Christmas Cookies

[Moderator]

I really can't cook. I can follow a cookie recipe exactly and they still turn out like science expiraments gone bad Partly maybe because I'm so afraid not to cook them long enough, I usually burn them

I understand. There can be a fine line between done and burnt especially with recipes that have a lot of butter. Better to err on the side of underdone then--trust the recipe timing if your oven temp is accurate.

 

[Spideyman]

I really can't cook. I can follow a cookie recipe exactly and they still turn out like science expiraments gone bad Partly maybe because I'm so afraid not to cook them long enough, I usually burn them

see if this helps:

Spoiler: doneness of cookies

Baked Cookie Doneness
To avoid overbaking cookies, check them at the minimum baking time. If more time is needed, watch carefully to make sure they don't burn. It is usually better to slightly underbake than to overbake cookies. The following are some general guidelines that describe doneness tests for many types of cookies. Based on the type of cookies you're baking, apply one of these tests:

Fudgy Bar Cookies: The surface appears dull and a slight imprint remains after touching the surface with a fingertip.

Cake-like Bar Cookies: A wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and dry.

Drop Cookies: The surface is lightly browned and a slight imprint remains after touching the surface with a fingertip.

Refrigerator Cookies: The edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned.

Rolled Cookies: The edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned.

Shaped Cookies: The edges are lightly browned.

Many cookies should be removed from cookie sheets immediately after baking and placed in a single layer on wire racks to cool. Fragile cookies may need to cool slightly on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Bar cookies and brownies may be cooled and stored in the baking pan.

 

[no bounce no play]

see if this helps:

Spoiler: doneness of cookies

Baked Cookie Doneness
To avoid overbaking cookies, check them at the minimum baking time. If more time is needed, watch carefully to make sure they don't burn. It is usually better to slightly underbake than to overbake cookies. The following are some general guidelines that describe doneness tests for many types of cookies. Based on the type of cookies you're baking, apply one of these tests:

Fudgy Bar Cookies: The surface appears dull and a slight imprint remains after touching the surface with a fingertip.

Cake-like Bar Cookies: A wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and dry.

Drop Cookies: The surface is lightly browned and a slight imprint remains after touching the surface with a fingertip.

Refrigerator Cookies: The edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned.

Rolled Cookies: The edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned.

Shaped Cookies: The edges are lightly browned.

Many cookies should be removed from cookie sheets immediately after baking and placed in a single layer on wire racks to cool. Fragile cookies may need tfo cool slightly on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Bar cookies and brownies may be cooled and stored in the baking pan.

Thank you That's very helpful

 

[no bounce no play]

I've never used parchment paper... Do y'all use parchment paper?

 

[skimom2]

This is the easiest recipe I've ever found for sugar cookies that stay soft no matter how thin you roll them:
CHEATER'S SUGAR COOKIES
1 box of vanilla cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 C oil

Mix, chill for a few minutes, roll out and bake at 325 for about 4-5 a batch (depending on how dark you like them)

I almost never use a mix for anything, but these work!

Oh, and Northpole.com has a bunch of really good recipes for all kinds of cookies

 

[Todash]

I really can't cook. I can follow a cookie recipe exactly and they still turn out like science expiraments gone bad Partly maybe because I'm so afraid not to cook them long enough, I usually burn them

You just need a partner for a while. There are nuances to cooking that it's hard to learn from a recipe or book. (For instance, most "done" cookies are very soft right out of the oven. That's why you let them rest on the pan for a few minutes before trying to remove them.) But everyone can learn.

I think the best way to learn to cook is in the kitchen with an experienced cook (or barring that, a relative or friend who doesn't mind a hundred phone calls and questions from a noob cook), and then just going off on your own. It's like training wheels. I was ... not a good cook when I first got married. I wasn't a kid, either; I was 27. I learned. And I'm still learning. But now that I've got a good basis to start from, recipes make a lot more sense to me (AND I can tell which ones are probably not going to work). If I'm cooking, actually—as opposed to baking—most of the time I wing it.

I'm just saying that if you want to learn, don't give up! It's not magic. You can do it.

 

[Todash]

I've never used parchment paper... Do y'all use parchment paper?

Oh, hell to the yes! Especially when you're doing cookies after cookies after cookies ... it makes life SO much easier. Cleanup is super easy. The cookies slide right off with no sticking. It's easy to quickly reuse a cookie sheet. So many benefits!! I wish they'd package it a little differently—it's not very easy to tear—but I LOVE it. Also, when you're doing a bunch, you can reuse the same parchment over and over. You don't have to use a new piece every time.

Try it. Really, just try it.

 

[champ1966]

The Weightwatchers website won't let you enable cookies.

 

[no bounce no play]

You just need a partner for a while. There are nuances to cooking that it's hard to learn from a recipe or book. (For instance, most "done" cookies are very soft right out of the oven. That's why you let them rest on the pan for a few minutes before trying to remove them.) But everyone can learn.

I think the best way to learn to cook is in the kitchen with an experienced cook (or barring that, a relative or friend who doesn't mind a hundred phone calls and questions from a noob cook), and then just going off on your own. It's like training wheels. I was ... not a good cook when I first got married. I wasn't a kid, either; I was 27. I learned. And I'm still learning. But now that I've got a good basis to start from, recipes make a lot more sense to me (AND I can tell which ones are probably not going to work). If I'm cooking, actually—as opposed to baking—most of the time I wing it.

