Crisp Oat Cookies

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I've been busy baking cookies. Of course, I make several of my usual favorites like Molasses Crinkles and Russian Tea Cakes (previous posts), but every year I try to add one new Cookie. This year I decided to make a Crisp and Delicate Gluten Free Oat Cookie. I made it with a Gluten Free Flour Blend from King Arthur (Measure for Measure. If this Cookie was made with regular Flour, it would be called an Oatmeal Lace Cookie. But the lack of Gluten in this version keeps it from being lacy, but it doesn't stop it from being absolutely delicious!  These cookies are very delicate so they do need some careful handling. And, you can drizzle them with Chocolate if you want and then they would be the Gluten Free version of Florentines from a Washington Post recipe. I like them just as they are, but might add Cinnamon next time. I just made sure I had a big cup of Tea to go with them. I like to nibble first on the crispy edges and work my way into the softer center. These are wonderful Cookies!

Crisp Oat Cookies (Gluten Free)

1 cup Rolled Oats

3/4 cup Sugar

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1 stick of melted Butter

3 Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour Blend (with Xanthan Gum)

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Optional:  1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cover two half sheet baking pans with aluminum foil, shiny side up.

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Form into round 1" balls. Place 5 on each baking sheet, separating them as much as you can so they can spread. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until they are light golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes and take the aluminum foil (with the cookies still on them) and place on the counter. Put on two new sheets of aluminum foil and continue with the remaining Cookie Dough. 

When the cookies are cool, carefully peel them from the foil and place on a serving plate.

Five Element Analysis

Oats belong to the Earth Element and in are said to calm the Spleen in Chinese Medicine. And, because these Cookies are also very sweet, they are definitely considered an Earth food.  The Egg adds a bit of Water and the Butter brings in the Metal Element. So Tea and Coffee are good beverages to serve with them, as either would add the Fire Element. Then only the Wood Element is missing so be sure to add a Wood food at another meal.

Easy 3 Ingredient GF Peanut Butter Cookies

You have no doubt seen this recipe if you've ever searched for Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies online. It comes from the manufacturers of JiF Peanut Butter and it's amazingly simple. It uses just three ingredients - Peanut Butter, an Egg and some Sugar. They come out soft, chewy and delicious. But, I thought the recipe called for too much Sugar - 1 cup. So, I have been making them for a long time with half as much Sugar. They still turn out great and I think they taste better. I'm posting this recipe because I was talking to a friend that also cooks them this way and she thought more people should know about this version. Now, I actually do use Jia Peanut Butter because I like it - it's a childhood thing. I also like to use the Extra Crunchy one because I like little bits of crunch in my cookie. But of course you can use the creamy one instead and I'm pretty sure you can use a different brand of Peanut Butter. But if it's unsalted, you may want to add a pinch of Salt as that savory note is important to balance the taste. Anyway, when I'm in the mood for a quick cookie, this is what I make and they are wonderful!

Easy 3 Ingredient GF Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Jif Peanut Butter (Extra Crunchy or Creamy)

1/2 cup Sugar

1 Egg

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet. In a mixing bowl, whip the Egg slightly and add in the Peanut Butter and Sugar. Mix thoroughly. Shape into walnut sized balls and place on a baking sheet. You will make about 10. 

Press down lightly on each cookie with moistened hands and then take a fork and draw a crisscross pattern across the top.  Place in the oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly golden brown. 

Five Element Analysis

Peanut Butter is a very Earthy food. Not only do Peanuts grow underground, they also become very pasty when made into Peanut Butter. The Sugar adds even more Earth.  The Egg contributes the Water Element and baking is a Fire way of cooking. So, this cookie is by no means a balanced treat, but it can definitely add some Earth to the end of a meal!

Kelly's Gluten Free Nutty Shortbread

By now I've eaten way to many Christmas cookies, but I wanted to share my absolute favorite of the season - Kelly's Gluten Free Nutty Shortbread! She adapted the recipe from Sunset Magazine and uses a combination of Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts and Almonds mixed up in a Honey Caramel on top of a traditional Shortbread, only this time it is Gluten Free. I cannot even tell you how delicious these are - you are just going to have to make them and see for yourself!

