand forming the dough balls into the cookie shape. You will want a baking sheet with parchment for adding the cookies to the sheet. You will put them onto the parchment paper and let them hang out for a while until they have fully set. This should make about 12 cookies.

So, if you are feeding more than your family and are having a dinner party or large family gathering you will need to double the recipe, or even multiply for a larger number to give you the amount you will need for your event.

This is an easy recipe to make, and of course it is a no bake recipe. So if it is during the winter months, and your children are stirring about the house. There is inclement weather outside. This is a great recipe for you to do something together, and for you to both be rewarded at the end.

If you are into protein bars, and are the avid athlete, this will be a bar for you as well. Add some fruit and nuts to this recipe, and you will have a bar that is great tasting, good for you, and will provide you energy for your fun filled adventure as well. Enjoy!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for http://www.BellaOnline.com

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All Time Favorite Christmas Cookies

It's that time of year again, there is snow on the ground, and ornaments on the tree. Christmas is a magical time of year with memories and traditions that never seem to fade. One of these traditions is the baking of Christmas cookies. My mother went to a cookie swap just the other day, where she baked ten dozen of the same cookie to give away and she brought home ten dozen different varieties for the family to enjoy. There were rules in this cookie swap in an effort to avoid having five dozen chocolate chip cookies.

Don't get me wrong, I loved all of the different varieties my mom brought home, but it's not Christmas without the classics. You know which classics I'm referring to, they're in every home at some point during the holiday, just as they've been since before you can remember. It's not Christmas without cut-out sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and snicker doodles. I have a plan for next year, we're going to bring the classics back to the swap, and everyone can add their own little spin on them.

Cookie Bake

Sugar cookies are by far my favorite cookies. They hold so much opportunity, they're a blank canvas for the ten year old cookie artist. Sugar cookies come in many different shapes, colors, and textures, but the taste is always the same. Everyone has sugar cookies during the holidays, and I mean everyone. Even if you're not the cookie connoisseur and you have the baking skills of a cyclopes, you can still enjoy an old-fashioned sugar cookie.

A trip to the local grocery store freezer selection will solve your kitchen catastrophe in the form of break-and-bake cookies. The rest is easy, decorating is half the fun of eating them. Your choices for materials are endless, it all depends on your style. You may choose to use cookie cutters, and make a perfect Santa. If you choose to go the classic circle direction, frosting and sprinkles are your best friends. Whether it's the smell of the cookies baking, the fun you have decorating them, or even just eating them, this cookie classic is sure to bring your family together if only for an afternoon.

When I think of the holidays, I think of gingerbread men and sugarplum fairies. Since sugarplum fairies don't come in cookie form, gingerbread is our second Christmas favorite. Gingerbread, other than tasting amazing, can make anything you can dream of. If you want to go simple, making a dozen gingerbread men to decorate with gumdrop buttons may be your choice this year. However, if you're willing to go to the extremes, this may be your year to create the ultimate gingerbread house. Whether you're a fashion designer for the gingerbread men army, or the newest member of the gingerbread house design team, magic is going to happen in your house this Christmas. When you complete your creation, it may even look so good you won't want to eat it!

It's no question why snicker doodles are our number three pick for the best Christmas cookies. If you've ever had a snicker doodle, you know the taste of cinnamon practically does the tango on your taste buds. However, if you have never had a snicker doodle, then you have not lived my friend. This cinnamon creation is dusted with Cinnamon sugar and best when served warm. Unlike most circle cookies, the snicker doodle always manages to stay soft and never flattens. I don't know if it's sparkle of cinnamon, or the sparkle of Christmas that make these cookies a favorite. One thing is for certain, they're magical.

All Time Favorite Christmas Cookies

This author is a HUGE fan of Free Cooking Recipes.

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Christmas Cookie Exchange

If you are someone who loves cookies and any other type of baked goods, Christmas is the time of year where many are being made and enjoyed. If you have never heard of a Christmas cookie exchange, it may be something you would be interested in attending or even hosting for your friends and family. If you are a baker or love baked goods this will be right up your alley when it comes to a Christmas cookie exchange.

A Christmas cookie exchange is one great way to taste many different cookies you might not have ever known existed. You are able to swap recipes of different cookies and desserts you make with your friends and family who attend. The holiday season is one time of year where it seems alright to indulge in sweets without feeling bad about it. For a Christmas cookie exchange or swap you usually will have at least ten individuals which you can swap cookies with. So how exactly does the Christmas cookie exchange work?

First you want to send out invites to those who you feel would enjoy this type of Christmas exchange. You will of course need them to RSVP so you are aware of how many will be attending. Also include the instructions on how a Christmas cookie exchange works for those who might not have ever been to one before. This will give them a bit of insight before they arrive so they do not feel lost when the exchanging begins. But again, you will need to explain the exchange and how it works once all of your guests arrive.

When you host a Christmas cookie exchange you will ask every participant to bring at least a half a dozen to a dozen of different cookies. Usually a good three or four different kinds is great. You will swap a dozen or half a dozen of your cookies for someone else's which interest you and place them on your tray. You go around the room to all the different individuals' cookies until all of yours are dispersed. Many hosts will also ask you to bring an additional dozen of your cookies for them to be shared throughout the party as a snack. It is also another great way to figure out which cookies you are looking to swap with yours.

In the end make sure you ask each participant to bring a copy of their cookie recipes so you can hand them out to those who are extremely interested in a specific cookie which you made. This is one great way you can taste different traditional cookies that many have made in their family for centuries. You may taste something you would have never thought you would enjoy but came out loving them.

Christmas cookie exchanges are becoming more and more popular including at work locations. This is a great twist on a Christmas party to keep everyone going. It may also be a new tradition you bring every year to those friends and family members of yours which love to bake around the holidays.

Darren Johnson is the co-owner of Little Pixie Gifts, an online gift service specialising in high quality baby gifts and Christmas Hampers, delivered Australia wide.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies - How We Love America's Favorite Cookie!

Don't you love it when your kids are getting ready for bed and you hear, "By the way Mom - our class party is tomorrow, and I signed up for three dozen chocolate chip cookies!"

Cookies are America's most popular dessert, and for all those late night, emergency cookie baking sessions, or almost any cookie occasion, about half the cookies baked are chocolate chip.

Cookie Bake

Did you ever wonder what chocolate chip cookies and President John F. Kennedy have in common? Perhaps not, but here are some historical chocolate chip cookie tidbits.

There are an estimated 2,000 varieties of this popular cookie, from chocolate chip banana to white chocolate chip raspberry, but the most popular is the Toll House cookie recipe seen on the back of every Nestlé chocolate chip package.

