Christmas Cookies Thread from BC

[BakerAunt]

Christmas cookies [Thread from BC]

I am making a bunch of Christmas cookies for a flyer I'm going to print up. I will have a pictureof all the cookies together on the table. I wanted some ideas for some really pretty ones that will photograph well. I am making almond spritz now, I'll also make Jam Strips, peppermint bark, Fudge, and a few others, but need ideas for some that will really "pop". Any suggestions? Thanks!
posted by: pammyowl on November 13, 2011 at 9:06 pm in General discussions
.
reply by: nantucketlilly on November 13, 2011 at 9:11 pm
How about those snowflake ones from the KAF catalog?
I sent for those cutters and got them last week........can't wait to use them.
~L

reply by: pammyowl on November 13, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Yes! I ordered them, too! (I got them from Barnes and Noble, though. I get free shipping there! Sorry KAF!)

reply by: hickeyja on November 13, 2011 at 9:37 pm
I have a recipe posted for Viennese Specials. They look like little round stained glass windows. Jan

reply by: pammyowl on November 13, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Oh, I made those once, years ago! Great idea! I put the recipe in my box, will make tomorrow! Thanks, Jan

reply by: uninvited-guest on November 13, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Cranberry Orange Pecan (white) Fudge photographs incredibly well... it's very festive...

reply by: pammyowl on November 13, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Sounds pretty! Where do I find the recipe?

reply by: --jej on November 13, 2011 at 11:42 pm
p-0wl, I make Gingerbread Men every year, and tonight am making some for a photo-shoot tomorrow by the local newspaper for our Cookie Walk coming in early Dec.
The Gingerbread Men are always popular. I like to put their arms and legs in different positions, so they are quite reminiscent of the original Gingerbread Man from the story, running along and waving happily, with a huge smile on the face. Eyes and tummy buttons consist of globs of icing topped with currants for the former, and raisins for the latter. I sort those and match sizes and colors so they are coordinated, too. And as I mentioned in the 'icing' thread, I really love the House on the Hill 'Clear Sugar Glaze' for this job, as it dries quickly.
I like to put each G-Man (approx. 5" tall) in a baggie, with a twistem at the top of his head, and often (if there are any available) even hang some on the tree.
These little men will go quickly at the Cookie Walk. For a family cookie tray, I might prefer my 4" cutters, and maybe even a few of the miniature cutters, as well. The miniature cutters include a little G-Lady, as well as the G-Man.
Another very popular cookie I've used are Apricot Buttons. Some would say they are a thumbprint cookie, but to me, they are very special and in an entirely different class. I'm not sure if the recipe made it from the Old Baking Circle or not.

reply by: uninvited-guest on November 13, 2011 at 11:39 pm
I just posted it to my recipes. Here is a link: [Uploader's Note: It's among the recipe here on the Nebraska Kitchen site.]

reply by: --jej on November 13, 2011 at 11:51 pm
p-Owl, I just searched this site for these cookies, and found the recipe in the following thread, should you want to look at it. You will note that it calls for margarine. Some of the old BC-ers chose to make them with butter, but I prefer the way the margarine gives a little more body to them when baked. However, I NEVER use anything but the kind and type of margarine specified. To each his own, of course. As mentioned, the thread on this sight is the following:
Help, I need Jej's Apricot Buttons

reply by: pammyowl on November 14, 2011 at 12:04 am
Thanks, I'll be making this tomorrow. I have to get some oranges!

reply by: pammyowl on November 14, 2011 at 12:08 am
Yum! thanks! I'll do those and some gingerbread men (and women) but, believe it or not, I don't have gingerbread man cutters! Well, I do have two, a tiny man and an average sized woman. So, they will have to wait!

reply by: --jej on November 14, 2011 at 5:38 am
Just want to mention... In making the glaze for the G-Men, I found I needed to add just a bit of moisture. So added 1 t. water in 1/2 t. increments. (It's a bit dry in the house with the heat on these days.) Also, I'd forgotten, but because this glaze is so quick drying, it is necessary to keep the excess covered while using it. I might also mention, I put the two dots on for the eyes, then IMMEDIATELY add a currant to each, as I've found that even adding the mouth before placing the currants on the eyes means the frosting probably won't be quite as receptive to them due to the quick drying. ***Also, It's a lot more interesting to have some of the G-Men peering right, some left, some up, some down, put some at a slant, etc. Be guided by 'where' you've positioned their arms and the tilt of the heads. Gives each one his own personality.*** I use a little copper decorator, rather than a pastry bag (it's what I grew up with! LOL), and it only holds so much.

And one more point, p-Owl: The House on the Hill doesn't specify using CANE CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR in their glaze, but I make a point to buy NOTHING else. I find it can make such a difference in some things, so I use the cane all the time (C&H is generally more available here, and Domino where DD lives). I don't want to risk wasting my time nor the ingredients on generic brands. Mind you, this is MY OPINION ONLY. ;)))

I also will mention another favorite little cookie for the trays. My DD used to (and actually, still does) absolutely adore her Raggedy Ann, so back when she was little, I acquired Raggedy Ann and Andy cutters. These, too, make very appealing cookies, and they never last long, all year long. It also takes a little extra time to decorate them carefully and authentically (the 'yarn hair' and the striped legs, the pinafore, etc...), but I've found it all very worthwhile.

reply by: pammyowl on November 14, 2011 at 5:40 am
Oh, how cute!! But where do I find Ann and Andy? Do you remember where you found them? Can you post a picture of your little darlings? I know those would sell, and fast!

reply by: dachshundlady on November 14, 2011 at 6:10 am
Another pretty recipe involves any semi-soft sugar cookie dough (not crisp but not really puffy). You roll out the dough, cut into circles and, to half of the circles cut out a small hole in middle (I use a thimble). Once the cookies are cooled you put some seedless raspberry jam on a solid cookie and top with one of the holed ones. Let sit a day, in tin or Tupperware, to let the jam soften the cookies. They are so pretty and delicious.

reply by: --jej on November 14, 2011 at 11:59 am
p-Owl, I believe I have two sets of them. Let me check, and if I do, you can send me your address (snail mail) via e-mail, and I'll share one with you. I have so many cookie cutters, it may take me a day or two, as this is a very busy week.

reply by: --jej on November 14, 2011 at 1:41 pm
p-Owl, I am so excited!! I was able to actually take a picture of the bowlful of G-Men who will be taken to the photo-shoot for the local newspaper for our church Cookie Walk!!! I am so excited, because then I actually was able to upload the picture on my personal page!! All by myself!! Usually my gray hair prevents my diddling successfully with these modern-day gadgets, but this time I can cheer and give a whoopee! Now I will hunt for the Raggedy cookie cutters ... in-between four more meetings this afternoon and tomorrow!!

reply by: swirth on November 14, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Those are so cute, jej, and you did a great job on the pic, as well!

reply by: GinaG on November 14, 2011 at 4:04 pm
Oh, I can't WAIT to see the Raggedy Ann and Andy Cookies, they were my childhood favorites!

jej., you sound like you'd have a ball on this site:

http://WWW.universityofcookie.com

She has really fun stuff there, I think you'll enjoy it.
Ciao,
Gina

reply by: pammyowl on November 14, 2011 at 7:22 pm
How cute! Kudos for -jej on uploading the picture! I'm going to copy you, let me know how much of a commission you want! I think 25% is fair, don't you?

reply by: uninvited-guest on November 14, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Adorable cookies! I anxiously await the pic of Raggedy Ann and Andy!

reply by: GinaG on November 14, 2011 at 8:52 pm
Me, too!

reply by: frick on November 14, 2011 at 9:00 pm
These cookies are really festive. I make them only at Christmas time.

CHRISTMAS RIBBON COOKIES
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped candied cherries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture.

Divide dough into 3 parts. Mix the chocolate and nuts into one part and press evenly into the bottom of a waxed paper lined 9x5" loaf pan. Set pan in freezer for a few minutes or until firm. Stir the cherries into the second dough third and press evenly into pan over the chocolate layer. Put back in freezer until second layer is firm. Add poppy seeds to the remaining dough and press evenly over the cherry layer. Cover pan and chill in the refrigerator until firm.
Remove dough from loaf pan and cut into thin slices (about 1/8 inch). Bake about 10 minutes at 375ºF. Watch closely because they can burn fast, but they should be starting to color around the edges.
Notes: These cookies should be crispy when completely cool. If they are not, they may be sliced too thick, not baked long enough or oven is too hot. Leave some space between them on the cookie sheets--they grow quite a bit. I make my slices across the short side of the loaf (side to side) and then cut that in half for two medium-size cookies.

reply by: hickeyja on November 14, 2011 at 11:53 pm
All you cut-out cookie makers might like this site: http://www.cookiecutters4less.com/ and they have a deal going right now for free stuff when you order. Jan

reply by: dachshundlady on November 15, 2011 at 6:34 am
[uploader's note: sorry, I could not get the picture in.]

reply by: --jej on November 15, 2011 at 1:34 pm
p-Owl and others, I was just finishing cleaning up in the kitchen, and decided to take a quick look at nearby cookie cutters in plastic bags -- when there was the yellow Raggedy hanging in its bag, upside down!! Both were in the bag (along with some other cutters). Talk about heaven sent!!
This pair was the first of my Raggedy cutters, and I've had them for years -- DD is now 37 years old, so they must date back 35 years at least. It is my favorite pair, and has the name 'Ervan Guttman Co.' on the back. I looked a bit further (have several bags of cutters sitting right on a little shelf of cookbooks perpendicular to the left of my sink!), and there were the two more recent. They are by Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc. They are shaped a bit differently, with perhaps 'bushier' hair, which is quite appropriate, and the pair is one red, one blue.

