Spice Cookies | Spiced Sweet Cookies

After the Coconut Squares and Chocolate flowers, next was a spiced Masala Cookies. I used Spice powders to enhance the flavours. Though you might think the powdered spice hits you when you add it, after baking you are left with a lingering taste of the spice and it's not strong at all.

Infact I added three pinches and still felt could have added more. Though the baking spree, I was searching for my molds. Finally got hold of these molds and ended up making tree, heart and mulberry leaves shapes. I loved those hearts as the mold was something that we flicked from the kids toys. Though the first batch had leaf and tree, the second batch was only heart and trust me, they turned out so crispy.

If you must know it was one long session of baking and I wanted to make sure I didn't end up with loads of dishes to wash. So all the sweet cookies were creamed in one vessel. Well that resulted in the last batch to have little bit of chocolate blended. All the good right!

Off these go for my Cookie Mela

Step by Step Pictures

Spice Cookies

All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup
Butter - 150 gms
Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamon powder - 3 pinches
Salt a pinch
Icing sugar - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

How to bake spice cookies:

Cream the butter and icing sugar in a bowl. Add the spices, salt and baking powder to the flour. Then slowly add to the butter mix.

Knead to a soft dough. Flatten on a rolling board and cut out shapes using molds of your choice.

Pre heat the oven at 185 deg C and bake for 16 mins. Second batch took me only about 14 - 15 mins.

Allow to cool, before storing them in an air tight container.

Coconut Square Cookies | How to make Coconut Cookies

With the Cookie Mela coming to an end shortly, I couldn't miss baking some cookies. As luck would have it, I had an unexpected off from work and what better work than baking those cookies that I have been planning to bake since a month. Almost for a week now, every day I would get the butter come to room temperature, only to put it back.

So finally I had enough time and energy to bake these and I decided I might as well bake as many as I can. I have been baking non stop since evening and baked around four different varieties. As always the one with chocolate and looking brown was a hit with kids. Rest of course we enjoyed.

Coconut Square Cookies

Since it's going to be four different varieties, will be posting on both the blogs. So stay tuned for some exciting versions of cookies that you can enjoy anytime anywhere.

These Coconut square Cookies always remind me of the bakery biscuits. Having excess of fresh coconut on hand, I thought I should try out some Coconut cookies. Since I didn't have the dried coconut, I dried it in microwave for 2 mins and added to the flour. Maybe next time I might try caramelizing for more effect. Though it was coconutty in taste, I think the bakery one has sugar coated on top. However these tasted awesome just the same!

I also make some Chocolate Piped Cookies and two more to share which will be up tomorrow!

Off these go for my Cookie Mela

Step by Step Pictures

Coconut Square Cookies

Ingredients Needed:

All purpose Flour / Maida - 1 and 1/2 cup
Butter - 150 gms
Fresh Coconut, grated - 1 cup
Salt a pinch
Icing sugar - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

How to make the Coconut Square Cookies


Grate the coconut and microwave for 2 mins with one minute interval. This will make sure the coconut is dried up.

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mix is very creamy. Shift the flour together with baking powder and salt.

Slowly add to the bowl and continue creaming. If the dough is thick, knead with your hands. Add milk if required.

Grease a rolling board with greased rolling pin. Pat on the sides to make sure you get a square. Cut into small squares.

Meanwhile pre heat the oven at 185 Deg C. Once done, arrange the squares with enough space on the tray and bake at 185" C for 15 mins. Start at 12 mins and continue for the next 3 mins if required. I had to complete the entire 15 mins.

Allow to cool before digging in.

Notes:

The coconut I used was enough to give a good coconut taste. The ones you get in the bakery is really loaded with coconut. For that effect you can increase by another half cup of coconut.

Chocolate Fudge Cookie | Eggless Chocolate Fudge Cookie

Though I have been planning to make some cookies for the Cookie Mela, I never could get myself make some. Yesterday Peddu threw a tantrum saying I was going to make him some cake, showing me the butter box that has muffins on them. So I was forced to make some muffins, so I ended up making some Chocolate Fudge Lava Cake.

With the same dough, I just reduced the milk and rolled out some cookies. These chocolate fudge cookies were chewy and soft. If you want to make it crispy, them you can reduce the butter and increase the baking soda.

Sometimes I think chewy cookies taste great, especially with so much chocolate in it.

Chocolate Fudge Cookie

I was shooting the pictures in the morning and Peddu was up by then. He was eagerly looking at what I was doing. I asked if he would hold them for me. He was so glad to be asked for help.

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Makes - 12 mini muffins

Cake flour - 1 cup
Cooking chocolate - 2 slabs
Drinking chocolate - 1/4 cup
Icing sugar - 1/2 cup
Milk powder - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 1/2 cup
Milk as required (1 tbsp)

How to make the cake

Melt the butter in microwave for a minute. Chop the chocolate slabs into smaller pieces and melt for 30 secs.

In a bowl, shift the flours together with sugar and milk powder. Into the butter, slowly add the flour and blend well. The dough will have to shift.

Freeze the dough for 10 mins. Then make balls and flatten them on a greased tray.

Pre the oven at 185 deg C and bake for 15 mins.

These are for my Cookie Mela and I am hoping to be making more for the event!

Announcing Cookie Mela & Cookbook Giveaways!

After the mind blowing Indian Thali Mela, I needed some time to just breath. I am yet to complete collecting details for the eBook I promised. So that's another interesting thing that can happen soon.

I realized I was late when I started getting emails on the next mela. So here's the next one. I thought making cookies will be an exciting thing, considering schools reopened in some parts of the world, while some closed down for vacation.

So you are invited to send in all sorts of Biscuits, Cookies, Shortbread etc

According to Wiki, a basic biscuit (cookie) recipe includes flour, shortening (often lard), baking powder or soda, milk (buttermilk or sweet milk) and sugar. Common savory variations involve substituting sugar with an ingredient such as cheese or other dairy products. Shortbread is a popular biscuit in the UK.

And when it comes to Indian versions, some are not actually baked, they are even deep fried as in Thekua.

From now till July 31st, cook/bake anything that is a Cookie/ Biscuit, pack them to me!

•     Link back to this announcement is mandatory
•     Usage of the logo is appreciated as it helps spread the word.
•     Recipes with Eggs are accepted.
•     Multiple entries are accepted. 
•     The post should have a mandatory picture of the dish. 
•     Archive entries after April 2012 are accepted, provided it has a link back to this announcement. 

Any questions, please send them to cooking4allseasons@gmail.com.

The Cookbooks Giveaway!

The giveaway is closed. Check out the Winners

Taste of Home: Cookies: 623 Irresistible Delights

Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen
By Monica Bhide






The last date for the giveaway is July 10th

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