cookies

Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Posted by on May 31, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

These Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are super-chewy thanks to that combo. Plus, they aren’t super-sweet, which lets the chocolate shine through.

Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

I love how old-fashioned these cookies look, like something I’d eat when I was a kid, with my grandma on a visit to friend’s house. There’s a certain level of heartiness and coziness to these cookies.

Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

These cookies are quick to assemble, too. After posting some intricate recipes this month (I’m looking at you, Apple Cream Cheese Brioche Tart) it’s nice to share things are simple and good.

Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

These extra-chewy, flat cookies aren't heavily sweet, which lets the chocolate really shine through. Makes about 27 cookies.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: chocolate, coconut, cookies, oats
Servings: 27 cookies
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • parchment
  • tablespoon or tablespoon scoop
  • baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats also called old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup chocolate chips semisweet, milk, dark, or a mix
  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars to create a creamy mix. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; mix this into the butter bowl. Fold in the oats, chocolate chips. and coconut until everything is distributed.
  • Use a tablespoon to place scoops of dough spaced-out on the baking sheet; the cookies will spread.
  • Bake until the cookies are golden and set, about 11 to 13 minutes. Let them sit on pan for about 5 minutes before moving to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not: Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies Redux

    Posted by on May 24, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies, lemon | 0 comments

    Today we’re returning to a Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies recipe I last featured in July 2017! Why let something delicious wallow in the archives, right?

    Bready or Not: Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies Redux

    This is a great dough to make hours or days ahead; just stash it in the fridge until baking time. Coolness also makes the sticky dough easier to work with.

    Bready or Not: Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies Redux

    The lemon brings in a fresh element, while the ginger delivers the right amount of heat. These are sweet and refreshing cookies overall.

    Bready or Not: Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies Redux

    The one modification I made in this redux is that you can use sour cream or Greek yogurt. Both products contribute moisture, fat, and acid.

    Bready or Not: Soft Lemon-Ginger Cookies Redux

    These soft cookies taste deliciously fresh thanks to the combined forces of lemon and ginger! The dough can be made hours or even a day ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge, too. It’s unknown how long they keep after baking–they tend to vanish rather quickly. Modified from Taste of Home.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: cookies, lemon
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • teaspoon scoop or teaspoon

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
    • 1 cup brown sugar packed
    • 1 egg
    • 3 Tablespoons sour cream or vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
    • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • If baking right away, preheat oven at 350-degrees.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and brown sugar until they gain a fluffy texture. Beat in the egg, sour cream or yogurt, and extracts.
    • In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, ginger, and salt; make sure to press any lumps out of the cream of tartar and ginger. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the other bowl. At this point, the dough can be wrapped and chilled for a few hours or days; this will also reduce the dough's stickiness somewhat.
    • When it is baking time, be sure to preheat the oven. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and no longer jiggly. Watch out–they can overbake quickly. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for just a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not Original: Date Drop Cookies

      Posted by on May 10, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | 0 comments

      If you’re in need of a old-fashioned homey cookie, these Date Drop Cookies may be just what you need.

      Bready or Not Original: Date Drop Cookies

      They won’t win any awards in the looks department, but you know what? They are GOOD. Quite similar to a soft, chewy oatmeal cookies, but with chopped dates instead of raisins.

      Bready or Not Original: Date Drop Cookies

      I used kitchen shears to chop up dates from a big container from Costco. If you use pre-cut dates, such as from a bin, those will be good in this recipe, albeit a not quite as soft.

      Bready or Not Original: Date Drop Cookies

      These should keep for at least a few days in a sealed container at room temperature.