I think I'll be making some of them, also, for our Cookie Walk, decorated with Christmas colors. I would love to make them from my Scotch Shortbread Cut-Outs cookie dough, but it is so tender, I usually prefer to make smaller '1 or 2 bite' cookies from it. I have another favorite dough that came with my Kraft Co. "Twelve Days of Christmas" cutters, which I'll probably use, as it holds up to rangier shapes and sizes.

And speaking of those Kraft cutters, p-Owl, they are absolutely a knock-out when you present them. I made 13 sets (which translates to 13 dozen!!!) for a Bridge Cookie Exchange once, which my friends were reluctant to even disturb, let alone devour!! Very, very effective. My, my!!! The possibilities are endless. Must run now to the first of today's meetings.
I did take time to google for the two Raggedy cutter sets. They are available. This is the site for the Ervan Guttman cutters, still in their original packaging!! With a price tag of 79 cents. Remember those days, anyone???

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mint-mip-guttman-raggedy-ann-andy-...

reply by: BenjaminAdams on November 15, 2011 at 3:58 pm
I'm glad that you've got the hang of this posting photos thing 🙂

reply by: Cindy Leigh on November 15, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Ditto. I did these for ads for a cookie fair. The newspaper did a cover story in our weekly paper and it was on the cover. They are beautiful. I flooded in pale blue and piped in white and used sparkling sugar.
I also had spritz colored with food coloring, lime cookies (dusted in powdered sugar with a drizzle of green tinted white choc looped across the top), cashew stars drizzled with milk chocolate and dusted with gold metallic sprinkles, etc. the photo came out pretty good and I think the key is varying shapes and sizes and textures.

reply by: pammyowl on November 15, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Cashew Stars? Yum! Where do I find the recipe?

reply by: Mrs Cindy on November 15, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Oooooh, those G-men are so darn cute!!!
~Cindy

reply by: dachshundlady on November 15, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Yes, Ben. Keri walked me thru it. I keep a cheat sheet next to my laptop.

reply by: frick on November 15, 2011 at 9:25 pm
dachshundlady, those are the cutest gingerbread characters I've ever seen! They have such personality!

reply by: Cindy Leigh on November 15, 2011 at 9:31 pm

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Extra-Special-Cashew-Crescents

I started with the above recipe, rolled and cut into stars, but did not top with anything before baking. After they were cool, I streaked one side of each cookie with several parallel lines of melted chocolate and sprinkled metallic gold sparkling sugar on that. They were pretty elegant looking. They taste great. But the dough is not particularly easy to work with. I will definitely do them again.
I make about 200 dozen fancy cookies every holiday season for two cookie fairs, plus our own cookie platters to give as gifts. This one earned its way onto my keeper list.

reply by: pammyowl on November 16, 2011 at 12:39 am
I made this, and you are right, it does photograph well. It is also delicious! Thank you!

reply by: pammyowl on November 16, 2011 at 3:48 am
Guess what? I found quite a few of the Raggedy Ann and Andy cutters on ebay. Now don't everyone rush over there to bid against me!

reply by: dachshundlady on November 16, 2011 at 6:21 am
Yes, Jej's gingerbread folks are adorable!

reply by: uninvited-guest on November 16, 2011 at 3:42 pm
I'm glad you enjoyed it! It looks fabulous on a red plate. I always get raves over it, and when I share the recipe, I feel silly because it is really soooo easy to make.

reply by: elsa on November 16, 2011 at 4:24 pm
While visiting my DD in Denver last week, she gave me a set of three gingerbread men cookie cutters - each one minus a body part; i.e. head, arm, leg. They were called ABC cookies, Already Been Chewed! Not thinking any more about it, I packed them in my carryon. At the Denver airport security, my jacket, purse, shoes all came through easily. However, the TSA person kept peering at the screen into my suitcase. Finally she looked up and said, "Cookie cutters?" I replied, "Yes!" She commented, "One is missing a head, the other an arm and the third a leg!" We had a good chuckle.

reply by: --jej on November 16, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Elsa!! Your story about the missing parts of the G-Men cutters is really funny and cute.
Your story also reminded me of making the G-men when DD was really small. She must have been 2-3 years old when I had started putting several of them in the Baggies to hang on the Christmas tree where she could reach them. I began finding a little man abandoned just anywhere, missing his head... and a few days later, there would be another headless little guy somewhere in the house. It turned out that DD was allergic to the spices, esp. cinnamon, in the cookies, and she'd eat the head and leave the rest of him. After discovering that, we had spice-less Molasses Men for several years, and even now when DD and DGS visit us, they are strictly made of molasses only - and still delicious.

