The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [92]
Preheat oven to 375°F. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Place sugar in shallow dish. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your palm or a spatula.
Bake for 9–10 minutes or until surface cracks and cookies are firm. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES.
NUTTY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BULL’S-EYES
Not sure which cookie to make for the kids? This is it. They will clamor for this yummy cookie, especially if you get them involved in unwrapping and pressing the chocolate-covered caramel “bull’s-eyes” into the center of each treat. And for the record, grown-up “kids” love these cookies, too. Do be sure, however, to cool the cookies completely before serving (the hot caramel may burn tender mouths).
1 (19.5- to 19.8-ounce) package brownie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped nuts (e.g., pecans, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts)
54 chocolate-covered caramel candies (e.g., Rolos), unwrapped
Combine the brownie mix, sifted cocoa powder, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs in a medium mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are moistened and dough is well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Place chopped nuts into a shallow dish. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll each ball in nuts to coat evenly. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 9–11 minutes, until firm to the touch at the edges. Remove from oven and immediately press one candy into center of each cookie. Return to oven for 1 minute to melt candy slightly; remove from oven. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets. Transfer to wire racks with metal spatula and cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 54 COOKIES.
NUTTY COFFEE-TOFFEE BISCOTTI
These nut-studded biscotti, enriched further with both coffee and toffee, stand strong on their own but are also quite fine alongside your favorite coffee or espresso drink.
1 (18.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup English toffee baking bits
1½ cups very coarsely chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. Position rack in center of oven. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the cake mix, flour, coffee powder, melted butter, eggs, almond extract, toffee bits, and almonds in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer set on low speed for 2–3 minutes until well-blended, scraping down sides of bowl (dough will be very stiff).
Transfer dough to prepared cookie sheet. With floured hands, shape dough into two 14 x 3-inch rectangles, each ¾-inch thick, spacing them 4–5 inches apart on sheet. Mound the dough so it is slightly higher in the middle than at the edges.
Bake for 30–35 minutes or until firm to touch; remove from oven (leave oven on) and cool on sheet for 10 minutes.
Cutting on the cookie sheet, use a sharp knife to slice each rectangle into ¾-inch slices on the diagonal. Carefully turn these slices onto their sides. Return cookie sheet to oven. Bake biscotti for 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let biscotti remain in oven until crisp, 30–40 minutes longer. Remove from oven and transfer biscotti to a rack.
Cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 32 BISCOTTI.
NUTTY JAM GEMS
A generous coating of nuts adds just the right amount of crunch to transform these bite-sized morsels into jam-filled treasures.
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, well chilled
1 cup finely chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or peanuts
½ cup jam or preserves, any flavor
Preheat oven