And The Top Ten Are….

Here are the top ten cookie recipes from our “Official Cookie of Belle Grove Plantation” Cookie Contest.

Your vote counts!

After reviewing the cookie recipe, go to our Facebook Fan Page to vote for your favorite cookie! The cookie will be listed in a special photo album on the Belle Grove Plantation Facebook Fan Page.

To Vote:

1. You must “Like” the Belle Grove Plantation Fan Page

2. Find your favorite cookie recipe in our special photo album. “Like” that cookie to vote for it.

3. Share the fun with your family and friends!

We wish all the top ten good luck!

Auntie Jen’s Friday Cookies

(adapted from the Kitchenaid Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Jen Stazak – California

fullofgraces.com

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all purpose flour (we like unbleached, organic)

1 cup dark chocolate chips*

1 cup dried cranberries*

1 cup coconut flakes*

Mix sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla until creamy (about 2 minutes–this is KEY). Add baking soda and salt; mix for 30 seconds. Add flour, mix for one minute. Add chips, cranberries and flakes, stir until mixed

Drop by chunky teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake in 375 degree oven for 14 minutes.

* Almost anything can be substituted here–semi-sweet, milk of white chocolate; walnuts or pecans; cherries or dried blueberries.

Brown Rice Chocolate Chip Cookie

(This is my own recipe)

(Gluten Free)

Bonnie Fayssoux – New York

http://itsybitsysblog.wordpress.com/

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare a cookie sheet ( I use an air bake cookie sheet) with cooking spray or parchment paper

2 sticks salted butter (melted)

1/2 cup light brown sugar unpacked

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup golden ground flaxseed

Using a kitchen aide mixer on low speed blend the above ingredients until combined.

Add:

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend on low speed

In separate bowl sift together:

2 cups Brown Rice Flour

1/4 cup corn starch

2 Tablespoons Tapioca flour (I grind down instant Tapioca in a coffee grinder)

1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum

1 teaspoon baking soda

Add to mixer and blend until well combined

Take bowl from mixer stand and add:

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (if not adding nuts add up to 1 cup more chips)

1 1/2 cups crushed pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix well, by hand…

Scoop out 12 portions using an ice cream scoop if available. Form into rounds and flatten with a fork slightly to form about a 3″ round that is about a 1/2″ high.

Don’t form yet, place tray in refrigerator for 1/2 an hour to chill so cookies don’t spread out too thin.

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. The cookies should not be cooked all the way, they should have a slight glisten to them so that they cook on their own while sitting on top of the stove when you take them out. Cool completely and serve on a plate, or  wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in an airtight zip lock baggie. Stores in freezer for 1 month or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Cranberry Orange Walnut Shortbread Cookies

Nancy Brown – Canada

http://njbrown.wordpress.com/

(Based on the Cranberry Shortbread recipe from Ocean Spray)

Makes approximately 4 dozen

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 generous tablespoon grated orange zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix in the flour, a little at a time, until combined.

Stir in dried cranberries, zest and walnuts.

Cookies can be made into balls or flattened. To make round cookies, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 dozen at a time on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 15 to 17 minutes.

Cool

To make flat cookies, form dough into 1-inch balls as directed above. Using the wet bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar; flatten balls on cookie sheet, making rounds 2-inches in diameter.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes.

Cool.

Cranberry-Orange Macadamia Butter Cookies

SOURCE: adapted from Cooking Light magazine, December 2009 issue

Maria McCloud – California

www.scrumptiousandsumptous.wordpress.com

INGREDIENTS

5.6 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

2/3 cup macadamia nuts

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 + 1/8 tsp. orange extract (or 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest)

1 large egg

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

1/4 cup granulated sugar, for coating cookies

DIRECTIONS

1.            Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2.            Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

3.            To make macadamia butter: Place macadamia nuts in a food processor; pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl once or twice (do not eliminate the scraping step; scraping and pulsing helps draw the oils from the nuts, which are needed to keep the cookies cohesive when mixing & baking).

4.            Combine macadamia butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.

5.            Mix vanilla, orange extract (or zest), and egg; lightly whisk with a fork. Add to dough mixture and beat until mixed, about 1 minute.

6.            Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until combined and dough begins to progress from looking like small crumbs to looking like several big chunks of crumbs (it’s okay if dough isn’t fully cohesive; it will stick together when you form balls in the next step). Stir in chopped cranberries. Chill 10 minutes, covered. (I actually slowly add the cranberries while my stand mixer is mixing the dough.)

7.            Place approximately 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl for dipping cookies into before baking. To make large cookies about 3 inches in diameter after baking: Divide chilled dough into 15 equal portions, about 1 1/2 tbsp. for each cookie; roll each portion into a ball between the palms of the hands to about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Press each ball of dough between palms of hand to flatten it into a disc 1/4 inch thick. Lightly dip each disc, both sides, into the sugar to coat it. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 minutes or until lightly golden. To make smaller cookies about 2 1/2 inches in diameter after baking: Divide dough into 30 equal portions, about 1 inch in diameter. Roll into balls, then press flat between palms, dip into sugar, and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart; bake for 9 minutes.

8.            Remove cookies from oven, cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: about 3 dozen small cookies cookies or 15 large cookies

Notes: Baked cookies freeze well. I simply place them in an airtight container, then pop the container into the freezer.

Curried Coconut Ginger Cookies

Kieran Tyler – California

2 to 1/4 cups all-purpose flour. 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda. 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened. 1-1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger. 2 eggs

1 pinch of cinnamon

[Coconut Mixture:]

1/2 a seven ounce bag of coconut. 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

[Coconut Mixture:]

1.Mix together in bowl and set aside

[Cookies:]

1.Heat conventional oven to 375°F (convection oven 350°F)

2.Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, curry, cinnamon, and ginger.

3.Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Don’t over mix.

5.Let sit in fridge for 20 minutes. Form into 1 inch balls roll in coconut mixture (optional) place on ungreased cookie sheet bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack cool completely.

Dolley’s Delights

Sarah Puleo – Massachusetts

http://www.bettycupcakes.com

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

3 cups all-purpose white flour, spooned, levelled, and sifted

~20 peppermint candies, crushed

1 cup white chocolate chips

Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar on medium until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beat a minute more.  Scrape the bowl again and add all sifted flour.  Mix on low until a soft dough forms ~ 1 minute.  Scrape bowl and mix 30 seconds more.

Turn dough out onto a large rectangle of plastic wrap.  Shape into a round log that is ~12 inches long and 2 inches tall.  Use the plastic wrap to help you shape the log and pack the dough together. It should be very tightly packed.  Wrap in a second layer of plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 325.

Once the dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator.  Using a serrated knife, slice the log into ¼ inch thick slices.  It should yield approximately 40 cookies.

Place slices onto large (14×16) ungreased cookie sheets, approximately 1 inch apart.  Bake 15-18 minutes until just barely browned on edges.  Cool entirely on cookie sheet.

Once cool, remove onto a wire rack.

In a food processor, crush the peppermint candies until ground to small pebbles.  You want to stop before they are dust.

Using a double boiler, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips.  Stir occasionally.

Once melted, frost each of the cooled cookies with a thin layer of white chocolate.  Sprinkle ~⅛ tsp of crushed peppermint candy on top of each cookie.

Lavender Sugar Cookies

Denny Martindale – Tennessee

www.custompastelportraits.wordpress.com

(see variations at the end)

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar                                                                    1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups unsifted, all-purpose flour                                               1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 egg                                                                                                       1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon lavender buds                                                     1 teaspoon salt

(these can be found at Whole Foods, etc)                             2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

butter or shortening for bottom of glass

Directions:

1.  Place egg and baking soda in a small bowl and mix well with a fork.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Meanwhile, place 1 cup sugar and lavender buds in a blender or coffee grinder.  Blend on high until well blended and buds are chopped.

3.  In large bowl mix lavender sugar and shortening and cream together until smooth.

4.  Add egg/baking soda mixture and vanilla and mix well.

5.  Add flour, cream of tartar and salt and mix well until you have a nice soft, smooth dough.

6.  Form dough into balls and place 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

7.  Press flat with the bottom of a glass that has been greased and dipped into remaining sugar.

8.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes (keep an eye out so they don’t burn)

9.  Allow to cool on cookie sheets before transferring to plate or cookie jar.

10. Enjoy!

Variations:

Rosemary-Lemon  Substitute the lavender buds with dried rosemary leaves and add 1/4 teaspoon crushed lemon thyme leaves.  Blend with sugar in blender as above.  I love these at Christmas!

You may also choose to roll out the dough and use cookie cutters as with plain sugar cookies, plus add frosting or decorate to your liking.

Madison’s Apple Pie Cookies

Erik Petersen –North Carolina

http://jenerik-sweets.blogspot.com/

5.4 oz unsalted butter

2.8 oz. granulated sugar

4 oz. molasses

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

2 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

7.8 oz. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

5 oz. pecans (coarsely chopped)

5 oz. dried apple pieces (coarsely chopped)

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder together with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt on low for 2 minutes with a paddle attachment.

Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.

Add molasses, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.

Scrapes the sides and bottom of bowl.

Slowly add flour mixture and mix for 5 seconds on low (it will not look fully incorporated).

Add pecans and dried apples and mix until all ingredients look incorporated (this shouldn’t take long – don’t over-mix).

Drop cookies in 1.5 oz. portions onto a pan lined with parchment paper.

Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Bake at 375o for 11 minutes or until light to golden brown around the edges.

Modern Molasses Cookies

Alyssa D’Alconzo – Pennsylvania

http://suitcasesandsweets.com

Ingredients (4 dozen cookies)

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons allspice

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

sugar

2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine first 5 ingredients; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening and dark brown sugar. Beat in egg, molasses, and vanilla. Mix well.

Fold in dry ingredients and stir by hand.

Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Shape teaspoonful of dough into balls; roll in sugar.

Place balls onto cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes until set. Cool for one minute on cookie sheet and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, break up chocolate into small pieces, add coconut oil or shortening, and microwave on medium heat until melted.

Using a fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies.

Allow chocolate to set and store in an airtight container.

Orange Cookies

Jo Ann Bradis – New Jersey

alittlesweetalittlesavory.wordpress.com

Orange Cookies

1 cup Crisco shortening                          Cream these ingredients together

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of one medium orange

2 eggs                                                           Add these ingredients to the creamed mix

3 oz. orange juice (One medium orange)

8 oz. sour cream

4 cups flour- unsifted                            Sift the baking powder, baking soda, and salt

1 tablespoon baking powder               Add with the flour to the creamed mixture.

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon of salt

Bake at 375 degrees on a greased cookie sheet. The cookies will take between 10-12 minutes to bake. If the batter seems too thick add just a little more orange juice.

Orange Glaze

Mix juice and zest of one orange to 1lb.sifted powdered sugar. Stir with a small whisk until smooth. Dip the cookies one at a time in the glaze let it drop off and place on a sheet of parchment to dry.

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