reply by: pammyowl on November 16, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I printed the recipe, thanks! Now to find metallic gold sparkling sugar, hmm, I think I'll check out Wilton. They do sound elegant! Why is the dough not easy to work with? The cashew chunks?

reply by: frick on November 16, 2011 at 7:30 pm
dlady, thank you for the link. Can't wait to try them.
So, they were jej's cookies? I can't imagine how I mixed that up but anyway, such personality! jej, you are the best.

reply by: Matt B on November 19, 2011 at 12:34 am
Pam, my favorite 'showstopper' holiday cookies are called Rainbow cookies. They're sometimes called Napoleon Cookies or Tricolor Cookies. Very popular at Christmas and Hanukah, especially on the east coast. They are a lot of work, but worth it: three layers of almond paste-based cake, layered with apricot and raspberry jam, with chocolate glaze. The best recipe I've found is in Carole Walter's cookie cookbook - let me know if you'd like it. I will post a photo if I can!

reply by: Matt B on November 19, 2011 at 12:58 am
[uploader's note: once again unable to transfer picture]

reply by: pammyowl on November 19, 2011 at 1:24 am
Yum! I'd love the recipe, Matt! I love all the flavors you described, so I'm sure I would love these, but it looks like cake. Is it? No matter, I still want the recipe. I'll see if I can find it online. Thanks!

reply by: pammyowl on November 19, 2011 at 1:42 am
Does this recipe look like the right one?

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rainbow-cookies/detail.aspx

reply by: dachshundlady on November 19, 2011 at 6:41 am
I have heard them called Neopolitan Cookies too. Oh I soooo love them. Is the chocolate coating part difficult? A local Italian bakery has them at $15/lb. I have never dared try making them. I know I could not leave them alone.

reply by: Matt B on November 19, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Hi Pam, that's basically the same recipe. I call it cake-like but it's a cookie for sure. The pictures may not show that they are quite small - about 1-1/4" tall by 1-1/2" wide. Applying the chocolate coating is not hard, but I recommend doing this step with the 'strips' sitting on a cooling rack with wax paper underneath, so the chocolate does not pool and harden as it flows down the sides. Also, these cookies taste best AT LEAST three full days after they are made, and stay fresh enough to eat without freezing for another week.

Here's a link to my preferred and helpfully very detailed recipe.

Rainbow Cookies

reply by: Cindy R. on November 23, 2011 at 8:58 am
Land of Lakes has a recipe for an Almond Glazed Sugar Cookie, and it is to die for1 I'm sure you can find it on the website. It looks awesome on a cookie tray. Hope this helps!

reply by: pammyowl on November 23, 2011 at 11:01 am
Yum! Very pretty, thanks!

reply by: --jej on November 23, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Have you made the Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies, Cindy? Just wondered how you liked them, and especially that little 'glaze pillow'?

Curious, I went to this site and found ALL of their cookies lovely and appealing. It is interesting to note that the recipes for the Fall Leaves Sugar Cookies, Best Ever Butter Cookies, and the Sugar Cookie Cut Outs were essentially the same recipe, but for a couple of small differences: milk and orange juice were interchangeable, and the 1-1/2 t. almond extract became 1 T vanilla. And the Frosting recipes were pretty much the same, too.

I have some other favorite recipes, but shall be trying out their Fall Leaves, especially (I enjoyed the video of making the colored leaves), as well as some others. I like the idea of the orange juice, and may just use some orange zest to heighten the flavors a bit.

reply by: GinaG on November 23, 2011 at 11:42 pm
--jej,
I think you'll like the orange zest with the juice, my family like that in my sugar cookies with a glaze of confectioners' sugar, orange juice or lemon juice and zest, kind of like the cake we all had years ago, do you remember that? Poking holes in the cake and pouring the syrup over it? Nice flavor!

reply by: --jej on November 24, 2011 at 6:03 am
Yes, Gina, and I am really eager to make those zesty, orange-flavored cookies!! Oh, so many things petitioning for my time in the kitchen.

After finishing his spaghetti last night, DH asked for cookies for dessert. Of course there were none yet, as there was still a last piece of 'his' apple pie to deal with. lol

reply by: dachshundlady on November 24, 2011 at 6:14 am
Ooooh, I remember that cake. Don't think I have the recipe anymore though.

reply by: GinaG on November 24, 2011 at 5:09 pm
To tell the truth, I remember my mom using a cake-mix for the cake and making the glaze on the stove! I've seen a few recipes for lemon tea-cakes using this method, it keeps it really moist!

reply by: pammyowl on November 24, 2011 at 5:14 pm
What are you talking about? What cake? Thanks, Pam

reply by: GinaG on November 24, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Back-up to prior replies, yesterday?...Land O' Lakes Butter Cookie recipes and jej looking forward to making orange coolies with zest. I don't think it's a specific cake so much as a method to infuse moisture and intense flavor. I believe it was originally a Jell-O cake. You poke toothpick holes and pour the glaze over it.

reply by: pammyowl on November 24, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Yeah, I remember Jell-O cakes. I have never made cookies using cake mix, they would probably be too soft. My thinking is that cookies should be crispy. Not a fan of the soft ones! Personal preference I suppose!

reply by: swirth on November 25, 2011 at 8:07 am
I have made the greatest cookies using cake mixes of all flavors! I used to buy mixes at 5/$ 1.00 when first married. There was the best little recipe for Chocolate Crackles using a cake mix and folks on the oldBC were always asking for that recipe...they LOVED that recipe.

