Karen Buckley's $50 Winner Cranberry Date Bars

 Boy, do I have some very talented bakers and cooks in my friend group. Who share their food, treats...and the recipes to make them myself. Though I don't know if I can recreate this as well as Karen. The recipe is dated 1987. Karen didn't win $50...but these definitely deserve a blue ribbon! Thanks, Karen!!

Cranberry Date Bars

1 12 ounce package of cranberries

1 8 ounce package of chopped and pitted dates

1 teaspoon vanilla

***

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup of margarine or butte, melted

1 recipe Orange Glaze

For filing, in a medium saucepan combine cranberries and dates. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring frequently. Stir in Vanilla. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in margarine or butter until well blended. Pat half of the oat mixture in the 9x13. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Carefully spread filling over baked oat mixture. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with Orange Glaze and cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

Orange Glaze:

In a medium mixing bow, stir together 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and enough orange juice (2-3 tablespoons) to make a drizzling consistency.  (3/4 cup).

KITTY BUCHAN'S OATMEAL COCONUT COOKIES

1 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup shortening 2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 t. baking soda 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t salt 2 cups old fashioned oats 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup coconut 1 t. vanilla PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 Cream sugars and shortening. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together flour, soda, powder, and salt. Add to mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into walnut-size balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet approx 8-11 minutes Allow to sit on cookie sheet for maybe 1 minute after removing from oven and then remove to cooling rack.

Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Chip cookies

 

• Active Time

  35 minutes

• Total Time

  2 hours

We all know the saying “as American as apple pie,” but a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe is perhaps the most iconic American dessert of all. Served warm with a glass of milk, this beloved treat is bound to bring up Proustian childhood memories of grandmothers’ kitchens, after-school snacks, and family celebrations.

Opinions vary about what makes the best chocolate chip cookie. Some people like their cookies crispy, while others prefer a chewier texture. This recipe splits the difference, giving you soft cookies with golden brown, crisp edges. And because this variation is so classic, it’s also extremely flexible. If your perfect chocolate chip cookie is slightly crunchy or more on the tender side, experiment with the range of bake times below, cooking just one or two cookies at first to see exactly how to get them just right. If you’re into bold chocolate chunks, you can opt to use chopped chocolate bars instead of chips. Is big crunch your thing? Fold in a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts. Lover of salty-sweet? Sprinkle on some fancy salt just before baking. 

For cookies with even more nuanced flavor, chill the cookie dough overnight before baking—this will also keep the dough balls from spreading too much on the cookie sheet. You can use a cookie scoop to portion your dough or a measuring cup, but make sure to moisten your palm before you flatten the cookies out, so they don’t stick to your hand.

 Makes about 28 large (4½-inch) cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1½ cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1½ teaspoons vanilla

2½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (16 ounces)

1. Step 1

   Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

   Step 2

   Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

   Step 3

   Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly beat 1 egg with a fork in a small bowl and add 1¾ tablespoons of it plus 2 remaining whole eggs to butter mixture, beating with mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just blended, then stir in chips.

   Step 4

   Scoop ¼ cup batter for each cookie, arranging mounds 3 inches apart, on 2 baking sheets. Flatten mounds into 3-inch rounds using moistened palm of your hand. Form remaining cookies on additional sheets of parchment.

   Step 5

   Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and continue making cookies in same manner using cooled baking sheets. 

ATK Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

 READY IN: 45 mins

YIELDS: 16 very large cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ³⁄₄ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
• 14  tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• ¹⁄₂ cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• ³⁄₄ cup  packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• 1  large  egg yolk
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended) or 1 ¹⁄₂ cups  semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended)
• ³⁄₄ cup  chopped pecans (optional) or ³⁄₄ cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12- inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.).
5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking seet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Rugelach

 

Grandma Harriet’s rugelach

Yield: 16 rugelach

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla powder or extract

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, and cut into small pieces

1/3 cup of sour cream

1 egg, beaten

Sanding sugar, for garnish

(you can add a bit of lemon zest for a pop of flavor)

Filling options

Chocolate filling:

1/4 cup of Nutella

Jam filling:

1/4 cup of Apricot Jam

Nut filling:

1 tablespoon of white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup of toasted chopped walnuts

Cinnamon:

2 tablespoons of white sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place the flour, sugar, vanilla powder and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Feed the cheese and butter through the shute with motor running.  Once the dough begins to form, add sour cream and continue til fully combined The dough will be very tacky.