Kelly's Gluten Free Nutty Shortbread

adapted from Sunset Magazine

Heat oven to 325 degrees

For Shortbread:

Lightly grease an 9 x 9 inch baking pan

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted Butter

1/2 cup Sugar

2 cups of Gluten Free Flour blend (with Xanthan Gum or add 2 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Blend the Butter and Sugar together in a food processor or stand mixer until creamy. Then add in the GF Flour and Salt and mix until the mixture is like fine sand and just comes together when you pinch it. Press the mixture into the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and put on the Nutty Topping. Cook for an additional 20 - 25 minutes. The Nut mixture should be bubbling and just slightly browning.  Cool and cut into squares. 

For Nutty Topping:

3 cups of mixed Nuts (we used Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts and Almonds)

3 Tablespoons Butter

1/3 cup light colored Honey

1/3 cup Sugar

Put the Butter, Honey and Sugar in a non stick frying pan. Heat to boiling and then add in the Nuts. Toss to coat and pour over the Shortbread.

Five Element Analysis

Since this is a sweet cookie made with both Sugar and Honey, this is definitely mostly and Earth treat. Almonds and Cashews add even more Earth. But, the Walnuts and Pecans bring  in the Water Element and the Rice Flour in the GF Flour adds in some of the Metal Element and the Butter brings in a lot more. Only the Wood and Fire Elements are missing, but serving these Nutty Shortbread with Coffee or Tea fixes that and then just be sure to add a Wood Food at another meal. 

Gluten Free Date Bars

Every year I try to add one different cookie to the usual assortment and of course usually leave off one too. so we are not inundated with cookies. As it is, I do give away as many as I can!  This year I made Date Bars, which I haven't made since I was a teenager and that was a very long time ago!  This was one of my Father's favorites, so it has a special kind of nostalgia attached to it. So, I pulled out an old recipe card and adapted the recipe. I have no idea where the original recipe came from, but it was a very popular cookie way back then.

I needed to make it Gluten Free, which wasn't difficult at all and I lowered the amount of Sugar because I think Dates are very sweet enough all on their own. I also added just a little more Butter, as I think Gluten Free Flour Blends are a little drier. And I thought a pinch of Salt would balance the flavor. Anyway, it turned out wonderfully and I had forgotten how delicious Date Bars are!

Gluten Free Date Bars

8 ounces of pitted Dates, chopped

1/2 cup Water

pinch of Salt

1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (with Xanthan Gum or add 2 teaspoons)

1 cup Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

10 Tablespoons unsalted Butter

Butter an 8x8 inch square baking pan.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the Dates and Water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring often until the Dates soften or until they become a paste - about 7 - 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

In a food processor or a big bowl, cream together the Butter and Brown Sugar. Add in the Oats and Flour and blend until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you pinch it. 

Pour half of the crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan and press down. Spoon the Date filling over the crumbs carefully with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the remains crumbs on top, pressing down lightly. 

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown.  Cool and cut into squares.

Five Element Analysis

Dates are very sweet and very sticky so they are certainly Earth foods. The Oats and Brown Sugar add even more. The Butter brings in the Metal Element as does the Rice Flour in the baking mix. But this is clearly a Earthy treat!

Almond Chews

Every Christmas I try to add another cookie to the cookie tin and this year I resurrected an old favorite that I haven't made in years. It's a really simple recipe using Almond Paste, Sugar and Egg White, which makes it naturally gluten free. It's a lovely chewy cookie with a delightful almond flavor. I believe it is an Italian cookie. I'm sorry to say that i don't remember where I got the recipe and it was probably from the back of the box of Almond Paste. I tweaked the original recipe to reduce the amount of Sugar, as it is very sweet and I think the Powdered Sugar added at the end is necessary. This recipe only makes 12 cookies, but it can easily be doubled. My son says it tastes just like the inside of an Almond Croissant and that's a good thing!

