'Tis the season for baking cookies and we want your recipes!

 

We want you to call us and tell us about your favourite cookie recipe, maybe it's part of a special family tradition or a super simple time saver, maybe it's the cookie you serve up to Santa every year.

 

So, step one: call our Answerback line and tell us about your cookie. Call 1-800-309-5556

Then, step two: we want you to share the recipe. E-mail the recipe to Information Morning

 

We'll post your recipe on-line as part of The Great Information Morning Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange.

 

Everyone who calls and writes gets their name in Bill's Green Hat for a draw for a copy of "Gourmet Today", a collection of more than 1000 recipes from the editors of the former magazine.

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To start us off a recipe from Information Morning's own Nicole MacLennan.

Shortbread Cookies:

2 cups (1 lb) butter

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 cups flour

Whip the butter with an electric mixer or stand mixer until very light in colour. Add icing sugar and cornstarch.

Add flour. Mix until combined.

Chill about an hour.

Remove from fridge and let sit at room temperature until soft enough to roll. Roll into balls approx. 1 inch. Lightly flatten with something like a jar lid or bottom of a flat measuring cup, dipped in flour.

Bake at 325 degrees, 12-15 minutes or until very lightly browned at the edges and golden on top.

Makes several dozen cookies.

 

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Valerie Patterson - Ross Ferry

Ryan's Frying Pan Cookies: 

2 eggs

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. finely chopped dates

3 c. rice crispies

Break eggs in a cold frying pan.

Stir them up and add white sugar and finely chopped dates.

Stirring constantly cook over a low heat.

When it has cooked down to where the dates, sugar and eggs are married together, remove from heat (about 20 minutes).

Add rice crispies and let cool.

When cool, roll into balls with buttered hands, then roll the balls in flaked coconut.

Kids love them as do adults. They freeze well, too. Enjoy!

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Andree Crepeau - Sydney

Triple Ginger Cookies: 

3/4 c. unsalted butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 molasses

1 egg

2 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

1/2 c. chopped candied ginger

1. Cream together unsalted butter and cup brown sugar.

2. Add and beat molasses and egg.

3. Mix together flour, ground ginger, baking

soda and salt. Add this to the first mixture.

4. Add finely chopped ginger root, and chopped candied ginger.

5. Refridgerate dough for 2 hours or more.

6. Shape dough in 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar and bake on a greased cookie sheet.

7. 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

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Leona Roberts - Halifax 

Ginger Molasses Crinkles

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 molasses

1 egg

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Whisk together 1 cup of the sugar, oil, molasses and egg until smooth.

In separate bow whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, .baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into sugar mixture.

Shape by rounded tablespoonfuls into balls, roll in remaining sugar to coat.

Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven 375 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.

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Jim St. Clair - Mull River 

Aunt Mollie's Ginger Snaps

Mollie MacFarlane of Mull River, born in 1869, continued cooking on her wood stove well into her ninetieth year. She was a great "natural" cook - a sister to Nancy of "Nancy's Wedding Feast and Other Tasty Tales."

Fortunately, we got to write down some of her recipes which were mostly in her head. Her ginger snaps were the best!

A wood stove over heated to ca. 375 or if not available a more modern oven to 350-360.

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup of butter (or shortening)

Combine together and mix well until fluffy

1 egg

4 tablespoons of molasses

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Mix and beat until well combined and then add to the above mixture of butter and sugar-mix

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 and 1/2 cups flour

Sift these together into a separate bowl and sift again and then add to the above sugar, butter, egg, molasses/salt

Mix and combine very thoroughly

Chill overnight in refrigerator

Then form the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet - allow room for spreading out

Then with a lightly greased fork press down until flat

Bake for about 12 minutes - do not let them become very brown

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Laura Mercer - Westmount

Mom's Shortbread

2 Cups of Flour

1 Cup of Butter

1/2 Cup of Icing Sugar

1 Tbsp. of Brown Sugar

Mix all together with a fork until smooth. Be patient. Try not to handle it with your hands too much. Then put some flour out on your counter and roll the dough until about 1/4 of an inch thick. I like it a tad thicker.

Then cut out your favourite shortbread shapes with your favourite cookie cutter. IT's all about your favourite things......

Then I prick each cookie with a fork.....don't know why but that's what my Mom always did and then add sprinkles here.

I always buy the red ones and the green ones and vary them. Sometimes if I think of it I buy those chocolate ones too. I don't have the patience for the icing......usually.

Sometimes.....I get those silver candied beads if I can find them. This is before you cook them.

Yields about 2 dozen, depending on how big your cutter is.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn down the oven to 300 until they are lightly brown on the bottom. About 10 minutes......WATCH THEM.....don't take a rest.

If you want to decorate them with icing.....do that after they cool.

My favourite thing to do that reminds me of my Mom......And I'm so lucky to still have her with me where she always makes me some every year.

Lucky me.

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