Several folks used strawberry, lemon, spice, orange and lots of other flavors of mixes and they loved them.

A friend used to make over 2000 Christmas cookies each year and she wrote me on the old BC for the recipe as she'd used it for her lemon cookies and could not find the recipe...she loved them on her cookie trays!

They were so good and kids loved all the many flavors.
The Chocolate Crackles were almost identical to Chocolate Crinkles, a scratch recipe.
Another poster on the old BC had an orange cookie recipe using an orange cake mix.

reply by: --jej on November 25, 2011 at 8:34 am
swirth!!! I may have to ask for your recipe for the Chocolate Crackles using the mix. Why ? I've tried several recipes for The Crinkles -- and none of them measure up to some I'd eaten once at a gathering that were soooooooooooo good!!
Pretty Please with Sugar On???

reply by: dachshundlady on November 25, 2011 at 9:05 am
My mother made a cake with an orange juice glaze that was so good. Don't remember if it was cake mix or scratch. Bet it was a Bake Off winner or something like that.

reply by: KIDPIZZA on November 25, 2011 at 11:18 am
SWIRTH:
Good morning. What is a "CHOCO CRACKLE" & "CHOCO CRINKLE"
Thank you before-hand. Have a nice day Sarah.
~CASS.

reply by: swirth on November 25, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Sure, jej...computer is tied up with a stupid scan and slower than molasses in January...I'll dig for the Chocolate Crackles in a bit but I did find this one I'd saved from katnal:

Orange Crinkles
Submitted by: katnal

Here is a great EASY recipe with a mix my 15 year old son loves:
Makes 4-to 5 dozen 2 1/2 " cookies
Oven 350

1 package Duncan Hines Orange Supreme Deluxe Cake Mix
1/2 cup Crisco Oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. grated orange peel
Pecan halves, if desired

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except the pecan halves. Drop from a teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, press one pecan half into top surface of cookie (we always do!!). Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Cool on cookie sheet about 1 minute then remove to rack to finish cooling.

These are yummy, quick and delicious!!! This recipe was snipped from a magazine years ago.

reply by: swirth on November 25, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Chocolate Crinkles are a favorite cookie for many years made from scratch...lots of recipes out there on the internet.

I'm digging for my Chocolate Crackles recipe...it is a really old recipe made with a cake mix and a few ingredients...folks love them and they can be made in so many flavors.

I think they are also called Earthquake Cookies that are made with a cake mix as the base, but I need to check on that to be sure.

reply by: swirth on November 25, 2011 at 12:49 pm

Here you go, along with some commentary re Earthquake Cookies being the same thing:
11/27/2004
swirth

Lost cookie recipe - does anyone have it?

Annie...as I said, the Google search revealed that the Earthquake Cookies were identical in ingredients to my old, old Chocolate Crackles recipe...I've been making these since WAY back in 1967 when I got married and cake mixes were 5/99 cents! When the lady said she recalled them being called Earthquake Cookies, I did the Google search, and when she described them, I automatically thought of my old Chocolate Crackles...moist and almost brownie-like.

You can use any flavor cake mix...we've used spice, all the chocolate ones, carrot, cherry, strawberry, pineapple, lemon...they are so easy and one of our all-time favorite cookie recipes...kids love 'em!
----------------------------------------------------------------
Chocolate Crackles
1 pkg. (reg. size) devils food cake mix
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
Confectioner's sugar for rolling cookie balls in

Combine cake mix, eggs, water, and Crisco. Mix with a spoon until well blended. This will be very stiff, but do not add more water. Shape the dough into small balls and roll well in confectioner's sugar. Place onto greased cookie sheet. I'd use parchment paper, today. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min. Makes 48 cookies. Do not bake longer than the stated time as they will dry out. These are so moist and fudgy and they 'crackle' on top as they bake.
----------------------------------------------------------------
So many old BCers made this recipe and someone was always looking for the recipe after they'd lost it. One lady with four kids made them all the time for her kids and they took them to school for treats...she loved the cherry and strawberry ones.
Happy Baking!

reply by: GinaG on November 25, 2011 at 6:10 pm

I love how things evolve around here. We were talking about the glaze made for a cake used instead on cookies which turns into cookies made with cake mix!

