Buckeyes were the first candy I learned to make. A peanut butter filling is rolled into balls, then dipped in melted chocolate. Lovely flavor combination and very easy to make.
When I was a kid, I didn’t see them outside of Ohio much. Today everyone seems to know what buckeyes are.
Buckeyes are simple to make. Fast, too. And a great kid-friendly recipe. If you need some last minute gifts, or you just want them for your holiday party, you still have time to make a batch of buckeyes.
Here is the recipe I use. There are variations of this recipe out there, including one with crispy rice cereal in the mix. This one is still my favorite. Enjoy!!
Buckeyes
1 ½ lb. powdered sugar 1 ½ c. peanut butter 2 sticks softened butter 12 oz. chocolate chips- or dark chocolate 2 T. coconut oil or shortening
Mix together sugar, peanut butter and butter. Chill. Roll into balls, flatten slightly. Melt together, chocolate and coconut oil. Dip the peanut butter balls in melted chocolate to cover about ¾ of the surface. Use a toothpick or fondue fork to hold the balls. It makes the job of dipping a lot easier. Allow to harden on wax paper. Store in a cool place. Can be frozen.
These cut-out cookies are a classic, and
always part of my holiday cookie baking. I will confess to having an
enormous assortment of cookie cutters, so there is almost no end to the
shapes I might use. This time of year I am making trees, stars, snowmen
and more.
These cookies are crisp and sturdy enough to stand up to frosting,
without being too hard. They also hold their shape well when baking.
I use royal icing to frost them, and an assortment of sprinkles and
other candies. Royal icing is made with egg whites or powdered egg
whites. The advantage over a butter cream, is that royal icing hardens,
making the cookies easy to pack and stack. You don’t need much- just a
thin layer. Tinting the frosting different colors is a big part of the
fun. Depending on how much time you have, you can get really creative
with decorating.
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling, if desired
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry
ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to
375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch
thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and sprinkle with sugar
or colored sugar if you like and if you are not going to frost them.
Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking
sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost
when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
Decorating your cookies:
You can use a buttercream frosting, if you like, however the topping I
prefer is royal icing. Because royal icing contains egg whites it gets
hard. Cookies have a smooth appearance and can be stacked. When making
royal icing, use pasteurized egg whites or powdered egg whites. Raw egg
whites pose a risk of salmonella.
You can also use colored sugar and sprinkles and mini chocolate chips for eyes.
Royal Icing
1 lb. powdered sugar ½ t. cream of tartar 5¼ t. egg white powder 6 T. water ½ t. vanilla, optional Assorted food coloring In large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add water and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Divide into small bowls and tint each batch as needed. Keep bowl covered with a damp towel while waiting to use so frosting will not dry out.
It seems I am always making variations on shortbread cookies. I love shortbread. I am not alone- so many friends and family have told me the same thing. There is something about the crumbly texture of shortbread that makes them a favorite for a lot of people.
This recipe is a classic shortbread, topped with cinnamon and pecans. They are really good. You just make a batch of dough, press into a pan, top with a cinnamon – pecan mixture, and bake. Could not be simpler.
As soon as they come out of the oven cut them into little strips or squares. I got nearly 100 out of one batch. It depends on the size you cut them. If you are looking for a simple, yet wonderful cookie, you might want to try these.
Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg, separated
2 c. flour
1 T. water
½ c. finely chopped pecans
3 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
Lightly grease jellyroll pan (10×15). Mix butter, sugar and egg yolk
then stir in flour. Pat into pan. Beat egg white with water until frothy
and spread over dough. Combine pecans, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle
nut mixture over the dough and bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-25
minutes or until lightly browned. Cut immediately into tiny strips,
makes 50- 100.
If you are looking for a truly tender cookie, this may be it. These
cookies are so delicate, they just melt in your mouth!! We made them in
class the other night, and everyone loved them.
The secret ingredient might surprise you. It is oil. Yes, I know I
said butter cookies – they also contain butter. But the combination of
oil and butter makes them soft and delicate, even days after baking.
They also contain both granulated and powdered sugar. Not your
typical cookie recipe, for sure. This just may be my “go to” butter
cookie recipe from now on.
I found a sheet of paper with the ingredients written on it. No
directions, just ingredients listed and a notation about cooking time
and oven temperature. I wish I knew where I got the recipe. I would
certainly give the source credit. I did increase the amount of vanilla a
little. You don’t have to chill the dough and they roll very easily,
without sticking to your fingers. You could chill the dough, but let it
warm up a little before rolling. The dough can also be made ahead and
frozen- I tested it.
I dipped the tops of the raw cookies in sprinkles, then baked them.
You could leave them plain, then roll in powder sugar, once baked and
cooled, or drizzle with melted chocolate.
Soft Butter Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. oil, I used avocado oil
1 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
½ t. salt
4 ½ c. flour
In mixing bowl, beat together butter, oil, sugars and vanilla. Once
well blended, beat in eggs. Stir in the baking soda, cream of tartar and
salt, then add the flour, mixing until well combined. Heat oven to 350
degrees. Roll dough into one inch balls and press tops of cookies in
sprinkles or colored sugar, if desired. Place one inch apart on
ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, or until light golden on
bottom. Leave cookies on baking sheets 3 minutes before placing on
cooling rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Angel Wings are what a lot of people call these fried, delicate cookies. In my family, we also call them Flancate (Slovenian) or Chruschiki (Polish). After posting a picture on Facebook, I learned they have even more names. Many nationalities make versions of these cookies. We made them in class the other night and everyone enjoyed them.
The dough is a mixture of 8 eggs yolks, white wine, a little salt and
flour. Very similar to pasta dough. They are a tradition in my family. I
try to make them at least once during the holidays.
I use a pasta machine to roll out the dough. You can roll them out by hand, but a pasta maker makes the job a lot faster and easier. Also, if the cookies sit around and start to dry out before you can fry them, they tend not to grow as much. They are cut, shaped then fried. They puff up a lot when fried. More than doubling in size.
Once cooled, they are dusted with powdered sugar. Because they are
rolled so thin, a single batch can make a hundred cookies or more.
Part of the fun of making them, is watching someone eat one for the
first time. They are delicate and will sometimes fall apart when you go
to bite into one. Then there is the powdered sugar. Let’s just say you
don’t want to be wearing black.
Angel Wings/ Flancate / Chruschiki
8 egg yolks
2 ½ -3 c. flour, plus extra for rolling
½ c. white wine – I sometimes use sherry
1 t. salt
oil or shortening for deep frying
powdered sugar for sprinkling
Combine egg yolks, wine and salt mixing until smooth. Stir in 2 cups
of the flour and continue adding flour until dough is very firm, but
still pliable. It is better to add more flour later than to add too much
too soon. Knead or mix the dough in a mixer for 5-8 minutes. Kneading
dough, or mixing in a stand mixer strengthens the dough. Divide dough
into thirds, cover and allow to rest 1 hour.
On lightly floured surface, roll dough out into thin strips. Cut
strips diagonally into 1 ½ inch wide pieces. Cut a small slit in middle
of dough and pull one end through, pulling until dough is long and
somewhat twisted. Work with small amount of dough at a time to avoid
drying out. Dry dough will tear and be hard to work with. You can use a
pizza cutter or a pastry wheel with a zigzag edge. Cook dough, a few
pieces at a time in a skillet with either oil or shortening 2 inches
deep and heated to a temperature of 375 degrees. Pastry will cook in 30
seconds or so. Remove when lightly brown and drain on paper toweling.
Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Makes at least 100, depending on how
thin you can roll them. We have gotten as many as 200 from a single
batch.
Note: If you have access to a pasta machine, the rolling time will be greatly reduced. Use the machine to roll the dough uniformly and quickly. There is no substitute for experience. After making a batch you will learn just how the dough should feel and how thick to roll the dough. If too thick, the dough is not as tender. Too thin and they fall apart to easily. Also, get a friend or two to help you. The are a lot of jobs to do and the time will fly with some assistance. Besides, you’ll have plenty to share with family and friends.
