Treat plates


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If you're making them, what's on them?

We do cut-out sugar cookies every year. I'm convinced that I have the best recipe. :) They're soft and fluffy and delicious like Lofthouse cookies. My kids love making them.

I'm also making pinwheel cookies.

I made peanut brittle (but it was chewy) and peanut clusters, but my family already devoured those. I might make toffee. Haven't decided yet.

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Sure!

THE ONE SUGAR COOKIE

2 C sugar

4 eggs

1 C sour cream

1 C margarine or shortening

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Nutmeg to taste

pinch of salt

4 tsp. vanilla and/or lemon extract

6-8 cups flour (enough to make soft dough)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

3. Bake until very lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes depending on your oven. Do not underbake!

Frosting

1/4 C softened butter

3 tablespoons milk

2 tsp. vanilla and/or your favorite flavoring (almond is good)

Enough powdered sugar to make desired consistency

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I am soooooo sending that recipe to my mom!

She'll love it.

She's been trying for a fluffy sugar cookie for years.

But I will never eat them. ;)

Cookies need to be FLAT. Flat flat flat.

Not necessarily 2 dimensional (although wafer thin has its place), but oooooooh so flat and oooey goey (even half baked is just fine) ideally, although crisp works as well. I'm flexible. As long as they don't puff up.

I think my love of flat cookies may stem from the "ruined" ones my mom "threw out" (aka let me eat)... Or the glorious hybrid of brownie texture and cookie flavor that happens when all the air is mushed out of them.

Q

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I am soooooo sending that recipe to my mom!

She'll love it.

She's been trying for a fluffy sugar cookie for years.

But I will never eat them. ;)

Cookies need to be FLAT. Flat flat flat.

Not necessarily 2 dimensional (although wafer thin has its place), but oooooooh so flat and oooey goey (even half baked is just fine) ideally, although crisp works as well. I'm flexible. As long as they don't puff up.

I think my love of flat cookies may stem from the "ruined" ones my mom "threw out" (aka let me eat)... Or the glorious hybrid of brownie texture and cookie flavor that happens when all the air is mushed out of them.

Q

My cookies always turn out with a cake-like texture. :( I want a recipe for super flat and crisp sugar cookies!!! Anyone??:(

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Sure!

THE ONE SUGAR COOKIE

2 C sugar

4 eggs

1 C sour cream

1 C margarine or shortening

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Nutmeg to taste

pinch of salt

4 tsp. vanilla and/or lemon extract

6-8 cups flour (enough to make soft dough)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

3. Bake until very lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes depending on your oven. Do not underbake!

Frosting

1/4 C softened butter

3 tablespoons milk

2 tsp. vanilla and/or your favorite flavoring (almond is good)

Enough powdered sugar to make desired consistency

That's exactly the recipe I've been using for years.

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My cookies always turn out with a cake-like texture. :( I want a recipe for super flat and crisp sugar cookies!!! Anyone??:(

One thing you can do is to make sure your cookie dough is room temperature (or closer to such). The temperature of the dough influences how much the cookie spreads before it sets, the warmer the dough the more it spreads before it sets. Also keep in mind the temperature of the cookie sheet, if you put the dough on a warm sheet just out of the oven then it starts to spread right then and there. When I'm making chocolate chip cookies I go for thick and chewy which is why I make sure to freeze my dough and put the dough balls onto cold sheets (or a cold stone rather). So I'd give room temperature dough on warm sheets a try (if you aren't already).

Edited by Dravin
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I know I have a reputation of being a stick in the mud. A few years back my life changed drastically when my wife was diagnosed with diabetes. Because of her advanced adult age she was diagnosed with type II diabetes - until she went into acute aikido acidosis during our annual week long white water river running and camping expedition. It took almost a day and a half to get her back to civilization and a hospital to discover that she was really type I and that she required regular injections of insulin. BTW she almost died during this time and I am convinced that faith and priesthood blessing was critical to her survival.

