Day three of the Twelve days of cookies finds us in the 80′s again, but this time in the late 80′s. The charts were rockin’ to The Escape Club singing Wild Wild West, Bobby McFerrin released Don’t Worry, Be Happy, and Bon Jovi (Who rocks, occasionally) released Bad Medicine. The Big Hair Craze was fading into the mullet, and The car of choice for most people ws beginning to look something like the modern SUV.

According to Gourmet magazine, the best cookie of the year was the pistachio tuile.  They had this to say…  But they were wrong:

What petits fours were to the well-heeled in the 1950s, tuiles were in the 80s, garnishing every dessert plate in the land. Still, the potato-chip-thin cookie studded with pistachios is a combination that will never go out of style. Drop level tablespoons of batter, then spread into a thin 3-inch round and bake at 350° F for 6 to 9 minutes.

Umm, that was supposed to be teaspoons, not tablespoons, people… Geez.  Of course, that’s not the only thing they got wrong.  Like “not everyone loves Amaretto.”  I’m one of those people, and these things taste like Amaretto, so not my favorite thing ever…  Not by a long shot.

My wife loves them however, so they have redeeming qualities.  In all they’re pretty simple to make, taste like half a tiramisu (add a little cream and you’re there).  For me, any other extract in the world would probably make these things good, but the almond extract flavor is just too much.  Perhaps with hazlenut extract I’d love them, but that wasn’t the recipe.

So if you like amaretto I’d say give them a 9.  On my personal scale they rate a solid 4.

But they are pretty, aren’t they?

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Day two of the Twelve days of Cookies finds this home paying homage to the Pecan.  (Honestly, you can’t be a Texan if you aren’t making something with pecans.) The cookie of the day?  The Pecan Tassie, from the era of big hair, heavy metal, Depeche Mode and Cindy Lauper.  Gourmet Magazine’s top cookie pick for 1985, and with good reason!

Gourmet stated that these little gems reminded them of pecan pie.  I don’t get that when I taste them, but what I do get is a mouthful of wonderful.  The texture and flavor of these cookies is a bit surprising.  The dough is a bit cake-like, but the topping is very crunchy.  The contrast between the two is wonderful.

The downside?  These cookies don’t hit their stride until they’ve had a chance to sit overnight and cool completely.  I tried them last night when still warm and honestly, I didn’t like them much.  But this morning… Ah, I’m singing a different tune altogether now..  How bout “Just can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode.  It’s fitting for the time, and I like the song!

So, my thoughts on these…  A definite thumbs up for us. We’ll be making these again, I guarantee it.

Now go make some.  Do it now so that you can enjoy them with your coffee in the morning!  Resist the urge to try them warm!  They’re soooo much better the next day it’s just unbeleivable.  Trust me on this.

And don’t forget to check out the other members of our crazy little group.  We’re all making the twelve cookies we thought we’d like most, so you can be sure that there are other great recipes out there for your cookie indulgence.  The list is at the bottom of the post!

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It’s Christmas time again, and what would the season be without mountains of cookies?  The weather here in North Texas has finally begun to show the season, with temperatures in the 40′s and of course, gusty winds that make it feel like the 30′s, so the weather is perfect for baking, so when I was asked if I wanted to get together with a few fellow food bloggers and try out 12 recipes from Gourmet Magazine’s list of all time favorite cookies, I jumped at the chance!

I don’t know about you, but when I think of Christmas cookies I think of gingerbread men. They just scream Christmas cookie, so for the first of my 12 batches, these little guys were the obvious choice.  I’m glad I chose them, too.  This is by far the best gingerbread recipe I think I’ve ever come across.  Which is as it should be.  They really knew their gingerbread in 1959, though the way recipes are written has (very thankfully!) changed a lot.

I’m not alone in making 12 different cookie recipes this month. Joining me in the fray for the 12 days of cookies are a list of very talented bloggers and cooks in their own right.  So please take the time to visit my partners in crime for this event. (Once you’ve read and printed out this recipe, of course!)  I have no idea what they’ve chosen to make today, so don’t be surprised if several of us have the same recipe posted.

The insane bunch that decided to taste test Gourmet’s top picks:

• Kelly of Sass & Veracity
• Ben of What’s Cooking
• Judy of No Fear Entertaining
• Claire of the Barefoot Kitchen
• Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench
• Courtney of CoCo Cooks
• And Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes, who first thought of inviting us in on this little blog party.

I’ve got to say, these are the best example of a perfect gingerbread I’ve ever had, but the dough is a little difficult to work with.  Instead of rolling them out and then moving them to a cookie sheet, we ended up rolling the dough out directly on a half sheet pan with a smooth sided glass and simply pulling the excess away from the cut shapes, thus preventing gingerbread men with serious and crippling deformities.  The dough is rather like glue as well, so copious amounts of butter flavored cooking spray should be employed wherever possible.

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My wife entered a cookie contest last week.  These bad boys won first place in the chocolate cookie recipe category, as best chocolate cookie recipe.  So when I tell you these are more than good, I have a panel of judges to back me up.  These bars are sweet, succulent and definitely something we’ll be making all year long, but they are perfect for a Holiday buffet, so don’t pass this recipe up when you are planning your Thanksgiving or Christmas cookie baking!

This is a simple recipe, an even though I usually shy away from anything that uses a mix, in this case I’ll gladly make an exception.  They make in a snap, don’t cost much and are suited for the novice baker (read: me).  The results are fabulous, the oooh-and ahhhh factor is pretty high on the list.  Just place a pretty pyramid of these on a shiny platter and back out of the way.  But I suggest you make two batches if you want any for yourself!

I could talk forever about these, but I think I’ll just let the recipe speak for itself.  It’s that good!

