Monday, December 19, 2011

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies


A huge thank you to everyone who submitted a cookie recipe this year.  We had fun baking and taste-testing them!  Now we're asking you to vote for your favorite.  The winner will receive a selection of cookie decorating sugars and stencils.  There's a list with links to help you refresh your memory on the right sidebar.  So please help us out by voting for your favorite recipe!

When we talked about what we should choose as a prize, a cookie press was among the suggestions.  I have one, but I don't use it much because I don't have a lot of great recipes for it.  If you're not familiar with them, they're like tubes in which you insert the cookie dough.  You press a lever on one end and a cookie comes out of the other end.  They make cookies in a variety of shapes.  The best thing about them, by far, is that you can make an army of cookies in no time at all!

I do have one favorite recipe that I make with my cookie press.  It's from Wilton, the company that makes baking supplies.  It seems appropriate to share it today since we've posted a lot of sweet cookies recently -- these (are you listening, Avery?) are made with cheese!  They're savory cookies.

My recipe card is a bit old and worn, and I've made a few notes on it.  The recipe calls for 8 ounces of white cheddar cheese, and I have a big note that says not to use pre-shredded cheese.  I can only guess why -- maybe they're coated with something to keep them from clumping?  Fortunately, Cabot of Vermont makes an 8 ounce block of cheddar.  This year I was very daring and used the "Seriously Sharp" version. Ooh la la!

I also amped the garlic powder up to one teaspoon.  It appears the recipe originally called for 1/2 teaspoon.  If you're not a big garlic lover or if you're baking these for a romantic evening, you might want to go with the original amount.

Evidently I'm being a daredevil, because I split the dough and used oregano in half of it and Penzey's Fajita Seasoning in the other half!

While you could grate the cheese by hand, I cut it into 16 pieces and popped them into the food processor.  I pulsed them until they were small bits.

Don't have a cookie press?  Roll the dough into little balls and press them flat!


Wilton Cheese Cookies

1 stick butter (softened)
8 ounces white cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano or basil
1 teaspoon powdered garlic
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Grate the cheese.  Beat cheese with butter.  Add salt, oregano or basil, and garlic.  Beat to mix.  Add flour and beat.

Put in cookie press and press out cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-15 minutes.


Enjoy!

8 comments:

  1. Oh, wow, Krista, you won my heart with cheddar cookies! Yum!!!
    ~Avery

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  2. I thought so, Avery! They're very easy to make and it's so nice to have something savory to serve, too. And the garlic -- I wish we had smell-a-vision!

    ~ Krista

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  3. These look so good that I can't wait to try them, except that my press is broken. But a little bird told me I would find a new one in my stocking very soon. :)

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  4. They are, Bella. I had to put the rest in the freezer so I wouldn't eat them!

    ~ Krista

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  5. Harbingerdc, you know, cheese cookies are good any time of year! How nice that Santa will be leaving you a press in your stocking!

    ~ Krista

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  6. Krista, thanks for another great recipe to try! These look yummy and different than the ones I make(with cayenne pepper and a pecan or walnut half on top) every Xmas. Had to bake another batch last night because we shared a lot and ate nearly all the rest ourselves, a week before Xmas!

    Also, it gave me another excuse to use my new KitchenAid mixer--in Blue Willow, so pretty!

    PS-I'll have to share this with a friend in Alabama, who gave me her mom's recipe for cheese straws many years ago, which uses a press. She'll love it, too!

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  7. I love Cabot cheese...what a tasty looking cookie, Krista! Can't wait to cook a batch.

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