Choice of Cookies

 

Chances are good, with the oncoming holidays, it's cookie time. And here at Tonia's Kitchen, we're offering you two cookie kinds for the price of one (which is an even-better value since we are a free service :)) Tara Teaspoon, who wrote the new cookbook Live Life Deliciously stopped by to tell Tonia about two recipes she features in the book. The first is a Coconut Lime Cookie. You can tell from it's name that it's a delicious taste of the tropics in a butter cookie that includes reduced lime juice, some coconut oil in place of all-butter, and topped with toasted coconut and lime drizzle. The second cookie was Tara's special bakery-style chocolate chunk cookies. Tara says her secret ingredient here is cream cheese, which she says adds moisture to the cookies. Add both to your cookie tray this holiday season.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
  
  
  
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 12-oz pkg (2 cups) milk chocolate chips
• 1 12-oz pkg (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Add the flour mixture, a little at a time, and mix. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets at 350ºF. Medium and small cookies bake until golden around the edges and just set in the center, 10 to 12 min. Don't overcook! They continue cooking on the pan out of the oven. Let cool slightly (if you can wait) and remove from pan.
• If cookie dough has been chilled they will bake 12 to 14 minutes.

COCONUT LIME COOKIES

Cookies:

4 sticks (1 pound) salted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lime zest

4 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice (or 1 tablespoon of each)

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract 

Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons cream of coconut 

1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus extra for decorating

1 tablespoon lime zest, plus extra for decorating

1 tablespoon milk 

1 teaspoon coconut extract 

Dash of salt 

1 large egg white 

Juice of 1 lemon, plus more if needed

Juice of 1 lime, plus more if needed

1. For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until combined. Add the egg yolks and mix until combined. Add the lemon and lime zest. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Next, add the citrus juice (your choice) and coconut extract and mix the dough until it comes together.
3. Scoop out tablespoons of dough, roll into balls between your hands and place on a baking sheet. Bake until not quite starting to turn brown, 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 to 4 minutes. Use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. For the icing: Add the powdered sugar, cream of coconut, lemon and lime zest, milk, coconut extract, salt, egg white and lemon and lime juice to a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly until combined, adding either more powdered sugar or more juice until it reaches a pourable but still thick consistency.
5. Drizzle the icing across the cookies in several lines, and then repeat in the other direction. Sprinkle the cookies with extra zest before the icing sets.