Almond Chews

1  7 ounce package of Almond Paste (Gluten Free and not Marzipan)

1/3 cup of Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 Egg White from a large Egg

1/3 cup Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Break up the Almond Paste into pieces  as small as you can make them and put into the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. Add in the Sugar and Salt and process until it is broken down the consistency of brown sugar. 

In another bowl, beat the Egg White with a wire whisk until it is smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Then add the Egg Whites to the Almond mixture and mix on a high speed until a dough is formed.

Pour the Powdered Sugar into a shallow bowl. From 12 balls of the Almond Cookie dough and roll each in the Powdered Sugar until coated.

Place onto a Silpat-lined or parchment=lined baking pan, press down lightly and cook for about 15 minutes or until the tops are  lightly browned. Remove from oven and leave on the baking for about 2 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Five Element Analysis

This is a very sweet cookie so you know that it's primarily the Earth Element and Almonds are from the Earth Element too so this is an especially Earthy Cookie. The Egg White adds a bit of the Water Element, but it's by no means a balanced treat. Serve it with Coffee or Tea to bring in some Fire and serve after a meal containing the other elements. 

Russian Tea Cakes - Gluten Free

Russian Tea Cakes are one of my family's favorite Christmas Cookies. It's basically a  shortbread that's made with ground Walnuts and coated with Powdered Sugar. It's crumbly and rich at the same time. They are known as Mexican Wedding Cakes if you use ground Pecans iand these cookies are also called Snowballs in some parts of the country. I've been searching for a good Gluten Free recipe and I've tried several but finally found a good one from Bob's Red Mill. They used Hazelnut Meal for what they call their Holiday Tea Cookies, which I'm sure makes a great cookie, but I substituted Walnuts. And, I lowered the salt content slightly as their recipe made a very salty cookie. The best news is that absolutely no one realized that the cookie was Gluten Free! That's when I know that I've achieved my goal - to make really delicious cookies that just happen to be Gluten Free!

Russian Tea Cakes - Gluten Free adapted from Bob's Red Mill

1 cup Butter, softened (2 sticks)

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar + 1 1/2 cups for Coating

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 cups Gluten Free Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) 

3/4 cup Walnuts (rounded)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Grind the Walnuts in the Food Processor and put aside in a small bowl. Then put in the Butter, Vanilla and Powdered Sugar and mix until very creamy. Add in the Vanilla Extract and incorporate fully.  Then add in the Flour and Salt and mix again. Remove to a bowl and stir in the Ground Walnuts. Make walnut sized balls and place on plates. Cover with Plastic Wrap and refrigerate the cookies for 2 hours up to overnight. 

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the remaining Powdered Sugar in a bowl, and roll each cookie in the sugar.  Then put onto a parchment of Silpat covered baking pan.  Cook for 12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned at the edges.  Cool slightly, then take each cookie and carefully roll in powdered sugar before placing on a rack to cool completely. Roll the cookies in Powdered Sugar again before serving. 

Five Element Analysis

Walnuts belong to the Water Element and they are considered very good for your Kidneys and your Brains, since they look like them. The Rice Flour and Butter contribute the Metal Element along with the Vanilla. The Sugar and the Tapioca and Potato Flours in the mix add the Earth Element. So, only the Fire Element and Wood Element are missing, so have these cookies with some Tea or Coffee that adds Fire and make sure that the Wood Element is present in another food later. Like I said in my last post, I made sure that I made some Passion Fruit Bars for my cookie plate that contributed the sour flavor of Wood to create a balanced plate of cookies!

Molasses Ginger Cookies - GF

Every Christmas, I look forward to making Molasses Ginger Cookies, but now that I've gone completely Gluten Free, I haven't found a recipe I loved until this year!  It's from Bob's Red Mill and uses their Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, which already has Xanthum gum in it.  If you want to make these cookies with other Gluten Free flours, check to make sure that ingredient is in there. And, of course I had to tweak the recipe by adding in Candied Ginger and fresh Ginger Juice to up the flavor and also a little bit of Nutmeg. They were wonderful! I only made a half batch (that's the recipe below) to test them and now I'm making another full batch because they were so good. They reminded me a bit of the GF Ginger Cookies from Trader Joe's, but they were softer and chewier. I'm so happy that I finally found a recipe that works for my favorite Christmas cookies! If I find anymore, I will be sure to post those too.

Molasses Ginger Cookies – GF adapted from Bob's Red Mill

6 Tablespoons Butter softened

¼  cup Sugar + additional ¼ cup for rolling the cookies

¼ cup Brown Sugar

¼ cup Molasses

1 Egg

1 teaspoon ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated Ginger (optional)

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground Cloves

1/8 teaspoon of Nutmeg

¼ teaspoon Salt

¾ teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour

½ cup Candied Ginger, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together ¼ of White Sugar and all of the Brown Sugar and the Butter. Add in the Molasses and the Eggs and mix thoroughly- the mixture will look curdled.  Add in the Spices and Ginger Juice, Salt, Baking Soda and Flour, Mix until well combined and add the Candied Ginger.  The dough will be soft and wet.  Roll spoonfuls of the dough into 1” balls and roll in the additional sugar. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet 3-4 inches apart. Cook for 15 minutes or until the cookies are set at the edges, but still slightly soft and puffy in the center. Cool slightly and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container. 

Five Element Analysis

Cookies always belong to the Earth Element because they are so sweet and this is no exception. The ingredients in the 1-to-1 Baking Flour add in more Earth from the Potato Starch and the Tapioca Starch, but it also brings in some of the Metal Element from the Rice Flour.  he Spices and Butter contribute more of the Metal Element and the Molasses and Egg contribute the Water Element. By the way, Molasses helps build blood so you can say these cookies are somewhat healthy! Anyway, these cookies are perfect with a cup of Tea or Coffee, which would add the Fire Element. Only the Wood Element is missing, so be sure to add a food from that element some other time in the day to create a balance. I'm personally going to make some GF Lemon Bars to get some of the Wood Element on my Cookie Plate!

English Flapjacks

I am an avid reader and I have been all my life. There was a period of time when I read a lot of novels set in England and I kept reading about Flapjacks being served in bakeries. I was very puzzled until one time I asked my English friend why they served Pancakes in a bakery. She explained that it was actually like a cookie, most likely the first energy bars made and they are very sweet and delicious!  So I tried them and of course got the recipe. They consist of Oatmeal, Golden Syrup - which is made from Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar and Butter. I added a pinch of Salt to balance the flavor. They are perfect for people who are eating Gluten Free and still need a sugar fix. You bake them in the oven for about 25 minutes and let them cool as they come out very soft. I only make a small amount at a time, but this recipe can easily be doubled. There are also all kinds of ingredients you could add in like dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Flapjacks are wonderful with a cup of tea and taste like a bowl of sweetened Oatmeal in a cookie!


English Flapjacks

2 ounces of softened unsalted Butter (2 Tablespoons)

4 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 1/4 cups of Rolled Oats

Pinch of Salt

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine the Butter, Salt, Brown Sugar and Golden Syrup.  Stir until blended thoroughly.  Then add in the Rolled Oats and stir to combine.  

Pour into a small baking dish or cake pan (5 - 6 inches across) and pat down, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes or until Golden Brown in the center (the edges will be darker). Cool before cutting into wedges or squares or triangles to serve.

Five Element Analysis

Well this dessert is almost completely Earthy as the Oats belong to the Earth Element as does the Golden Syrup and Brown Sugar.  The Butter brings in the Metal Element and the amount of Salt is so small that it doesn't count for much. So, this is a great dessert to serve with Tea, which brings in the Fire Element and after a meal that needs more of the Earth Element!

Chocolate Meringues with Cherry Bits

Every year at Christmas, I try to make a new cooke and since I've gone completely gluten free, cookie making has become something of a challenge. But I got inspired by meringues, which are naturally gluten free and they are easy to make too!  So, I created this recipe with the tastes of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice Cream.  I added little bits of dried tart Cherries and white chocolate chips to mimic the vanilla ice cream. And, they turned out wonderfully - chewy, chocolatey and sweet. They are very easy to make as long as you have an electric mixer to mix up the egg whites. If you need to make Gluten Free cookies, I think you will love this recipe! And, if you don't need to avoid gluten, they are a delicious cookie that just happens to be Gluten Free.

Chocolate Meringues with Cherry Bits

12 ounces Bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup tart Dried Cherries, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water (or use a double boiler). Remove from heat and add in the Vanilla Extract. Let cool while you beat the egg whites until foamy with an electric mixer. Then slowly add the sugar until soft peaks form.  Fold in half of the chocolate carefully and then add in the other half gently. Add in the White Chocolate Chips and the Cherry pieces and stir lightly to combine.  

Line baking pans with parchment or Silpat liners. Spoon heaping Tablespoons of the Chocolate Meringue onto the pan several inches apart.  Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool fully before serving.

Five Element Analysis

Both Bittersweet Chocolate and Dried Cherries belong to the Fire Element.  The Vanilla Extract and White Chocolate ring in the Metal Element. There is plenty of Sugar to represent the Earth Element. And the egg whites bring in the Water Element.  Only the Wood Element is missing so this would be a good dessert after a meal that has a lot of Wood foods in it.

Palmiers

I was going to go to a party for Christmas Eve, but came down with a cold so I ended up staying home with my son and daughter in law and we had a lovely quiet dinner. I hadn't thought about making any kind of dessert for them, so I quickly made what I think is the easiest cookie in the world - Palmiers. All they require is some Puff Pastry and Sugar - that's it! They used to be one of my favorite cookies, but I no longer eat Gluten and I still like making cookies for those around me who do. These are buttery, flaky, sugary with just a hint of caramel baked in too. I once loved them right out of the oven when they were still hot and a little bit soft in the middle. They crisp up a lot after they cool down and they are still delicious that way too - especially with a cup of tea.  You've probably seen these in bakeries and you can make them for a lot less. They are so pretty and that's always a good thing, as we also eat with our eyes too!

Palmiers

1 package frozen Puff Pastry, unthawed (2 sheets - I used Pepperidge Farm)

1 1/2 cups of Sugar, divided in half (3/4 cup in each bowl)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a large cutting board, sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar from one bowl in about a 12 inch square.  Lay one sheet of Puff Pastry on top of the sugar and sprinkle the rest of the sugar from that bowl evenly on top of the Puff Pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12 inch square. Then, from one side, roll the Puff Pastry to the center and repeat on the other side.  Cut into 1/2 inch pieces and place each cookie on a baking sheet covered with  a Silpat baking liner or parchment paper.  Press down on each cookie slightly to flatten and then take some of the sugar left on the cutting board to sprinkle over the top of each cookie. There will be extra sugar left over - don't worry about it. Just repeat the process with the remaining Puff Pastry Sheet and the additional Sugar.

Bake for 5 - 7 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is browned and caramelizing, but not too dark. Turn and bake for an additional 5 - 6 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and put onto a wire rack to cool.  

Five Element Analysis

Cookies and all very sweet foods always belong to the Earth Element and there is plenty of sugar in these cookies! The Puff Pastry is made from Wheat Flour which contributes the Wood Element and Butter, which adds the Metal Element. These are best served at the end of a meal where the missing Fire and Water Elements are present. Tea or Coffee add the Fire Element so that's a good addition!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots and White Chocolate

I've started making cookies for Christmas, but now that I am eating Gluten Free, I feel like it's time to make some cookies that I can actually eat!  So, today I revised an Oatmeal Cookie recipe to be made totally out of Oats and Oat Flour and I livened it up with pieces of Dried Apricot and White Chocolate Chips. I only made  small amount as I am making so many other kinds, but this recipe is easily doubled. Now if you want to make it Lactose Free, leave out the White Chocolate as it contains milk powder and you could substitute some other dried fruits or nuts. This cookie is so delicious! It has all the crispiness that you want to have at the edges and all that soft pillowy goodness in the center. The combination of Apricots and White Chocolate really worked for me and next time, I think I am going to put in some dried Tart Cherries as well. If you are looking for a good Gluten Free Cookie, I think you will be happy with this one!

