Cookie Recipes

Cookie baking is one of the holiday season's most fun traditions. To get the most out of your cookie baking, here's a few tips:

Supplies
You'll need some basic supplies to bake cookies. Make sure that you have the following on hand:
* Cookie sheets - You'll want to have at least 2 so you can be baking one batch while you are preparing another batch on another sheet.
* Measuring devices - You'll want a Pyrex glass cup for wet ingredients such as oil and water. You'll also want to have a set of plastic measuring cups for dry ingredients such as flour, sugar and chocolate chips and a set of measuring spoons ranging for things like baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla.
* Mixing bowls - You'll want a set of sturdy mixing bowls. Metal or plastic will work fine. Have at least one small, one medium and a couple larger sized bowls.
* Mixing devices - Make sure you have several sizes of spoons on hand. You'll want a couple large wood spoons as well as some smaller mixing spoons.
* Cookie cutters - You should have a set of Christmas themed cookie cutters. Made of metal or plastic, you can find them at any grocery store or even dollar stores.
* Spatula - To remove the cookies from the sheet, you'll need a spatula. A plastic one will work best and won't scratch your nonstick surface like a metal spatula would.
* Cooling rack - To cool your cookies properly, you'll need a cookie rack. Usually made of metal, you might need several depending on how many batches of cookies you will be making.
* Frosting tools - If you will be decorating your cookies, you might want to pick up a pastry bag as well as several pastry tips so you can make great looking designs with your frosting.

Ingredients you should have:
* Flour - Pick up a bag of all purpose flour.
* Sugars - You'll want to have at least 1 bag each of white sugar, brown sugar and powdered sugar.
* Eggs & Butter - A dozen large eggs and a pound or two of salted butter.
* Oils - Some recipes call for vegetable oil, canola oil works great.
* Flavorings & Colorings - Many cookie recipes use vanilla extract, get the real kind, not artificially flavored for best taste. For coloring, you'll want this to color your frosting too. You can usually get a set of coloring bottles around the holidays on sale.
* Decorations - Sprinkles, nonpareils, candies, kisses, hard candies, cinnamon candies etc. Whatever your recipe calls for or whatever you like, get a bag or two.

Baking cookies is a favorite activity during the holiday season. The smell of the cookies baking, the warmth of the oven, the joy when you see the results, and of course, the taste! Here are some tips for saving and storing your cookies:

Preparing

Make sure your cookies are completely cool before preparing them for storage or freezing. Any frosting or icing should also be fully set and firm.

Storing

Cookies should be stored in an airtight container or bag. Some cookies will keep better if individually wrapped, such as very large gourmet type cookies, large cutout and frosted cookies and very thick cookies. Plastic wrap, foil or waxed paper works well for individually wrapping the cookies.

Freezing

Just about any type of cookie will freeze well and can last for up to 1 year from when you baked them. Make sure the cookies are wrapped well in waxed paper, plastic wrap or foil. Wrap them individually to make them last longer, hold their shape better and preserve their taste and texture. Then put them in an airtight container like a Tupperware or other container. You can also use a Ziploc freezer bag, just make sure you have sealed it tightly. Cookies that have been frosted will only keep for a few months in the freezer.

Using Frozen Cookies

Unwrap the cookies carefully and let them thaw completely and come to room temperature before serving. You can also microwave them on high for about 20-30 seconds.

Freezing Cookie Dough

Many people don't realize that you can freeze the actual cookie dough for up to 1 month. Then thaw it out completely before preparing to bake. This can save alot of time during the holiday season and give you the same fresh from the oven taste as fresh baked cookies. Cookie dough that is very, very soft should not be frozen. Any dough that is firm will freeze very well. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag.

When storing or freezing dough or baked cookies, don't forget to write the date and type of cookies on the package.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter - melted
2 cups brown sugar - packed
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease cookie sheets. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in one bowl. In another bowl, cream melted butter and both the brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until the consistency is light and creamy. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt from the other bowl until blended. Stir in the chocolate chunks by hand. Drop 1/4 cup of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. The cookies should be about 3 inches apart as they spread a bit. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 325F or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy!

Get a printable version of this recipe at Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Here's how to make your own cookie bouquets at home without spending a fortune!

What You Will Need:

* Chopsticks or Wooden Skewers - Make sure they are heat-proof. If you're baking smaller cookies, then popsicle sticks would also work.
* Cookies - Find a delicious cookie recipe that makes larger size cookies, (your favorite or your gift recipients favorite will do fine) or try our favorite, the Best Ever Big Chocolate Chip Cookie, it makes nice, BIG cookies that are crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, use some good chocolate to make it extra special!
* Container - This needs to be a sturdy container that is a bit bottom heavy, especially if you plan to include more than a few big cookies. You can try putting some pebbles in the bottom to make sure the container won't tip over, if needed. Some ideas for containers include: a coffee mug, a metal or plastic pail, a basket, a vase, a planter, cookie jar or glass jar, glass bottle, a toy or wood box of some sort, teapot, porcelain or pottery serving ware.
* Cellophane - The shiny, colored kind looks best, but the colored plastic wrap you get at your local supermarket would work too.
* Ribbon - The curly kind works well for this. Any colors you like.
* Decorations - Anything goes! What's appropriate to the occasion and what does the gift recipient like? Some ideas include: stuffed animals, small toys, candy, balloons, fake or real flowers, stickers or whatever you find at the local craft store.
* Block of styrofoam or florists foam - You know that stereo you bought last December? You probably kept the box, just search your garage for some spare, clean, stryofoam.
* Something to cover up the stryofoam or florist's foam - You can use a big ribbon, some moss, plastic grass, tissue paper crumpled up or whatever else you have handy.

Instructions:

1. When you place the cookie dough on the cookie sheet, press the dough down a bit to flatten it so that it doesn't spread too much while baking and so that the stick can be inserted properly. Before you bake the cookies, you must insert the chopstick or wooden skewer into one side of each cookie. Push it in almost the length of the cookie without going out the other end. This is an important step, as if your cookie is too big and your stick is not sturdy enough, it simply won't hold it and the cookie may fall apart when you pick it up. When baking big cookies, you probably won't be able to fit more than 3 cookies with their sticks to a sheet.

2. After baking the cookies with their sticks, cool the cookies thoroughly, then wrap each one with the colored cellophane. A different color for each cookie would be ok, or all the same color appropriate to the occassion. Tie each one with some curly ribbon at the base where the stick comes out of the cookie. Tie it very tightly so the cookies will stay fresh on the stick. You can adorn each cookie with additional, larger ribbons or bows at this point. When using curly ribbon, don't forget to curl it!

3. Now cut your styrofoam or florist's foam to the size of the top of the container you chose. Then fit the foam in so it is nice and tight and near the top of the container. Remember, you can place something heavier in the bottom of the container so that it does not tip over. Small pebbles work well for this. Remember that the sticks will poke through the foam and into the bottom of the container.

4. Here comes the fun part, let's assemble the cookie bouquet! Take each of your cookies and stick them through the foam so they go all the way through the foam and further, near to the bottom of the container. You can assemble the cookies in any manner you like, but most cookie bouquets have one cookie at the center that is taller than the other cookies, so keep that in mind. Decorate with additional ribbons, toys, candy, flowers, gifts etc. Each item can be attached with additional ribbon to the container or the sticks of the cookies or even with a glue gun (if appropriate).

5. Give your gift and watch the smiles! Make sure to give the bouquet as soon as possible after you have assembled it, you don't want the cookies to go stale!