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What is a cowboy cookie? Where did it get its name? I have no idea, but if you ask me, this is just about the best cookie you’ll ever get yer grubby lil’ paws on, and I can’t exactly send you warm holiday wishes from the great state of Texas without sharing the recipe for these incredible cookies. Honestly, they’re so good that you’ll want to tie on the feed bag for more than one or two.

O.K., enough with the western slang already! You’re in Texas, we get the point!

These are not the official Laura Bush Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies, but rather a recipe received from an Airman (of unknown rate and rank) stationed in Minot, North Dakota, and to be honest, I like this version better than the First Lady’s, simply because it’s not as sweet. Having said that I have to tell you that they are still very sweet, chocolaty and nutty, with just a hint of coconut flavor hovering somewhere in the background. The oatmeal gives these cookies a very satisfying texture, and if you try hard enough you can convince yourself that there might just be something healthy about them. (Oatmeal lowers cholesterol, right? Right!!!)

And in the spirit of the Holidays and in respect to Texas herself, I just had to make one monster of a cookie. This is something we did as kids, when there wasn’t enough dough left to make a full sheet of cookies. Mom would make two really big ones, just to keep the natives in line.

Yup, it’s the same plate! did you used to make a couple of monster cookies at the end of a batch? do you still give in to the temptation at times? You should!

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‘Tis the season for giving, cheer, gifts, and cookies with a resemblance to snowballs. Today I present you with a double helping of Holiday cheer, from our home to yours. Both of these cookies are guaranteed to warm your heart, and one will warm your tummy as well! Don’t let the resemblance fool you. These cookies may look alike on the outside, but the differences between them are like night and day. (Or chocolate and vanilla, as the case may be.)

Though I’ve posted My Aunt Thelma’s Tea Cookie recipe before, I really can’t do Christmas without them. They are a Holiday staple in my household, as they have been for the past 25 years and I doubt they will be going anywhere soon. These little treats are the ultimate in decadence, and should be eaten without remorse for what they will do to your waistline. It is Christmas, after all!

Be warned, the Brandy Balls are intended for mature audiences. These are a no bake cookie, therefore they hold about 90% of the alcohol content they were originally given. The flavor is intense and eating too many before driving is discouraged by both the management of this blog as well as state troopers anywhere in the country, not to mention M.A.D.D.

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The Holidays are the time for indulgences, meaning pastries, cookies, cakes, pies and what have you. In that spirit we’ve dusted off our baking gear for the season to bring you a slew of great recipes for you and yours.

So as the dulcet tones of Twisted Sister’s “Twisted Christmas” waft through the house along with the smells of fresh-baked cookies, I bring you the first of twelve cookie recipes for your Holiday gatherings, or just for noshing with family around the TV for the Rudolph marathon.

(I know. I know. I’ve dated myself horribly but in my defense I also listen to the classics, like Bing Crosby with David Bowie doing “Little Drummer Boy”, The Andrews sisters, and one or two Elvis Christmas Albums. Then there’s Manheim Steamroller, TSO and Amy Grant. I just love Christmas!)

This recipe is inspired by Alton Brown’s Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie recipe, but done the quick and dirty way, minus the peppermint, which I am not a fan of in anything with dough. (In hot cocoa fine, but not in a cookie, please!)

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I’ve tried four times now to find the proper opening to this entry. Call it a tribute to my feelings for these cookies. Of any sweet in the world, these are the particular combination of flour, sugar and love that not only make me quiver in anticipation, but make me want to dash into the kitchen to sneak one while they’re still too hot to eat. (Not something I recommend. While hot, these little delights are culinary napalm!)

When I was little these cookies were usually reserved for holidays. More than likely, that’s because a single batch would have been demolished by the rest of the household before my mother had a chance to pull the last tray from the oven, and unlike other confections, they’re rather intensive on the baker’s fingers, so were only made when the effort required would achieve the full “Ooooh and Ahhhh” benefits that they deserved.

I’ve mentioned my Aunt Thelma before. She was always a joy to be around, and one of the true matriarch’s of my family. For me, these are her legacy. Far more than just a snack, they’re full of memories of family gatherings and laughter, or afternoons sitting across the lunch counter in Thelma’s Kitchen on the Sonoma Plaza listening to my Aunt recant tales of her childhood in Oklahoma.

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I’m sure that my female food blogging counterparts all have a recipe for these little pieces of goodness, but Mrs. seat of her Pants made these up for me last night and I thought I’d share. So please everyone, grab one… No, No. Don’t be shy. That’s better. Would you like some milk to go with those cookies?

Great! Now that I’ve buttered you up with some chocolate, I’d like to drop a shameless plug for something I am terribly proud of.

My wife’s first book is available for sale today! If you like sci-fi with a bit of suspense and romance, take a look. I’ve read it, and I guarantee it’s a fun read… (Even after the third round of edits.)

You can find her book here: Monday’s Child

Now, on to the cookie recipe…

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I may have been feeling a bit under the weather for the past week, but Mrs. seat of her Pants was in good form. Aside from making sure that I was pumped full of fluids and getting plenty of rest, she decided it would be a perfect time to whip out a batch of cookies. (While I wasn’t in the mood to fight her over them… I’ll remember that the next time she’s not feeling well!)

Snickerdoodles are a consummate favorite of mine, as they are perfect coffee-dunker’s, and I always have a cup of very strong coffee on hand. I love the texture nearly as much as I do that of York Cookies, and they pair just as well with milk, tea or cocoa as they do with a good cup of coffee. (Mrs. Seat of her Pants is not a coffee drinker, which is fine, as it leaves more for me!)

I did manage to lighten the load on the platter by one or two of these little gems before they all disappeared, and will probably ask for another batch soon, now that I can fully enjoy them.

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