Tag: #theperfectcookie
A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

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A second recipe from The Perfect Cookie by America’s Test Kitchen caught my eye for a different reason. I had just made a batch of Potato Chip Butterscotch Cookies from The Vintage Baker and now had a partial bag of butterscotch chips sitting on my counter. I have to admit, I am not the biggest fan of butterscotch chips so I don’t have a bunch of recipes with butterscotch. Here was an opportunity to use the rest of the bag.
Glad I did. This is another super simple slice and bake dough. Instead of chips the butterscotch is melted and creamed with cold butter.  No chips just butterscotch flavor infused through the entire cookie, yummy. The trickiest part was melting the chips to create a smooth creamy mixture that could be blended with the butter. I used the microwave at half power to melt the chips and butter.  Stir the melted mixture and add the vanilla.  My mixture did not blend very well until I added the vanilla, so don’t worry.  After chilling the dough, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, place an inch apart and bake.  As your kitchen fills with the aroma of these butterscotch gems, get your glass of milk or cup of joe ready.

These were a definite hit with the work peeps. Rich, deep caramel overtones in a light, crisp cookie. Big bold flavor in a plain jane package. Like they say, never judge a book by its cover.

I found an adaptation of this cookie on A Baker’s House, instead of the slice and bake method, the dough is scooped up and formed into balls and baked.  This yields a chewier in the center with a crispy edge cookie.  I love both versions.

Bake a batch of these Butterscotch Cookies and watch them disappear.

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BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

An easy and delicious slice and bake cookie for butterscotch lovers!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 9 tablespoons cut into 9 pieces chilled
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Place the butterscotch chips and the first 3 tablespoons of butter into a glass bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Stir every 30 seconds. This should take one minute to one and a half minutes. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth; let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Beat the second amount of measured butter (9 tablespoons) with the sugar and salt.  Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the cooled butterscotch mixture and continue to mix until combined. Add egg yolk then reduce to a lower speed to add the dry ingredients of flour and baking powder. A dough will come together and that is your signal to stop mixing.
  • Form dough into a log approximately 2 inches in diameter and 9-10 inches in length.  Chill until firm (min 30-60minutes).  Slice 1/4 inch thickness and place on parchment lined baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart. 
  • Alternate method:  Pinch off enough dough to make approximately one inch balls ( or use a 1-inch ice cream scoop to measure out dough). Place on a parchment lined baking tray approximately 2 inches apart. 
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Cool on wire racks.
Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

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My grandma had a washboard she kept next to the bathtub in a round, white tin basin.  For those of you thinking “washboard?”, picture a rectangular wooden frame holding a corrugated metal sheet about the size of a full sheet pan.  As a kid, I watched my grandma rub wet soapy garments along the metal ridges to clean them.  All I can say is…THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE WASHING MACHINES NOW.

So much for nostalgic moments.  These delicious coconut cookies derive their name from that very same washboard that has gone the way of manual typewriters, record players, and cassette tapes.  Luckily this cookie hasn’t followed suit.

Cuckoo for Coconuts

I spent most of my life hating coconut. Shredded, flaked, milk, you name it, my immediate reaction was “yuck”.  But somewhere along the line, I did a 180 and now I am making up for lost time.  Coconut recipes now seem to jump out at me. I imagine those little white shreds, waving like a kindergartener with his hand up in the air telegraphing “pick me, pick me”.  As I was perusing America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie book-I came to a screeching halt at yep, these Coconut Washboard Cookies.

These cookies remind me of Pepperidge Farms Bordeaux Cookies. Crisp, light, buttery with the added bonus of coconut.  I might try replacing the milk in the recipe with coconut milk to see if this heightens the coconut flavor but they’re still pretty darn good without this tweak.  The dough is shaped into a rectangular roll and chilled until firm enough to cut.  Press the tines of a fork, well floured, into the dough slices to create the ridges grooved into the top of each cookie.  The perfect imitation of that old washboard.

These delectable bites are perfect with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.  Tasty and easy to make they deserve a spot on your cookie list.

This recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie.  Get the Kindle edition right now!  Besides this recipe gem, the book is filled with info, tips, advice and a wonderful photos.

Coconuts

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Washboards Cookies

Coconutty, crispy, buttery cookies that look like Grandma's washboard!
Course cookies, desserts, sweets
Cuisine American
Keyword buttery, coconut, Coconut cookies, Crispy, washboard cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 30

Ingredients

The Dry Mix-Combine and set aside

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 10 oz
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The Wet Stuff

  • 8 tablespoons 1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar 7 oz
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk sub coconut milk

The Add-In Star

  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3 oz
  • 1/4 cup finely diced dried pineapple optional to pump up the island factor!

Instructions

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and milk and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and coconut, and mix until just incorporated.
  • Transfer dough to a counter and, using your floured hands, roll dough into 15-inch log, then flatten top and sides to measure 3 inches by 1 inch. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days.
  • Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch-thick rectangles and space them 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Using floured fork, make crosswise indentations in dough slices. Bake until toasty brown, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cook on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving.