Cappuccino Crinkles

I bought this special edition magazine of Better Homes and Gardens that contains 100 best cookies recipes. I've been into baking mood lately and all the recipes here are very easy to make. And most importantly the ingredients some require, I already have in my pantry. So here's the first recipe I tried - Cappuccino Crinkles. My hb and I both love to drink tea and these cookies will make a perfect pair with my fave green tea or hb's black tea. We could forget about how to lose belly fat for now while we indulge in this soft and chewy cookie.

CAPPUCCINO CRINKLES

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals (instant coffee)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping side of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
2. Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch bowl. Roll balls in a sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

Yield - 32 cookies

KITCHEN TIP#10

Using egg whites instead of whole eggs will make these cookies extra light and tender.

David's Cookies for All Seasons

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One of my weaknesses is eating cookies. I love to eat them with hot tea. I usually bake my own cookies or get fresh ones at my favorite local baker.

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Walnut Melts Cookies

Here's another easy and quick cookie recipe that I want to share with you all. I got this recipe from Razzle Dazzle few years ago and it has become one of my favorite cookies to make since then. In fact I bake this often since hb and I find it a perfect pair with our afternoon green tea or black English tea. The recipe calls for 4 oz. of butter and 4 oz. of margarine, but I just used 2 sticks of unsalted butter and the cookies turned out great too.

WALNUT MELTS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped finely (I run the walnuts in a chopper)

1/2 cup confectioner sugar (to toss the warm cookies with once baked)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 350 deg. F. Cover cookie sheets with baking parchment and set aside.
2. Blend the butter with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer at the slowest speed. Add the vanilla and 1/2 cup of the confectioners sugar, beating until combined.
3. Mix the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture and beat it until a soft dough forms. Add the walnuts and stir until incorporated.
4. With your hands, form the dough into 1-inch balls and place them two inches apart on parchment-lined pans.

5. Press each ball slightly in the center. They will flatten as they bake.
6. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the warm cookies in the other 1/2 confectioners sugar.

YIELD:
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

I'm a sucker for easy and healthy recipe. This is an interesting cookie recipe I got from one of my fave Food TV Network stars, Ellie Krieger. I'm not sure why it is called Kitchen Sink Cookies, probably because it is so easy to make, very basic and you can really mix everything by hand. I love the recipes of Ellie Krieger because they're very healthy and the portion is just enough so you won't indulge.

KITCHEN SINK COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsps canola oil
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts
2 ounces dark chocolate, cut into chunks
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Combine butter, oil and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add applesauce, egg white and vanilla and mix to combine. Add flour, oatmeal, salt and cinnamon and mix just until just combined. Add cherries, apricots, walnuts and chocolate and mix to combine.
3. Spray 1 baking sheet with cooking spray. Using 1 tablespoon cookie dough at a time, roll into balls and place 2-inches apart on baking sheet. Press cookies down with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly, as cookies will not spread as much as cookies with more butter.
4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned but still soft. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is straight from a Quaker Oats box, very easy and simple. I usually bake my own oatmeal-raisins cookies instead of buying them. I love it when they're freshly baked and paired with hot green tea or black English tea.

VANISHING OATMEAL COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs or 4 egg whites ( I used 2 whole eggs)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats Old Fashioned, uncooked
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 deg. F. In large bowl beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
3. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
4. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for a chewy cookie OR 11 to 12 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, remove to wire rack. Cool completely.