2011 Great Cookie Swap

Our first Great Cookie Swap was a swinging success!  There were 14 cookies entered in competition, and the judges--Tracys Mancini and Francis and Mary Marsha Cupitt--chose three winners.

First Prize: Theresa Fine-Pawsey's Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Sea Salt
Second Prize: Lyndsay Al-Shibli's Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Third Prize: Kerry Cantwell's Rosemary Pinenut Cookies

Many thanks to all who contributed and participated, including:

Karin Abell Lyndsay Al-Shibli Gwen Barclay-Toy Lea Bingham Mary Marsha Cupitt Valarie Evans Theresa Fine-Pawsey Tracy Francis Gretel Guest

Julie Humphrey Claudia Joyner Christine Kelly-Kleese Mary Kennery Cindy Harden Wanda Maggart Tracy Mancini Gabby McCutchen Gayle Sims

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RECIPES

Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Sea Salt
Theresa Fine Pawsey

Ingredients:
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Chips, for melting into the cookie dough
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Chips, for mixing into the prepared cookie dough
2 tbsp coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. In a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Turn off the stove and let chocolate sit over warm water. (I microwave mine for 2 minutes on high.)
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and mix to combine.
3. In another bowl, mix together sugar and eggs, combine thoroughly with a whisk and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Add vanilla extract and mix. Stir in flour mixture. Cool for a few minutes (if batter is warm, chocolate chips will melt). Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter and place on baking tray. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with a pinch of sea salt.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7-8 minutes until the outside looks slightly cracked.

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Lyndsay Al-Shibli

Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar (I usually adjust this to just under a cup)
1 egg
1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (more/less to taste)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until mixture is creamy. Too little mixing prevents the sugar from dissolving, and cookies will turn out gritty.
3. Once mixture is smooth, use a tablespoon to scoop out enough to roll into a fat ball.
4. Place balls on an UNgreased cookie sheet and bake on top rack for about 10-15 minutes, long enough for the bottoms to brown.
5. Allow cookies to set for several minutes before attempting to remove them from cookie sheet. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

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Rosemary Pine Nut Cookies
Kerry Cantwell

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups flour
3/4 Tbsp. course salt
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pine nuts
2 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Sift together flour and salt in small bowl.  Set aside.
3. Beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add confectioner's sugar and continue to beat until butter is light in color and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
5. Add vanilla, rosemary, and nuts.  Mix slowly until fully mixed.
6. Mix in flour slowly until dough sticks together when pinched, about 2 minutes.
7. Roll out on lightly floured surface and cut into shapes.
8. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.

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Raisin Delights
Theresa Fine-Pawsey

Ingredients:
Dough:
3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:
1 3/4 c. raisins
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. water
1 pinch salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbs. cornstarch
2 tbs. water
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:
To make the dough:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.
2. Cream the butter with 3/4 cup of the brown sugar and the white sugar. 
3. Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix at high speed for 2 minutes, then reduce speed and gradually blend in the flour mixture. 
4. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours.

To make filling: 

1. Grind the raisins. In a medium saucepan combine the ground raisins, 1 c. brown sugar, 1 c. water, salt and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water and mix until smooth. Add to the raisin mixture and continue to simmer until thick. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, stir in the chopped nuts.

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 3/4 inch rounds. Place rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Place a heaping teaspoon of the raisin filling on the cookie round and top with another round. Crimp the edges closed.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on sheet until just barely warm.

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Ginger-Spice Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream
Julie Humphrey
(Written by Tasha DeSerio for Fine Cooking magazine
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/ginger-spice-sandwich-cookies-lemon-cream.aspx )

If you make these a day ahead of time, the cookies will soften a bit, and the flavors will mingle nicely. Fresh spices are key. Yields about thirty sandwich cookies.

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar; more for rolling
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the lemon cream:
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
6 oz. (1-1/2 cups) confectioners’ sugar

Directions: 

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and continue to beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low, slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
4. Put about 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using your hands, roll teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies feel dry to the touch and are beginning to firm up (they’ll still feel soft inside), 10 to 14 minutes. Cool completely on racks.
5. Make the lemon cream:  With a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and lemon zest in a medium bowl until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to mix until smooth.
6. Assemble the cookies: Drop about 1 tsp. of the lemon cream in the center of a cookie, top with another cookie, and gently press them. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
   

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Anzacs
Karin Abell

"Anzac" is an abbreviation for Australian and New Zealand Corps, and it's customary to eat these cookies/biscuits in Australia on Anzac Day (April 25).  Anzacs were traditionally sent to soldiers in WWI and other wars.  The recipe is eggless, and this bodes well for shipping.

The version below has a couple of variations.  First, we have replaced butter with vegetable oil to make the recipe vegan.  You could use melted butter instead of oil, though.  Second, I added lime zest to the recipe.

Golden syrup can be found in specialty stores like A Southern Season.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour (all-purpose or whole wheat pastry)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup natural cane sugar (or use 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar if that's what you have)
1 cup finely shredded non-sweetened coconut
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp golden syrup or honey
zest of one lime
1 Tbsp boiling water
1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, oats, sugar, and coconut.  Mix well.
3. Combine the oil and syrup (or honey) and add lime zest.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the boiling water and baking soda. Stir into the oil (or butter).
5. Pour the oil (butter) mixture over the big bowl of oats and stir.  You may want to mix with your hands as well.
6. Bake these as drop cookies or press the cookie batter into open cookie cutters (stick to simple shapes for best results).
7. For best results, bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for about 12 minutes or until deeply golden.

Makes 18-24 medium cookies.

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Other contestants included: 

Valarie Evans's Ginger Cookies

Gretel Guest's Traditional Gingerbread Ninjas
Christine Kelly Kleese's Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gabby McCutchen's Sugar & Spice Cookies
Lea Bingham's Marbled Toffee Bars
Mary Kennery's Lemon Chip Cookies and Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Julie Humphrey's Gingersnaps with Lemon Cream