ISO cookie recipes: slice&bake or refrigeratable shaped cookies

[marmar]

I'm "catering" my friend's party and since its on a friday and I'm at school all week I need some yummy cookie recipes that I can make the weekend before and either roll in a log and quickly slice on Friday and pop in the oven or cookies that do not need rolled out (I don't like rolling pins) that I can put on the cookie sheet and keep in the fridge until then.

I'm worried about using just any old cookie recipe because I once had tough biscuit-like cookies, but that may have just been a fluke.

I only have about twenty minutes prep time (tops) on Friday, I need to get most of the work done over the weekend. But that does not include baking time.

 

[marmalady]

I do a lot of 'slice and bake' cookies at Christmastime; here are a few of my faves:

LEMON SCENTED GINGER ALMOND CRISPS​

Makes about 5 dz.

½ cup sliced almonds
1 ¾ cups AP flour
½ cup sugar
½ T. ground ginger
1 tsp. fine lemon zest
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
¼ cup molasses
½ tsp tsp lemon extract
½ tsp vanilla
2R minced crystallized ginger

Toast the almonds til golden in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

In mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, ginger, zest, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add butter, molasses, extracts, and beat on med. Speed til combined. Reduce speed to low, and add in almonds and crystallized ginger.

On a piece of parchment paper, shape the dough into an 8 ½ x 3 inch rectangle, about 1 ½ inches thick. Wrap the parchment around the dough, then wrap in plastic.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or til firm, or freeze.

Preheat oven to 350; line cookie sheets with parchment.

Use a sharp knife, and make slices crosswise, 1/8 inch (yes!) thick or less, if you can. Place on baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake til just beginning to darken around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

These are very thin, crispy cookies, reminiscent of the ‘Dutch Windmill’ cookies.

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PECAN SANDIES​

​

These are melt-in-your mouth – you’ll never buy store-bought sandies again! This recipe is very easily doubled.

Makes about 5 dz.

2 sticks unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 oz. ( 2/3 cup) pecans, finely ground
1 2/3 cups AP flour
Pinch of salt

Beat butter and sugar on med. Speed til light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Mix the pecans with the flour and salt, and add to the butter mixture. Beat on low til just mixed, then on medium for about 1 minute – do not overbeat!

Refrigerate the dough for about an hour, til it’s able to he handled. Divide the dough in half and on a piece of parchment, roll into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the parchment paper completely around the roll, and either refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment. Unwrap, and slice the cookies ¼ inch thick. Place on baking sheets 1 inch apart. It’s important to keep this dough cold while you’re working with it. Return any unused portion to the fridge until you need to slice some more. Bake 15-20 minutes, til just light brown. Cool on racks.

Variations: After you make the rolls, place some Demarara sugar or white baking sugar on a piece of parchment, and coat the rolls with it. Then wrap the rolls in parchment as above. Or, after the cookies are done, sift some powdered sugar on top.


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These aren't 'slice and bake', but you can chill the dough, and use an ice cream scoop when you're ready to bake.


Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies

1 c dried cherries
1 c boiling water
½ lb unsalted butter, room temp
1 c light brown sugar, packed
1 c granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs, room temp
2/3 c unsweetened cocoa (I use Scharffen Berger)
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb good quality semi-sweet chocolate or white chocolate, or a combination of both

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cover cherries with boiling water and let stand 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cream the butter and 2 sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the batter with the mixer on low until just combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate and cherries.

Drop the dough on the lined baking sheets using a rounded tablespoon (I use 1 ¾” ice cream scoop. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone.). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack using a metal spatula. Cool completely before storing in a tightly sealed container.

Note, I often make chocolate chip cookies via the 'slice and bake' route; just shape the dough into a roll, as with the other recipes above, place in the fridge or freezer, and slice when you're ready to bake.

Good Luck!

 

[marmar]

Thank you. I'm probably going to try the pecan sandies, and maybe one of the others.

