Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

Inspiration:
Rachael Ray


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
• 6 cups miniature pretzels, chopped

Instructions:

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined; stir in the peanuts.

3. Place the pretzels in a bowl. Using a 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookie scoop and working in batches, drop a few balls of dough in the bowl and toss to coat. Place the cookies on the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans after 10 minutes, until golden but still soft to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring to racks to cool.

Notes: So good. I love that salty-sweet combination!

Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Giada's Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Inspiration: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

   Cookies:

2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   

4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.
   

5. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine.
   

6. Stir in the dry ingredients.

7. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.
   

8. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.
   

9. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

   Glaze:

10. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
    

11. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.
    

12. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.
    

Notes:

• I am revisiting a few recipes I published when first working on this blog, before I had many readers or my dSLR. I hope you enjoy these!
• Make sure you don't overbake these- they may not look done at the suggested time, but they are. :)
• It is very important to let the glaze harden before you store the cookies.
• I have not had much luck storing them in sealed containers- I think it's better to cover them loosely with plastic wrap or tinfoil and serve them within a couple days.
• These may make you famous with your friends, family, and colleagues. Everyone loves them!
  

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

Inspiration:
Kelly of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch chose this week's recipe and will be posting it on her blog.

These aren't pretty, but they are delicious.

I loved these cookies! They have a shortbread texture with just a hint of coconut and lime. When I make these again (and I will), I will double the lime zest.

These remind me of the World Peace Cookies, which has been my favorite TWD recipe so far. I might try the method used this week with the World Peace Cookies next time; it was much easier than slicing the rolls of frozen dough.

Do any long-time members think I have missed a recipe I'd love that is similar to the World Peace Cookies and these? (I have only been with the group since January.)


Tim's Rating: 9.5/10 ("I don't taste coconut or lime. Oh I taste a little lime. These taste like butter. These are really good.")
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

TWD: World Peace Cookies

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Jessica of cookbookhabit. She will be posting the recipe, which is also found on pp. 138-139 of Dorie's cookbook.

LOVE. Love. Love. I love these cookies. Chocolatey. Salty. Delicious. You must make them.

Only one slight issue with the execution: I froze the dough--when I went to slice it to bake, it crumbled a bit. I waited 5 minutes and then it sliced beautifully. I will be making these again-- SOON!

Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

I will be skipping the next two weeks of TWD due to vacations and a busy schedule. I look forward to seeing other members' results with the Floating Islands and Devils Food Whiteout Cake! I will be back on Feb 24th with the Caramel Crunch Bars.

Reindeer Cookies

Inspiration:
Taste of Home magazine

Prepare your favorite recipe for peanut butter cookie dough. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, flatten, and make an indentation so the cookie is a peanut shape. Use red M&Ms or red hots for the nose, chocolate chips for the eyes, and mini pretzels for the antlers. Do this BEFORE baking. (We found out the hard way, haha). Bake as instructed in your peanut butter cookie recipe. These need to cool a very long time so that the chocolate eyes harden.

How cute are they? I hope these are a hit at the cookie swap I am attending.

ANZAC Biscuits (Cookies)

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's stop in New Zealand
and this recipe.
I think the ANZAC biscuit background story is kind of interesting, which can be found on Wikipedia.

We visited New Zealand's south island in January 2006, and we loved it! I highly recommend a visit, and we are hoping to return sometime soon.
Here are a few of my favorite photos:

Queenstown

Fiordland

Glenorchy

Franz Josef Glacier

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  
• 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped
  
• 3/4 cup flour
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 8 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup (or honey or corn syrup)
  
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugar, and coconut.

2. Combine the baking soda and boiling water in a small bowl to dissolve, and set aside. In a small pan, melt the butter and stir in the golden (or corn) syrup. Once the syrup is mixed into the butter, stir in the baking soda and water mixture. Remove from heat and pour into the mixing bowl containing the dry ingredients.

3. Stir until the dough forms. It should be moist and able to hold its shape. If too dry, add a few drops water. If too moist, add a sprinkle of flour.
   

4. Place rounded teaspoon of mixture on parchment and generously space apart. The cookies will each be 3-4″ wide.

5. Place baking sheet into a preheated 300 degree oven for 12 minutes or until the cookies are a deep golden brown on top. They will puff up during baking and once cooled will be very thin. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Notes:
Since the cookies are thin, it’s best to bake them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. When removed from the oven they are too fragile to remove by spatula, with the parchment you can lift them off of the baking sheet and can set on a rack to cool.


My Notes:
Make sure you leave plenty of room between cookies as they really spread during baking.

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 8.5/10

Next week on The Amazing Race: Cambodia, another of our favorite travel locations!

Katie's Apple Spice Cookie Bars

Inspiration/Ingredients/Instructions:
The fabulous Katie. Her blog is one of the first I started to follow, and it's fantastic!

Katie's Apple Spice Cookie Bars

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Inspiration:
A recipe found in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

Ingredients/Instructions:
PDF or HTML


Notes:
Very moist. You cannot taste the zucchini. (We actually used summer squash.) I think that I may reduce the amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg the next time I make these.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Chocolate Chip and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Inspiration:
This recipe from vikingrange.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons), brought to room temperature
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 (packed) cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (at least 60% cacao)
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

Instructions:

1. Position two racks in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl; whisk to mix evenly, and set aside.
3. Put butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit it with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high. Keep mixing on high speed until it looks light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. This is called "creaming." While you are creaming the butter and sugars, stop the mixer two or three times to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. With the motor running on low speed, add the egg and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium, and beat until evenly mixed.
5. When the ingredients are mixed together well, reduce speed to low, and carefully add 1/3 of the flour mixture. When flour is mixed into dough, carefully add another one-third of the flour. Continue mixing on low speed to combine. Add the rest of the flour, and mix together well.
6. Turn off the motor, and add the oats, chocolate chips, and dried cherries. Mix on low speed just to combine.
7. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough for each cookie. Put them on the parchment paper, spacing them about 2-inches apart.
8. Bake cookies in preheated oven until edges are just beginning to brown, about 12- 15 minutes. (Note: Only edges will be beginning to brown - the rest of the cookie will still be pale.)
9. Carefully remove cookies from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack.

Notes: These are very good; the cherry flavor is subtle, so I may add more next time.

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10 ("I don't taste the cherries. Or the oats. But they're really good.")

Oatmeal Crisps

Inspiration:
Everyday Food

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix 4 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Mix in 2/3 cups rolled oats.
   
2. Drop firmly packed teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake until golden, rotating sheets halfway through, 12-15 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute; with a very thin spatula, transfer to paper towels to cool completely.

Suggested Beverage: double espresso

Recipe Notes: Makes 18-24. Store these cookies for up to one week in an airtight container at room temperature.

My Notes: These are the easiest cookies ever. Light and crispy, they are not traditional chewy flour-based cookies.

Tim's Rating: 8/10 ("I could eat 45 of these.")
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Lunch Lady Bars

Inspiration:
This post on Sherri's blog (appropriately entitled "Yum."")
She found the recipe on allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. Flour
• 1 t. soda
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 c. oil
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
   
2. In bowl mix together oil and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix in 3/4 c. of chocolate chips.
   
3. Spread into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. chips on top.
   
4. Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Notes: These are very rich, and very delicious! They totally remind me of the soft chocolate chip cookies served at my own high school. Thanks, Sherri!

Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Peanut Butter Cookies

Inspiration:
Tim's request for "peanut butter cookies with the fork marks"
and
A recipe found in Joy of Cooking, a gift from my friend Jaime

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1.25 teaspoons baking powder
  
• .5 teaspoon baking soda
  
• .25 teaspoon salt
  
• .25 cup vegetable oil
  
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
  
• 1.5 sticks softened butter
  
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  
• 2.5 teaspoons vanilla
  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease cookie sheets.


2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.


3. Beat oil, peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended.


4. Add egg, extra yolk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined.


5. Stir in flour mixture until well blended and smooth. Let the dough stand for about 5 minutes to firm slightly.


6. Pull of pieces of the dough and roll into generous 1-inch balls. Space about 2-inches apart on the sheet. Using the tines of a fork, form a crosshatch pattern and press each ball into a 1.5-inch round.


7. Bake, 1-sheet at a time, until the cookies are just tinged with brown at the edges, 9-12 minutes; rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even browning.


8. Remove the sheet to a rack and let stand until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool.

Notes: These are buttery/crunchy, not chewy.

Suggested beverage: cold milk

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Mrs. Field's Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Inspiration:
This recipe

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 3 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all−purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 300F.
• In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon for topping. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with a whire whisk
• and set aside.
• In a large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add
• the butter, and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape eides of bowl, then add
• the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not
• overmix. Shape dough into 1−inch balls and roll each ball in cinnamon−sugar
• topping.
• Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 17−20 minutes.
• Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool, flat surface.

Suggested Beverage: double espresso

Liz's Rating: 10/10