In 1930, Ruth Wakefield and her husband, Kenneth, established the Toll House Inn, near Boston, Massachusetts. Their tourist lodge was housed in a building (circa 1709) where, at one time, travelers paid their tolls, changed horses and enjoyed home-cooked meals.

The Toll House Inn was well-known for Ruth's cooking, especially her desserts. She often sent travelers on their way with a plate of her delicious cookies. One otherwise uneventful day in 1937, Ruth added small chunks of a Nestlé's Semisweet Yellow Label Chocolate bar to her butter cookie dough.

Results? Instant success!

The story goes that Ruth received a lifetime supply of chocolate in exchange for her recipe, which Nestle' printed on the back of their semisweet chocolate bar packages. The cookie recipe was so popular that Nestlé began marketing chocolate chips to be used especially for cookies.

Over the years, the popular Toll House Inn included many well-known guests, including - guess who? - President John F. Kennedy.

Almost a century after Ruth dropped that first piece of chocolate into her cookies, every bag of Nestle chocolate chips in North America continues to have Wakefield's original, Toll House recipe printed on the back.

Just like Ruth's recipe, all basic chocolate chip recipes call for flour, sugar, butter or margarine, baking powder and/or baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate chips. The taste and texture varies with recipe. Some chocolate chip cookies bake puffy and others flat. The easiest to decorate are flat.

Decorate chocolate chip cookies? Yes, these are especially unique for Jenny and Jeff's school parties - that is, if you aren't too tired after your all night baking session! Chocolate chip cookies are tasty enough without icing, but a little decoration will make you the most popular mom in the class!

Decorated Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie

Instead of the more time-consuming individual cookies, the chocolate chip pan cookie can be a life-saver when you've awakened at midnight, realizing you forgot to bake those cookies for tomorrow's first grade celebration of "National Play Doh Day."

After you bake the cookie, pipe on a balloon (royal icing border filled in with gel icings) and message like "Happy Imagining!"

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bouquets

While chocolate chip cookies don't lend themselves to the fancier, polished cookie bouquets, they can be very cute and cheerful - exactly the thing for 85-year-old Aunt Myrna, who married her yoga instructor, or Cousin Jim who just graduated from bungee-jumping class - with flying colors!

Here's one idea:

Cookies and Milk Bouquet

1 batch of Toll House chocolate chip cookie dough

Lollipop sticks (rolled paper, not plastic) of varying heights

Royal icing

Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll cookie dough into 2-inch balls. Arrange four balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Insert a lollipop stick into each ball. Press dough down slightly.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are crisp. Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Once cooled (about 20 minutes), decorate your cookies with a decorating bag and royal icing. Use icing sparingly so as not to detract from the wholesome cookie taste. For the "cookies and milk" theme, you might want to add white icing milk moustaches.

After the icing hardens, wrap each cookie in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. Arrange in a mug (for the milk!) that matches your theme.

If you're interested in creating the beautiful cookie bouquets made from sugar cookies you see selling for to , you can learn how from classes, books and videos, such as the "Cookie Decorating Made Easy" Video Books that this reader used:

"Hi Michael! I bought your cookie video books on Friday and made cookies with my kids on Saturday. It was the funnest time and the cookies turned out beautifully."

Chris B.

Las Vegas, NV

One last tip. If you want to be the mom with the most original cookies, bake your chocolate chip cookies in various shapes. Just fit a large decorating tip to a pastry bag, fill with your dough, and pipe out drop flowers or other shapes onto your cookie sheet.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - How We Love America's Favorite Cookie!

Samantha Mitchell, Co-Author Cookie Decorating Made Easy! Vol. 1 & 2 The World's First Cookie Decorating Video Books. For more cookie decorating tips along with online videos from our "Cookie Decorating Made Easy" Video Books, sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.CookiesMadeEasy.com

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Never Burn The Bottoms of Your Cookies Again!

If you are like me, you love to bake cookies, but hate the all-too-familiar problem of burning the bottoms. During the past couple of years, I have discovered some techniques that have ended my burnt cookie bottoms frustrations. I know these techniques will work for you as well. Happy baking!

Oven Temperature

The first step on how not to burn cookies is to make sure your oven temperature is accurate by checking it with an oven thermometer. I bought one recently at a discount store for under $4.00. If your oven thermometer does not match your oven temperature setting, you will want to have your oven calibrated.

Oven's Center Rack

Bake cookies on the oven's center rack only. By using the oven's center rack, your cookies will receive the same amount of heat on both sides of the cookies.

Baking or Pizza Stones

Bake cookies on flat baking or pizza stones. Baking stones are available at most specialty kitchen stores or online. They are much better for baking cookies than any metal pan because they are porous and allow air to circulate evenly through your cookies while they are baking.

Scoops

I recommend using scoops instead of spoons or your hands for placing cookie dough onto the baking stones. These are also available at most specialty kitchen stores or online. The scoops ensure your cookies will be the same size and will be beautifully round when they are baked. They also make releasing the cookie dough onto the baking stones easier than using spoons or your hands.

Parchment Paper

Always use parchment paper when baking cookies. Using parchment paper keeps your baking stones clean for easier clean-up. More importantly, it allows you to easily remove the cookies from the stone to the wire cooling racks without messing up the beautiful round shape of the cookies. Once the cookies are completely cooled, they easily peel from the parchment paper. No more scraping cookies!

Monica Brooks is a full-time Mom and cookie connoisseur. She is the author of The Guaranteed No Burnt Bottoms Cookies Cookbook available at [http://www.NoBurntBottoms.com]. She lives in the Louisville, Kentucky area with her husband and two children.

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6 No-Bake Uses For Cookie Cutter Favors

We all have gotten them before-cookie cutter party favors, especially at baby showers.  At the time, we think they're so cute in the shapes of stars, hearts, fruit, leaves and even palm trees.  But, let's face it.  Unless you're a good cook or into baking, you're probably also thinking you won't have much use for it.  Well, you couldn't be more wrong.  Helping out with all sorts of projects around the house, cookie cutters are some multi-tasking tools with tons of creativity inside just waiting to be explored.  Here's how you can have some fun with cookie cutters, without baking a thing!

Make mini party sandwiches!

Cookie Bake

Cookie cutters are a great way to cut out small, shaped sandwiches for parties. Add some pizzazz to that PB&J for kids parties or those ham sandwiches or cucumber sandwiches for adults.  Just make your sandwiches as normal and use your sharpest cookie cutter to cut out the shapes.  You can also use it to jazz up the slices on your meat and cheese tray.  Voila!  Your party food just went gourmet.

