Challenges

50 Staes, 50 Cookies: Wisconsin

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I ended up using cranberries in place of cherries & walnuts in place of pecans because that’s what I had in my pantry. These were OK. Nothing special. Maybe I will try using maraschino cherries in the future.

Buttery Bourbon Cherry Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • 2-1/4 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour divided
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup Butter softened
  • 1-1/4 cups dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 1/4 cup Bourbon
  • 1 cup frozen Cherries thawed, drained, and roughly chopped, preferably Door County Cherries
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped Pecans
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tsp Bourbon
  • 2 tsp Water
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of the flour with the baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat for just a few seconds until the yolks are broken up and slightly mixed. Add the bourbon and mix until the liquid is incorporated. Add the flour mixture and pulse until just incorporated.
  3. In a small bowl, toss thawed, drained, chopped cherries with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add cherries and pecans to the dough and mix by hand with a wooden spoon, folding carefully so that they are just incorporated throughout and the entire dough isn’t purple. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to drop dough onto the prepared pan about 2 inches apart. Bake 11-12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies no longer look wet and the edges are just beginning to brown. Allow to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  5. Once the cookies are cooled, prepare the glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons bourbon, and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a bit more water. If it is too wet add a bit more powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and allow to set before eating or placing in an airtight container to store.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Nebraska

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If there ever was a cookie you should make it is this one. These are so gooey & salty sweet with the buttery toffee flavors. I have to restrain myself from making them all the time just as it’s so hard to stop yourself from eating them all.

Butter Brickle Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2-1/4 cup Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 8 oz Toffee Bits
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In your mixer cream butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in sugars and vanilla, mix well. Add in eggs, mix until combined. Gradually add in flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Fold in toffee bits.
  3. Drop by rounded teaspoon full onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until slightly brown. Cool on wire racks.

50 States, 50 Cookies: New Mexico

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If you talk to people about licorice, I mean black licorice, or anise flavored things you will find there is a great divide. There aren’t too many people that are indifferent. They either think it’s super delicious or they think it’s downright vile.

I really like it. I think it stems from the fact that I grew up eating specken dicken on new year’s day. It is metwurst sausage pancakes flavored with anise. I know…sounds crazy. It is super yummy though. Anyhow, these cookies are almost like a snickerdoodle with a subtle anise flavoring. Not bad. I prefer regular snickerdoodles and pfferneuse cookies though.

Biscochitos from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

 

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Butter softened
  • 1/2 cup Shortening
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Anise Seed or use Caraway Seed as a substitute
  • 2-1/2 cups Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • For rolling:
  • 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
Instructions
  1. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, shortening, sugar, egg and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour, anise, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix until incorporated.
  2. Form dough into two cylinders about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Cut cylinders into about 1/4″ discs, roll each disc in the cinnamon sugar mixture around the outsides, and place on an un-greased cookie sheet, leaving 1″ gaps between each. Bake for approximately 12-13 minutes. Just after removing them from the oven, roll each disc, around the edges, in more cinnamon sugar for better coverage.
  4. Let cool on racks and store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Hawaii

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I was excited for these cookies. Macadamia & White Chocolate Cookies are one of my all time favorite cookies. These were OK but I will stick with my traditional recipe.

Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies dipped in white chocolate from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • Shortbread Cookies:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (vegan butter or coconut oil can also be use, but cookies may spread a little more)
  • 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour + extra for dusting
  • 1 cup finely chopped Macadamia Nuts
  • 1/3 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • White Chocolate:
  • 8 oz quality White Chocolate chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Palm Shortening or 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut cacao nibs, sprinkles, etc. for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and maple syrup. Mix until well blended.
  2. Add 2 cups of flour and salt. Blend until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes, and then mix in vanilla extract and macadamia nuts. If your dough is too dry for some reason, you can add a splash of water to bring it together; too loose add flour a tablespoon at a time until it forms a soft dough.
  3. Roll dough between to large pieces of parchment paper. Dust with a little flour if it gets sticky. Use any cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  4. Place pans in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill the dough. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
  5. Ten minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350F. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is set. The cookies will be pretty light in color.
  6. Allow to cool slightly on the pan and then transfer cookies to a rack to cool thoroughly. They can be crumbly if handled when they’re hot.
  7. While cookies are cooling, begin to melt your chocolate. Place chocolate and oil in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir constantly until chocolate and oil are melted and mixture is smooth.
  8. Dip cooled cookies halfway into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper or a wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with shredded coconut or other topping of choice before chocolate hardens.
  9. Stack finished cookies in an airtight container between pieces of parchment or wax paper. Makes about 2½ to 3 dozen cookies, depending on the cutter you use.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Georgia

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I love snickerdoodles. Who doesn’t? I was excited for these cookies. I thought the peach would give them a slightly sweet peace flavor & I thought the sweet potato aspect would be a nice way to bump up the nutrition.

I was wrong. Way wrong. These cookies were absolutely inedible. They had zero flavor.

Peach Snickerdoodles from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

 

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup Organic Coconut Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Coconut Oil softened
  • 1/2 small Sweet Potato cooked and mashed
  • 1/4 cup Peach Preserves
  • 1-1/2 tsp Almond Extract or vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350*F.
  2. In a stand mixer, combine the coconut sugar, oil, mashed sweet potato, preserves, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, sea salt together.
  4. Using the stand mixer, slowly start combining the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until smooth dough forms.
  5. Place dough on a long piece of parchment paper and roll into a log the width of the bottom of a coffee mug and place (while still wrapped in parchment paper) in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from the freezer, slice into ½” rounds and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges have turned golden brown.
  7. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying!
Recipe Notes

A quick cinnamon sugar topping: Combine 3 TBSP coconut sugar with 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon.