With floured hands, remove the dough and place on plastic wrap  Form into a circle and wrap tightly. Place in fridge for 1 hour.

When dough is ready, cut into 4 pieces and preheat oven to 350.

Roll dough into a thin 12 circle and with pizza cutter, make 16 rolls.

Sprinkle with filling and roll up. Place seam side down on parchment lined sheet. Brush with egg wash and sanding sugar.  Bake 15 minutes.

Until the rugelach is golden brown. Cool completely on cookie sheet.

Dust with Powder Sugar

**roll and freeze so you'll always have fresh cookies from the freezer.  Just add 2-3 minutes baking time

Baklava-Inspired Palmiers (Elephant Ears)

 makes 30

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground cardamon

a pinch of salt

2 T brown sugar

10.6 puff pastry

1/2 cup honey, warmed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Finely crush the walnuts and pistachios..with a mortar and pestle but try to finally chop the nuts.  don't use a food processor since it is nice to have some texture.  In a small bowl, add the butter, followed by the cinnamon, cardamon, salt, nuts, and brown sugar. the mixture should form a nice paste.

Next, roll out the puff pastry in an even, rectangular layer, the spread the nut mixture on top and to the sides.  Firmly roll the pastry from both of the long sides until the two rolls meet in the middle, then press them together.

Using a serated knife, slice the dough into 1/4" slices to yield about 20 pieces.

Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, and let them cool for a few minutes. While the cookeis are still warm, brush them with the honey

Let the cookies cool completely then brush again with the honey.

These keep well for up to a week, stored in an airtight container at room temp

52 weeks, 52 sweets by Vedika Luthra

Chrusciki (Polish) Love knots

 

About 20 minutes before deep frying, fill deep pan 1/2-2/3 full with vegetable shortening or cooking oil for ddep frying.  Heat slowly to 365 degrees.   When using an automatic deep fryier, follow manufacturer's directions for the amount of fat and times.

Sift together into bowl:

    2 cup sifted flour

1 T sugar

12 t slt.

Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in a mixture of:

    3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

    1/2 cup thick sour cream

    1/2 t  vanilla extract

Blend ingredients until all the flour is moistened.

Let dough rest 1-2 minutes.  Pour dough out onto the lightly floured surface and knead only until ingredients are well blended. shape dough into a smooth ball; roll dough or lightly floured surface into a rectangle 1/8" thick.

Roll 1/2 of dough at a time.  With floured knife, cut dough;  cut dough into diamond-shaped pieces.  Make a 1" lengthwise cut into the center of each diamond;  pull one end through slit, twisting alightly.

Deep-fry only one-layer of cookies at a time; do not crowd. turn cookies with fork as they rise to surface and several times during cooking, but do not pierce.

Fry about  minutes or until lightly browned.  Drain,  Sprinkle cookies with sifted confectioers sugar.

Thumbprint cookies

 1/2 c shortenin, part oleo

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg separated

1/2 t. vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 t salt

3/4 cup nuts (chopped)

Heat oven to 350. Mix shortening, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla thoroughly. Blend together flor and salt; stir in.  Roll dough into balls (1 t. per ball). Beat egg white slightly with fork. Dip ball sin egg whites, Foll in nuts.  

