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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Sugar Coma

...and I'm done.  No more cookies!  Well, unless I make the Italian pizzelles.  But that's just frosting on the cake.  Hardee har. Moving on.
Last night, I finished off the holiday baking with 3 more kinds of cookies:

1.  Peanut Butter Thumbprints
     1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Salt
In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter. Beat in egg. Add in flour, baking soda and powder and salt. Roll into balls.Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Wash your hands.  Place your thumb in the middle of each cookie to make a dent!  Cool for 30 minutes, dollop strawberry jam in the center of each.  Makes 3 dozen PBJs.....yum.  I feel like I'm 5 again!

Cookie # 2....Snickerdoodles with a Twist!

Once again, we start with basic sugar cookie dough....but add in 3/4 c cinnamon chips!  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/4 c sugar mixed) while still warm.  Let cool on wire racks.  Makes 4 dozen.

Last but not least....meringues!!  I have a love affair with these babies (yeah, the hubster is used to my shenanigans).  They are light, airy, sweet, and somewhat sinless at 22 calories each....yup, you heard right.  Not by any means a health food, but somewhat better than a piece of fudge.  Wait, fudge?  I should make some....ahem.  Okay, sorry about that.  Back to MERINGUES.  Now, you want to make these babies at the end of your baking spree....not only do they need a low temp oven and hella long to bake, but you actually want to turn the oven off halfway through baking.  These are often called "forgotten" cookies, because you SHOULD NEVER open the oven to check them...and because they take so long, you might forget you made them!  (Don't worry.  I didn't).

Airy Meringues
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
Dash Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
4 egg whites, room temp.
1 tsp cinnamon
Note-these are possible without an electric mixer, but so much easier with!!  Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form (should look foamy....about 3 minutes on high).  Add in sugars, salt, vanilla and cinnamon a little bit at a time, beat on high for about 6 minutes or until glossy peaks form (see above for "glossy peak" picture.  Turn the oven on to 250.....drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (you'll need 4!) and bake for 50 minutes.  Turn the oven OFF.  Keep the cookies in the oven as it cools, for at least an hour.  NO PEEKING!  Makes about 5 dozen cookies (you might want to half the recipe if you don't have enough sheets...these need to bake all in one batch.)  Yummy.

Ok, I surrender.  I'm done.  Cookie overload.  Now....onto Mama TFB's to help her bake.  But I'm battling the sugar coma and running there.  11.78 miles on foot buys me at least that many cookies.  Ready, set....go!

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