GF Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots and White Chocolate

1 cups Oat Flour (you can also make this flour in your food processor)

1/2 cup Rolled Oats 

1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 stick unsalted Butter softened (1 cup)

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 large Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/3 cup White Chocolate Chips

1/3 cup Dried Apricots or Cherries, cut into small pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and the two kinds of sugar together. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Then fold in the Oatmeal mixture, 1/2 at a time until thoroughly combined.  Mix in the White Chocolate Chips and Apricots until combined.  Drop by heaping Tablespoon onto a Silpat or Parchment covered Baking Pan with a few inches between cookies.  Bake until the edges are browned and the tops are just starting to brown - between 15 - 17 minutes.  Let cool and then put on a wire rack to cool completely.  

Five Element Analysis

Oatmeal is an Earth Element food and there is a lot of sugar in these cookies as well.  But, the Apricots contribute the Fire Elemnent, the Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract and the White Chocolate add the Metal Element along with the Butter.  The Water and Wood Elements are not present so serve these cookies after a meal that incorporates foods from those Elements to create a balanced Five Element meal. 

Coconut Macaroons - Gluten and Lactose Free

Christmas is a hard time if you are Gluten and Lactose Intolerant.  I still make lots of cookies for friends and family the usual way, but I've branched out this year to start making Gluten and Lactose Free cookies so I can enjoy them too!  One of the easiest cookies to make is Macaroons. This recipe is so simple that I hesitated in even posting it, but then I realized that a lot of you might enjoy making them, so here it is. I used unsweetened Coconut Flakes or Chips and then a little bit of sugar. You can also use the sweetened Coconut that you buy at the grocery store, but then eliminate the sugar in the recipe.  I think these are absolutely delicious - I hope you will too!

Coconut Macaroons

4 cups unsweetened Coconut Flakes

2  large Egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, mix the egg whites and sugar together until frothy.  Add salt and Vanilla Extract and stir to combine. Add in the Coconut Flakes and stir to coat fully.  

Drop heaping Tablespoons of the Coconut Mix onto Parchment or Silpat lined baking sheets (very important!)  Use your fingers to press the mixture into a rounded shape.  Bake for 10 minutes and turn pans around. Bake about 10 more minutes or until the Coconut is Golden Brown on the edges and top.  Cool and remove from pan.  Store airtight in a can.

Five Element Analysis

Coconuts are a tropical fruit and are naturally sweet so they are considered an Earth food.  They are known in Chinese Medicine to have anti-microbial and anti-viral properties and are used for treating parasites. It is also considered one of the best remedies for diarrhea. The fat of the Coconut is good for the Gallbladder and for Arteriosclerosis and the arteries. The egg whites and hint of salt contribute some of the Water Element and the Vanilla Extract adds a hint of the Metal Element. Even still, this is primarily an Earth treat and a very healthy one too!

Snickerdoodles

I'm pretty much done with the Christmas baking here in Seattle. I'm heading down to LA to visit my Mom tonight with tins of cookies for my Mom and her partner Ed and I doubt that I will make any more cookies while I am there, but we do have a family Christmas Eve dinner for all the relatives at my cousin's house that will be a buffet of Chinese food (and I will be making some) but I may get the urge to make a few of the cookies I didn't do this year. I usually make about 9 different kinds and so far I have given up at 6.  Last night, though, I made my son's favorite cookie and my Father's too - the Snickerdoodle.  Now this is an American classic cookie and can be made any time.  It's really just a puffy sugar cookie topped with cinnamon sugar.  It's perfect with a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or milk and is a wonderfully simple and  homey treat.  I used to bake them small when my kids were little, and now prefer them bigger.  The only unusual ingredient is Cream of Tartar, which is worth buying because it lasts forever.  Kids love this cookie so you might want to add it to your list of Christmas cookies too!

Snickerdoodles

2 2/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup of unsalted butter ( 2 sticks softened)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

For Topping: 2 Tablespoons Sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons Cinnamon in a shallow bowl

Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the flour, Cream of Tartar, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar (I use the Cuisinart).  Then add in the eggs and blend thoroughly.  Then add in the dry ingredients half at a time and mix until blended.  Break off pieces of the  cookie dough about the size of a walnut and roll in between your hands until it is a smooth ball.  Dip the ball of dough into the cinnamon sugar and place on the cookie sheet about 2 - 3 inches apart.  Press down to flatten the cookie with the bottom of a coffee mug or glass.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom edges.  Let cool and enjoy.

