Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
14 TBS butter
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. Pour the granulated sugar in a pie dish and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl melt 10 TBS butter in the microwave until just melted. Add remaining 4 TBS and allow to sit until melted and cool, about 5-10 minutes. Should read at 90-95º on a thermometer.

Whisk the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into the melted butter until the mixture is completely smooth. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Roll the dough into balls, about 2 TBS for each cookie. Roll the balls in the granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies. Sprinkle with more sugar, if you want.

Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, or until they have puffed and have cracked running through the top.

Notes: Original recipe calls for 12-14 minutes in the oven, but I don't make my cookies into 2TBS balls, that's huge! I like smaller, normal sized cookies.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Makes 2 dozen (almost)

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 tsp. ginger
1 TBS cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup molasses
1 TBS whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Place flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; beat at medium speed until combined. Add butter; beat 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add molasses and milk; beat until just combined. Divide dough into 2 portions; wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Chill in fridge 2 hours or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into balls, size of tablespoon. Place granulated sugar in a small dish, place powdered sugar in another small dish. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until set but slightly soft in the center.

Source: online

Knot Rolls

Ingredients:

3 cups milk
1 1/2 cubes butter
1 cup instant potato flakes
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBS salt
1 heaping TBS Saf-Instant Yeast
4 eggs
7 cups flour

Directions:
1. Heat milk in a large glass bowl in the microwave for about 7 minutes. Add the butter, potato flakes, sugar and salt. Let sit for five minutes. (Put the other 1/2 cube of butter out to get soft, you will need this to spread on top of dough)

2. Beat four eggs in mixer or by hand. Add the above milk mixture to eggs, make sure it is not too hot or it will cook the eggs. Add the yeast. Mix and add seven cups of flour.

3. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Divide dough in half and roll one half into a large circle. Spread butter on the top of the dough. Take the bottom half of the dough and fold to the center of the circle. Take the top half and place tot he fold so you have three layers of dough. Your dough should be a long rectangle about four to five inches wide and about twenty inches long. With a pizza cutter, cut 1-inch strips and tie in a knot. Let rise for three hours and then bake at 375º for 11 minutes.

For cinnamon rolls:
Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 heaping tsp. cinnamon. Follow instructions for step 3. Mix the cinnamon/sugar mixture and sprinkle on top of the large buttered circle. Fold dough as stated above and cut and tie. Let rise for three hours and bake at 375º for 11 minutes. Add another minute in the oven if the cinnamon rolls aren't brown enough.

For orange rolls:
Mix 3/4 to 1 cup sugar and the rinds from 1 to 2 oranges. Follow the same instructions for the cinnamon rolls.

Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
milk or cream

For the orange rolls add 1 to 2 TBS grated orange rind and about 2-3 TBS orange juice to the above mixture.

Spread onto rolls when they come out of the oven.

Source: Vanessa