Fruit is fun on a stick!

Making fruit pops is so easy, a child can do it.  That's why this making them is a fun activity that also encourages healthy eating.  All you have to do is cut the fruit into fun shapes with the cookie cutter and insert a sucker stick.  They'll love eating real watermelon, honey dew, apples, kiwi and more in these fun shapes.  (Note:  This also works great for cutting Rice Krispy treats.)

Start a cookie cutter collection!

Cookie cutters are quite cute these days, and collecting them is a pretty inexpensive hobby.  You'll find them for holidays, special occasions and all sorts of themes.  It would make you a little eccentric and will always be an interesting conversation starter when you're at parties. 

Make a lasting impression!

Talk about home improvement.  If you're planning some cement upgrades at your home, personalize your property using a cookie cutter.  Press the cookie cutter into the cement to create the pattern.  Then, simply sign your name in the star, car, duck or other cute shape for posterity.  It really says something about you--long after you may have moved away. 

Enjoy the sound of music!

Music, you say?  From a cookie cutter?  Yes, wind and cookie cutters can create a melody all their own.  Simply hang the cookie cutters at varying heights to make a wind chime, hang it in a great spot and let the wind do the rest. 

Roll in the dough!

Play-Doh, that is.  Children can cut out all sorts of shapes and designs with Play-Doh.  Guaranteeing hours of fun, you'll be amazed with their creativity.

With these alternative uses, you can unleash the magical versatility of cookie cutters.  Soon, you'll discover that you were cut out for each other!

6 No-Bake Uses For Cookie Cutter Favors

Karen Sullen is a writer for Favor Affair where you can shop for baby shower party favors and favors for all life celebrations.

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Easy No-Bake Recipes for Families

Every parent knows just how much their children love to help out in the kitchen. As children begin to strive toward their independence, parents are still a bit leery in the kitchen as they want to avoid any burns. There are many easy no-bake recipes for families that promote bonding as well as providing a yummy snack.

This simple cookie is the first recipe to try out. The needed ingredients are as follows: 2 cups or 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips, 2 cups of butterscotch chips (peanut butter chips can be used as well as long as allergies are not an issue), ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and 3 cups of chow mien noodles. A cup of peanuts or walnuts can be added in as well depending on preference. Once all of the ingredients are gather, melt the chips in the micro wave and mix the noodles in until they are well coated. Once that has been mixed, drop the mixture onto wax paper by the teaspoon. After all of the mixture has been placed on the wax paper, set it into the fridge until it has hardened.

The next fun and easy no-bake recipe is called "frogs." This recipe will yield 36 "frogs." The ingredients needed are as follows: ½ cup of cocoa, ½ cup of milk, ½ cup butter, 2 cups of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 cup of flaked coconut, and 3 cups of quick-cooking rolled oats. After the ingredients have been gathered line two baking or cookie sheets with waxed paper. Once this has been done, on the stove top in a large saucepan, stir the butter, milk, sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat. Make sure to turn off the burner to avoid injury. Next, stir the oats, coconut and vanilla extract in the "sauce" and combine well. Once the mixture is blended well, drop it by the tablespoon full onto the pre prepared baking sheets. Place in the fridge for an hour or until it has been well set. Make sure to keep these treats refrigerated.

The last easy no-bake recipe is peanut butter balls. To make this treat the following ingredients are needed: ½ cup honey, ½ cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of nonfat dry milk, 1 cup of quick cooking oats and wax paper. This recipe will yield 24 total peanut butter balls. After the ingredients have been gathered, mix them well and from there roll 1-inch balls out of the mixture. This is as fun as playing with kids' clay. Place the peanut butter balls onto the wax paper and place in the fridge until they have set.

These no-bake recipes are very easy to make and require minimal ingredients. Some ingredients may already be on hand in the kitchen. Give a child an extra-large bowl to mix the ingredients for these recipes and there is less likelihood of creating a mess on your table.This is a great idea for a family night or the holidays.

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Bisquick Recipes Cookies - Easy & Quick To Prepare!

These bisquick recipes cookies are quick, easy and delicious. Just check these out and I'm sure you'll be amazingly surprised.

So here we go for some bisquick recipes cookies:

Cookie Bake

>> Bisquick Cookies

1 egg

1 instant pudding/small package

1/4 c oil

3/4 c bisquick

Combine all ingredients. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet.
Flatten slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

>> Bisquick Sausage

1 lb cheddar cheese

1 lb breakfast sausage

3 c bisquick mix

Combine sausage, bisquick and grated cheese and mix very well. Form into 1 to 2 inch size balls. Place on un greased baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. May be made ahead and frozen.

>> Bisquick Butterscotch Brownies

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 box brown sugar

1 can coconut

1 stick butter- room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups bisquick® baking mix

4 large eggs

Mix all ingredients and bake in 9x13 baking pan. Bake on preheated 350f oven for 45 minutes. Cool on rack, cut while warm.

>> Strawberry Shortcake (Bisquick)

2 Pt strawberries -- sliced

2/3 c sugar

2 1/3 c bisquick

3 tb sugar

3 tb margarine or butter -- melted

1/2 c milk

3/4 c whipping (heavy) cream

Sprinkle strawberries with 2/3 c. Sugar; let stand 1
hr.

Preheat oven to 425 f.

Mix bisquick, 3 tb. Sugar, margarine and milk until
soft dough forms. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls into
6 mounds on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with
sugar. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl until stiff.
Split shortcakes; spoon strawberries between halves
and over tops. Top with whipped cream.

High altitude: heat oven to 450 f. Decrease the 3 tb.
Sugar in shortcakes to 1 tb.

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A Cookie Recipe to Die For - Or Better Yet, Not Die For

There are healthier cookies.

But they are probably not at your grocery store. Food companies put a lot of things in what they make that extend the "shelf life" of their offerings. And most of these things are not good for you.

It's ironic that what we want, something to eat requiring little effort, can be just as quick and easy and made at home with fresh wholesome ingredients that won't make you fat.

But the bigger issue is... Will what you are eating make you sick?

A lot of people are overweight and never feel well. They sit and stare at some video screen and eat all the time.

Like the preteen boy who already has high blood pressure...and so does his mother who is in her early 30's. Neither of them should have this problem. And they are also overweight, very overweight. She often eats a whole bag of cookies while she watches TV in the evening, after they have dinner. Her son eats his own bag of cookies.

It's sad to think that a treat like a bag of cookies would make you fat and sick.

Why is it so bad?

Four things make those cookies bad for you.