I was raised in a healthy athletic family and have always been somewhat of a health food nut as a result - much to the sorrow of some on this forum. My wife was raised somewhat differently and for years we had argued over the extreme amounts of sugar in our family food. The change in my wife’s eating habits has been dramatic with here diabetes. My children and their spouses and children have all gone through a eating for health change - at first in support of my wife and her new diet (which is now much more extreme that mine ever was) but in some cases with individuals loosing over 100 lbs to loving and enjoying a much more healthy and beautiful life style.

Our family treat plates have changed from sugar based to fresh fruits and fresh veggies based - sometimes some nuts added as a seasonal treat. What consistently amazes me is the scorn and bitterness that seem to be so much a part of the sugar based society that is also struggling with weight problems. Perhaps it is hypocrisy on our part that we accept these foolish sugar base treat plates given as gifts at this season with an appearance of thanksgiving; then throw their treats discreetly away in the trash. And heaven forbid anyone ever publically suggest healthy treat plates void of or with diminished processed sugar.

The Traveler

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Bah, humbug.

I did give a nice fruit basket to a family we're close friends with with many food restrictions.

I would love that! Love fruits. :)

But man, even the strictest eater can have a cookie or 2 at Christmas.

A lot of people have allergies, they are lactose intolerance, etc.

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One thing you can do is to make sure your cookie dough is room temperature (or closer to such). The temperature of the dough influences how much the cookie spreads before it sets, the warmer the dough the more it spreads before it sets. Also keep in mind the temperature of the cookie sheet, if you put the dough on a warm sheet just out of the oven then it starts to spread right then and there. When I'm making chocolate chip cookies I go for thick and chewy which is why I make sure to freeze my dough and put the dough balls onto cold sheets (or a cold stone rather). So I'd give room temperature dough on warm sheets a try (if you aren't already).

My cookie dough is always warm, I wonder if is something related to the butter perhaps not being soft enough? Can this affect the cookie and make it too cake-like? Too much flour?

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I know I have a reputation of being a stick in the mud. A few years back my life changed drastically when my wife was diagnosed with diabetes. Because of her advanced adult age she was diagnosed with type II diabetes - until she went into acute aikido acidosis during our annual week long white water river running and camping expedition. It took almost a day and a half to get her back to civilization and a hospital to discover that she was really type I and that she required regular injections of insulin. BTW she almost died during this time and I am convinced that faith and priesthood blessing was critical to her survival.

I was raised in a healthy athletic family and have always been somewhat of a health food nut as a result - much to the sorrow of some on this forum. My wife was raised somewhat differently and for years we had argued over the extreme amounts of sugar in our family food. The change in my wife’s eating habits has been dramatic with here diabetes. My children and their spouses and children have all gone through a eating for health change - at first in support of my wife and her new diet (which is now much more extreme that mine ever was) but in some cases with individuals loosing over 100 lbs to loving and enjoying a much more healthy and beautiful life style.

Our family treat plates have changed from sugar based to fresh fruits and fresh veggies based - sometimes some nuts added as a seasonal treat. What consistently amazes me is the scorn and bitterness that seem to be so much a part of the sugar based society that is also struggling with weight problems. Perhaps it is hypocrisy on our part that we accept these foolish sugar base treat plates given as gifts at this season with an appearance of thanksgiving; then throw their treats discreetly away in the trash. And heaven forbid anyone ever publically suggest healthy treat plates void of or with diminished processed sugar.

The Traveler

Way to take the fun out of the thread.

We all know you don't like those whom you consider fat. We all know you judge people on their size, rather than their true worth. Was it really necessary to be judgmental and push your own agenda on some strangers trying to have some innocent fun? Could you not have skipped the judgementalism and the lecture and simply said "We put fruits and veggies on our treat plates"? Or would missing an opportunity to judge others on their size have distressed you that much?

I echoe Eowyn's "Bah Humbug".

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My cookie dough is always warm, I wonder if is something related to the butter perhaps not being soft enough? Can this affect the cookie and make it too cake-like? Too much flour?

A higher butter to flour ratio helps with making flatter, crisper cookies. Flour provides structure that can trap expanding gasses, it also provides structure that resists spreading (and helps keep the cookie from falling as it cools). Tinkering with the flour ratio can be tricky though as baking is more chemistry and less cooking. Cool butter creams better (but takes longer thus why most recipes want you to soften it some), and if the butter is too warm you can't cream it properly as it loses structure when it gets too soft. The entire point of creaming the butter is to create air bubbles that act as places for expanding gases to do their thing and leaven the cookie (the flour you add is what gives the cookie the structure to capture the gasses as otherwise as soon as the butter melted in the oven it couldn't hold gas bubbles). Also, we've been talking in butter but shortening has a higher melting point which results in a fatter cookie (it takes longer for it to spread in the oven), it may not be applicable but its another variable in the cookie formula. Sorry if I'm going over stuff you are already aware of, I just figured I'd hit all the bases I could think of. If nothing else it may be useful for anyone else strolling into the thread.

Are you using a recipe that is supposed to give crispy cookies? It could have nothing to do with your technique but that you're using a recipe designed to give soft chewy cookies. If you don't know you can compare it to something like this: Crisp Sugar Cookies Recipe | Taste of Home

Edited by Dravin
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Way to take the fun out of the thread.

We all know you don't like those whom you consider fat. We all know you judge people on their size, rather than their true worth. Was it really necessary to be judgmental and push your own agenda on some strangers trying to have some innocent fun? Could you not have skipped the judgementalism and the lecture and simply said "We put fruits and veggies on our treat plates"? Or would missing an opportunity to judge others on their size have distressed you that much?

I echoe Eowyn's "Bah Humbug".

Since you asked the question - I will try to answer. In part because many do not understand why. In this case I will try to be honest - it is what I was taught and learned to be good and true. My father once explained to me that many people are unhappy because they choose a course in life that guarantees their unhappiness. He chose to explain about food and being healthy as an example. He explained that many people are either unhappy because they cannot eat the food they like or because they are overweight and out of shape and look the worse for it. He explained that getting what you want is the shortest road to unhappiness. He explained that the real path to happiness is to determine what the best is for you - which in most cases are the best for almost everybody. He said to learn to love to good things. For example learn to love and prize what is healthy.

Rather than seeking after those things that look good and taste good - learn to prize actual quality far beyond skin deep. Learn to appreciate the things that are the best to eat rather than what tastes good. My father was far from fashion and surface very much into being of deep value and doing the right thing regardless of how hard or unpopular. Obviously I am not the most popular poster and being popular is not a purpose for my posting.

I have a granddaughter that is lactose intolerant and I have a grandson that is hypoglycemic. As I have previously posted I have a wife that is diabetic. But my message is 100% consistent to everyone. I do not say one thing to my wife and grandchildren outside one side of my face and say another thing to others out the other side hopping or thinking I can say something that sounds good and make me well liked. Rather my advice is the same to everyone - skip the surface taste good stuff - eat healthy - if it is not healthy for you - don’t eat it. For my grandson a cookie may not be a matter of life or death - but it is darn scary close to it.

I have no idea what anyone that posts on this forum looks like or what they eat or if they have health risk allergies. But my message is the same to everyone - that the more something is not healthy for you the more you should alter your habits to avoid it - even and especially during the holidays - because the temptation is greater. In general, I do not know anyone that needs more sugar. I have not read a single article or study that suggests that more sugar is needed or helpful in our society, even at Christmas time or any other holiday. My father taught me that from time to time a few will dare to champion truth. My father said it is better to be hated for exposing truth than it is to be loved for enabling a lie. He encouraged me to dare to champion truth and I dare others to champion the same.

The Traveler

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This year our treat plates had sugar cookies (more like snickerdoodles but rolled in red or green sugar), molasses crinkles, jumbo raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies. In years past I've added fudge or caramels. This year... money is tight so we only made what I have ingredients for in the cupboards.

Next year I'm going to do what a neighbor did. She has a big basket by her door with little bags of Angel Kisses (chocolate kisses) with a cute poem. Whenever someone brings something she gives them a bad of Angel Kisses. I just plain don't have the energy for running around in the cold.

Bah Humbug?

Eowyn, My sugar cookie recipe is the best. :D They are like fine pastry. They are made with lard instead of shortening.

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I know I have a reputation of being a stick in the mud. A few years back my life changed drastically when my wife was diagnosed with diabetes. Because of her advanced adult age she was diagnosed with type II diabetes - until she went into acute aikido acidosis during our annual week long white water river running and camping expedition. It took almost a day and a half to get her back to civilization and a hospital to discover that she was really type I and that she required regular injections of insulin. BTW she almost died during this time and I am convinced that faith and priesthood blessing was critical to her survival.

I was raised in a healthy athletic family and have always been somewhat of a health food nut as a result - much to the sorrow of some on this forum. My wife was raised somewhat differently and for years we had argued over the extreme amounts of sugar in our family food. The change in my wife’s eating habits has been dramatic with here diabetes. My children and their spouses and children have all gone through a eating for health change - at first in support of my wife and her new diet (which is now much more extreme that mine ever was) but in some cases with individuals loosing over 100 lbs to loving and enjoying a much more healthy and beautiful life style.

Our family treat plates have changed from sugar based to fresh fruits and fresh veggies based - sometimes some nuts added as a seasonal treat. What consistently amazes me is the scorn and bitterness that seem to be so much a part of the sugar based society that is also struggling with weight problems. Perhaps it is hypocrisy on our part that we accept these foolish sugar base treat plates given as gifts at this season with an appearance of thanksgiving; then throw their treats discreetly away in the trash. And heaven forbid anyone ever publically suggest healthy treat plates void of or with diminished processed sugar.

The Traveler

Says the person whose comfort food is ant larva. :lol:

I don't think there is anyone that would turn down a fruit or vegetable tray as a gift. I know I wouldn't. But this was a fun thread to enjoy some of the spirit of the holidays. Why turn it into a rant and rave about how poorly people eat. It's great to be a champion of truth as you put it but there is also a time and a place to do it. Not on a thread that was designed to be fun.

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I have a friend who makes the same treat plates each year:

Russian wedding-style cookies

Chocolate crinkle cookies

Chocolate mint brownies

My husband has offered to finish our attic so that this friend can move in with us and just bake chocolate mint brownies for our family, day in and day out. They're that good.

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My treat plate is not really a plate. I get a few of those plastic containers from the dollar store with the screwed on lid and fill it with home-made gorgorias. The gorgorias is a family tradition from my mother. My mom makes the dough and cuts it up into little pieces that all the kids would flatten with a fork and roll into gorgorias. My mom would then fry it and glaze it and the kids would pile them into give-away containers... which usually ends up with a fight or two because somebody would shove a bunch into their own mouths instead of the containers and someone would tattle... the tradition lives on in my house and yes, the kids also gets a skirmish or two. LOL.

Forming the dough into gorgorias:

gorgoria_2.jpg

And the finished product:

store_bought_gorgoria.JPG

Recipe:

1/2 cup lard or butter

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8-1/4 cup milk (start with 1/8 cup and if it's too dry add little bits but not more than 1/4 cup)

1 large egg

A fresh batch of fying oil

Mix together all the ingredients until a stiff dough is formed. Knead until smooth. Roll into a rope less than an inch in diameter. Pinch off from this rope pieces the size of large marbles. Roll into a ball, flatten and press against a fork, pick up one end roll into a loose shell with the ridges outside. Fry until golden brown.

Caramelize a cup of sugar using the Paula Dean method in a big pan and before it turns brown, add the fried gorgorias and mix until coated. Pour into a big bowl and let cool before putting in containers.

YUMMMM!!!!!!!

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