50 States, 50 Cookies: South Carolina

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I love gingersnaps. I like them crunchy & I like them soft & pillowy. These are the soft & pillowy kind. I thought the concept of adding nutella to the ginger flavor was bizarre so only made half with the filling. I actually preferred the unfilled gingersnaps. I just don’t think nutella meshes well with strong gingersnap cookie flavor. I will be keeping this recipe on hand for Christmas season.

Ooey Gooey Gingersnaps from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup softened Butter
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/3 cup Molasses
  • 2-1/4 cup Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • Hazelnut Spread chocolate, caramel, or any other filling you would like
  • Granulated Sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. To make your cookies, first combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Next, mix butter, sugar, molasses and the egg in a large bowl.
  2. Add in the dry ingredients slowly while mixing. Continue mixing until everything is evenly blended. Your dough might get a little thick/stiff, but that’s what makes it stay so pillowy through baking!
  3. Once that is finished, grab a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and spray it with a little nonstick spray. Now, take little handfuls of dough (about 2 tbsp each) and roll them into balls. If you don’t want to stuff them, go ahead and put them on your baking sheet. If you do want to stuff them, take each individual ball and poke a finger in the middle, making a “bowl” shape. Spoon in a bit of your hazelnut spread (or squeeze in with a corner cut off of a zip top bag). You don’t want to add too much, so make sure none is spilling out.
  4. Next, just close up your ball by pressing both sides together. Once closed, roll it a few times to make it back into a ball, and then dip in some sugar.
  5. Place on your baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. When they come out, they will be light, fluffy little pillows of goodness! Let them cool, and then serve!

50 States, 50 Cookies: Rhode Island

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I’m not very good at freeform cookies so instead I used my mini-muffin tin to shape them & the prep was super easy. These are a good fall/winter cookie with the cranberry walnut flavor. I might make a variation in the future with different fruits.

Cranberry Walnut Stuffed Shortbread Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • Shortbread Dough
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2-1/2 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • Cranberry Walnut Filling
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries unsweetened
  • 1/3 cup Orange Juice
  • 1/4 cup Evaporated Cane Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 2/3 cup Finely Chopped Walnuts
Instructions
  1. Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
  2. Gradually add the flour while mixing. Once well mixed, remove from bowl and gather into a ball.
  3. Roll out into a log about 2½ inches wide. Roll in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for minimum of 3 hours to firm.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Slice the log of shortbread dough into ¼ thick slices and lay out on baking sheet.
  6. Place filling ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook covered, stirring occasionally until orange juice is absorbed, but still moist.
  7. Scoop ½ to ¾ tbs of the cranberry walnut filling onto each circle of dough. Press the filling together to clump. Pinch the dough on one side, then push the opposite side in toward center. Pinch the three corners to form even triangle. If bottom cracks at all, simply repair by pushing edges together.
  8. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Bottoms will be golden, but tops will still be light. Allow to cool on baking rack before serving.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Pennsylvania

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These cookies were fine but nothing special. They were a decent cutout cookie recipe for the future but I’d probably do a powdered sugar frosting next time.

 

Cranberry & Walnut Sand Tart Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

 

Ingredients
  • 2-1/2 cups Granlated Sugar
  • 4 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups Unsalted Butter
  • 2 Eggs well beaten
  • 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup Walnuts chopped
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together.
  2. Slowly add in eggs, mixing until well-combined. Add flour a bit at a time and mix thoroughly. Cover tightly and chill over night.
  3. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies and place on greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 350-F about 10 minutes or until set.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Virginia

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I didn’t use the proper caramel sauce for these cookies. I used ice cream caramel sauce so it was runny and din’t set up properly. I also thought the cookies themselves were rather bland so overall these were huge disappointment.

Peanut Brittle Shortbread Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Salted Butter room temperature
  • 1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1-1/4 cup Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Peanut Brittle smashed into bits
  • 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce
  • crushed Peanuts for garnish optional
Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add in vanilla and mix well.
  2. Add in flour and powdered sugar and mix on low to medium speed until dough forms a ball. Fold in peanut brittle bits.
  3. Using a 2 oz cookie scoop scoop dough onto a lined baking tray and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the center of the cookie with your thumb, creating a 1″ circle.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a flat surface to cool completely. Once cook, spoon about 1 Tbs of caramel sauce into the center well of each cookie. Top with crushed peanuts if desired.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Vermont

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The sugar cookie themselves turned out really well. I will probably make these again minus the maple frosting and use as one of my go to sugar cookies.

 

Easy Sugar Cookies with Maple Frosting from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Butter softened
  • 1 tsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 Egg
  • 2-1/3 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Maple Frosting

  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • Milk to thin with if necessary
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat the sugar and the butter until creamy. You can use an electric beater if you want.
  3. Stir in 1 teaspoon of real maple syrup and the egg. Stir in flour and baking soda.
  4. Shape the dough by teaspoonfuls into balls.
  5. Place on parchment paper and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Be sure to flour the bottom of the glass to avoid sticking.
  6. Bake about 10 minutes and allow to cool on rack completely before frosting.
  7. Mix the powdered sugar and real maple syrup together in a small pot and heat on low heat. Ensure there are no lumps. You can thin with milk if necessary.
  8. Frost quickly and enjoy!