Favorite Cookie Recipe?

This year, my mom and I are planning on doing a lot of holiday baking for porch drop off gifts. We have a great butter cookie recipe, but are looking for good sugar cookie and gingerbread recipes. I’ve looked online, but would rather try recommended recipes from the experts on MOL. 

Thanks so much, and Happy Holidays, all!!

My cookie repertoire extends to chocolate chip as per the toll house bag, so I don't have much to offer.

I'm interested to see your butter cookie recipe though - I've never made them before.

I did a lot of baking in the spring, during early days of quarantine, But then realized I was baking for myself alone, and I was putting on weight. So I stopped. But I'm thinking of starting up again so would also be interested in the butter cookie recipe. Strictly for sharing with others, of course. 

I have two recipes that are amazing, both from America’s Test Kitchen.  One is a sugar cookie, but you brown the butter first.  This one step changes the entire cookie, it is insanely good.  

The second is a chocolate cookie. They have chunks in it, but I omit the chocolate chunks and the cookie ends up tasting like a better version of the Archway Dutch cocoa cookie (I use regular cocoa but am going to try the recipe again with dutched cocoa to see if it makes it better or worse).

I’ll have to look through my notes and find the recipes.

spontaneous said:

I have two recipes that are amazing, both from America’s Test Kitchen.  One is a sugar cookie, but you brown the butter first.  This one step changes the entire cookie, it is insanely good.  

The second is a chocolate cookie. They have chunks in it, but I omit the chocolate chunks and the cookie ends up tasting like a better version of the Archway Dutch cocoa cookie (I use regular cocoa but am going to try the recipe again with dutched cocoa to see if it makes it better or worse).

I’ll have to look through my notes and find the recipes.

 what a tease! where are the recipes!?

Here is the chocolate one, but it is the version without the chunks.  I get rave reviews every time I make these.  Sorry for how messy the recipe is, I've made it more than a few times and am not the neatest when cooking.

The original recipe did not specify what type of cocoa, and I've always used Hershey's.  I've been meaning to try it with dutch processed cocoa because I know that gives a denser result, but haven't tried it yet.

Brown sugar cookies.  These have basic ingredients, but have a hint of a butterscotch taste due to the brown butter.  When they did this recipe on the TV show they recommended using a light colored pan so you could see the butter better and know when it was brown and not burned.  Once the butter is browned you will definitely smell it.

Brown Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

10 Tb unsalted butter

4 Tb unsalted butter

1 & 3/4 cups DARK brown sugar

2 cups & 2 Tb flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 Tb vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

Melt 10 Tb butter in pan until brown and toasty

Transfer melted butter to a heatproof bowl, and add the 4 Tb of un-melted butter and set aside for 15 minutes 

Preheat oven to 350

In a shallow bowl mix 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar, set aside

Mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl, set aside

In a mixing bowl combine 1 & 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, salt, and COOLED butter, mix until no sugar lumps remain

Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the brown sugar mix, mix until combined

Add in flour in portions until all combined

Divide into 24 portions, shape into balls.  Roll in sugar mixure

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.  Cookies will look underdone, but will be slightly set at the edges

Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to the cooling rack

my better half makes a great chocolate sugar type cookie with cayenne pepper- it’s amazing 

sorry no recipe 

Those sound amazing, Spontaneous!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipes. Tomorrow I will dig out the butter cookie recipe and post it. 

curiousonlooker said:

Those sound amazing, Spontaneous!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipes. Tomorrow I will dig out the butter cookie recipe and post it. 

 Yes, thanks. I’ll give them a try. 

In the recipe above when you brown the butter it should be this color.  It will have brown sediment in the bottom, same color as the browned butter.  

FYI:  The recipe for the chocolate cookies didn’t specify which type of cocoa powder to use.   I’ve always made it with Hershey’s cocoa powder.  Today I tried it with dutched cocoa powder.  Personally I prefer it with the Hershey’s cocoa.  With dutched cocoa they’re a bit thinner and denser, and the chocolate is almost overwhelming.  If you’re the type to love going overboard with chocolate, then dutched cocoa might be your thing.  I’m just finding this batch a tad overwhelming.

A Montclair foodie has posted a number of excellent cookie recipes.  I've only made the snickerdoodles - which are awesome.

https://marissarothkopf.com