Christmas Cookies!

[pepperhead212]

None baked yet, but some logs of cookie dough in the freezer, to bake eventually -
Habanero gingersnaps, rolled barley icebox, oatmeal icebox, sesame icebox, and some orange wienerstube.

And very early this morning - 6:15 am - I went up to Shoprite (the only time I go there, esp. at this time of year) and stocked up on some Gold Medal UB flour, and Domino sugar - $1.49 for 5 and 4 lbs respectively, plus $1 for 2 lbs of dark brown sugar. I also got some for a friend, who also doesn't use these much, except at this time of year!

 

[Andy M.]

So the pecan cookie balls are done (and delicious). Th wayward bag of pecans is still among the missing. One of the great mysteries of life.

I believe apple muffins are next on the list. (I know, not a cookie).

 

[bethzaring]

I just received a pound of pecan meal so I am ready to bake the Mexican Wedding cakes. But now I'm looking at a cream cheese thumbprint cookie recipe

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

So the pecan cookie balls are done (and delicious). Th wayward bag of pecans is still among the missing. One of the great mysteries of life.

I believe apple muffins are next on the list. (I know, not a cookie).

BAHAHAHA!
You know they show up long after your done baking for the Season

 

[Janet H]

Yesterday was shortbread day at my house. 20 lbs of butter!
Baked, wrapped and boxed up.

Some friends came over and we had a baking brigade. 40 boxes of these! The cookies are about 4 inches across and can be snapped to share.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe1yIYpLqgU

 

[msmofet]

Done baking:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chocolate Macadamia Cookies With White Chocolate Chunks
Cream Cheese Snickerdoodle Cookies
Pecan Sandies

 

[pepperhead212]

I made 3 more logs of cookie dough for the freezer tonight, plus the 2 recipes of Ms. mofet's cream cheese snickerdoodles.

 

[pepperhead212]

3 more logs of dough for the freezer tonight (I'm running out of space!) - Habanero Gingersnaps, 2 with sliced almonds, one without, for some people I know who don't eat nuts.

And something that I did last night, was to brown a pound of butter for cookies, which gives an incredible flavor to shortbreads and other butter cookies. I'm sure I've posted my method for doing this in the past, but here it is again, for those who missed it.

Simply put, what I do with this, that makes it different from other recipes calling for browned butter, is to add the milk back to the browned butter, bringing the weight back up to 1 lb (or whatever), so that the butter can then be used in any recipe, in which I want that delicious flavor.

After browning it, to about 285°, I cool it to about 150-160°, and add milk, to bring the weight back up to 1 lb, whisking it to emulsify it, so that I can use it in any recipe calling for regular butter. I just store it in the fridge in a jar, chipping out chunks of it, to use 4 oz at a time, usually.
Browning the butter for cookies, up to about 265 degrees. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browned butter for cookies, up to 285 degrees, when I transfer it to the metal bowl. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browned butter for cookies, cooled down to about 150 degrees, when I add the milk. Browned more, while cooling. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browned butter for cookies, after adding milk, beginning to emulsify, at about 95 degrees. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Browned butter for cookies, beginning to solidify, around 75 degrees, when I put it into a Jar, to refrigerate. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

I got 4 more batches of dough ready - 2 CC Oatmeal Snickerdoodles, which went into the fridge, and 2 logs of browned butter French vanilla sables, which were frozen. I would have made more, but I ran out of eggs!

 

[pepperhead212]

I just made 5 more recipes of cookies - 3 different ones, which puts me up to 17 recipes, of 9 different types. It's just over 1,000, which is the first time I've done that since I was working! Now, the baking...

I still have 8 oz of that browned butter left. Not sure what I'll make with it, but but maybe just some shortbread - the southern version with some light brown sugar, known as "shortnin' bread".

BTW, butter has gotten cheaper around here! That one day at Lidl it was $1.29/lb, and I stocked up on it, but it's gotten down to 1.89@ Aldi's - I only got one there this morning because I wanted one more lb that I wouldn't have to thaw!

