Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

     Happy Friday.  Well it is not much a bright Friday here in Atlanta.  The weather here is gloomy, cold and lots of rain.  Rain is always good but not when it looks so gloomy outside.  But despite the weather I am going to enjoy a cookie and catch up on my favorite reads.

Raspberry Sugar Cookies

    Happy Holidays!  How was everyone Christmas?  Did Santa bring you what you wanted?  I did not want anything for Christmas this year but to spend quality time with my family and make sure my two girls were happy.  And guess what I scored!  My youngest daughter made sure she reminded me every hour that we have to make cookies for Santa.   I could not let my munchkin down and fail as a supermom, so me and my daughters headed to kitchen to bake up a storm.  

    The normal person will bake Santa some chocolate chip cookies.  Nope, not me.  If Santa is visiting my house he have to get something extra special and not the norm.  Hey we want extra gifts over here! The first thing that came to my mind is gingerbread cookies.  But then my oldest daughter got too excited and said we can make a gingerbread house.  Um yeah but I do not want to go back out to the store in all that madness to get more candy.  Sorry love, we going the simple way - sugar cookies.

 I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe from Bake at 350.  But we did not want to go to simple.  Due to the time and other tasks I had to do I know I could not decorate the cookies with royal icing.  I took another approach and make some raspberry preserves to add in the middle.  I took out my circle crinkle cookie cutter and we had a blast in the kitchen.

Vanilla - Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached - all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar ( stored with vanilla beans)
2 sticks salted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 egg (it can be cold)
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  In a medium size bowl sift flour and baking powder, set aside.
3.  Cream sugar and butter for five minutes.  In a separate bowl whisk egg and extracts.  Pour egg mixture in the sugar mixture.  Mix until combined.
4.  Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.  Scrape down the bowl and the bottom.   The dough will be crumbly.  Knead together with hands as you scoop it out the bowl.
5.  Take a sheet of wax paper and about 1/3 of dough and cover with another sheet of wax paper.  Press dough down with your hands a little bit .
6.  Roll dough to about 1/4" to 3/8" thick and cut out with your desired cookie cutter.  I like to dip my cutter in flour so it does not stick to the dough.
7.  Place parchment lined baking sheets on a baking sheet.  Freeze on the sheet for 5 minutes before baking and then bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.


Recipe adapted from Bake at 350








 

Chewy Ginger Cookies

    Have you ever seen the Original Kings of Comedy?  My best part is the end with stand up comedian - Bernie Mac.  I crack up all the time when he talks about how his nieces and nephew driving him crazy.  My favorite part is when he imitates his nephew saying "To get some milk and ' coookies".   If you have not seen it you have to check it out.  You would be dying with laughter.

    When I made these cookies that is what came to my mind.  

    

    I was constantly cracking up in my kitchen saying "Who wants some milk an coookies".  So who want some?  These cookies are right in time for fall.  They have that spice flavor with a ginger-sweet bite.

Chewy Ginger Cookies 

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. fine salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup finely grated fresh ginger

1 large egg

1/3 cup unsulfured molasses

3/4 cup raisins

   sanding sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, using a mixer beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high heat until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.  Beat in fresh ginger, egg, and molasses.  Beat in flour mixture: fold in raisins.  Scoop dough into 1 1/2-inch balls onto a parchment -lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.

2.  Preheat oven 350 degrees F.  Roll balls in sanding sugar, placing 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until centers are just set, 16 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies to racks: let cool completely.