Place about 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet; gently press thumb in the neter of eac.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool

Fil thumbprints with jelly or tinted aicing.  Makes  3 dozen

Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies from ATK

 SERVESMakes about forty 2 1/2-inch cookies

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Our holiday roll-and-cut sugar cookies taste as great as they are easy to make. For a crisp and sturdy texture with no hint of graininess, we made superfine sugar by grinding granulated sugar briefly in the food processor, and we added small amounts of baking powder and baking soda to the dough. We skipped creaming softened butter and sugar in favor of whizzing cold butter with sugar in the food processor, which let the dough come together in just minutes. The just-made dough was cold enough to be rolled out immediately. We then chilled it after rolling. For an even, golden color; minimal browning; and a crisp, crunchy texture from edge to edge, we baked the cookies at a gentle 300 degrees on a rimless cookie sheet on the oven’s lower-middle rack. 

GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS

Cookies

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon 

vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon 

almond extract

2 ½ cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour 

¼ teaspoon 

baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda 

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar 

16 tablespoons 

unsalted butter,

 cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled

Royal Icing

2 ⅔ cups (10 2/3 ounces) confectioners' sugar 

2 large egg whites 

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

For the dough to have the proper consistency when rolling, make sure to use cold butter directly from the refrigerator. In step 3, use a rolling pin and a combination of rolling and a pushing or smearing motion to form the soft dough into an oval. A rimless cookie sheet helps achieve evenly baked cookies; if you do not have one, use an overturned rimmed baking sheet. Dough scraps can be combined and rerolled once, though the cookies will be slightly less tender. If desired, stir 1 or 2 drops of food coloring into the icing. (USE SOME FOR AN OUTLINE THAT HAS THE ICING IN A DECORATOR BAG)  For the pourable icing, whisk in milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.  Using a spoon ladle in the icing and allow to firm up before adding other layers and candies. You can also decorate the shapes with sanding sugar or sprinkles before baking.

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE COOKIES: Whisk egg, vanilla, salt, and almond extract together in small bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in second bowl.

Process sugar in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add butter and process until uniform mass forms and no large pieces of butter are visible, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg mixture and process until smooth and paste-like, about 10 seconds. Add flour mixture and process until no dry flour remains but mixture remains crumbly, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Turn out dough onto counter and knead gently by hand until smooth, about 10 seconds. Divide dough in half. Place 1 piece of dough in center of large sheet of parchment paper and press into 7 by 9-inch oval. Place second large sheet of parchment over dough and roll dough into 10 by 14-inch oval of even 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer dough with parchment to rimmed baking sheet. Repeat pressing and rolling with second piece of dough, then stack on top of first piece on sheet. Refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 1½ hours (or freeze for 30 minutes). (Rolled dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimless cookie sheet with parchment. Working with 1 piece of rolled dough, gently peel off top layer of parchment. Replace parchment, loosely covering dough. (Peeling off parchment and returning it will make cutting and removing cookies easier.) Turn over dough and parchment and gently peel off and discard second piece of parchment. Using cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes. Transfer shapes to prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about ½ inch apart. Bake until cookies are lightly and evenly browned around edges, 14 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat cutting and baking with remaining dough. (Dough scraps can be patted together, rerolled, and chilled once before cutting and baking.)

FOR THE ROYAL ICING: Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip all ingredients on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.

Spread icing onto cooled cookies. Let icing dry completely, about 1½ hours, before serving.

½ teaspoon 

vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon salt

Palmiers by Ina Garten

 

I have always used a recipe that Jocelyn posted here for Butterfly cookies but needing some quickly for a funeral I opted for this recipe  and they are every bit as good..AND FAST.

Ingredients

Deselect All

2 cups granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Combine the sugar and kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of the sugar/salt mixture on a flat surface such as wooden board or marble. Unfold each sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture on top, spreading it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's 13 by 13-inches square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. Fold the sides of the square towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold 1 half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place the second sheet of pastry on the sugared board, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar mixture, and continue as above. (There will be quite a bit of sugar left over on the board.) Slice and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment.
3. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Ina says you can prepare them up to the baking part and freeze them in a zip lock back and place in the freezer for when company comes unexpectedly.  Take the right out and bake without defrosting them.  I just may have to do this!