1. Portion size. How many you eat.
2. Hydrogenated vegetable oil. It's oil that has been heated to make it last longer. It's very bad for you. It will kill you slowly, but young. In the interim it will just make you fat and ugly. You have the right to be miffed.
3. High fructose corn syrup. The villain in the epidemic of Type II diabetes that is sweeping this country. This stuff is like a chemical bomb. It first confuses and then wrecks your pancreas. It makes you resist the insulin your pancreas produces and then you become a full-blown (bombed and wrecked) diabetic. Next thing you know you are losing parts.
4. Refined flour. Whole wheat actually has nutrients and fiber. Refined flour makes good paste.

Instead try a better cookie an eat fewer of them.

My favorite cookie is based on old-fashioned oatmeal cookies. I love this recipe. We work out a lot and it's like a really good energy bar without the preservatives. Even if you eat a lot of these cookies they are healthier and more nutritious than other cookies that have a lot of bad fats, refined flour and sugar and no fiber.
It takes only a mixer and a few minutes to make the cookie dough. I freeze the dough rolled in tubes of waxed paper and bake fresh as needed.

A Better Oatmeal Cookie

½ cup Flax seed oil (keep refrigerated)
¾ cup chopped fresh apple or applesauce
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup flax seed
1 cup slivered almonds (pecans, walnuts or peanuts can work, too, but almonds have fewer calories)
2 Teaspoons vanilla
1 & ½ cups of whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup raisons
3 cups regular long cooking oats (not quick cooking!)

1. Beat together oil, apples, honey and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3. Add combined flour, baking soda, salt and spices and seeds; mix well.
4. Add oats, nuts and fruit; mix well.

Freeze the dough wrapped in 2 X 8 inch rolls of waxed paper. Place rolls in plastic freezer bags. To bake heat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice thin slices of frozen dough and place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and then remove to serving plate. Don't eat more than 5 or six at a time. Freezing the cookie dough helps you control yourself. And who has time to stand around cooking several dozen cookies at a time anyway? Here's to your health and your pleasure.

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Tips For Baking the Perfect Cookie

When you're baking cookies, taking a few moments to prepare and make sure you have everything you need will insure that your cookies will turn out the best. Here are some tips to help you bake the perfect cookie:

The Recipe

Cookie Bake

There are hundreds of different cookies, and thousands of variations. You'll want to make sure you have selected a good recipe, first and foremost. If you don't have much time, consider no bake cookies. If you don't have a lot of ingredients, consider cookie recipes with fewer ingredients like a shortbread cookie or a simple sugar cookie. If you want to bake with kids, consider a cookie that takes fewer steps to complete and doesn't require an electric mixer.

Baking Tools and Utensils

For the baking tools and utensils, there are a few must haves. First, a good mixing bowl is crucial. From stainless steel to plastic to glass, you have a lot of choices in this area. There's also utensils that are important. To make great cookies, you need a strong mixing spoon, wood is best. You will also need a spatula for removing the cookies from the cookie sheets. Don't forget the cookie sheets either. You can use standard square pans with a lip going all the way around the edge or a flat sheet with only one lip on one edge. You may also consider using a silicone baking pad, which eliminates the need to grease your cookie sheets.

Preparation

One great tip is to leave your butter out for at least an hour before you start to make the cookies. Many people forget this step and have to wait for the butter to soften before they can proceed. Also, take a few minutes to prepare all your ingredients, cooking show style. This way you have much less risk of using the wrong ingredient or too much or too little of an ingredient. Having your ingredients already prepared and measured will not only make your baking faster and easier, but cleanup will be much easier. Once you have your ingredients prepared, get out your mixing bowls and spoons, cookie sheets, spatula and wire racks. Make sure everything is clean and ready to use.

Ingredients

Freshness of ingredients is key with cookies. If the recipe calls for butter or eggs, as many cookie recipes do, make sure to check the expiration date for each item. Also, use your sense of smell to detect butter or eggs or another ingredient that just isn't fresh enough or is downright old. Don't use any ingredient that isn't reasonably fresh. Try not to use baking soda that has not been sealed properly either, as it may contain smells or flavors from other foods or spices it was stored with. Always properly seal and store your pantry food items. For butter, chocolate, frosting, raisins, etc., make sure to taste these items before you use them to make sure they taste ok and haven't soured or changed in flavor.

Last but not least, don't forget to enjoy the process and the finished product!

Tips For Baking the Perfect Cookie

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Terminology Every Baking Enthusiast Should Know

Angel Food Cake: As the name suggests, this cake is exceptionally light and fluffy. The batter is made using just flour and sugar with well beaten egg whites.

Buttercream: This is a mixture of sugar, eggs and butter that is whipped until light and fluffy and used to fill and frost cakes.

Caramel: Used for glazing, making praline paste and giving decorative touches to several desserts, caramel is basically sugar cooked to about 320-350 degrees.

Cookie Types: As versatile as they are scrumptious, cookies are categorized by the way they are formed. Molded cookies are usually cut with a cookie cutter or shaped by hand; drop cookies are dropped from a spoon directly onto the baking sheet; piped cookies are formed with a cookie gun or a pastry bad and bar cookies are baked in sheets before cutting into bars or squares.

Custard Sauce (Crème Anglaise): Also called pouring custard, this is a mixture of milk, sugar and egg yolks that is simmered until the yolks coagulate enough to thicken the custard. It is often served as an accompaniment to certain cakes and puddings as well as fruit desserts.

Dacquoise: Comprising of buttercream layered between baked nut meringues, this is a classic French cake.

Docking: This is the process of piercing pastry dough with a fork to allow the steam to escape. This prevents the dough from becoming misshapen because of internal bubbling.

Flaky Pastry: This standard American dough for pies is made by rubbing a combination of butter and shortening into flour, which is moistened with water to form the dough. Rubbing the fat in more finely results in a dough that is more mealy and less flaky.

Gateau: Gateau is French for cake

Glaze: Used to give desserts a smooth, shiny finish, glazes are made from different ingredients depending on whether they are being used for cakes, tarts or fruit pastries.

Ladyfingers: Small sponge cakes, typically 3 ½" long, lady fingers are mostly used for making Charlottes.

Lemon Curd: A rich, tart spreading cream, lemon curd is basically a cooked mixture of lemon juice with egg yolks, butter and sugar.

Meringue: This is a mixture of egg whites and sugar beaten till it forms stiff, shiny peaks.

Pastry Dough: Made with butter and shortening, this is the standard American dough for pies.

Petits Fours Secs: These are thin, delicate cookies sandwiched with praline paste or preserves.

Petit Fours Frais: These are miniature pastries that are filled with buttercream or pastry cream.

