Recipe: Basic Cookie Mix with 7 Variations

Basic Cookie Mix with 7 Variations
Recipe By : McCalls

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter -- softened

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator (mixture will keep for 8 weeks). Bring to room temperature before using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Butter-Lime Bars
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 16

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
Topping
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
green food coloring
confectioners' sugar

Oven at 350 degrees. Grease 9" square baking pan; line bottom and sides with foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and water. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat dough over bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Topping: In small bowl of electric mixer, combine topping ingredients, at medium speed. Beat 3 minutes, until blended. Pour over dough in pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until topping has set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 16 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 25

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large eggs
8 ounces semisweet chocolate -- melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Topping
1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan; line bottom with foil. Grease foil.

In a large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, eggs, chocolate and baking powder. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat dough over bottom of pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until dough begins to brown. remove pan from oven.

Make topping: In a small bowl of electric mixer, combine sugar, cream cheese and egg. Beat at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Spread over dough in pan. Bake 12 minutes or until topping has set.

With melted chocolate in small pastry bag fitted with a writing tip, pipe lines over bars. Cool completely.

Using foil, lift from pan; cut into 25 bars.

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Brittle Fingers
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 42

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
Topping
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups unsalted dry-roasted peanuts -- finely chopped
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15 1/2x 10 1/2x 1-inch jelly roll pan; line bottom
and sides with foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and water. At low speed beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat mixture over foil on bottom of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

Make peanut brittle topping: In heavy medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream. Over medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts. Spread peanut brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan. Bake 15 minutes or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly. Using ends of foil, lift cookies from pan. Cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips. Remove cookies from foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on a wire rack.

Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth. Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway. Place cookie on rack to dry.

Coffee Kisses
Serving Size : 30

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon hot water
Filling
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon hot water

Oven to 350 degrees. Grease large baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix and egg yolk.

In cup, combine coffee powder and 1 tablespoon hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add coffee to cookie mix. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third of dough at a time in pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip, pipe stars of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Place baking sheets into freezer for several minutes to firm dough.

Bake 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Make filling: In small bowl of electric mixer, combine confectioners' sugar, butter and cocoa.

In cup, combine coffee powder and hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add coffee to filling. At high speed, beat until smooth. Sandwich flat side of 2 cookies together with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Double Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 36

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
16 ounces semisweet chocolate
36 toasted, skinned hazelnuts
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Edible gold powder or edible gold leaf
2 ounces chocolate melting wafers -- melted

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling water, melt 4 ounces chocolate. Let cool slightly. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolk and melted chocolate. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Roll rounded teaspoonful of dough around a hazelnut. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and hazelnuts. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. In top of double boiler, over not boiling water, combine 12 ounces chocolate with shortening. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth.

With fork dip cookies into chocolate. Turn until coated. Place on prepared baking sheet. Let stand until coating is dry.

Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with waxed paper. With melted chocolate wafers in pastry bag fitted with writing tip, pipe small lattice designs onto prepared baking sheet. Freeze until hardens. Reserve remaining melted chocolate mixture.

Coat cookies with gold powder or gold leaf.

With a drop of melted chocolate mixture, attach a lattice piece to top of each cookie.

NOTES : To use gold leaf: Place gold leaf on work surface. Remove covering tissue without touching leaf with fingers (use chopsticks or knife tip), roll cookies in gold leaf until coated.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 18

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Filling
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate -- melted and cooled

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and peanut butter. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on well floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut out with 3-inch round cookie cutter. If desired, reroll dough scraps for additional cookies.

Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden. Cool cookies slightly on baking sheets. With spatula, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Make filling: In small bowl of electric mixer, combine confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and melted chocolate. At medium speed, beat until smooth. Sandwich flat sides of 2 cookies together with filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. If desired, with additional melted chocolate or chocolate icing in pastry bag fitted with small star tip, pipe a star on center of one side of each cookie.

Pecan Chocolate Logs
Recipe By : McCalls
Serving Size : 36

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolk, cocoa and sour cream. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Mix just until combined.

On work surface, divide dough in half. Divide each half of dough into 18 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 2-inch log. working with one piece at a time, squeeze dough to make finger impressions in log. Place logs on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Cool on wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.