Here's what I have, so far:

2 CC Oatmeal Snickerdoodles
2 Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles (new for me - thanks msmofet!)

All the rest of these are "icebox cookies" - my usual varieties, that I can make, and freeze, and slice and bake, on bake days.

3 Habanero Gingersnaps
2 Rolled Barley
1 Oatmeal
2 Chocolate Orange
1 Wienerstube
2 Browned Butter French Vanilla Sables
2 Sesame

 

[msmofet]

I just made 5 more recipes of cookies - 3 different ones, which puts me up to 17 recipes, of 9 different types. It's just over 1,000, which is the first time I've done that since I was working! Now, the baking...

I still have 8 oz of that browned butter left. Not sure what I'll make with it, but but maybe just some shortbread - the southern version with some light brown sugar, known as "shortnin' bread".

BTW, butter has gotten cheaper around here! That one day at Lidl it was $1.29/lb, and I stocked up on it, but it's gotten down to 1.89@ Aldi's - I only got one there this morning because I wanted one more lb that I wouldn't have to thaw!

Here's what I have, so far:

2 CC Oatmeal Snickerdoodles
2 Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles (new for me - thanks msmofet!)

All the rest of these are "icebox cookies" - my usual varieties, that I can make, and freeze, and slice and bake, on bake days.

3 Habanero Gingersnaps
2 Rolled Barley
1 Oatmeal
2 Chocolate Orange
1 Wienerstube
2 Browned Butter French Vanilla Sables
2 Sesame

You're welcome. Let me know what you think of them (and a picture ).

 

[pepperhead212]

I started baking today! All I baked were the cream cheese snickerdoodles and CC oatmeal snickerdoodles - none of the frozen logs.
Cooling cream cheese snickerdoodles. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

About 2/3 of the CC oatmeal snickerdoodles, cooling by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

I baked 10 more recipes today, 3 Habanero gingersnaps, 3 of the chocolate ones - wienerstube and chocolate orange - and 4 French vanilla sables, almost like shortbreads. More of the gingersnaps than any, since they are thinner.
Habanero gingersnaps, a third of them with no nuts. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Wienerstube - elongated ones - and chocolate orange - the square ones. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

French vanilla sables - almost like shortbread. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Still have 10 recipes left, and I might bake more later. I have to use some new sheets of parchment, due to the spices in these.

 

[GotGarlic]

Jeez, pepper, I wish I had your energy lol Nice work.

 

[pepperhead212]

I'm done! I baked those last logs of cookies tonight starting with 3 sheets of the barley and oat cookies, and finished with 2 sheets of everything after that.
Rolled oats icebox cookies (square ones) and rolled barley cookies (elongated ones). by pepperhead212, on Flickr

2 batches of Tennessee icebox cookies, and the end of the barley icebox cookies. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Sesame icebox cookies, 2 batches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Love those cooling racks, pepper! Hardware cloth and firring strips?

Yummy cookies, too.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Love those cooling racks, pepper! Hardware cloth and firring strips?

Yummy cookies, too.

+1
What she said!

 

[pepperhead212]

Love those cooling racks, pepper! Hardware cloth and firring strips?

Yummy cookies, too.

Yes, 2'x3' cooling racks, I made with hardware cloth. And I used to have 12 of them, back when I made a lot more cookies, and I had a knock down shelf to slide them into, and some friends used to get together with me, and help me make these every year. I had someone empty out countless things from my attic 3 years ago, and that was one of them, but I couldn't bring myself to throw it out! I'm hoping to find someone younger, who could use it, like I did. Now I just use the 3 racks - don't really need as many as I did before all at once.
The rack I used to use to hold 12 of those cooling racks, when making a lot more cookies. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[blissful]

Not too many things made, mostly for kids and other family members.
Shortbread cookies
Almond shortbread cookies
Christmas Crack
Peppernuts