Petits Fours Glacés: These are petite iced cakes, daintily decorated and sandwiched with ganache, buttercream or preserves.

Royal Icing: A classic English icing, this is made with a mixture of egg whites and confectioner's sugar. It hardens when it dries and is often used to create filigree designs and to ice traditional English wedding cakes.

Tarts: Shallow, with straight sides, tarts are usually baked in flan forms or in pans with removable bottom and typically have only a bottom crust.

Torte: This is the Eastern European name for cake.

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Oatmeal Carrot Raisin Cookie Recipe

Cookies have been around for many centuries. There are many different versions from the early days of baking. They have evolved from what were then called flat "twice" baked biscuits, or savory biscuits. Many different cultures and civilizations have tried the art of cookie baking. Some were more of a hard flat bread, which eventually turned into more of a pastry type of bread or cookie. Then it became more of a light to fluffy biscuit, and then into the smaller bite size bar like a Madeline, and or a type of drop cookie that we are familiar with today. Some of their efforts were savory, and some turned out to be sweet creations. I credit the Germans and the French for getting us to the sweeter side of things that have developed into the sweet cookies of our day.

In the current day we have bar cookies, drop cookies, refrigerated cookies, rolled cookies, and a few more. I think that the most popular are the drop cookies. The drop cookie was made very popular from the Tollhouse Company, by the development of the chocolate chip cookie. The Quaker Company has also helped in this effort to create a rolled oats cookie. They are both a very popular treat with many people all over the country.

Cookie Bake

I have created an oatmeal cookie recipe that I hope that you will enjoy. This is a recipe for an oatmeal carrot cookie. It is a little healthier treat than most sweet desserts, and it tastes great if you are an oatmeal cookie fan. This is an easy recipe, and does not take too much time, and it would be fun to prepare with your children.

Ingredients you will need:

1 1/4 Cup of grated carrots

1 Cup of whole wheat flour

1/2 Cup of Raisins

1/2 Cup of I can't believe it is not butter

1/2 Cup of packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup of quick oats

2 Eggs medium size

1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon and a good vanilla bean paste

1/4 Teaspoon of nutmeg

1/4 Cup of warm water

1 Teaspoon of baking powder

1 Tablespoon of confectioners sugar

Non Stick Spray

First you will preheat your oven to 350 if it is electric and about 325F if it is gas. If you have convection fan turn it off during the baking. It will cause too much browning, and more than likely burn these cookies. You will want to go ahead a spray your baking pan, so you are ready to go directly into the pan after mixing all of the ingredients. I recommend a square or rectangular pan for these cookies.

In a mixing bowl you will add the warm water not hot water, the margarine, and the brown sugar, and the vanilla bean paste, and mix them together. You will then add your eggs and beat it well, and mix with the sugar mixture. You will then add your carrots and raisins, and nutmeg and cinnamon, and mix well.

In a separate bowl you will add the flour, oatmeal and baking powder and mix well. Once all of the dry are mixed together you will add the wet to the dry and mix well.

Pour into non stick pan or sprayed pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. You will turn about halfway through the baking process in the oven to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and let cool, and sprinkle with the confectioners sugar. When they are cool cut them into bars.

Oatmeal Carrot Raisin Cookie Recipe

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for BellaOnline.com

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Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate and Flax Seed Cookies

Ok, so tell me who doesn't enjoy a few hot out of the oven oatmeal chocolate chip cookies - there's nothing like it...well, that's if you like oatmeal and chocolate chips. I enjoy this home made treat so much that I decided to create a recipe that contains mostly healthy ingredients and after a few tests this is the best I've come up with so far. A great alternative with more wholesome ingredients and very delicious. Give it a try I'm sure you'll find it equally as good as mom's original home made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate and Flax seed Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients

1 ½ cup white flour

2 ½ cups quick oats

½ cup grounded flax seeds

1 ½ cups dark chocolate chip

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 large egg plus 1 cup egg whites

¾ cup olive oil

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

¾ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Mix together and set aside:

Flour, salt and baking soda and powder and set aside

Mix together egg, whites, oil, sugar and vanilla extract

Add flour mixture to liquid mixture then add the oats, flax seeds, and chocolate chips to form a soft dough. At this point you can add the optional ingredients of cranberries and or walnuts.

Spoon mixture unto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 12 min for soft chewy cookies or 16 min for firmer cookies.

Cookies can be frozen in a proper container or freezer bags for up to 2 months.

I am the music, the song, and the dance. My life is the whatever expression I choose to give it. I decide how fulfilled or not I'm going to be; my faith or lack thereof, the positive or negative attitude I decide on embracing or rejecting. I am given "today" to live, so I'm going to give it my all and live the best I can for today.

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Indoor Family Fun - Why Not Bake Cookies?

The colder months can sometimes drive parents crazy. If the weather is bad, then kids get bored and sometimes rowdy. And, as a parent, it gets challenging thinking up ways to keep the kids entertained and happy. Sometimes the simplest things are the most fun for kids. I don't think I've ever met a kid that didn't love baking cookies with Mom or Dad in the kitchen.

While baking cookies is fun, it also gives parents and caregivers an opportunity to teach their kids useful skills such as counting, reading and safety precautions. If you've got multiple kids in your household, baking cookies is a great group activity. The younger ones can shape the cookies and the older ones can take charge of removing them from the oven. And, who doesn't love licking the leftover batter from the spoon.

Cookie Bake

So, choose your recipe based on everyone's preferences. The most popular recipe of course is for chocolate chip cookies. You can make just about any kind of cookies to please the kids such as peanut butter, shortbread gingerbread cookies that the kids can decorate after they come out of the oven.

Here's a secret ingredient for you that will give your cookies more tender crumbs and a wonderful texture - use cornstarch with your flour! It works well even in cakes, pie crusts and muffins too. Although cornstarch is not usually featured in many modern day recipe books, you'll find this ingredient in some of the older cookbooks.

When making cookies, you can experiment with different sizes too. And, they make a great gift. You can bake one giant cookie and place it in a special box lined with tissue paper (after it has cooled of course) or you can bake a whole bunch of miniature cookies with wire stems and create a cookie bouquet. If that sounds too complicated, you can purchase a decorated tin to store your treats. Better yet, buy a plain looking tin and have your kids help you with decorating the tin. What a nice gift for a grand-parent or teacher.

Indoor Family Fun - Why Not Bake Cookies?

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Cookie Cutters Can Make Baking Fun

The cookie cutter has been a feature in every kitchen for hundreds of years. Each of us has fond childhood memories of baking our first cookies in the kitchen with our mothers, using a cookie cutter to make pretty shapes. Early cookie cutters were crafted by dipping iron into molten tin to coat it.