 

[jkath]

These are really good 'slice & bake' cookies, and I've made them many times:
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/234935-post5.html

The only thing that takes time is roasting the hazelnuts, however, you can easily do it a night or two before.

 

[Marishka_20]

Mmmmmm, Butterscotch.

I got this recipe off of the Land-O-Lakes Butter website www.landolakes.com.

BUTTERSCOTCH REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Sliced refrigerator cookies are made extra-special with the addition of butterscotch and pecans.
Preparation 45 min. Chilling 2 hrs. Baking 5 min. Ingredients:

• 1 cup butterscotch-flavored baking chips
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Melt butterscotch chips in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted (3 to 5 minutes).

Place butterscotch mixture in large bowl; add all remaining ingredients except pecans. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in pecans by hand.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 8x1 1/2-inch roll. Wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Heat oven to 400°F. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices with sharp knife. Place 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. .

TIP: Dough can be refrigerated up to 1 month.

Yield: 5 dozen

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie) Calories: 90, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 45 mg, Carbohydrates: 11 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 1 g

 

[marmar]

Now I'm a bit sad because my friend doesn't want cookies with nuts... and all the cookie recipes I seem to pick out are nutty. (I love nuts.)

But thank you.
I suppose that leaves the chocolate cherry chunk ones (which look delicious), and making the chocolate chip cookies off the bag.

 

[purrfectlydevine]

The toll house recipe on the nestle bag can be shaped into logs, wrapped and refrigerated or frozen. If you don't want the nuts you could add extra choc. chips or peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips or toffee chips or not replace the nuts.

 

[marmar]

Thank you.
I was planning on making the toll house chocolate chip recipe, glad to know it shapes into logs well.

I have white chocolate chips too, so I might just add some of those. Though I did buy butterscotch chips yesterday, but since I'm making the butterscotch cookies, that may be bad if someone doesn't like butterscotch.

 

[Constance]

You know, you don't have to wait until the last minute to bake cookies. You can put them in tins or tupperware type containers, and they will keep just fine. In fact, some types get more moist and chewy as they set. Let them cool completely, then put waxed paper between layers of cookies to keep them from sticking together.
Then you can spend your 20 minute prep time arranging them on a pretty tray for serving. If you have a chance to pick up some paper doilies at your local craft store, that will make your tray look really special, as would a few flower blossoms or bits of fern tucked here and there.

 

[jkath]

Perfect ideas, Constance!

Another note (if I'm not too late), the Martha Stewart Sugar Cookie recipe must be made into logs before rolling/cutting out. I'd suppose you could just as easily cut slices from the logs, and then sprinkle some baking sugar on top.

 

[mish]

Haven't tried these yet, but they sure sound good! If you can, make a test-batch first for yourself, so you don't have any disappointments at the last minute. I imagine you could make any cookies of choice, as long as they're cooled, wrapped and refrigerated.

Coffee Bean Cookies

2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
4 oz box instant chocolate pudding (or vanilla flavor)
1/4 c white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 c walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 c chocolate covered coffee beans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Cream together shortening, pudding, and sugars until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs.Slowly incorporate flour mixture. Add the walnuts using your hands, it almost has the consistency of brownie dough. Roll into 1-2" balls and stuff with one or two coffee beans. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Add one or two more coffee beans in the center after baking.

Makes 32 cookies​

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These could be used as centerpiece or wrapped individually as gifts.

Lollipop Cookies​

[SIZE=-1]1 pkg. sugar cookie dough[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]candy sprinkles[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]30 lollipop sticks (about 4-1/2 inches long)[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]Preheat oven to 350° F. [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]Slice the chilled dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and sprinkle with candy sprinkles. [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]On ungreased cookie sheet place the first row of slices 2 inches apart. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Place second row of slices about 5" below the first row to allow room for the lollipop sticks. [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]Bake cookies for 7 minutes and take the cookies from the oven. Push a lollipop stick into each cookie. Bake cookies for about 3 more minutes. Let cool. [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=-1]Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, tie with ribbon.[/SIZE]​