Cookies Delight

English: Plateful of Christmas Cookies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw

Cookies are tiny, flat, sweet items made of flour, shortening, sugar and other ingredients. This mixture is referred to as "dough". The dough is made into different shapes and sizes. Flavoring nuts or fruits are added to the dough according to one's preference or taste. Some cookies are frosted to improve their eye appeal or attractiveness.

The following collection of cookie recipes enable you to cook to your heart's desire. Cook them all and see if you can tell what type of cookies you are doing. Give yourself a simple quiz from the types of cookies: dropped cookies, molded cookies, rolled cookies, pressed cookies, refrigerated cookies, and cookie for bars or squares. This is fun, so why not start doing your dough!

RAISIN COOKIES

You will need:

1 cup margarine

1 ½ cups sugar

3 pcs eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cups raisins, boiled in

1 cup water

Here's how:

Cream margarine, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda; add to the batter mixture. Cream until well blended. Add raisins and shape into balls then dip into sugar. Place on greased baking pan spaced equally. Bake at 375^oF for 20 minutes.

BUTTER COOKIES

You will need:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 ½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup powder milk

4 pcs eggs

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla

Here’s how:

Sift flour and baking powder. Cream the butter then add sugar. Add egg one at a time. Drop in greased pan. Bake until golden brown.

LENGUA DE GATO

You will need:

½ cup butter

½ cup sugar

3 egg whites

1 cup sifted cake flour

Pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Heavily greased and flour 2 baking sheets. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until smooth while beating continuously. Lastly, fold in the flour, salt and vanilla.

Put batter in a pastry bag with a plain round tip. Pipe out the mixture about 2 inches long, leaving about 1-inch space in between. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are brown. Remove cookies from the baking sheet at once. Cool, store in sealed containers.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

You will need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup cocoa powder

½ cup cooking oil or corn oil

1 ½ cups refined sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

3 pieces medium eggs

Sifted powdered or confectioners’ sugar

Here’s how:

Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together oil, sugar and vanilla. Beat eggs

Add dry ingredients and beat well until well blended.

Using 1 tablespoon dough for each ball, shape dough with hands into balls. Roll in powdered sugar.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven (375^oF) for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet. While cookies are still warm, roll again in powdered sugar.

Cool completely on rack before sorting.

CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL

You will need:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup margarine

¾ cup margarine

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 square chocolate

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 375^oF. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream shortening or margarine until fluffy. Add sugar gradually and beat until blended.

Add egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Half dough in half; add the melted chocolate to the other half.

Roll out white dough on a piece of floured wax paper to form a rectangle measuring about 8”x11”.

Do the same with the chocolate dough. Chill. Invert the white dough against the chocolate dough.

Press the sheets gently with a rolling pin. Pull off wax paper. Proceed to roll up the dough lightly. Wrap the rolled dough in wax paper. Chill, cut 1/8” slices and place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

COCONUT MACAROONS

You will need:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 bar butter

½ cup sugar

2 pieces eggs, slightly beaten

2 cans condensed milk

1 cup evap milk

5 cups grated coconut

3 cups powdered milk

Here’s how:

Sift flour and baking powder gradually. Set aside. Cream butter and add sugar gradually. Add slightly beaten eggs, condensed milk, evap milk, powdered milk and blend very well. If desired add grated cheese or dayap. Pour in paper cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

SPECIAL BROWNIES

You will need:

4 quart (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup shortening/butter

2 cups sugar

4 pieces eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped nuts if desired

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Grease baking pan, 13x9x2 inches. Heat chocolate and shortening in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla, mixed in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan. Bake until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

CHEWY ORANGE COOKIES

You will need:

2/3 cup raw sugar

2 tablespoons oil

1 eggwhite

3 tablespoons fresh or unsweetened orange juice

1 ½ self rising flour

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

2 tablespoons currant

Here’s how:

Combine sugar and oil in bowl. Beat eggwhite, orange juice and peel. Fold in sifted flour and currants.

Dropped 2 teaspoonfuls onto lightly floured baking tray, allow room for spreading. Bake at 180^oC for 10-12 minutes, or until brown. Serve warm or cold. Store in an air tight container.