The metal was shaped into strips which were then cut and had the edges rounded for safety purposes. The strips were then shaped by hand into popular shapes. Alternatively detail imprints were made available so that patterns could be impressed into the cookie dough before baking. To emboss patterns a mold was created and the pattern debossed into the material, which was usually made from wood, ceramic or plastic.

Over time the phrase cookie cutters has become synonymous with a means to describe people who lacked original ideas. Indeed, it is a device for repeating the same pattern without alteration of any kind, hence it being quite a fitting description. Of course, the shape can be easily altered by using a different mold.

If you find the traditional ginger bread man a little passe, why not look around for some fun and interesting shapes. Having a Christmas party? Why not decorate the tree with cookies shaped like Christmas trees? For Halloween delight the little ones with cookies in the shape of Halloween pumpkins, bats, angry cats, spiders, webs, new moons or witches hats.

Plan an evening dinner for Valentines day and for dessert, bring out a batch of cookies in the shape of hearts, doves, or flying cupids. For a wedding treat, you could have iced cookies in the shape of wedding cakes, champagne glasses, brides and grooms, lips or love birds.

Thanksgiving Day could see you serving delicious cookies shaped like squirrels, maple leaves, pumpkins, turkeys or oak leaves. As an interesting idea for a birthday party use a safari theme and serve elephant shaped cookies, or use giraffes, lions, flamingos, camels, alligators, hippos, kangaroos and monkeys.

Celebrate a stork party or baby shower by presenting the mother to be with a basket full of biscuits in various shapes. Storks, baby bottles, prams, crayons, baby rattles, pacifiers, rocking horses, party hats and baby booties are just a few ideas you could use.

You can buy beautiful cookie cutter gift sets with a variety of shapes. Fun shaped cookies are not just for the young folks and adults can enjoy them with equal fervor. Have a nautical themed party, have everyone dress as sea creatures and serve cookies shaped like seagulls, octopus, penguins, whales, turtles, tropical fish, starfish and dolphins. You are only limited by your imagination, so be creative and have fun.

Cake decorating is one of those talents in which you are limited only by your creativity and imagination. If you can't dream up a design of your own, use accessories such as gum paste flowers to spark your ideas.

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Prices of Cookie Sheets and Pans

Cookie trays and pans are essential items for a modern kitchen. Many people indulge in baking cookies, brownies, bread and other items in their free time but the taste of these baked items can very easily be affected by the type of bake ware you have selected. Essential items in bake ware that will assist you in the baking process are quality sheets, trays and pans. A number of companies are providing these oven trays made from different kind of materials. The price of any products that you purchase has an impact on your purchasing decision.

The price of each kind of cookie sheet is different from one another. The prices vary from each other because of the type of material used in their production and the features and benefits they offer to the customer. Insulated cookie sheet varieties are widely used in households as well as bakeries, and come with two pieces of metal to make them sturdier and to ensure that cookies are perfectly baked. These are the most expensive type of baking sheet variety available in the market because they provide excellent results and minimize the chances of burnt items. An insulated oven tray can be easily purchased for or more, depending on its size.

Cookie Bake

The price of all types of pans and trays will largely depend on the size you choose to purchase. Larger sized pans and trays would be available at much higher prices compared to small sizes of bake ware. Silicon bake ware, which is easier to clean and maintain and is more durable and reliable - ranges between to . The affordable and reasonable price of this type has made this kind quite popular with customers with lower or limited budgets. These are not only lesser priced but are also excellent trays for baking.

The prices of stainless steel pans are close to that of silicon and are available for about . Aluminum baking sheets and pans are ideal for people who have limited budgets, for example, a 12-inch aluminum sheet can be purchased at .

The prices of pans and sheets largely depend on the size and type you want to purchase. You can search online and find discounted deals on bake ware. Once you have found those deals you can purchase any type and size of bake ware you require.

Prices of Cookie Sheets and Pans

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Biscochito Cookie Recipe

The Biscochito cookie recipe is a traditional Mexican cookie made with anise seed. Usually they are rolled and cut into various shapes, but this recipe uses the simpler drop cookie method.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons brandy

Topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Hardware

Whisk

Large bowl

Medium bowl

Small bowl

Cookie sheets

Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 3oo degrees F.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and anise seed; set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, blend sugars together with an electric mixer.

Step 4: Add butter and mix until grainy.

Step 5: Add eggs and brandy and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Step 6: Gradually add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined.

Step 7: In a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon.

Step 8: Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into 1-inch diameter balls and then flatten slightly with drinking glass or spatula.

Step 9: Press tops into sugar-cinnamon mixture, then place cookies bottom side down on ungreased cookies sheets 2 inches apart.

Step 10: Bake for 22-24 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown around edges. Transfer cookies immediately to a cooling surface.

Makes 36 cookies.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

For more great wedding and ethnic cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/wedding-and-ethnic-cookie-recipes.html

For some great tasting scone recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/scone-recipes.html

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Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Chocolaty Delight

Are you a chocoholic? Do you put chocolate in every dessert you make? I wouldn't blame you, because I believe chocolate is the best food in the world! Besides the heavenly, yummy, lip-smacking flavor, chocolate has its share of medicinal properties too. You can make any ordinary dish extra ordinary by adding a little chocolate to it. Have you tried chocolate chip cookies? Of course you have, who has not? Have you tried chocolate chip cookie cup cake?? Mark my words, they are just yummy!

First of all you need to make the cookie balls. To make them you will need

Cookie Bake

1. 1½ cups of flour
2. ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
3. ¼ teaspoon of salt
4. ½ cup of softened butter
5. ¼ cup of white sugar
6. ½ cup of brown sugar
7. 1 egg
8. 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
9. And the CHOCOLATE CHIPS!

Okay, now we get down to making the yummy cookie balls. Take a nice clean bowl, and put in the specified amount of flour, baking soda and salt. Set the bowl aside for the time being. Take another bowl, beat the butter, the white sugar and the brown sugar with a balloon whisk or you can use an electric beater to save time. Mix them well till they bind nicely. Beat the vanilla essence and the egg in the same manner and add the flour mix into this. The chocolate chips go in now. Now form this dough into small balls and place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to freeze for some 2 hours or so.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the cookie balls are chilling in the freezer, take out some muffin cups and arrange them on the counter. To make the dough for the cake you will need

1. One box of yellow cake mix
2. 1 1/3 cups of water
3. 1/3 cup of canola oil
4. 3 eggs

Beat the 3 eggs into bowl and add the cake mixture and the canola oil. Beat this mixture really fast for about 2 minutes. The cake mix is ready! Spoon in this mixture into our muffin cups. Take the nicely chilled cookies from the freezer and drop one into each cup of cake dough. Admire your work for a minute and put the whole lot into the oven. Let it cook for about 20 minutes or till when you are sure that the cup cakes are perfectly done. Take them out and let them cool down for a bit. Chocolate chip cookie cup cakes are done.

