Renaissance Girl’s Recipe Corner

I’m making these cookies for our church’s cookie walk this weekend.

Flourless PB&J Cookies (original recipe from a 1970s church cookbook; the spices and jam are my additions)

Makes 2 dozen; easily doubled or tripled

1 cup peanut butter (This is *not* the time to use the natural variety; can use either chunky or creamy. I prefer chunky.)

1 cup sugar (Can use either white or brown; I actually like them better with brown sugar.)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

(The spices are optional but delicious.)

Mix all ingredients. Drop with teaspoon on *greased* cookie sheet. (I had to fix that. Sorry for any inconvenience.) Bake at 325 degrees no longer than 15 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven, make small depression with a teaspoon or the end of a wooden spoon. Fill with your favorite jam or jelly or with Nutella. Let cool.

The next two recipes I’ll be making for my family.

My Mom’s Favorite Cookies (original recipe from a Diane Mott Davidson mystery)

Makes 3 dozen (give or take, depends on how big you make them)

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (can substitute Blue Bonnet or Imperial margarine)

¾ cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

1 8-ounce package dried cranberries (craisins) or dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt (and cinnamon, if you’re using it) in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture. (You may have to switch from a mixer to a wooden spoon.) Stir in chocolate chips or chunks and cranberries/cherries. Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets.

Mocha-Chip Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

2 ¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 T. instant coffee (the only appropriate use for instant coffee, IMHO)

½ cup + 1 T. unsweetened cocoa

Optional: cinnamon to taste, up to 1 tsp.

2 sticks butter, softened (can substitute Blue Bonnet or Imperial margarine)

¾ cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 package white chocolate/semisweet chocolate swirled chips (You can use all white or all semisweet, or even milk chocolate chips if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, instant coffee, and cinnamon. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture. (At some point you’ll want to switch from the mixer to a wooden spoon or spatula. This is a really heavy dough.) Add chips. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They’re not going to look “done” when they come out; don’t worry about that. Let cool on cookie sheet. If you make the cookies smaller, decrease your baking time by 1-2 minutes.

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