What Cookies Are You Baking?

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LEFSElover

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first, what am I doing wrong trying to use any one of my cookie presses? why do they not turn out, why are they spread out, why are they a mess, why when I go to Epicurious and use a recipe on there that is supposedly no fail, do I fail?

second, care to name the cookies in a list of what you've made for this holiday season?
 
About the cookie press. . . I have no idea. I'm too scared to attempt using one because I've heard horror stories of people's cookies not turning out. I hope someone more helpful comes along to answer your questions!

The cookies I've made for this season are the following:
Chocolate chip
Snickerdoodles
Hazelnut crescents (with semisweet and white chocolate drizzled over them)
Sugar cookie cutouts
Gingerbread men
Peppermint cookies with Hershey kisses
Raspberry shortbread cookies

And two more candy-like things:
Cherry bonbon cookies
English toffee

If you want any of those recipes, I'm sure you'll have some luck with them.

Don't give up! You'll find what works :)
 
Use butter not margarine. It should be about Playdough consistency. If is not then add a bit more flour until you get playdough. I always make press cookies and this what I have learned over the years of making them. Haven't gotten to them yet this year but will this weekend.
 
Lefselover - you baking fool! Wish I could be there with ya! So far we made:

Gingerbread
Peanut Butter Bon Bons
Italian Anise Cookies
Holly Cookies
White Chocolate Fudge with Pecans
Chocolate Fudge
Peanut Brittle
White Mint Meltaways
and your most famous HOKEY POKEY (four batches, thank you very much!)

Now I am in the mood for the peanut butter cookies and quite possible Struffoli!
 
Santas Whiskers
Almond Balls
Anissette cookies
White chocolate shortbread
Pecan shortbread topped with chocolate
Spritz
Gingerbread men
Eggnog stars
Cranberry orange swirls
Italian fig cookies
Bourbon and Bailey's truffles
Neopolitan Cookies
Cherry shortbread dipped in white chocolate
Raspberry and apricot dainties

As for your cookies, I suggest you are either using too much sugar, too much fat, your eggs are too big, or your oven temp. is not calibrated properly.
 
Santas Whiskers
Almond Balls
Anissette cookies
White chocolate shortbread
Pecan shortbread topped with chocolate
Spritz
Gingerbread men
Eggnog stars
Cranberry orange swirls
Italian fig cookies
Bourbon and Bailey's truffles
Neopolitan Cookies
Cherry shortbread dipped in white chocolate
Raspberry and apricot dainties

As for your cookies, I suggest you are either using too much sugar, too much fat, your eggs are too big, or your oven temp. is not calibrated properly.
Oh my Verablue, would my gang love coming to your house:)Might I ask what are Santa's whiskers? and your Neopolitan cookies? They both look interesting and I'd love to try making them if you don't mind sharing.
kadesma
 
Oh my gosh, ya'll are amazing! Such a huge variety of yummy cookies. We made 12 dozen sugar cookies last night. The ones you roll out and cut out. It's a huge event here because all the kids want to cut out cookies - even the grown ones. Lots of amputee "gingerbread" men - the ones who lost a limb on the way to the baking sheet. Also, a fair amount of flour throwing between brothers. This morning we've been mixing up colored icings and they are decorating them now. There are some very psychedelic cookies coming out of my kitchen today. But it's so much fun and the kids adore it. Maybe next year, I'll get brave enough to try making some of the other cookies ya'll posted.
 
Thought I would post my press cookie recipe. It is the one that came with my mom's cookie press which she received as a shower gift in the mid 50's. The only time I've ever had a problem was one year I tried substituting margarine for the butter and they came out oily and spread like crazy besides not forming well in the first place. They always come out great. It is definitely a TNT recipe for me. One thing I noticed is my recipe calls for baking powder and the other spritz cookie recipes don't add that.

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2-1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg. Then add the flour and other dry ingredients. Add flavoring and mix well. Can add food coloring to mix for fun. Fill cookie press and form on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10-12 mins. Cool slightly on sheet before removing to rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
 
I've never used a cookie press, so I can't help with that... I'm only making a couple of different kinds of cookies this year, two that my mom used to make and one that my boyfriend taught me to do:

Mint chocolate chip cookies rolled in colored sugar
Chocolate thumbprint cookies
Boiled cookies--not too Christmasy, but boyfriend's aunt requested them

I also did gingerbread cookies for a Christmas party we went to a couple of weeks ago.
 
For the last two days, I have been baking cut out sugar cookies. My son is hosting a cookie decorating party tomorrow for 10 of his little friends. They get to frost & sprinkle & then take home their goodies.
 
I have been so wrapped up in cookie making and candy making that I'm just now getting time to post what I've made and you know I'll forget a few.

peanut butter 1
peanut butter 2
peanut butter 3
sweet choco chippers
oatmeal
gingersnaps
date filled sugar
creamy dream cream cheese pastries
grandma's jam filled
cut out sugar midgies
black eyed susans
sugar with frosting
brown sugar
walnut sandies
scottish shortbread
pfeffernuesse
chruschici
polish tea cookies
pierniki

the last 3 are for our future DIL and her parents who's house we're going to on Christmas eve. I wanted to celebrate them and their heritage with something they may be missing or at least recognize.

not going to even mention the candy, too much to list, my house is full

kinda given up on the press idea unless I end up with time on my hands.
then I'll do Jabbur's t&t one, maybe I'll get lucky.
do you push or turn knob, do you lay it flat down on the cookie sheet or at an angle, do you scrape the dough or cut off each piece? see, I am really a novice here
 
There are 2 different kinds of presses. The older ones turn a knob which is what my mom's is like. Newer ones have a trigger grip you squeeze. I just got one of the trigger ones which I haven't tried yet this year. You do put it flat on the sheet and lift straight up when done. It may take you a few tries at first to get the feel of the cookie coming from the press onto the sheet but just ball up the dough from your mistakes and reuse it. It is pretty forgiving stuff. They usually cut themselves off so you don't need to bother with scraping or cutting them off. Be sure to let the sheets cool down some between batches or the warm sheet may make it diffiuclt to press out the cookie well. I use a 6 sheets when I bake so I can two in the oven, two cooling down and two getting loaded.
 
Oh my Verablue, would my gang love coming to your house:)Might I ask what are Santa's whiskers? and your Neopolitan cookies? They both look interesting and I'd love to try making them if you don't mind sharing.
kadesma

Santa's Whiskers are one of the easiest cookies around. The dough had chopped red and green candied cherries and chopped pecans or walnuts. Make a cookie dough log, and roll it in coconut. Chill and slice, then bake. Easy as one two three.

The Neopolitan cookies are triple layer. Bottom layer is green and has pistachios in it. Middle layer is chocolate, and top layer is pink with marachino cherries. Chill, slice and bake. They look and taste like neopolitan ice cream. Another easy one.

I'd be happy to post the recipes if you are interested.
 
Santa's Whiskers are one of the easiest cookies around. The dough had chopped red and green candied cherries and chopped pecans or walnuts. Make a cookie dough log, and roll it in coconut. Chill and slice, then bake. Easy as one two three.
The Neopolitan cookies are triple layer. Bottom layer is green and has pistachios in it. Middle layer is chocolate, and top layer is pink with marachino cherries. Chill, slice and bake. They look and taste like neopolitan ice cream. Another easy one.I'd be happy to post the recipes if you are interested.
those both look like they'd be fun and easy, well the three layer maybe not so easy but good once it's done.
posting if you have time would be appreciated.
but if it's too much for you, it's okay cause I am over loaded with cookies right now and am out of time so it'd be more for valentines or even next year
 
I made:
Greek Cookies, aka Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes
Chocolate Kahlua Mousse Pie (Thanks to Corazon!)
Ensaymada (A Spanish/Filipino brioche with cheese)

Will soon be making:

English Trifle with almond meringue
Apple Pie with Walnut Streusel
Crepe Samurai
 

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