Tasty Cookie Recipes: Coconut Macaroons and Blissfully Good Cookies

Make up a batch of fresh homemade cookies for your family cookie jar. If you have children at home, one of the fun things to do with them is to bake cookies. And kids love eating something they helped to make. The recipes below are easy and tasty. There's sure to be at least one your family would love. Personally, I love macaroons and this recipe is delicious. However, I do have a granddaughter and a son who hate coconut so we need a variety. Perhaps it is that way in your family too. These are not your everyday cookie recipes but isn't it time to venture out a little and try something new?

YUM-YUM COCONUT MACAROONS
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
2 2/3 cups shredded coconut
2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Spray two large cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed of electric mixer until foamy. Beat in the sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until egg whites are stiff and glossy. Fold in the shredded coconut and the vanilla extract.

Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets by teaspoonfuls approximately 1-inch apart. Bake until the macaroons are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: approximately 65-70 macaroons

BLISSFULLY GOOD COOKIES
8 squares semisweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
2 cups chopped pecans

In a medium mixing bowl, melt the chocolate squares in the microwave on high for a couple of minutes. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Using a wooden or large heavy-duty plastic spoon, stir in the brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended. Mix the baking powder into the flour; stir into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chocolate chunks and chopped pecans. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes or until puffed up and they feel set to the touch. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen large cookies.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com/
For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

Four Ideas for Cinnamon Cookies

Cinnamon cookies are very handy: they are easy to make and are a hit in any occasion. The cinnamon flavour is delectable to any palate, and the taste is flexible enough to be combined with other delightful baking ingredients!

Making basic cinnamon cookie dough is quite easy. You need 3 parts flour, 2 parts sugar, 2 sticks of butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, and half a teaspoon of salt.

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees;
2) cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
3) Mix flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl and then add it to the first mixture.
4) Bake for 10 minutes.

A variation of the recipe would be setting aside the cinnamon and mixing it with pecans or almonds. Roll about a teaspoon-size of the cookie dough into the mixture and bake as directed.

You can use the cookie dough as a canvas to cinnamon and other sweet or crunchy baking staples. So, take out your cookie cutters and creativity; here are four ideas for an entertaining cinnamon cookie party!

1. Cinnamon Pinwheels - Divide the cookie dough in half and roll into an 8 x 12 inch rectangle. Sprinkle with a mixture of ? cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (you can add more for great flavour). Roll each rectangle into a log starting from the long side. Refrigerate for about thirty minutes. Slice off about ? inch thick and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool before serving. Cinnamon Pinwheels recipe makes about 50 pieces.

2. Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie - You will need, one and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups of oats, a large egg, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, a cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of milk, two sticks of softened butter, 1 teaspoon dark molasses and 2/3 cup chopped pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while combining the flour, oats, cinnamon, and baking soda in a bowl. On a separate container, mix egg and sugar then cream with butter. Add molasses and milk until completely folded. Combine with oat mixture and pecans. Roll dough and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. The Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie recipe serves 14 cookies.

3. Almond Cinnamon Cookies - Follow the basic cinnamon cookie recipe, adding ? cup blanched almonds on step 3. Drizzle with browned butter sauce by heating 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, stirring consistently until light brown in colour. Remove from heat and slowly add in 1 and a half cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and about 2 tablespoons of milk.

4. Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cookies - Using the basic cinnamon cookie recipe, add 4 tablespoons of Amaretto on step 2 and 1 ? tablespoons of instant coffee on step 3. Roll the dough into a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until light brown. Cool before serving or storing.

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A Mexican Twist to Cinnamon Cookies

One of the most popular recipes for cinnamon cookies are actually from Mexico, where they are called polvorones de canela. The main difference between this variety of cookies and the cookies that Americans are more familiar with is that the Mexican version is more of a dessert resembling shortbread in texture and taste, only enhanced with a cinnamon flavor. On the other hand, the American equivalent would, well, just be cookies with a cinnamon flavor, meaning they're flatter and chewier in texture. Polvorones de canela is usually served and is said to be perfect with a mug of piping hot chocolate, just like the American counterpart is perfect with a glass of milk.

The word polvorones is actually Spanish, meaning "dust". This is obviously alluding to these cookies having a generous dusting of a powdered mixture of powdered or confectioner's sugar and cinnamon, which in Spanish is canela. Thus, the dessert's name, polvorones de canela, is not actually a literal translation of cinnamon cookie, but actually means "dust of cinnamon". This dessert is quite popular in Mexico, but it makes a most special appearance during weddings, where they are served in a sort of ceremonial tribute to match the dress of the bride in a traditional Mexican ceremony. These cookies are stacked to form a pyramid-like structure, and they make a spectacular centerpiece during the wedding reception.

What usually happens is that these Mexican confections are carefully piled up one on top of the other until they form a tower and reach a height that someone can still reach. With the hustle and bustle associated with Mexican weddings, this tower eventually tumbles and the cookies scatter all over the table. The wedding guests will enjoy the sweet treats with Mexican chocolate or a glass of liqueur until there wouldn't be any cookies left.

So, what are the ingredients needed to make this Mexican version of cinnamon cookies? For the cookies, one needs two sticks or a cup of softened unsalted butter, half a cup of confectioners' sugar, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a quarter of a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and two cups of unbleached all purpose flour. For rolling the mixture, there is a need for a cup of confectioners' sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon.

The first step to making these cookies would be to mix the confectioners; sugar and the softened butter thoroughly until a creamy and smooth mixture is made. Once the consistency is achieved, vanilla, cinnamon and salt will be added. The mixture will now then have to be folded in the flour for a firm dough to be made. Set the dough aside in the fridge for an hour or two to chill.

While waiting for the dough to be stiff, the oven should be preheated to 350 degrees F. Use parchment paper to line the cookie sheets. Once the chilled dough has become stiff, form it into flat balls measuring an inch each. Then, combine the ingredients for rolling, and roll the balls in the mixture of confectioners' sugar and cinnamon. Put the balls in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes until they are have a nice brown color.

The recipe given above will makes around 30 polvorones de canela. After letting them cool, these cinnamon cookies should be stored for approximately a week in an airtight container.

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