super easy thumbprint cookies

This is my new favorite cookie recipe.  It's so flipping easy and customizable.  Also makes a good basic shortbread that you can use for a lot of things (pie crust, etc).  Here goes:

For 1 1/2-2 dozen cookies, you'll need:

• 1 c vegan margarine (earth balance), softened (not melted)
• 1/2 c raw sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 2 c flour
• some sort of filling*

The steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350
• Cream margarine, sugar, and vanilla until light
• Add flour 1/4 cup at a time.  Start by mixing with a spoon and then use your hands.  You may not need all 2 cups.  1 3/4 is sometimes enough.  Final texture should be like play-doh
• Roll dough into 1-1/2" balls and place onto a lightly greased cookie sheet
• Press into dough balls with your thumb to make room for your filling
• Spoon out filling (about 1/2T for each cookie)
• Bake 12-15 minutes.  Cookies will not turn golden brown unless they are burnt, so take them out when the outsides feel stiff
• Promptly, but carefully, remove from cookie sheet and let cool at least 5 minutes before eating

*For filling, you have many options.  Here are some good ones:

• jam (one with a strong flavor like strawberry rhubarb is very good here)
• apple butter
• a simple chocolate sauce (margarine, vanilla, cocoa, sugar, and a little flour)
• mashed bananas (a good use of ones that are too ripe)
• nuts & agave (or honey)
• dark chocolate pieces

These cookies will make me fat because they're too easy to make.

Chocolate Russian Tea Cookies

These are an easy but addictive cookie.  Really rich and chocolately and perfect with a glass of milk or hot cocoa (or a nice heavy sweet drink like a berry dessert wine or Port).  Bite sized and cute, they're good for parties.

You'll need (for several dozen small cookies):

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• powdered sugar for garnish

The steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
• Add dry ingredients and combine.  Will end up a pretty stiff dough.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour
• Remove from fridge & preheat oven to 350
• Roll dough into small balls in your hand (about an inch in diameter) and place on a lightly greased baking sheet
• Bake for 20 minutes
• When cooled you can roll them in powdered sugar or (my favorite) place powdered sugar in a mesh screen and sprinkle it over top.  

Delish!

Banana Bread Cookies

Fresh from the oven!

An attempt to bake cookies when I didn't have my usual staples around (chocolate chips, oatmeal, brown sugar).  I did, however, have some bananas frozen for occasions just as these.  These cookies are light, fluffy, cake-y and unique.  Could be made even more interesting if you added chocolate chips.

You'll need (for 30 cookies):

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon (extra) cinnamon
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup crushed walnuts

The steps:

• Preheat oven to 350degrees
• Mash bananas and mix with baking soda in a small bowl.  Set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg.  
• Add banana mixture
• Add dry ingredients gently, until just combined.
• Fold in walnuts, gently
• Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a well-greased cookie sheet.  They don't spread much, so can be placed pretty close to each other.
• Bake for about 11-12 minutes (until the edges have started to brown, but not the whole cookie)
• Remove promptly from sheet to avoid burnt bottoms

That simple.  Took me about 20 minutes start to finish.  Yum :)

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3