Cookie baking season continues. These cookies are great for those who like a more adult cookie. Not too sweet, they are loaded with flavor. The combination of coffee and chocolate is one of my favorites. The addition of some cinnamon just takes these rich cookies to a new level. Simple to make, too. Just right for dipping in a cup of coffee.
We made them in class last night. They were a big hit.
Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies
1 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 T. hot water
1 egg
3/4 c. sugar plus extra for dipping
1/4 c. oil
2 T. corn syrup*
2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
Dissolve coffee in hot water. In mixing bowl combine coffee mixture
with egg, 3/4 cup sugar, oil, syrup and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.
Combine dry ingredients and add to coffee mixture. Roll into 1-inch
balls and place on ungreased baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the extra sugar, pressing
to 1/4 -inch thickness. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 5-7
minutes. Centers should be set. Cool on a rack. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.
* If you don’t have corn syrup- or don’t want to use it, here is a sugar syrup you can make and use as a substitute.
Sugar Syrup- corn syrup substitute
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 t. salt
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover
the pot. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and
cook to soft-ball stage. Stir frequently.
Soft ball stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be
determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold
water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a
ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball
while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water.
Remove from heat. Cool and store at room temperature. It will keep well for a month or two.
I love making food gifts for the holidays. I often make cookies or
other baked goods. But not everyone wants sweets. For those friends and
family, I often make them homemade mustard. I have included recipes for 4
of my favorite mustards.
I wasn’t a big fan of mustard, when I was a kid. I am now. I enjoy
using all types of mustard in all sorts of dishes, not just on hot dogs.
Mustard is great on sandwiches and sausages. It is a versatile
ingredient for salads, salad dressings, marinades and all sorts of
sauces. I lean towards spicy brown mustard myself.
I also enjoy making my own mustard. That way, I can tweak the seasonings.
So here are four of my favorite homemade mustard recipes. If you
never made mustard before- you might want to try. It is easy, and fun.
All of them are stored in the fridge- and will keep for months. For
gift-giving, look for decorative jars or cracks to put them in.
Horseradish Mustard
1 c. dry mustard
3/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/3 c. dry white wine or dry sherry
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. dried minced onion
2 t. caraway seeds
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. coarse ground mustard
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T. prepared horseradish
Combine all ingredients, except eggs and horseradish in top of double
boiler and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Whisk in eggs and
cook over simmering water until mixture has thickened and eggs are
cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in horseradish. Pour
into sterilized jar, cool and cover. Store in fridge for up to 3
months. Makes 2 cups.
Bavarian Mustard
3/4 c. beer
2/3 c. dry mustard
2 T. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
2 t. salt
1-t. celery seeds
1/2 t. fresh grated ginger or 1/4 t. dry
1 egg, beaten
Combine all but the egg in the top of a double boiler and let stand 2
hours at room temperature. Stir in egg and cook over simmering water.
stirring constantly until mixture thickens and egg is cooked, about 10
minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and cool before covering. Store in
fridge for up to 2 months. Makes 2 cups.
Spicy Mustard
1 c. dry mustard
2/3 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. vinegar, flavored with herbs or garlic
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. basil
1 t. chili powder
1 t. dried minced garlic
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. cracked pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Mix all ingredients, except eggs, in top of double boiler and let
stand 2 hours at room temperature. Add eggs and cook over simmering
water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and eggs are cooked,
about 10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and cool down before
covering and refrigerating. Keeps in fridge for up to 2-3 months. Makes 2
cups.
French Herb Mustard
1/4 c. dry mustard
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. white wine or dry sherry
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. tarragon
1/4 t. dill seed
1/4 t. celery seed
1/4 t. ground cloves
3 egg yolks or 1 whole egg
Combine all ingredients, except eggs, in top of double boiler and let
stand at room temperature 2 hours. Whisk in eggs and cook over
simmering water, stirring constantly, until mustard thickens and eggs
are cooked, about 5 minutes. Store in crock or jar in fridge for up to 1
month. Makes 1 cup, recipe can be doubled.
Some cookies are really about the memories for me. I remember making
pressed cookies when I was a kid. I loved using the machine to press out
dough in all sorts of magical shapes.