      Bready or Not Original: Date Drop Cookies

      These are similar to a chewy oatmeal cookies, but with dates rather than raisins. They are incredibly pleasant and homey.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: cookies, dates
      Servings: 55
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • parchment paper
      • teaspoon or teaspoon scoop

      Ingredients

      • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
      • 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
      • 2 eggs room temperature
      • 1/4 cup milk or half & half
      • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
      • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1 cup quick oats
      • 1 cup chopped dates
      • 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Fold in the oats, dates, and walnuts.
      • Using a teaspoon or teaspoon scoop, place round dollops of dough spaced out on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are set. Transfer them to a rack to completely cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not: Farmer’s Cheese Cookies

        Posted by on Apr 26, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cheese galore, cookies | 0 comments

        These Farmer’s Cheese Cookies don’t taste cheesy as one would expect in a gooey, cheese-pull kind of way. Instead, the cheese here adds a touch of savory flavor and a lot of light, chewy texture.

        Bready or Not: Farmer's Cheese Cookies

        Cookies like this are traditional in Ukraine and Russia. I found a nice block of Ukrainian Tvorog Farmer’s Cheese at Lee Lee Grocery on 75th Ave in Phoenix; check your own local import markets for similar cheese.

        Bready or Not: Farmer's Cheese Cookies

        Expect a dry, crumbly texture in the cheese. Mine became somewhat powdery as I broke it down, which was fine. I was able to incorporate everything with an extra touch of water, which is a pretty common thing for me to do with roll-out cookies in Phoenix. It’s very dry here compared to most other places.

        Bready or Not: Farmer's Cheese Cookies

        The end result is a cookie that, quite honestly, tastes fancy–light, crisp, sugary, like something that one would find in a fine bakery. Most people wouldn’t guess there’s cheese in the dough, I bet, but they’ll know there’s something different about them. Something delicious.

        Bready or Not: Farmer's Cheese Cookies

        Bready or Not: Farmer’s Cheese Cookies

        These sweet, beautiful cookies originate in Ukraine and Russia. Look for farmer’s cheese in a local European import market. This recipe makes about 60 cookies.
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Keyword: cheese, cookies
        Servings: 60
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • grater or food processor
        • pastry blender
        • 3-inch round cutter or the top of a glass
        • parchment paper
        • saucer or bowl
        • Rolling Pin

        Ingredients

        • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, chilled
        • 8 oz farmer's cheese such as Ukrainian Tvorog cheese
        • 2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 2 egg yolks
        • 2-3 Tablespoons water
        • 1 1/2 cups white sugar

        Instructions

        • Grate the butter using a hand grater or a grater attachment on a food processor. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut in the cheese, which will be crumbly. Add the flour, followed by the yolks and water. Knead the dough until it comes together in a cohesive mass.
        • Form the dough into a disc and encase it in plastic wrap to chill for anywhere from an hour to several days.
        • When it’s cookie time, preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a small amount of water in a saucer or bowl. Measure the white sugar into a deep bowl.
        • Prepare a clean work surface with a dusting of flour. Break off some of the dough and roll it into a thin layer, like for a pie crust. Use the cutter to slice out 3-inch rounds; place the leftover and unused dough to chill in the fridge while cookies are shaped.
        • Dampen fingers in the prepared water. Brush wet fingers over one side of a dough round. Dip moist dough into the sugar to coat it. Fold in half with the sugared portion on the inside. Dampen fingers and stroke another folded side of the dough, and dip that in sugar. Fold a final time with the sugared section on the inside. Use wet fingers on outside of cookie and coat that in sugar, too. Gently press the pleats together to prevent them from unfolding during baking. Place formed cookie on sheet and repeat process with remaining rounds.
        • Bring together dough scraps, using a little water if needed, to roll out again. Use rest of dough to form cookies.
        • Bake in batches for 19 to 22 minutes, until puffed and set with a golden base. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not: Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

          Posted by on Apr 5, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cheese galore, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

          These Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are big, rich, and incredible. You get a core of cream cheese surrounded by chocolate-laden dough. I mean, come on.

          Bready or Not: Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

          For this recipe, you need to make the dough and filling in advance. I made them a day ahead, but you want at least a few hours of refrigeration time. You also chill the cookie dough right after it’s shaped. That means you need some empty room in the fridge for doing this recipe.

