One Recipe: Endless Cookies!

A great idea for today, as you’re surrounded by friends and family

These are days for enjoying family, and we do a lot of that around food! Who can resist a freshly baked cookie right out of the oven? 

As we wrap up the holiday season, kids out of school and the last gathering of the year. Choose a day when it’s cold and invite some friends and family for a cookie baking spree. Try this one recipe, and see how easily it can be converted into many tastes! You can adjust it to your desire or to your family favorite. Here are just 3 ideas for cookie options. Let’s get baking!

All-Purpose Basic Cookie Recipe

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose baking flour
• 1/2 Tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Cup unsalted butter softened
• 3/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla

Directions: Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla. Then, mix in flour well. Scoop dough together into a large ball and split into two portions. Flatten each portion into a disc shape, cover and refrigerate at least an hour. Next, roll dough into small balls and flatten with your hand or fork. Place cookie on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12 – 15 minutes.

Cookie Option 1: Jam cookies.

Using the same recipe above. Once you have rolled your small ball of refrigerated cookie dough press your thumb into the center of the dough ball creating a “well”. Into that well drop a teaspoon of your favorite jam. If you like, top with a sprinkle of chopped nuts.

Cookie Option 2:  Chocolatey Dream sandwich cookies.

Use the same cookie recipe above. To the dry flour mixture add 3/4 Cup cocoa powder. Once dough has been refrigerated. Pinch off a small ball size and flatten with your hand.  Place cookies well spaced on a greased cookie sheet and bake according to the same instructions above. Once cooled, spread chocolate icing between 2 cookies and stick them together like a sandwich.  Seal in an airtight container.

Icing: Gently melt 2 1/4 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 C. Unsalted butter.

Option 3: Candy Cane Lane

Simply add 1/2 C. chopped candy cane pieces into the finished dough. Chill dough then, pinch off a small portion and roll into a ball and flatten as you would for the previous recipes.

Enjoy endless options from one basic vanilla cookie recipe and end the holiday season in the sweetest way! Have fun in the kitchen as you celebrate Christmas and the New Year!

Merry Christmas