I'm just saying that if you want to learn, don't give up! It's not magic. You can do it.

I might be messaging you some questions

 

[skimom2]

I've never used parchment paper... Do y'all use parchment paper?

If I have it It's lovely for baked goods, and Fish en Papillote (fish in paper) is wonderful

 

[Todash]

By the way, my cookie sheets had gotten to the point of being just completely awful. The last straw was when I baked 12 dozen cookies this Thanksgiving as a favor for a few friends. I wanted to fling them (the cookie sheets, not the cookies ... or the friends) out the window. So frustrating! So I just bought a few of these last night: The Best Cookie Sheet | The Sweethome.

I'm excited. It's the little things, innit?

 

[no bounce no play]

This is the easiest recipe I've ever found for sugar cookies that stay soft no matter how thin you roll them:
CHEATER'S SUGAR COOKIES
1 box of vanilla cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 C oil

Mix, chill for a few minutes, roll out and bake at 325 for about 4-5 a batch (depending on how dark you like them)

I almost never use a mix for anything, but these work!

Oh, and Northpole.com has a bunch of really good recipes for all kinds of cookies

I've had a similar recipe on my fridge for a couple years now (someday I'll get around to trying it lol). It was on the side panel of a box mix of brownies. You make cookies out of the brownie mix and glue them together with vanilla frosting.

 

[skimom2]

I've had a similar recipe on my fridge for a couple years now (someday I'll get around to trying it lol). It was on the side panel of a box mix of brownies. You make cookies out of the brownie mix and glue them together with vanilla frosting.

Just brownie mix and frosting? Weird. I just thought of another 'mix' recipe, very little cooking involved: cake balls. These are so sinfully delicious!

Bake a boxed cake mix (preferably one with pudding in the mix)--Red Velvet is one of our favorites, or devils food. When the cake is cool, crumble into a bowl and add a container of frosting (cream cheese frosting is wonderful with Red Velvet cake, or fudge with devils food, or make a batch of homemade frosting) and mix thoroughly. Roll into 1" diameter balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Chill for about an hour, until the cake balls are firm. Melt almond bark or white chocolate candy coating (for Red velvet cake. Dark or milk chocolate candy coating is good for chocolate balls) in the microwave or double boiler, dip the balls in the coating, and return to the cookie sheet(s). It's best to melt the coating in small batches so it stays hot, so this will take a few minutes. Chill again. Devour like a madman. These keep very well in a tightly covered container for several days, but I doubt they'll last that long.

 

[no bounce no play]

Just brownie mix and frosting? Weird. I just thought of another 'mix' recipe, very little cooking involved: cake balls. These are so sinfully delicious!

Bake a boxed cake mix (preferably one with pudding in the mix)--Red Velvet is one of our favorites, or devils food. When the cake is cool, crumble into a bowl and add a container of frosting (cream cheese frosting is wonderful with Red Velvet cake, or fudge with devils food, or make a batch of homemade frosting) and mix thoroughly. Roll into 1" diameter balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Chill for about an hour, until the cake balls are firm. Melt almond bark or white chocolate candy coating (for Red velvet cake. Dark or milk chocolate candy coating is good for chocolate balls) in the microwave, dip the balls in the coating, and return to the cookie sheet(s). It's best to melt the coating in small batches so it stays hot, so this will take a few minutes. Chill again. Devour like a madman. These keep very well in a tightly covered container for several days, but I doubt they'll last that long.

Oh! Those sound good too!

I'll type up the brownie cookie instructions. It will take me a while though... I'm pretty slow at hunt and peck on these silly iPads lol

 

[skimom2]

Oh! Those sound good too!

I'll type up the brownie cookie instructions. It will take me a while though... I'm pretty slow at hunt and peck on these silly iPads lol

LOL! I'm a pokey person on 'new' tech, too. My husband has an iPad, but it intimidates me I'll stick with my Mac.

 

[no bounce no play]

Easy Brownie & Cream Sandwich Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
1 large egg
3 Tbsp water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 16oz can Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.

Combine brownie mix, egg, water and oil in large bowl. Stir until well blended and soft dough forms. Drop by level measuring tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set in center. Do not over bake. Cool for 1 minute before removing to cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling.

Spread frosting on half the cookies. Top each frosted cookie with another cookie. Gently press together.

 

[skimom2]

Easy Brownie & Cream Sandwich Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
1 large egg
3 Tbsp water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 16oz can Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.

Combine brownie mix, egg, water and oil in large bowl. Stir until well blended and soft dough forms. Drop by level measuring tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set in center. Do not over bake. Cool for 1 minute before removing to cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling.

Spread frosting on half the cookies. Top each frosted cookie with another cookie. Gently press together.

Thank you! I know my girls would love to make these!

 

[no bounce no play]

y'know, as easy as that recipe sounds, I'm still befuddled by "bake until cookies are set in center". What the heck does "set in center" mean?

 

[skimom2]

y'know, as easy as that recipe sounds, I'm still befuddled by "bake until cookies are set in center". What the heck does "set in center" mean?

They're not liquid or gelid if you lightly touch one. They will be soft, but not squishy. Just from experience, I'd pull them no later than the 12 minute mark, and maybe even earlier (my oven cooks hot).

 

[Out of Order]

Try these no bounce........