This is a dish that children especially would love to show off on their birthday party or other parties. Kids will love the taste of the sumptuous softness of the cake with chocolate chip surprises hidden in them.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Chocolaty Delight

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The Origins of Biscuits and Cookies

The history of the biscuit follows that of sugar and it seems that the first biscuits were baked in Persia during the 7th Century BCE. It wasn't until the Moorish conquest of Spain and the crusades of the 12th and 13th centuries that Arabic cooking practices slowly came to Europe.

The modern biscuit, however, is a French invention, and by the 14th century it was possible to buy little fruit-filled wafers on the streets of paris. The name of these comes from a corruption of the Latin bis cotum (baked twice) which became biscuit in English and biscotti in Italian. Traditionally, such biscuits are hard and dry in texture and they're know (and commonplace) from recipe books going back at least to the Elizabethan era.

In contrast, cookies are Dutch in origin. The name itself derives from the Dutch word 'koekje' (small or round cake) which represents the small pieces of dough that Dutch bakers used to place in their ovens to test the temperature. However, the classic cookie, the 'cocolate chip cookie' was only invented in 1937 by Ruth Graves Wakefield (1905-1977), of Whitman, Massachusetts, who ran the Toll House Restaurant. This type of cookie didn't reach nationwide fame until 1939 when Betty Crocker popularized it in her radio show. Today, however, the chocolate chip cookie is by far the commonest baked and eaten cake in America.

Below you will find a recipe for a classic British biscuit and a classic American cookie so that you can bake these for yourselves and appreciate both the similarities and the differences between these classic baked goods.

Fruit Shrewsbury Biscuits

This is a classic and easy to bake lightly fruited biscuit, ostensibly originating in the Shrewsbury region of England.

Ingredients:
125g butter
150g caster sugar2 egg yolks
225g plain flour
freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
60g currants
sugar to dust

Method:
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy then add the egg yolks and beat together to combine.
Stir-in the flour, lemon zest and currants. Mix to a firm dough (add a little water if it's too stiff) then turn onto a lightly-floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out to about 5mm thick and cut into rounds with a 6cm pastry cutter with fluted edges.

Transfer the pastry rounds onto lightly-greased baking sheets and place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C, baking for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits are firm and only very slightly browned.

Remove from the oven and dust the top with coarse sugar then allow to cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the classic American chocolate chip cookie recipe made with brown and granulated sugars and hearkens back to the 1937 original.

Ingredients:
225g unsalted butter
150g granulated sugar
160g light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
320g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
260g plain chocolate chips
120g walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)

Method:
Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix the eggs together in a bowl then add a little at a time to the butter mix, combining thoroughly after each addition. Now add the vanilla and beat in to combine.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg and butter mixture and beat thoroughly until completely incorporated. Add the chocolate chips (and the nuts, if using) about half way through mixing so that they're evenly distributed through the dough.

The dough should be fairly firm and if you find it too soft then cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (this will set the butter and make the dough stiffer). When ready drop about 2 tbsp of the mixture per cookie onto a lightly-greased baking tray, allowing at least 8cm between each cookie for them to spread. Place in an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I hope that you have learnt something about biscuit and cookie baking and that you will now want to know more about these baked goods.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans runs the Celtnet Recipes free recipes where you can find hundreds of biscuit and cookie recipes from all corners of the globe. Why not visit and try baking something new today?

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Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

A festive cookie featuring candied fruit and almonds.

1/2 cup butter, softened

Cookie Bake

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup each candied cherries and pineapple, chopped

3/4 cup Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

3/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in the egg; mix well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the fruits and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chips Galore Cookies

These cookies are stuffed with a variety of yummy chips - a real treat.

1 cup butter flavored shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup peanut butter chips

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup vanilla or white chips

1/3 cup milk chocolate M&Ms

1/3 cup Reese's pieces candy

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips and candy pieces.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin cookies with a burst of chocolate chips.

4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in the pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

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Favorite Cookie Baking Tools and Equipment

Baking homemade cookies is a lot more enjoyable when you have the right tools and equipment. Here's a list of items that will help insure cookie baking success.

Baking Pans and Cookie Sheets: Come in a wide variety of styles and materials. Dark metal pans absorb heat and will cause cookies and brownies to brown more quickly. Shiny metal pans reflect heat making them perfect for more delicate baked treats. Air-cushioned sheets provide extra protection from burning but make it difficult to obtain golden brown cookies. Glass pans carry heat more effectively so your oven temperature needs to be adjusted down 25 degrees when using them. I prefer dull, light colored heavy duty aluminum baking pans. Basic pan sizes you'll want in your collection include:

9 X 13-inch
8-inch square
9-inch square
9-inch round
Cookie sheets with or without sides. Although many books suggest rimless pans for baking cookies, I have had great success using rimmed half sheet pans.

Bowls: Small, medium, and large mixing bowls in glass or stainless steel.

Wooden Spoons: Great for stirring brownies batter

Measuring Spoons: One or two sets of graduated spoons designed specifically for measuring

Measuring Cups: A 2-cup glass or plastic one for liquids that has a spout and a set of dry graduated measuring cups

Spatulas: One thin metal spatula for removing cookies from the pan and a couple of plastic spatulas for scraping cookie dough and brownie batter from bowls into baking pans

Whisks: One or two medium to large whisks for mixing both dry and wet ingredients

Ice Cream Scoops: Small ice cream scoops make easy, speedy work of dropping cookie dough onto pans. They're one of my favorite inexpensive cookie making tools

Microplane: A wonderful tool for zesting and grating zest from citrus fruit and chocolate

Silicone baking pan liners: Make clean-up a breeze and are available in a wide variety of sizes. With a silicone liner you are able to forgo greasing cookie sheets too. Just be sure to not cut them.

Parchment Paper: An indispensable aid for quick and easy baking. Available in both rolls and sheets, I bake all my cookies on parchment lined sheets for the easiest clean-up

Wire Racks: For cooing your cookies and brownies

Electric Mixer: I love my KitchenAid mixers, both hand-held and standing versions, for making brownies and cookies. If you only bake occasionally or have limited space, start with one or the other. If you bake a lot, you will eventually want both.