Pammyowl, I'm a made-from-scratch snob, but I do see the merit in this technique: I don't think the cookies would be cake-like for using a cake mix, because all cake mix really is is everything you put in a cake or cookie dough except what you add to it. It has Flour, sugar, salt, leaveners, flavoring and instead of butter, somesuch oils.

It may be a good alternative to have everything pre-measured and flavored for you when you need to crank out cookies fast, huh? I can play with it because I have cake mixes for my cake decorating class, let me see how it turns out!

I do know that the crinkle cookies are always a hit, and they're a moist and chewy cookie.
I have a question pertaining to cake-mixes:
In the case of a dump-cake or using the cake-mix as a topping, does it come out like a crunchy topping? I asked this in another thread and never got a reply.
GinaG.

reply by: Mrs Cindy on November 25, 2011 at 7:22 pm

The dump cake question: no the cake sort of sinks down and mixes with the ingredients on the bottom of the pan. It isn't a very elegant looking cake, but with a name like Dump Cake, what do you expect. The top isn't crunchy.
~Cindy

reply by: --jej on November 25, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Gina, there are things that could qualify me for a bona-fide snob in the world of baking and cooking, too. But if this cake mix recipe makes better Chocolate Crackle cookies than any other recipe I can find, I'm all for it!! The results are the main thing, at least in my book. EVERYTHING I make has gotta first LOOK BEAUTIFUL and APPEALING. THEN, and only then will someone want to indulge. And THEN it has to meet taste-bud expectations.

I learned that at home, I'm sure (we kids did most of the cooking growing up, as Mom was either making all our clothes [my first store-bought coat was when I was a senior in high school] or working an outside job. Well, we did some of our own sewing in 4-H, etc..., too). And then I was cook in a private home throughout my college summers for some industrialists... and that is when I was told by some of the helpers at the big summer parties: The thing that my employers always liked was that my presentations were equally pleasing visually as well as to the palate.

So, whether a snob or simply terribly fussy, I probably fit the bill. (I hope I don't act like the proverbial snob, though. LOL)

And Cindy, I belong to a group here in town that seems to LOVE to serve 'dump cakes.' They are starting to drive me crazy. I don't mind the occasional dump cake, but the frequency of them on the dessert table ... (maybe I'm a bit of a snob here, too?)

reply by: pammyowl on November 25, 2011 at 11:15 pm
I received my Raggedy Ann and Andy cookie cutters today! Yay!

reply by: swirth on November 26, 2011 at 7:35 am
I could really get irritated about folks who poo-poo using cake mixes but try to sit on my hands and not type unkind things...I think of cake mixes or any other kind of mixes for that matter as the flour, sugar and flavorings.

There is one muffin mix by Pillsbury, I think, that I have never been able to make as a better one from scratch and I have tried for years and years...so I use the mix and do a lot of doctoring and additions...no one would ever believe it is a mix when I get done with it.

The topic of using a mix made for many a BCer leaving the old BC and I hated that so much...it is not our place to criticize another poster for whatever works best for them...just my opinion.

reply by: dachshundlady on November 26, 2011 at 7:54 am
I agree, swirth. I generally make things from scratch but there are some good recipes that involve cake mix. Like the chocolate crinkles or "Better Than Sex Cake", my son's all- time favorite cake. It's like saying you should ONLY hand sew a quilt. Give me a break. Same with using a KA or bread machine. I personally like to knead bread and have never gotten the hang of telling when a dough is ready using the KA, but hats off to folks that do it that way. And, BTW, I have had some pretty dry or coarse "from scratch" cakes and wished the baker had just used a mix!

reply by: uninvited-guest on November 26, 2011 at 9:46 am
Very true. There is a time and place for everything... including mixes.

That being said, my 11 year-old nephew and I always got a good chuckle when my sister made something "from scratch." For Grayson and I, "from scratch" means breaking out the flour, sugar, eggs, butter, etc. My sister thought it meant busting out a box of mix. We got her set straight on that. Now she makes HOMEMADE stuff, not stuff "from scratch." LOL

reply by: Mrs Cindy on November 26, 2011 at 12:40 pm
So true, swirth! Every month for my 'hair group' I make brownies. A huge recipe since our hairdresser takes the leftovers to her three teenage boys. Everyone knows I start with the Ghiradelli triple chocolate brownie mix. I doctor it differently every month. We all agree it is better than ANY from scratch recipe. Like you said, it's the flour, sugar, salt....... and the additions are mine. Yeah, I use mixes. Did it for the Pumpkin Dump Cake. It was great. I have mixes in the pantry. I never use them 'straight', but they are a great foundation!
~Cindy

reply by: omaria on November 26, 2011 at 1:40 pm
My aunt and uncle had a great group of friends, mostly Dutch. None of them were great bakers. They would come to my aunt's house for potluck dinners and brought all kinds of cakes and cookies. I was single, worked downtown L.A., and after work would go there for dinner. All the cakes and cookies tasted terrible to me. After all the good pastries, cakes, pies in Holland there really was nothing to my liking here. Even when the VONS grocery stores opened an up-scale store called Pavillions. We went there for the 1st time and they had beautiful pastries. Hubby and I bought 7 of them. All excited, they looked sooo good. Went home and started sampling . They all ended up in the trashcan. So you can call me a snob as far as bought things are concerned. And (out of desperation) I am baking myself now. Love it! Found you all on the Baking Circle and am so happy about that!