Five Element Analysis

Cookies are an Earth food because they are so sweet.  This one also has the added bonus of just a bit of cinnamon, which brings in the Metal Element along with the butter and Cream of Tartar.  The Water Element is represented in the Eggs and the Wood Element by the Wheat Flour. Only the Fire Element is missing, which is why serving these with coffee or tea is such a good idea!

Dark Chocolate Mint Crinkles

This is the other cookie recipe I promised you that is one of the kinds of cookies that I make every Christmas. I used to make them with vanilla extract, but then realized that mint would make it into a cookie I would like even more and I like dark chocolate better than the traditional bittersweet chocolate that is usually used.  So I have made it that way for many years now and it is always a big success. This is the first cookie that gets cleaned out on the cookie plate, so if you have some chocolate lovers in your family, you need to make this cookie!

Dark Chocolate Mint Crinkles

8 ounces of Dark Chocolate (use your favorite candy bar) melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup Dutch process Cocoa Powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) butter

1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed tight

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons Peppermint Extract

1/3 cup milk

1 cup Powdered Sugar for rolling cookies in

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop the Dark Chocolate into little pieces and melt in a heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler).  Set aside to cool.

Mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in one bowl. In a larger bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs and Peppermint extract and beat until mixed thoroughly.  Add melted chocolate.  Add dry ingredients in with milk until just mixed. Refrigerate for two hours or even overnight.  When ready to bake, use a spoon to scoop up dough to make walnut sized balls rolling between your hands.  Roll in powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on a Silpat or Parchment lined baking pan.  Cook until the sugar splits and the cookies have flattened slightly - about 12 - 15 minutes. 

Five Element Analysis

Chocolate belongs to the Fire Element so that element is clearly represented.  The wheat flour adds in the Wood Element. The eggs contribute the Water Element and the Peppermint Extract and milk bring in the Metal Element.  The Earth Element is found in the brown sugar and powdered sugar.  So, this is actually considered a balanced cookie!  Now that doesn't mean that you should eat them instead of a meal, but how delightful to find balance in a dessert!

Russian Tea Cakes

My sons told me that it wouldn't be Christmas without the cookies that I always make and they have requested that I post this recipes on my blog as this is one of their absolute favorite cookies and they actually want to know how to make them. The other cookies that I usually make are already on this blog and were posted in years past and there is another one I will post tomorrow. And next year, I plan on trying some new recipes too.

These Russian Tea Cakes are made with finely chopped walnuts. If you used Hazelnuts and made them into crescent shapes, they would then claim to be from Austria, Switzerland or Germany and be called Vanillakipferle. Then, if you use pecans, they would suddenly become Mexican Wedding Cakes.  Funny how one recipe with one exchange can be called so many different names. There are also so many recipes and frankly, they are all really similar.  In any case, they are all really good with whatever kind of nuts you choose to use!

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup additional powdered sugar (for rolling)

Cream together butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla extract and mix well.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and walnuts.  Combine with the butter mixture and stir with your fingers until combined and they dough holds together.  Push into a ball and cover and refrigerate until cold - about 1/2 hour.  Then make walnut sized balls and place on Silpat or Parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until bottom edge is lightly browned. Take out of oven and cool slightly.  Roll in powdered sugar and put on a plate.  Before storing and serving, roll in powdered sugar again.

Five Element Analysis

I think these are actually some of the healthier cookies to make as the finely chopped nuts are really nutritious and they belong to the Water Element so that element is covered and the butter and vanilla extract adds even more. The wheat flour brings in the Wood Element and the powdered sugar adds the Earth Element. The only element that is missing is the Fire Element so for a good Five Element Cookie break, serve these with a Fire beverage like coffee or tea, which are the perfect accompaniment for these not too sweet cookies.