Andes Mint Cookies

[threemeninaboat]

A few years ago I realized we were paying nearly $400 a year on cookies alone. I proclaimed that if cookies were to be had, they must be made at home. So I tried.

My cookies come out badly most of the time. It's not that I burn them, they just don't look like cookies. I once threw "The Field Guide to Cookies" out my front door and cried, "Damn you to hell! Every recipe failed me."

But I try.

Today I tried the Andes Mints cookies printed on the back of the Andes Mints Morsels bag. They are the best cookies I have ever made. They actually look like cookies and taste so awesome and were very easy (I did have to shape them by hand rather than spoon, but that might be my deep freezer). I'm gonna go have another.

Comments

[crossfire.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you were having such trouble with cookies. I'm pretty good at them, they're one of the first things I learned how to bake.

We're doing four different kinds of cookies this year: The andes mint cookies, better than sex cookies, chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies, and eggnog snickerdoodles.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

I learned breads and cakes when I was little (and borscht). Mom generally made carob cookies with walnuts, so I didn't have a lot motivation to learn cookies.

Bar cookies and crunchy cookies depress me. And someone once gave me a chocolate cookie with salt crystals on top and that was most bad.
I can biscotti though. And they are most excellent.

Can I have your Eggnog Snickerdoodles recipe please?

[crossfire.livejournal.com]

I just remembered, we're also doing pumpkin bars. Technically not a cookie, though.

I'll get you the snickerdoodle recipe as soon as I get home. It was one of the runners-up in the Cook's Country Christmas Cookie contest, so I'm assuming it's good. The chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies are another runner-up from that contest. Oddly enough we didn't think we'd like the actual contest winner.

[crossfire.livejournal.com]

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 400F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In mixer bowl, combine butter and granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and rum extract and mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour and mix until just combined.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (about a tablespoon of dough makes a 1-inch ball). Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press balls flat with the greased bottom of a measuring cup to make 1/2 inch rounds. bake until edges are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. (I have to rotate my baking sheets halfway through top to bottom and front to back because my oven isn't very even.)

Cool cookies 5 minutes on sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Combine confectioner's sugar and nutmeg and dust cookies lightly.

You can use rum instead of rum extract but the flavor won't be as intense.

[crossfire.livejournal.com]

Update after trying the recipe:

My cookies spread too much at 400F, I would probably try 375F. They taste good, but pretty much no different than your average snickerdoodle. The nutmeg/sugar dusting is the best part, use lots of nutmeg.

[myras-girls.livejournal.com]

I always have great success with peanut butter cookies!

[kitsunekaboom.livejournal.com]

If you add just a bit of clove, the oatmeal cookie recipe on Quaker oatmeal works amazingly. (I tend to substitute chocolate chips instead of raisins but hey).

[alrs.livejournal.com]

Is it the elevation jacking your recipes?