Food Processor: I am a fan of Cuisinart food processors. They can really speed up the process for many kitchen tasks like chopping, grating, shredding, and pureeing. Get one that has at least a 6-cup capacity.

Martha McKinnon is an avid home cook and cooking instructor who loves sharing everything she has learned through her years in the kitchen with all who are interested.

Her website, http://www.best-ever-cookie-collection.com is dedicated to publishing the best cookie recipes.

And her blog, http://www.simple-nourished-living.com explores easy recipes, tips, and hints.

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Buying Tips For Cookie Sheets

It does not matter what occasion you are baking cookies for, as it is always important that the cookies always come out right. Nobody would like to eat burnt cookies, which is why it is essential to purchase a good cookie sheet for baking. However, many people are not aware of the fact that there are many types and kinds to choose from when you are shopping for these. The right cookie sheet will make sure that your baking is easier and will provide you with satisfactory results.

The most popular sheets are the ones made out of aluminum. They are light weight and good conductors of heat. They bake cookies until they are golden brown and do not allow them to get burnt at the bottom. They are rust resistant and can be kept in the freezer or refrigerator. You can also choose to purchase cookie sheets made from carbon which are also good conductors of heat. They allow your cookies to bake evenly, but they take longer to bake when compared to other sheets. Then there are stainless steel cookie sheets which are sturdy but there are many professionals out there who avoid using this type.

Cookie Bake

Stainless steel has proven to be a poor conductor of heat, which can result in uneven baking. If you are looking to purchase cookie sheets at a very low price and do not bake that often, you should opt for disposable baking pans. When you are shopping for cookie sheets, also keep in mind the size that you will need. You can either purchase sets (which allow you to choose from the many different sizes) or you can purchase larger sized sheets. If you own a small oven, you can always measure the width and length of the racks before going out for sheet shopping.

Before you purchase cookie sheets measure your oven so this way you will know exactly which size to purchase. Then there is also the coating on different baking sheets. Some sheets have light colored or dark colored coating. If you love baking and do it often then you should always have more than one sheet to bake with. You will be able to bake a number of batches more proficiently this way. The price of a sheet will depend upon what quality and size it is. If you are smart, you will always have one of these sheets around.

Buying Tips For Cookie Sheets

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Method Madness - Baking Methods Explained

Ever notice the different procedures when baking cookies, muffins, and biscuits? Even cakes have their own particular method. Why do I cream the butter with the sugar when making cookie dough? Why shouldn't I completely mix the muffin batter until it's smooth and creamy? Why must this be so difficult!? WHY?

Ok, so I'm overreacting a bit. Just a little.

There are reasons for the madness and I'm here to explain a few things. I'll even share a few tips on how to make your cookies and cakes taste even better.

First off, baking is a process and takes patience. This is why many chefs don't like to bake. They don't have the patience to measure out the ingredients and to mix things properly. It actually matters, especially when it comes to cookies, muffins, quick breads, and cakes. I'm one of those rare chefs that loves to bake, which is probably a reason there are so many baking recipes stacked a mile high in my kitchen.

Cookie Method:
Cream the butter and sugars together. Sift the dry ingredients together. Add eggs one at at time. This process evenly distributes the ingredients. With cookies, you don't worry too much about rising or having an "airy" cookie.

Muffin Method:
Sift together the dry ingredients (including sugar). Mix together the wet ingredients. Mixing the two together until just mixed (slightly lumpy batter). Over mixing causes tunneling. What's tunneling? Glad you asked. If you over mix the batter, holes and spaces are created in the muffin. That's tunneling. A good muffin will have a slightly raised dome, nice and round, not pointed. Use this method for making pancakes and they will turn out light and fluffy.

Cake method:
This depends on the cake you are making. Angel food is different than baking a white cake. Suffice it to say, what you are achieving in baking a cake is getting air incorporated in the batter giving it a delicate texture. A basic yellow cake is mixed according to the "2 stage" method. This means the liquids are added in 2 different stages. First you cream the fat and sugar together; then add the eggs. Next you add the dry ingredients (sifted together) alternately with the milk. Depending on the cake, sometimes the eggs are added in the 2nd stage with the milk. When making an Angel food cake, egg whites are folded in at the end.

Biscuit method:
Cold butter/fat and liquid. Cut in the fat into the dry ingredients. Moisten the mixture with liquid until wet enough to form a dough. Don't over mix in order for the butter to stay as small lumps throughout the dough causing it to steam and forcing the dough to rise.

Tips:

When baking cookies, muffins, and cakes, make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature. Recipes usually specify the butter to be softened (room temp) but rarely the eggs. Making sure the eggs are at room temperature will produce a better result. Cold eggs hitting warm butter causes the butter to congeal no matter how fast you mix it. It produces a greasy product -- not exactly what you want.
Separate eggs when they are cold. Whip egg whites when they are at room temperature.
Use unsalted butter only. You never know how much salt goes into the salted butter.
Preheat the oven. Be patient. Allow it come up to temperature. And -- don't open the door all the time to check on your yummy baked goods, either. You're letting heat out! Patience.
Remove muffins and cookies from the pans within the first 5 minutes after removing from oven. This prevents sogginess. Using racks to place the cookies or muffins (or cakes) will allow for even cooling.
To sift or not to sift: I admit to not always sifting, but rather whisking the dry ingredients together. This is fine when it's cookies or muffins and you aren't in some competition. However, when it comes to delicate cakes, sift the flour. It will aerate the flour and help it to mix into the batter better.
Does size matter? Yes. I'm talking about the eggs, of course. Get your head out of the gutter. Geez. Large eggs work the best in most recipes. Use the extra large, jumbo, or small for making omelets or scrambled eggs.

Measuring:

Scoop and sweep method for flour. Scoop the flour into the measuring cup and sweep the top the back of a knife.
Packed method for brown sugar.
The most accurate way to measure dry ingredients is to weigh them. Professional bakers use scales. A cup of flour and a cup of sugar do not weigh 8 ounces nor do they weigh the same amount. The only two ingredients that weight the same as their volume are butter and water. 1 cup of butter weighs 8 ounces. Just so you know. Most recipes are written for the home cook.
Always measure wet ingredients in a wet measuring cup. Dry ingredients get measured in standard measuring cups. Easier and more accurate.

With these tips, your cakes, cookies, and muffins will turn out great. Care to share some with rest of us?

Marcy Gaston is a writer living in Montana. She has been cooking and baking her whole life both professionally and for her family. She writes a cooking blog, Cooking Rut -http://cookingrut.blogspot.com

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