reply by: GinaG on November 26, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Oh-oh, swirth! Did I upset you? I thought I posted same about what a cake mix consists of...I don't think anyone is being criticized, I think there was a quizzical response from someone who's being exposed to undiscovered territory.

Can anyone answer this question? Could you use a cake mix to create a crumb or cookie like topping or is there too much oil in it. I'm thinking if you could render a cookie, you could probably make a crunch, right?

I did say I'm going to make the crinkle cookies, I have everything to make them with! Not today though, maybe tomorrow.

I personally find it interesting to see an ingredient or product used in a different way, I like learning new things.

jej, I love your story. I'm really not a snob, either. I grew up in the catering business and yes, presentation is critical.
GinaG.

reply by: frick on November 26, 2011 at 8:19 pm
I'm sorry I've missed getting in on this discussion, SO, I have two things to add/ask,

1 - Mrs. Cindy, I would like your recipe for the Pumpkin Dump Cake

2 - Last year I made Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Crackles. They were the best I've ever had, hands down. Also, hands down, one of the most troublesome to make since they had a lot of chocolate, melted and folded in, then chilled to make firm enough to hand form into balls. The chocolate soon melted onto our hands. Quite messy, but the BEST CHOCOLATE COOKEIES EVER.

3 - Needing more cookies for the Christmas party, I made the next batch with a cake mix. Since I still had the MS version on hand to compare, the cake mix version was very disappointing, both in flavor and texture. If I make a mix version again, I'll add more chocolate, certainly.

So, boys and girls, I can't claim that I never use a mix, and certainly understand when it's the best solution for a busy cook, time and taste wise (and budget, too) but as for Chocolate Crackles, scratch beats mix.

The MS version is in my recipes. [uploader's note: among recipes here at Nebraska Kitchen]

reply by: Mrs Cindy on November 26, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Frick, I got this from the ladies who clean my house, MaidBrigade; they sent it out on FaceBook. Like I said, not an elegant cake, but really quite good. The bottom is like a pumpkin pudding with a cake-like topping, but the topping sort of sinks into the pudding layer. Enjoy.
~Cindy

Pumpkin Dump Cake
1 15 oz. can Pumpkin Puree
1 10 oz. can Evaporated Milk
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted
1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans
1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray (I used pan grease)
In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
Pour into your prepared pan.
Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips.
Pour your melted butter evenly on top. (pour in a slow steady stream, trying to cover the cake mix as evenly as possible)
Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

reply by: swirth on November 26, 2011 at 10:09 pm
No, GinaG, it wasn't you that upset me re using mixes...on the old BC, there was one (or two) who carried on and on about anyone using a mix for anything...long, long threads and over and over again...always being critical of KAF and their catalogue always adding more and more mixes and being so critical that PJH would step in in defense of their additions of mixes. Many told me they just left because they didn't want to be caught talking about using a mix of any kind.

I don't know about using a mix for a crumb-like topping but I had some great Cake Mix Doctor recipes that used some dry cake mix with some other ingredients to make a cinnamon streusel layer in the middle of a bundt cake and that worked fine.

The Sock-it-to-Me Cake is one of those and there's a chocolate version, as well.

reply by: --jej on November 28, 2011 at 4:51 am

A very similar Pumpkin Dump Cake was served at a meeting 2 weeks ago. The ladies all raved so much that it was e-mailed to all with e-mail addresses and snail-mailed to the rest!

I mention the differences only because it has 1/2 c. less brown sugar, which some may require or prefer. Other minor differences are 'pecans or walnuts' (no graham crackers or toffee bits), plus add 1/2 t. cinnamon. This one also suggests 50-55 min. to bake. It's assembled pretty much the same, even to the suggestions of what to serve with it.

reply by: GinaG on November 28, 2011 at 6:53 am
Okay, I kept most of my promise to make these cookies. I at least got the dough ready.

I didn't have Devil's Food, so I used what I had, which was Chocolate Fudge, but I scooped out a scant 1/2 C and replaced it with a scant 3/4 C Dark Cocoa and the remainder, Black Cocoa. I used butter and instead of 1 T water, I filled the T. 1/2ish with the water and 1/2 with peppermint extract. Almost changed my mind to using almond extract, but got lazy. I tasted the dough, I must say, it's pretty nice.