          Bready or Not: Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

          This is also a recipe where you really do need a tablespoon and teaspoon scoop to produce even cookies. That, or you just naturally have a good eye for estimating such things.

          Bready or Not: Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

          Modified from Allrecipes Magazine Feb/March 2022.

          Bready or Not: Cheesecake-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

          This recipe makes about 24 indulgent, large cookies that load a lot of goodness into a single bite. Make the dough and filling at least a few hours ahead of time. This is definitely a recipe where tablespoon and teaspoon scoops are necessary to create cookies of equal size. Modified from Allrecipes Magazine Feb/March 2022.
          Course: Dessert
          Keyword: cheese, chocolate, cookies
          Servings: 24 cookies
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • tablespoon and teaspoon scoops
          • fridge space
          • parchment paper

          Ingredients

          Filling

          • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
          • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

          Cookie Dough

          • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 and a half sticks) room temperature
          • 3/4 cup white sugar
          • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
          • 2 large eggs room temperature
          • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
          • 2 1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
          • 1 teaspoon baking soda
          • 3/4 teaspoon salt
          • 12 ounces chocolate chips

          Instructions

          Make the filling

          • Beat together the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar to make a smooth mixture with few if any lumps. Stash it in the fridge to chill for a few hours or overnight.

          Make the cookie dough

          • Beat together the butter and both sugars until they are creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla.
          • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually pour this into the butter mixture, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make certain everything is combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

          Baking the cookies

          • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Also, make room in the fridge for a small baking pan or plates on which the formed cookies will chill.
          • Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough. Use a thumb to hollow out the center. Scoop out about 3/4 teaspoon of cream cheese mix using the smaller scoop. Place that inside the hollow. Fold the dough to enclose it, adding additional pinches of dough as needed to form a seal. You don't want any cream cheese visible, or it could ooze out! Flatten cookies between palms to make a fat disc. Set in fridge to chill as more cookies are shaped.
          • Once all the cookies are shaped, pull out the coldest cookie balls to set, spaced out, on the baking sheet. Keep the remaining cookie balls chilled while the initial batch(es) bake.
          • Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are golden. Let them rest on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to completely cool.
          • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

            Posted by on Mar 8, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | 0 comments

            These Big Soft Ginger Cookies are delicious any time of year!

            Bready or Not: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

            These things taste like gingerbread. They are soft, chewy, and fragrant, with a delicate crunch from the coarse sugar topping. They are good on their own, or with a hot drink!

            Bready or Not: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

            These take some planning, as the dough is soft and could use some chill time. Make it a little bit ahead of when you plan to bake. A few hours will do; overnight is great, too. Then bake away!

            Bready or Not: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

            Modified from Allrecipes Magazine Dec/Jan 2014 issue.

            Bready or Not: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

            Make the dough a few hours or a day ahead of time, and bake up these big cookies in little time! Each one tastes a lot like gingerbread, only in a personal, portable version. Modified from Allrecipes Magazine Dec/Jan 2014 issue.
            Course: Dessert, Snack
            Keyword: cookies, gingerbread
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • baking sheet
            • parchment paper
            • tablespoon scoop
            • plastic wrap or sealed bag

            Ingredients

            • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
            • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
            • 1 teaspoon baking soda
            • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
            • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
            • 1/4 teaspoon salt
            • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
            • 1 cup white sugar
            • 1 large egg room temperature
            • 1 Tablespoon water
            • 1/4 cup molasses
            • 3/4 cup coarse sugar such as turbinado

            Instructions

            • In a medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
            • In a big bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg followed by the water and molasses. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times.
            • Once everything is mixed, encase the dough in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for a few hours or a day or two.
            • When ready to bake, preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Measure coarse sugar into a bowl.
            • Using a tablespoon scoop or tablespoon, shape dough into small balls. Roll dough in coarse sugar. Set spaced-out on prepared baking sheet.
            • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set and starting to crinkle across the top. Let rest on sheet for another 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

            OM NOM NOM!

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