So Many Sweets!

This year's Great Cookie/Candy Contest saw more competitors than ever!  TWENTY-FIVE entries were laid out on the tables in the TLC.  They were all terrific, and there was much debate about favorites.  In the end the winners rose to the top!

This year's judges were Rex Horton, Cindy Hardin, and Keitcha Royal, with an administrative assist by Gina Perryman.  Thanks to all of you!

The 2017 Contestants

Cookies

Candies

Erin Popov's Easy Butterscotch Bars Karin Abell's Grinch Cookies Meredith Lewis's Coffee Star Cookies with Moo Hoo Fudge Filling and Eggnog Marshmallows Meredith Lewis's Coffee Star Cookies with just Moo Hoo Fudge Filling Fae Goodman's World Peace Cookies Fae Goodman's Chatham County Rugelach with Homemade Muscadine Jam and Walnuts Julie Humphrey's Classic Peanut Butter Cookies Stesha Little's Christmas Chess Bars Brittney VornDick's Cherry Almond Cheesecake Cookies Lance Lee's Chocolate Eclairs with Peppermint Creme Chantilly Amy Netzel's Reindeer Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies Jennifer Bennett's Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies Chris Mansfield's Triple Chocolate Candy Cane Delight Peyton Lombardi's Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter and Sea Salt Cookies Lea Bingham's Margarete's Swedish Pepparkakor JaNel Moore's Pecan Meringue Cookies JaNel Moore's Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies Kerry Cantwell's Rosemary Pine Nut Shortbread Cookies Doreen MacKinnon's Rum Ball Cookie Bites Kate Koballa's Molasses Cookies Mary Kennery's Mexican Wedding Cookies Mary Kennery's Chocolate Cool Whip Cookies Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

Brittney VornDick's Marshmallow Fluff Fudge Brittney's Sweetened Condensed Milk Fudge

 Apologies to the baker whose name is not listed above.  The cards got thrown out before I had a chance to grab them, and poor Jennifer Bennett had to pull them out of the garbage for me.  Some escaped.  Please let me know if these were yours and I'll gladly update this list!

The Winners

Third Place (Tie):
JaNel Moore's Lemon Poppy Seed CookiesKate Koballa's Molasses Cookies

Second Place:
Stesha Little's Christmas Chess Bars

Honorable Mention (Most Unique):
Kerry Cantwell's Rosemary Pine Nut Shortbread Cookies

Cantwell forfeited her prize because this was a second win for that recipe.  She won first prize for these cookies in 2010.

The Winner of the 7th Annual Great Cookie and Candy Contest Golden Spatula:

Amy Netzel's Reindeer Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies!

Congratulations, Amy!

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Here are some recipes for you to test out in your own kitchen!

Karin Abell's Grinch Cookies

RECIPE: https://therecipecritic.com/2017/12/grinch-cookies/

Jennifer Bennett's Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Jennifer: Here is the recipe, which was tweaked slightly but I don’t know how until I am making it!

RECIPE: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookies-with-espresso-and-cinnamon-35389

Kerry Cantwell's Rosemary Pine Nut Shortbread Cookies

RECIPE: In the blog post from the first Great Cookie Contest in 2011: 

https://dtcommcircle.blogspot.com/2011/12/2011-great-cookie-swap.html

Fae Goodman's World Peace Cookies

World Peace Cookies on the left.

RECIPE: https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/world-peace-cookies/

Kate Koballa's Molasses Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg. Beat well. 
2. Add dry ingredients and mix well. 
3. Chill dough (one hour to overnight). 
4. Form into 1” balls, roll in granulated sugar (I like to mix red and green sanding sugar in). Place on greased cookie sheet (or parchment). 
5. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes for chewy cookies.

Meredith Lewis's Coffee Star Cookies with Moo Hoo Fudge Filling

A note from Meredith: This is what mine was based off with a little freestyling based on a failed fudge experiment and existing marshmallows.

RECIPE: Martha's Cappuccino-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies https://www.marthastewart.com/1135004/marthas-cappuccino-chocolate-sandwich-cookies

Amy Netzel's Reindeer Peanut Butter Ritz Holiday Cookies

INGREDIENTS

·         2 packages (32 oz.) candy chocolate (or chocolate almond bark)

·         1 Tbsp. shortening

·         100 Ritz crackers

·         1-1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

·         1 package cinnamon candies (or red mini M&M’s)

·         50 small twist pretzels

·         100 edible candy eyes

SUPPLIES

·         Plastic fork (break off two middle tines)

·         2-quart crockpot (or double-boiler)

·         Wax paper

·         Cookie sheets

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Break chocolate into chunks, add shortening, cover and turn crockpot on Low. Mix periodically until melted and smooth.

2.    Roll out wax paper on a cookie sheet.

3.    Spread peanut butter on the flat side of one cracker. Then sandwich one on top.

4.    If peanut butter overhangs the edge of the sandwich, use your finger to smooth it.

5.    Repeat with all crackers, chill until chocolate is completely melted.

6.    Place a cookie in the chocolate and swirl around until covered. Use fork to remove, and place on the wax paper.

7.    Add 2 eyes, 1 cinnamon candy and pretzel on top to create the reindeer.

8.    Let stand on wax paper for about ½ hour to 1 hour to harden.

9.    You can also put in the fridge to set up quicker.

10. If you aren't serving these immediately you can store them in air tight container or freeze them.

11.  Use wax paper in between the layers of cookies.

12.  Enjoy!

Erin Popov's Easy Butterscotch Bars

From: Grandma's Kitchen Treasured Family Recipes

INGREDIENTS

8 tbsp (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 c. milk chocolate chips

1 c. butterscotch chips

1 c. crispy rice cereal

1/2 c. flaked coconut

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Pour evenly onto the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking pan.
3. Sprinkle graham crackers crumbs evenly over butter in baking pan.  Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, cereal, coconut, and pecans evenly over the graham cracker crumbs.
4. Pour condensed milk evenly over layers; do not mix.
5. Bake until lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Variations:

Substitute 1 1/2 c. slightly crushed chocolate sandwich cookies for the crispy rice cereal.  Drizzle the hot baked layers with 1/2 c. butterscotch sauce before slicing into bars.

Brittney VornDick's Cherry Almond Cheesecake Cookies 
Adapted from Yellow Bliss Road at https://www.yellowblissroad.com/cheesecake-cookies-updated-recipe/

prep 10 mins

cook 10 minstotal 20 minsyield 44 cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)1/2 cup butter (room temperature)1 1/4 cup granulated sugar2 eggs1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon almond extract2 1/2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon saltJar of Maraschino CherriesPowdered Sugar

Cherry-Almond Glaze (from https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/sweet-soft-cherry-bread-with-cherry-almond-glaze.html#):

1/4 cup reserved cherry juice (from the jar of maraschino cherries)
1 teaspoon almond extract
about 1 1/2 cups+ confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter together at high speed until fluffy and smooth; 1-2 minutes. Add sugar to the butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy; 1-2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla+almond extract; 1 minute.
3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets; batter will be sticky. Top with a maraschino cherry
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should be light in color, not browned, and just starting to brown on the bottom. *Length of baking time may vary from oven to oven.
6. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar, dip in chocolate once cooled, or top with the Cherry-Almond Glaze.

Note: Do not over-bake. This can cause the cookies to come out more dry and biscuit like. 

Bragging Rights Earned in 2016 Cookie/Candy Contest!

Adding candy to the 2016 Great Cookie and Candy Contest was a brilliant idea.   Thanks to Heidi White and Toni Brown for the suggestion!  This year's entries were top notch, but out of the pool of amazing competitors rose some clear winners.

This year, our judges were Annie Gill, Tom Jaynes, Mark Hand and Rhea Deroian.

The 2016 Contestants

Cookies

Candy

Brittney Vorndick's Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Brittney Vorndick's Almond Joy Cookies Erin Popov's Oatmeal Cranberry Lemon with White Chocolate Chip Cookies Erin Popov's 3 Ingredient Lemon Cookies JaNel Moore's Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies Kathy Lanio's Almond Vanilla Butter Cookies Kerry Cantwell's Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies with Lemon Glaze Lance Lee's Peppermint Macarons Mary Kennery's Busy Week Cake Mix Cookies (four varieties) White Chocolate Nutella Chocolate Chips Peppermint Nathan Hardin's Almost Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Toni Brown's Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies

Kathy Rexrode's Toffee Bars Meredith Lewis's Coffee Marshmallows Meredith Lewis' Soft Caramels Stesha Little's White Chocolate Toffee

Fabulous prizes were awarded to the winners!  Let's begin with the cookie winners.

And the winners are:

Best Texture / Most Fluffy: 
Erin Popov's 3 Ingredient Lemon Cookies

Erin took home a new Durham Tech keychain.

Best Cookie to Eat Fireside with Girl Scouts:
Toni Brown's Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies

Toni took home a new scented candle.

Third Place:

Brittney Vorndick's Almond Joy Cookies

Brittney won a new Post-It note dispenser.  Good job, Brittney!

Second Place:

Lance Lee's Peppermint Macarons

The Winner of the
6th Annual Great Cookie Contest:

JaNel Moore's
Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

And now for the candy winners!  JaNel took home the prized Wooden Baby Deer Spoon.

Most Creative / Innovative:
Meredith Lewis's Coffee Marshmallows

 

Meredith took home a new Burt's Bees lip balm.

Second Place:
Kathy Rexrode's Toffee Bars

Kathy won a new box of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer bandages.

The Winner of the 

FIRST Great Candy Contest:

Stesha Little's White Chocolate Toffee!

Stesha also won a prized Wooden Baby Deer Spoon.

Please congratulate our winners when you see them on campus!

Here are a few recipes for you to try at home!

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Meredith Lewis's award-winning Coffee Marshmallows

Adapted from thekitchn.com

Ingredients:

For the gelatin bloom:

3 packets unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon instant espresso

For the marshmallows:

3/4 cup water

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/4 cup corn syrup

Pinch kosher salt

For the coating:

1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon instant espresso

Directions:

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JaNel Moore's award-winning Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon rum extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

2 cups shredded carrots

3/4 cup raisins

FILLING:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1-1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

2 tablespoons crushed pineapple

Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large electric mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and extracts.  
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger and nutmeg.  Gradually add to flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in walnuts, carrots, and raisins.
4. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
5. Scoop rounded teaspoons of dough and roll in granulated sugar. 
6. Place balls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with a glass.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
8. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Stir in walnuts and pineapple.  
9. Spread over the flat bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining half of the cookies.  Sprinkle both sides with additional confectioners' sugar for decoration.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Kerry Cantwell's Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies with Lemon Glaze 
Find the recipe here at therecipecritic.com

2015 Annual Great Cookie Contest and Swap Is a Hit with the People

There were more than a dozen entries in the Fifth Annual Great Cookie Contest and Swap trying to earn the title of Durham Tech's Best Cookie.  Our judges this year, Susan Paris and Laura Rogers, sampled each of the entries beside a virtual yule log in the TLC.

Susan Paris and Laura Rogers testing the entries.

The competition was stiff, but there were clear winners:

1. Julie Humphrey's Coconut Macaroons  

   

   Julie Humphrey's Award-Winning Coconut Macaroons!

   
   
2. Karin Abell's Nanaimo Cookie Bars

   

   Karin Abell's Canadian Nanaimo Cookie Bars

   
   
   
   
3. Lance Lee's Christmas Toffee Cookies (no photo--they went too fast) and Mary Kennery's Lemon Lavender Cookies (tie)

   

   Mary Kennery's Lemon Lavender Cookies

Other amazing entries this year included:

• Heidi White's Seven-Layer Cookies
• Heidi White's Fudgie Cookies (OK, fine.  It was just fudge.  Peanut butter fudge and chocolate fudge.)
• Mary Moore's Haystack Cookies
• Gina Perryman's Cherry Kiss Cookies
• Mary Moore's Meringue Cookies
• Kerry Cantwell's Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies 
• "Spacy" Tracy Mancini's Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with Oats, Raisins, and Chocolate Chips (recipe below)
• Rolo Turtle Cookies
• Pecan Pie Bars

Below are two of the recipes for this year's contestants:

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with Oats, Raisins, and Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup long cooking oats

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs beaten

1. Mix all ingredients in large bowl.
2. Spoon onto greased baking sheet about two-inches apart.
3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes at 350 degrees.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter

2.7 ounces good quality sweetened chocolate with guajillo chili powder, coarsely chopped

1 cup packed turbinado sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup unsweetened coca powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter and chopped chocolate together, whisking until glossy and smooth.  Cool the chocolate mixture to room temperature.
3. In a bowl, beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs on low speed until well-combined.  Pour in the cooled chocolate and continue to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate batter and mix on low speed until just combined and no visible flour remains.  Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  
5. Working in two batches, scoop balls of fough, about 1 1/2 tablespoon size, onto a parchment-lined baking pan, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each cookie.  Bake the cookies, one pan at a time, for approximately 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time.  The cookies should be puffy and still fairly soft when removed from the oven.
6. Immediately, slide the cookies, still on the parchment paper, onto a wire cooling rack.  Cool just a bit before serving, about 5-10 minutes.  Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to three days.  
7. Spend those three days cleaning the kitchen.  You just made a colossal mess.

4th Annual Great Cookie Contest and Swap Brings a Real Winner

This year's Great Cookie Contest and Cookie Swap was wonderful!  Folks from all over the college brought their A-game for our judges.  This year's judges were Amy Madison, Andre George, and Dr. Bill Ingram.  Our judges approached their roles with great reverence and dedication.  They managed to gulp down samples of TWELVE different entries.  Three rose to the top:

1.  JaNel Moore's Red Velvet Cookies AND JaNel Moore's Addict 'Ems (with oatmeal, chocolate, and nuts) (TIE)
3.  Gretel Guest's Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Walnut Bars

The other entries included the following amazing treats:

• Mary Moore's German Chocolate cookies
• Heidi White's Vanilla Peanut Butter Somethings
• Christine Gunnigle's Snickerdoodles
• Marina DelVecchio's Greek Koulourakia cookies
• K. Leigh Forell's Oatmeal Raisin cookies
• Kerry Cantwell's Snickerdoodles (surprisingly from the same recipe as Christine's)
• Karin Abell's Caffeinated Cats, Canines, and More (including stars, trees, and at least one fox!)
• Little Tina's (Bryant-Allen) Oatmeal Pies
  
  
  

  

  Karin's Caffeinated Cats, Dogs, & More

Christine Gunnigle's Snickerdoodles



Mary Moore's German Chocolate cookies



Heidi's tasty cookies



Marina's Greek cookies



Kerry's Snickerdoodles



Little Tina's Oatmeal Pies

Mmmmm...Heidi's Fudge!

Also presented but not eligible for competition was Heidi White's Peanut Butter Fudge and Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge.

But where are the pictures of the WINNING COOKIES, you might ask?  Unfortunately, those cookies went so quickly that I never got a photo.  Sad trombone.  

2012 Great Cookie Swap

The Second Annual Great Cookie Swap was a hit!  It was a bit less well-attended than last year because it was held on the last day of classes, but there was still plenty of participation.  Unfortunately, the hostess failed to photograph any of the proceedings.  The only evidence that any of it even happened are the belly aches we have from sugar-overload.  Photos below are from linked websites.  Eight cookies entered the contest, which was judged by Wanda Maggart and last year's Great Cookie Contest winner, Theresa Fine-Pawsey.

First Prize: Kerry Cantwell's Palmiers (Elephant Ears)
Second Prize: Nan Dernar's Orange Drop Cookies
Third Prize: Mary Kennery's Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Honorable Mention: Kathy Zarilla's Cornmeal Lime Cookies

The DT Community Circle wishes to thank all the folks who contributed and participated:
Karin Abell
Gwen Barclay-Toy
Nan Dernar
Valarie Evans
Gretel Guest
Cindy Hardin
Patrick Hines
Mary Kennery
Wanda Maggart
Rachael Remington
Gilbert Umberger
Kathy Zarilla

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RECIPES

Palmiers (Elephant Ears)
Kerry Cantwell

Ingredients:
Lots of granulated sugar
Puff pastry
Parchment paper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of sugar over your workstation. Roll out the puff pastry to about 10" x 12". Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of sugar over the dough.
2. Roll up the left vertical side inward, stopping in the middle of the dough. Roll up the right side of the dough. The two rolls should be meeting at the middle and touching. Press the two sides together gently and let the dough chill in the fridge for at least half an hour. Repeat with any more puff pastry you may have.
3. Starting at one end, cut off pieces of the log, in slices about 1/2 inch in thickness. Lightly sprinkle sugar onto each side. Pinch and press the sides of the two rolls together to ensure that they don't unroll during baking. Place on large parchment lined baking sheets. They will increase size dramatically, so leave plenty of room between each cookie and only bake a dozen at a time.
4. Set the tray in the middle of the oven. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the sugar has caramelized. Allow them to cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe and Photo Source: Simply Recipes

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Orange Drop Cookies
Nan Dernar

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream Crisco and sugar, then add eggs.  Mix well.
3. Add orange rind and orange juice to mixture.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Add to creamed mixture.
5. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet. 
6. Bake 8-10 minutes.

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Cornmeal Lime Cookies
Kathy Zarilla

• Prep: 45 min. + freezing Bake: 12 min./batch
• Yield: 96 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup lime juice
4-1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice
Holiday sprinkles

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lime juice and peel. Combine flour and cornmeal; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Shape into two 12-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Shape each roll into a square-shaped log. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
3. Unwrap and cut into 3/8-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 11-14 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Combine confectioners' sugar and lime juice; spread over cookies. Decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set. Yield: 8 dozen.

Originally published as Cornmeal Lime Cookies in Country Woman December/January 2013, p26

Baker’s note:

No way I got 96 cookies unless they were very tiny – which makes icing them a challenge.

However, that challenge is less onerous if you soak the naked, battered limes (used above) in gin, and give them a proper send-off!

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Scottish Shortbread

Patrick Hines

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar (1/4 cup for dough, the rest for dusting)

1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks (DO NOT USE MARGARINE)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, 1/4 cup of the sugar,  and butter.  
3. With your fingers, rub mixture together until it is very crumbly and no large particles remain.  Press it into a firm lump with your hands. 
4. Place the dough (it is crumbly) in an 8- or 9-inch diameter cake pan or pie pan (I use a pie pan).  Press the dough firmly and evenly to fill the pie pan.  
5. Prick the surface with a fork 3-4 times.  (You can use the fork to make a decorative border by pressing the fork all around the edges.)  
6. Bake until pale golden brown, about 40 minutes.  
7. Remove from oven and, while warm, cut with a sharp knife into 8-12 wedges and sprinkle with about 1 Tablespoon of sugar.  
8. Let cool, then remove from the pan.  Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for longer periods. 

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Other contestants included:

Gretel Guest's Peppermint Bark Cookies

Cindy Hardin's Sugar Cookies

Cindy Hardin's Peanut Butter Cookies