The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [50]
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (see page 366)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil (if using foil, grease it).
Beat applesauce and softened butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat on low speed until combined and then on medium speed for 1 minute. Drop mounds of batter by heaping tablespoonfuls, 3 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled.
Bake for 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, lining cooled cookie sheets each time with new parchment or foil. Place cookies in a covered storage container with wax paper between layers, if desired.
Prepare Cream Cheese Icing. Frost the cookies.
MAKES ABOUT 30 BIG COOKIES.
TEXAS-SIZE TOFFEE SCOTCHIE COOKIES
These abundantly stuffed beauties are a butterscotch lover’s dream come true. Be sure to bake just a few at a time on each sheet—they bake up big, hence the eponymous “Texas-size.”
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup old-fashioned or quick oats
¾ cup butterscotch chips
2 (1.4-ounce) milk chocolate covered toffee candy bars, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Break up the cookie dough into large bowl; let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, oats, butterscotch chips, and chopped candy bars; mix well with your fingers, the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
Drop dough by rounded ¼ cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 15–18 minutes or until cookies are slightly puffed and edges are golden brown. Cool for on cookie sheets 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
MAKES 9 BIG COOKIES.
Baker’s Note
To make regular-size cookies, prepare cookies as directed above but drop cookies by tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10–13 minutes or until just set and golden at edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks. Makes about 28 cookies.
THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE JUMBLES
Don’t be fooled by the name—these cookies are appealing at any time of the year. The mildly spiced dough is a fine foil for plump, sweet cranberries. They are arguably the perfect bag-lunch cookie and are destined to be the first to disappear from the holiday cookie tray.
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
¾ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Break up the cookie dough into large bowl; let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add the white chocolate chips, cranberries, almonds, orange zest, and spice; mix well with your fingers, the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
Drop dough by kitchen teaspoons, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 10–13 minutes or until just set and golden at edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
MAKES 28 COOKIES.
TOASTED ALMOND COOKIES
Five ingredients—that’s all it takes to produce these elegant almond cookies. They are a fine choice for teatime.
1 (18.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 cups sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Place half of the cake mix along with the oil, eggs, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed for 1–2 minutes, until smooth. Stir in the remaining cake mix with a wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are moistened.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle