Lebanese Crunchy Sesame Cookies

Another entry to this month Home Bakers Challenge. Rafeeda of The Big Sweet Tooth has given us some wonderful suggestions from Arabic cuisine. It has been a long time since I baked cookies. Though sweet is not welcomed much here, I make it once in a while; I munch on a few and give the rest to friends and neighbors here. I find this quite healthy with the addition of sesame. Like these crunchy sesame cookies.

Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour 2 1/4 cups
Baking Powder 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda 1 tsp
Vanilla Powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter 100g
Powdered Sugar 2/3 cup
Egg 1
Toasted Sesame Seeds 2 cups
Milk 2-3 tblsp or as required

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, Baking Powder and Soda, Vanilla Powder and Salt. Whisk until well combined and keep it aside.

In a stand mixer or a hand beater, beat softened butter until creamy and done. Add Sugar and beat until well combined. Now add egg and continue beating until it gets combined and done.

Now add the flour mixture little by little and beat on a medium speed. The mixture would be very dry. So add milk so as to form a smooth dough. 

Preheat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes. Now scoop a tbsp of mixture, gently flatten and roll over toasted sesame seeds. Place it on the lined cookie sheet. Repeat the same for the entire dough. 

Bake at 180 deg C for 12-14 minutes until slightly brown along its sides. Cool it completely on a wire rack before serving or storing in an air tight container.

Oreo Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkles

Shazzy karim of He chops; She cooks has suggested Red Velvet theme for this month HBC Challenge. I'd love to try the Red Velvet Cake but none like sweets here. I am seriously looking for someone near by, so that I can bake and give them. My pantry may go without potatoes but not without Oreos. My son likes it a lot but doesn't like cookies much. Well; I made these crinkles in small quantities and I really liked stuffing , baking and eating the crinkles. 

Yields: 5-6 large cookies

Ingredients:              

Butter 1/4 cup about 50g
Powdered Sugar 1/2 cup                            
Egg 1
Buttermilk 1 tbsp

Vanilla Powder 1/2 tsp
Red food color 1/2 tbsp
Cocoa Powder 2 3/4 tbsp
All Purpose Flour 1 cup - 1 tbsp
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda a pinch
Salt 1/4 tsp
Powdered Sugar for dusting

Preparation:

In a bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients and keep it aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar until well combined. In a stand mixer or electric mixer, add egg until well beaten and combined. Add butter milk and beat for few more seconds.

Now add in the dry ingredients little by little until it is well combined. If the dough is more sticky, add little more flour and again give it a mix.

Grease your hands well with butter.  Pinch a round tablespoon of dough. Gently flatten and place one oreo upon it. Pinch 1tbsp+1tsp of the dough and place it on the oreo. Take it together and roll it in between your palms like a ball. Now gently flatten it and cover the oreo well together for the holes, if any, with the dough.

Coat it well with the powdered sugar and place it in arranged cookie sheet. Follow the same with the remaining batter.

Preheat the oven at 190 deg C for 10 minutes. Place the sprinkles with enough space in between; these are quite large. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until done.

Oats Chocolate Chips Cookies

This is the best yummy cookies I've ever tried. I've no words to say; It turned out very nice. It is flavorful, crunchy and just melts in mouth. The taste still lingers in my mouth; what else can I say, I love these.. !!! None would say this has oats; unless I tell them. I'm going to pack a few to give it to my neighbors here. One more thing best about this recipe is it is my own. :-) 

Ingredients:

Oats 1 cup - Quick cooking
All Purpose Flour 3/4 cup

Powdered Sugar 3/4 cup
Butter 90 g
Egg 1
Coconut Powder 1/3 cup
Chocolate chips 1/3 cup
Milk 1 tbsp
Baking Powder 1/4 tsp
Vanilla Powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

Method:

Powder sugar along with vanilla Powder. Sieve and keep it aside.

Sieve All purpose flour. Combine it  along with Oats, Baking Powder and Salt in a large bowl. Mix well and keep it aside.

In a hand whisk or using a machine, whisk butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until creamy.

Add in egg and beat on a medium speed till it combines well with the sugar-butter mixture and turns glossy and creamy.

Now add the milk and mix well. Add the flour mixture little by little until everything combines well to form a slightly sticky dough. Mix the chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes.

Scoop a tablespoon full of the dough, gently flatten it and place it in a buttered baking sheet. Continue the same for the rest of the dough.

Bake at 180 deg C for 18-20 minutes until it turns slightly brown.

Cool in a wire rack before serving or storing in an air tight container.

Notes: 

You can increase the quantity of chocolate chips. I've added just 1/3 cup. 

If you are using vanilla essence, add it while you add the milk.

If you want to avoid egg, add flour mixture little by little to the sugar-butter mixture. When done, add milk just enough to form a dough. Then, cut into desired shapes or just scoop and then flatten. 

This goes to Love 2 Bake, a lovely event started by my friend Sangee of Spicy Treats where we shared baked goodies every monday.

Custard Powder Cookies ~ Valentines day recipes ~ Happy Valentines day to all

I love the flavor of custard powder particularly vanilla flavored. I wanted to try cookies with this custard powder just to know how it would taste as I simply like its flavor. I tried a small batch today. It turned out as good as its flavor. But somehow chocolate chip cookies remains my favorite.. :-)

My Hearty Valentines day wishes to all of you.. !! 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour 3/4 cup
Sugar 1/8 cup
Custard Powder 1/8 cup
Butter 60 gm
Milk 2 tsp

Method:

Powder Sugar, sieve and keep it aside.

Sieve All Purpose Flour along with Custard Powder, Baking Powder. Keep it aside.

Beat Butter (at room temperature) till fluffy and shiny. Add Sugar and beat till the mixture turns shiny.

Now add the flour mixture little by little. Combine well and add milk to form a stiff dough.

Pre heat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes.

Roll the dough between two baking sheets. Cut the dough into desired shapes.

Bake at 180 deg C for 12-15 minutes or until done and gets slightly brown.

Notes: To make it more in quantity, just double the recipe. 

Eggless Chocolate Chips Cookies; New Year Wishes

I bake potatoes and chicken quite often and I've never failed in any attempt. Cookies is something that I keep on trying since many months even after many disastrous results. I bookmark all cookies recipes and got really confused what to try and what to leave. I don't have any issues adding egg; but do not know when should I stop beating. So I had to go for other choices. Also, I confuse with the gram and cup measurements. I watch many food network shows; they make cookies so easily and after many attempts with trial and errors, I am quite successful, they are near perfect in shape and size but absolutely delicious. 

Happy New Year to all of you.. Lets give a warm welcome to 2014.. :)

Recipe Source: Ezcookbook

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour 1 1/2 cups
Powdered Sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 100 g
Chocolate Chips 1/2 cup
Baking Powder 3/4 tsp
Vanilla Powder 1 tsp
Milk 1/8 cup + 2 tbsp (depends upon the flour; water can also be used)

Method:

Powder Sugar along with vanilla powder. Sieve and keep it aside.

Sieve Baking Powder and All purpose flour together and keep it aside.

Bring Butter to room temperature. Beat butter until glossy. Now add the powdered sugar and beat until it combines well with the butter and becomes glossy.

Now add APF mixture little by little until everything combines well. Now the batter looks crumbly. Add chocolate chips. Mix well and then add milk little by little to form a stiff and soft batter. 

Knead for few minutes and then spread the batter. Use a cookie cutter to cut the batter into desired shapes.

Pre heat the oven. Bake at 180 deg C for 10-12 minutes or till it becomes slightly brown and crispy.

Cool completely in a wire rack before serving or transferring to an air tight container for future use.