One thing though: For people like me, not such a good idea to "mix in a bowl with a spoon." Instant mess, instant regret. Of course this revelation dawned on me at the point of no return: Had to use my hands. Do yourself a favor and use the standing mixer or the food processor! Well, what do you expect at 3:30 in the morning before my coffee? I'll let you know how they turned out. Maybe too much extract. Nasal inspirations... oddly...minty-cool (!)
GinaG.

reply by: GinaG on November 28, 2011 at 7:21 am
Frick? Are these the cookies you tried?

http://www.marthastewart.com/281209/chocolate-crackle-cookies

The recipe calls for melting the chocolate in a double-boiler, buy I'd think the microwave at half-power would work. I want to try the recipe you mentioned, because I have a really good crisp chocolate cookie recipe, but I'm testing chewy ones.
GinaG

reply by: GinaG on November 28, 2011 at 9:10 pm
RESULTS of CRINKLES and CRACKLES

The Crinkles:
Ugh. My fault. My first dozen were overdone, I was in such denial about it I kept "tasting" them as if that would improve them.

My stomach is killing me. Ate five bad cookies and two good ones. After sourdough bread. No dinner for me! I need Cindy Leigh's ginger. (And probably a spanking!)

You really have to be careful with chocolate cookies in general when checking for doneness and I forgot about this! I was much more careful the next batch, removing them just as they were cracked: Much, much better. Can't leave the rejects for wildlife, though, they don't do caffeine.:) I'm already buzzy from all that cocoa and sugar. The rejects were like mini whoopie pies. The good ones are just as you'd expect a crackle cookie to be, very moist with a slightly chewy exterior.

I like how they turned out with the peppermint extract, very nice indeed--Not so much the raw dough, that could clear your sinuses!

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Crackles:
Okay. I must say, I do like these better if given the choice, they do have a deeper, richer, chocolate flavor and I omitted the double-boiler step by microwaving the chocolate and stirring well between low-powered zaps. I used Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71%, a bit resentful of depleting my "drug" bars on a big fat maybe, but I'll live. Perhaps a good melted chocolate could add oomph to the mixed cookie.
A touch of Espresso powder also brings out chocolate notes.

So, Pammyowl, there you have it! You wanted cookies that photograph well. It will be good to include these very popular cookies in your picture and when you'd prefer to spare the good chocolate, it should not be missed in the cake mix variety.

No more cookie testing OR tasting tonight for me!
I'm curling up with a heating pad, a cookbook and my ginger candies.
Buono notte,
GinaG.

reply by: pammyowl on November 29, 2011 at 9:54 am
Oreo lovers,try this;

http://www.food.com/recipe/oreo-balls-52035?nl=FCW_112911_featlink2&sni_...

reply by: omaria on November 29, 2011 at 11:04 am
Yeahh , let's hear it for the big RED V. If they ever stop making that one I am going to be in deep trouble. Every evening around 9.00 it is tea time with 2 squares of my Valrhona.

reply by: pammyowl on December 13, 2011 at 8:38 pm
I just made these fantastic cookies, I highly recommend them!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wayne-harley-brachman/cranberry-pecan...

reply by: dachshundlady on December 14, 2011 at 6:22 am

Boy, those do look good. I make The Barefoot Contessa's (Ina Garten) recipe which also includes cream cheese. Someone over on Randy's blog uses yeast in her rugelach, which I had never seen before.

reply by: pammyowl on December 14, 2011 at 8:19 am
I made Ina's recipe last year. They were good, but I like these better!

reply by: dachshundlady on December 14, 2011 at 8:30 am
Other than him using cranberries and pecans rather than her raisins and walnuts, his has no sugar in the dough but more in the filling. I find that I like raisins much more than dried cranberries in baked goods. But I do prefer pecans to walnuts.

reply by: pammyowl on December 14, 2011 at 8:38 am
Ina's was messier to make, too. The preserves oozzed out during baking, making them hard to get off the pan. I don't remember why I didn't use parchment, was out, maybe! The other recipe calls for too much brown sugar. I'd cut it by 1/3 next time!

reply by: dachshundlady on December 14, 2011 at 10:18 am
Yea, I noticed all the brown sugar in the filling. But I have never met a rugelach that I didn't like!

reply by: Mrs Cindy on December 14, 2011 at 10:46 am
Hallelujah!!!!
~Cindy

reply by: GinaG on December 16, 2011 at 4:24 pm

Here's another cake-mix cookie: It's a Paula Dean recipe my cousin just forwarded; very decadent with cream cheese and butter...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chocolate-gooey-butter-coo...

reply by: KitchenBarbarian aka Zen on December 04, 2012 at 1:42 pm

bumping up for seasonal interest!

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Author]

Posts