Aristocrats

Well with Valentines coming up, I could not resist the bright pink sanding sugar.  After buying it, I was on the hunt for a recipe that uses it.  I have decorated sugar cookies and russian teacakes with sanding sugar, so I narrowed it down to a cookie recipe.

I found a recipe that is basically a butter cookie with mini chips mixed in.  The dough is made into a log, chilled and wrapped with an thin layer of dough and then covered in the sugar.  These do have some crunch to them and they are perfect for dunking in hot tea or cold milk. This recipe makes about 6 dz small cookies.

Aristocrats
adapted from Gourmets Best Desserts

Ingredients
3 oz of mini chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup and 2 tbs of butter (or 1 & 3/4 sticks)
2 eggs
1/2 cup colored sugar crystals

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add one egg and beat for 30 seconds. 

Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour in 1/4 cup increments.  The mixture should form a dough when all flour is completely mixed in.  Split the dough in half and seal one of the pieces in plastic wrap or foil and chill for 30 minutes.

While that is chilling, take the other piece of dough and mix in the mini chips.  Once evenly distributed, split dough mound into 2 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, roll and form each piece into a log.  Each log should be even in diameter and be 10 inches long. Set aside.

Then take out the chilled dough.  Dust a flat surface with flour and roll dough into a rectangle, measuring 11 x 9.  Cut the dough in half , lengthwise, so you have 2 pieces.  Each piece should be 4 1/2 X 11.  Beat remaining egg in a small bowl. Using a  pastry brush, cover the face up side of  one piece of dough with the egg wash.

Place one log in the very center of the piece of the dough brushed with the egg wash.  Roll the rectangle around the log, sealing ends and seam.  Brush again with the egg wash.  Then sprinkle the colored sugar on a piece of wax paper and roll log in sugar until covered.  Wrap in foil and put in fridge.  Repeat the same process with the remaining log and dough rectangle, so you have 2 logs chilling in the fridge.  They will need to be in the fridge for at least 4 hours to firm up to the consistency you want.

During the last 1/2 hour of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Also, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Once the logs have completed the chilling stage, remove from fridge and slice each log into 36 slices of even thickness.

Place each cookie on a baking sheet, spacing about 1/2 apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or when bottom starts to brown.  Remove pan from oven and place cookies on a rack to cool.

Notes and Tips:

1. Since the cookie dough is sealed at the end, your end pieces will not be as nice as the other slices.
2. The recipe also states to use chopped walnuts in the dough instead of chocolate chips, use 2/3 of a cup.  For variety, you can do 1/2 of each.

                    **LAST YEAR: Celebrity Factor Cookies**

Trucker Cookies

The best thing about cookies is that no one ever complains that there are too many add ins.  I can't even imagine anyone saying: "There is too many chocolate chips in these cookies..".  Based on that there are so many varieties out there-the possibilities are endless.

Due to the age of this recipe I am unable to link directly back to it.  Actually if you search on "trucker" cookie in the net it pulls up several different recipes, so the name is far from being unique.

Along with all the tasty add ins, I think that grains in a cookie does add a little touch of healthiness as well as texture.  These particular cookies actually have rice crispies in the batter along with the oats. The recipe also calls for butter flavored crisco.  I rarely use this ingredient, but it does seem to give the cookie batter an extra rich flavor.

These cookies prove to be a pretty tasty snack for all ages, so do not just limit them to the kids lunchboxes!   Another benefit is that they do not require a lot of time in the kitchen to make. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Trucker Cookies
adapted from  Newlyweds-blog.com

Ingredients
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup shredded sweet coconut
1 tbs milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare pans by lining with parchment paper or greasing lightly.

Sift together the baking soda, salt and flour.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening with the two sugars.  Once it reaches a fluffy consistency, beat in each egg.  Then add the milk and vanilla extract.  Beat again until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Using a wooden spoon, mix in the rice krispies and rolled oats.  Then stir in the sifted ingredients. Once no more dry streaks remain, fold in the chocolate chips, nuts and coconut.

Place tablespoon sized scoops of batter onto baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.  Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges have turned golden and toasty.  Remove from oven and place baking sheet on rack to cool.  After 2 minutes, transfer cookies to rack to finish cooling.
                        **LAST YEAR: Harvest Spice Bites**