Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you enjoy oatmeal raisin cookies, you will love these special ones of Marla’s. The strong sweet flavor of the almond extract enhances the spicy Vietnamese cinnamon and makes these cookies scrumptious. Make sure you bake a double batch because they will go fast. Great idea for a summer picnic or reunion. Enjoy! Vicky

Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup raisins

1 ½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon

Directions:

Using a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and both sugars.

Beat in the vanilla and eggs

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and oats;  add this to the creamy mixture gradually

Stir in the raisins

Using a tablespoon of cookie dough, drop 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet

Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

Try one while still warm

Remove to wire racks to cool

 

 

 

 

Get Free Recipe Card HERE

 

Get Printable Recipe Page HERE

I have never been there, but family members are always bragging about a cookie they would get at the Harrison Bakery in Syracuse, New York. They called it the Half Moon Cookie. I just had to find out about this little delicacy so I set out to find the recipe. Wow! Not only did I find many variations of this cookie, I found multiple names for it. Seems like this is a popular little cookie.

   
 

Half Moon Cookies

Black and White Cookies

Amerikaners

   
 

Each recipe differs a bit too. There are chocolate cookies and vanilla cookies. Some come with a simple confectioner’s frosting and some with butter cream frosting.

   
 

Several were a thinner, crispier cookie, while various ones were a thick chewy type cookie.

   
 

I decided to try the following recipe, and I was very happy with the results.

   
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Makes approximately 30 cookies (unless, of course, you are a dough eater like I am)

Cookie Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups cake flour
3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder – the better grade the cocoa the better the cookie
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

Cookie Preparations

Cream the sugar, brown sugar and the shortening.
Add egg to the mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder until cocoa is distributed throughout.
Add this to the wet ingredients and alternate with milk a little at a time, mixing well, until thoroughly combined.

This mixture will resemble a thick cake batter.

Scoop and drop onto lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and remove from oven.

Before placing on a wire rack to cool, let the cookies sit on the pan for a minute or two.

   
 

Frosting Ingredients

4 TBL (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
3 TBL hot milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce melted bittersweet chocolate (reserve this for the chocolate half of cookie)

Combine all ingredients except the cocoa.
Beat until smooth.
Divide this mixture in half.
Add the melted chocolate to half the mixture and stir well.

Keeping the frosting slightly warmer than room temperature allows for easier spreading.

   
 

A couple of tips, using a cookie scoop (an ice cream scoop will work too) works best. I used a 1 ½ tablespoon one.

Do not freeze these cookies. They will come out very hard and dry.

Wrapping each one separately in plastics keeps them nice and fresh. This is quite a job, however. And of course, well just more temptation to eat more!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

A printable version of this is available Half Moon Cookie Recipe

And we have a free printable recipe card available Half Moon Cookie Recipe Card

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King’s Cake

Mardi Gras Cake, Braided Cake, or Three King’s Cake

Whatever you call it, this scrumptious cake with its purple, green, and yellow colored sugars is a delicacy with a surprise inside.

The King Cake has been in icon in New Orlean’s culture for centuries. Originating back to the Twelfth day after Christmas (The Epiphany) the King Cake represents biblical kings bringing gifts to hone the Baby Jesus in Behtlehem. This tasty treat is eaten from the beginning of the Carnival season (January 6) until “Fat Tuesday” or Mardi Gras Day. This day is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday.

The King Cake can have delectable fillings of apple, cream, or strawberries inside. For some people just the sweet cinnamon filling is enough. Whatever flavoring you are partial to in an authentic King Cake someone will find a surprise in their serving. Dating back to the Roman Empire, a small trinket was baked inside of The King Cake. Today a small plastic baby is placed inside. This baby represents the Baby Jesus. Whoever gets the baby has to bring the next cake to the next carnival celebration.

The dough for The King Cake is braided or twisted before it is baked. The King Cake has such a rich and sweet flavor that its more like a pastry than a bread. Each cake is topped with a sugar icing and then decorated with purple, green and gold (yellow) sprinkles. These are the colors of the Mardi Gras.

• Purple represents Justice
  
• Green symbolizes Faith
  
• Gold stands for Power
  

It wouldn’t be a true Mardi Gras festival without King Cakes. Full of rich, cinnamon enhanced dough, these delicacies are craved throughout the country.
Many cake shoppes sell King’s Cakes during the carnival season. The cake itself is made similar to a brioche.

King Cake Recipe

Cake:

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
  
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
  
• 1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F.)
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  
• 1/2 cup white sugar
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
  
• Colored Frostings (see below)
  
• Colored Sugars (see below)
  
• Dried pea, bean, or 1-inch tall plastic or ceramic baby (optional, see Note)
  

  Frosting:
  

• 3 cups powdered sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  
• 3 tablespoons milk
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• Colored sugars:
  
• 1-1/2 cups white sugar
  

Directions

1. Cook butter or margarine, sour cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Cool mixture to 100 degrees to 110 degrees F.
   
2. Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
   
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
   
4. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
   
5. Punch dough down; divide in half. Turn 1 portion out onto a lightly floured surface; roll to a 28- x 10-inch rectangle. Spread half each of cinnamon mixture and softened butter on dough. Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, starting at long side. Place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, cinnamon mixture, and butter.
   
6. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
   
7. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Decorate with bands of Colored Frostings, and sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
   
8. Frosting:
   
9. Stir together powdered sugar and melted butter. Add milk to reach desired consistency for drizzling; stir in vanilla.
   
10. Colored Sugars:
    
11. Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a jar or zip-top plastic bag; seal. Shake vigorously to evenly mix color with sugar. Repeat procedure with 1/2 cup sugar and yellow food coloring. For purple, combine 1 drop red and 1 drop blue food coloring before adding to remaining 1/2 cup sugar.