Cookies, cookies, and more cookies!

My mom told me a story, which she may have regretted later, about a pie party where friends were invited to eat pie. Lots and lots of pie. I was inspired, not to make pies, but rather cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. (Mom always said I was a cookie monster!)

I wanted to have a cookie party. Not a cookie baking party; not a cookie exchange party; but a cookie eating party. So my mom and I set to work. In two-and-a-half days we baked 12 different types of cookies totalling around 60 dozen cookies! (I can't count the number of times Mom said, "Are we done yet?")

By the end of the second day of baking, my boyfriend starting calling it a cookie eating competition.

Finally we spent a wintry, December afternoon with friends and family, enjoying cookies, milk (almond and regular), and hot apple cider (spiked or not). It was perfect!

What I've learned is that you can make just about any cookie recipe dairy-free by using a non-dairy butter substitute. For example:
- There are many vegan, non-hydrogenated buttery spreads, however I recommend reading the label to see if it is recommended for baking. Some hold up to high temperatures better than others.
- Whole Foods makes a 360 brand vegetable shortening that is good for baking.
- Coconut oil, despite the name, is solid at room temperature and works quite well.
- If you miss the butter flavor, Crisco makes a butter-flavored vegetable shortening. I called the 800-number to ask if the product contained dairy, and the recording about food allergies promised that they list all ingredients on the package, including specifically dairy, tree nuts, etc. Since there is no mention of dairy on the packaging, one assumes that it would be dairy-free. I didn't have a reaction to this product, but my "allergy" may not be as sensitive as others.

Below are a few of the recipes we baked. (I'm not going to re-post the recipes for ginger cookies or macaroons. See April 2009 and June 2009, respectively.) Basically the recipe instructions are the same for all: cream butter, sugar, eggs and flavoring; then add dry ingredients. Once mixed, spoon teaspoon-size cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake. For prettier cookies, take a teaspoon of dough and roll it in your hands to make balls and then bake.

Peanut Butter Cookies
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
1 ¼ cups flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder

Optional: chocolate chips (my dad wouldn't have it any other way!)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 3 dozen.


Lavender Cookies
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter (the recipe calls for both, but you can just use 1 cup of shortening)
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
2 ¼ cups flour
4 tsp lavender flowers
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Sprinkle with colored sugar when they come out of the oven. Makes at least 3 dozen, but I forgot to count.


Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 cups uncooked oats

Optional: 1 cup raisins, or 1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 6 dozen.


Pfeffernusse
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup dark molasses or Sorghum syrup
1 egg
3 ½ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp black pepper

Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before and after baking. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. These cookies will NOT expand. Makes approx. 6 dozen.


White Chocolate Chip (white chocolate is not really chocolate, but I digress...)
1 cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
white chocolate chips- add to taste, but I err on the side of too many – is there such a thing as too many chips?

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes approx. 3 dozen.


Everything Cookie
1 cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
“everything but the kitchen sink” - for example: chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, oatmeal, shredded coconut, toffee bits, raisins, dried cranberries, caramel pieces, chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, candied ginger, etc.

I used all of the ingredients that were left over from the other cookies. Seriously, I threw in everything listed above, excluding the raisins, nuts and candied ginger. Then I added green sprinkles when they came out of the oven. At least two people said that this was their favorite cookie!

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.