Kitty Buchan's Sugar Cookies for cut out cookies

1 pound softened butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t salt
1/2 te. baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg
2 t vanilla
1/2 cup milk
5-1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, sugar, salt.
Combine flour, soda, powder nutmeg together and set aside

Add eggs and vanilla
Add milk alternatively with flour, soda, baking powder, nutmeg mixture.

Refrigerate overnight if you have started early enough but this is not required.
Roll out on a floured cloth
Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cookies are best if cut thick but I PREFER THEN THIN SO WATCH WHILE BAKING.

FROSTING:
1/2 box powdered sugar
1 T butter
2 drops almond flavoring
enough milk to mix to spreading consistency.  Color as desired.

Kitty got this from from a friend 20+ years ago and still uses it today.

Shortbread cutout cookies - Pam Barlow

SHORTBREAD COOKIES BY PAM

1 cup butter

1/2 cup plus 2 T. sugar

1-1/2 cups flour

Mix ingredients together.  Roll out and cut with very small cookie cutters.  Decorate with colored sugars. Bake until bottom is light brown.  Bake in a 300 degree oven on an uncreased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes.  These cookies brown fast once they start to cook, watch them closely.  I usually put a piece of wax paper on top of dough while rolling the dough out.  Make sure you put a little flour on the counter before putting the dough out to roll.  Otherwise it will stick

Pecan Pie Bars

Once again this wonderful neighbor walked in with the most amazing dessert.  Marcia Hassel grows a yard that's filled with drifts of flowers that Robert has always been in awe of.  She bakes as well as she gardens which is very professional.  And she's such a great sharer.  PLUS,,,even better she stays around to chat. She's going to be 70 and has never married, has had heartbreaks, has a twin brother, and 7 other older siblings.  Loves horses and silver anything.  She will talk and listen equally.  We love her.

Crust

1-1/2 sticks of butter softened and mix
To this add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and mix til well blended
then add 1-1/2 cup flour and mix.

Line a 9x13" pan with foil and spray with Pam

Spread in the crust mixture til even and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or light brown.

Topping

Beat 3 whole eggs with 1 egg yolk.

Add:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light Kayo syrup (corn syrup)
2 t. vanilla

You can do those 3 ingredients while the crust bakes and then add to that mixture:

2 cups toasted pecans coarsely chopped (toast in oven)
2 T melted butter

Pour over crust and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes til set, no more jiggle.

Cut into small squares for an elegant offering.

IF this pan lasts, cover and keep in fridge.

Melt-in-your-mouth Poppy Seed Cookies

Melt-in-your-Mouth Poppy Seed Cookies
When you think of “bubbie’s” recipe or a caterer’s famed thin mun cookies, this is the one that comes to mind. Infinitely pure of taste, these light and thin, easy-to-roll cookies, are a lovely way to celebrate those simple moments.

Melt-in-your-Mouth Poppy Seed Cookies
When you think of “bubbie’s” recipe or a caterer’s famed thin mun cookies, this is the one that comes to mind. Infinitely pure of taste, these light and thin, easy-to-roll cookies, are a lovely way to celebrate those simple moments.

3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure orange oil, optionmal
3 1/4 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, briskly whisk together the oil and sugar. Whisk in the eggs vigorously, and then the vanilla and orange oil, mixing until well blended. Fold in flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.

Cover dough with a tea towel and let rest five to ten minutes. Working with a third of the dough at a time on a very well-floured board, roll out dough as thin as possible, between 1/16 and 1/8 inch. Make sure your rolling pin is well-dusted with flour — a heavy pin covered with a pastry or rolling pin stocking is ideal. Cut into two-inch rounds.

Bake until tops are lightly golden, 12–15 minutes.

70–90 cookies.

VARIATION

Lightly brush each cookie with oil and sprinkle with sugar before baking