My mother was so kind- she let me make whatever I wanted. One Christmas, we had a whole plateful of camels.
The machine we had required turning a handle- watching carefully, and
turning the handle backwards to stop the flow of the dough. There are
much easier versions of cookie presses today. Mine has a ratchet which
pushes out the right amount of dough with one click. I decided to make
some little green trees and red flowers this year. These cookies are
light and very crisp. Great for having with coffee. They are also fast
to make, once you get used to the cookie press.
The fun thing about using a cookie press is that you can crank out a
high volume of pretty cookies in no time flat. They taste good, too. I
used vanilla extract in the little trees. In the flowers, I added some
sweet cherry flavor, which paired well with the vanilla.
Spritz Cookies
1 c. butter 1 c. sugar 3 egg yolks 2 t. vanilla ½ t. salt 2½ c. flour In mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in vanilla and salt. Tint dough, is desired. Add flour and stir until smooth. Using a cookie press with desired shape press cookies on to ungreased baking sheet. Leave about 1-inch between cookies. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 8-10 minutes- cookies should be a light golden color around the edges. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen.
Over the years, I have shared many of my family recipes. This is another family recipe- but not my
family. Tia Houpt found this recipe when going through her
Grandmother’s recipe collection. She was kind enough to share the
recipe- and gave me permission to share it with you. Her grandmother was
Eva Skero- so I have named the kolachy in Eva’s honor.
There is something special in having old family recipes. We find so
many recipes online these days, we sometimes forget there was a time
when recipes were handwritten. Often, they were stored in a drawer or in
a shoe box. There is usually a mix of handwritten recipes and recipes
cut out of newspapers and magazines.
Sometimes you just find a list of ingredients. Measurements aren’t always precise. A handful of this a pinch of that. The phrase moderately hot oven doesn’t real help, does it? And what exactly is a number 2 can? Still, there are some real gems in those collections.
This is one of those recipes. A real gem.
I have made kolachy for years and have used the recipe for the crust
that my mom used. I love my mom’s recipe. I love this recipe even more.
I was intrigued that the dough contains both baking powder and yeast. I had to make it, just to see what it was like.
The dough is tender and very easy to work with. It doesn’t get
chilled. You just make the dough, then roll it out and make the cookies.
I did let my butter soften a little before cutting it into the flour. I
could see using cold butter instead.
The dough rolled out beautifully and baked up a perfect golden brown. I had to let them cool a bit before I could taste one. I am not kidding- they were heavenly. Tender and so flaky. Tia and I both see this as a very nice tart or pie dough, too.
So here is Eva’s recipe. I hope you will give it a try. Thanks, Tia, for sharing it.
Eva’s Kolachy
Dough:
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. butter*
3 eggs
2 pkts. Yeast
½ c. warm milk
Filling:
Assorted pie fillings, jams, sweetened cream cheese or ricotta cheese. You will need about three cups of filling.
In mixing bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Cut
butter into flour until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Place eggs in a small bowl and beat until smooth. In small bowl,
dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine. Add
egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. If mixture is
sticky add a small amount of flour. Roll dough out on floured board.
Thinner the better, as this dough will puff some when baked. Cut into
squares- or whatever shape you like. I did 2-inch squares. Place a
spoonful of filling into center of each cookie. Fold up two of the
corners and press firmly to seal. Fold over and press seam again. These
like to pop open when baking, so the second fold over and pressing helps
them to stay closed. Some people like to add a bit of egg wash or milk
to the tops to help them seal better. I just squeeze together and fold
twice. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, about an inch apart.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden
brown. Cook on a rack. Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar or with a
powdered sugar glaze. Makes about 5-6 dozen.
*The original recipe called for shortening. Tia and I both decided
butter was better!! That is the only change we made to Eva’s original
recipe.
Cooled and dusted with powdered sugar
This post is dedicated to Eva Skero and all the home cooks out there who lovingly kept their recipes for us to find.
I will be selling boxes of cookies again this year. The boxes weigh more than 2 pounds and contain at least 10 kinds of cookies. Contact me if you are interested. They are $20 ( $18 per box if you order 3 or more) and will be available for pick-up starting December 20th.
