Since I have been concentrating on recipes that fit my current lifestyle (no added sugar, low calorie, terribly healthy, and perhaps a bit boring), I have ignored posting some of my favorite recipes that I’m sure you would benefit from knowing about. And this recipe which I have been making every Christmas since my children were very young is one of them.

The recipe was originally published in Sunset Magazine sometime in the 70s. And since the recipe came from Sunset Magazine, our dear friend Eloise who introduced the cookie to our extended family, named them accordingly. And to date they remain “Sunset Cookies” to those in the know. (If I ever knew the real name of these cookies, it has long since eroded from my memory.)

But I am here to tell you, these cookies are really, really good. They are crisp like a shortbread cookie, but have a distinct flavor from the margarine. (And no, I hardly ever use margarine, but for these cookies it’s a must!)

These cookies are also fun to look at because of the variety of sprinkles that adorn their edges. And because they are formed in a log, then rolled in sprinkles, these “decorated” little darlings are a snap to assemble. No rolling out the dough, cutting them into shapes, and decorating them with various colored sprinkles, etc. After rolling in sprinkles, and refrigerating for about 30 minutes, simply remove the log from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, slice into 1/3-inch rounds, place on a cookie sheet, throw in oven, wait the requisite time for the oven to perform it’s magic, remove from oven, and Bob’s your uncle!

Another lovely quality of these cookies is their longevity. They will gladly hang out in an airtight container for weeks without losing quality.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Do I really have to wait until next Christmas to make some of these cookies for my family? Of course not! You can build these cookies any old time you want. In fact, they would be great to send along with your child for a school event. That is if schools let you do that sort of thing anymore. Being about 30 years out of date when it comes to providing goodies for kids to take along to school, proof of ingredient origin, organic status, and non GMO manipulated ingredients might be required for all I know! What I do know is that airlines don’t serve peanuts anymore because someone might be allergic. What they have failed to realize, is that most people who are allergic to peanuts, know they are, and also know how to say – no thank you! But I digress……….. (It’s just that my dear friend Vicki and I miss those little bags of peanuts, so I’m a trifle touchy on the subject!)  

Anyway, peanuts on airplanes aside, give these cookies a try. Your family and friends will love them, and with the money you save by making these cookies instead of a double batch of chocolate chip cookies, you can afford to buy yourself some peanuts. I call that a win-win situation.  

• 1 lb. margarine (do not use butter)
• ¾ c. sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• colored sugar sprinkles

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. And vanilla and flour. Form into 1½-inch diameter round logs and roll in colored sugar sprinkles of choice. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut into 1/3-inch (no thinner) slices, place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until very lightly browned on and around the bottom of the cookie. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

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One of my favorite cookies in the whole wide world is a big old thick and chewy molasses cookie. And if my 72 year old body was kinder to me regarding the intake of sugar and my weight was still (like in college) regularly hovering around the 130 mark, I would eat one of these babies every day! But alas, neither of these 2 conditions are ever going to grace my (rhetorically speaking) doorstep again. (In fact, they’re never even going to get close to the state of Washington!) So needless to say, my being able to enjoy a ginger cookie with sheer abandon is no longer advisable or recommended. (Of course I can still eat broccoli any old time I please, but for some reason, it’s just not the same!)

But for Christmas this past year – 2016, I decided I wanted to update my regular ginger cookie recipe to incorporate an even more pronounced spice flavor. So I took my basic ginger cookie recipe, changed it up a bit, and the result is this cookie.

Now I must admit that you really need to like the taste of ginger to appreciate this cookie. But if you are not afraid of a cookie that slaps you in the face with flavor, and has an incredible texture that remains chewy for weeks, then this is the cookie for you.

And should someone ask you if these cookies are good for you, tell them unequivocally – YES! Blackstrap molasses contains the highest vitamin and mineral content of all types of molasses. Dr. Cari Case, D.C., reports that “a 2 teaspoon serving contains 2.39 milligrams of iron and 117.6 milligrams of calcium. This serving provides 13.3 and 11.8 percent, respectively, of the daily recommended values for these minerals. Iron is critical for the proper transport of oxygen to body tissues, and calcium is integral to numerous physiological processes that occur daily. Blackstrap molasses also makes a good option for individuals wanting to increase iron stores. Compared to red meat, another source of iron, blackstrap molasses is lower in calories and does not contain any fat. Other minerals found in blackstrap molasses are manganese, copper and potassium. Two teaspoons provides 18 percent of the daily requirements of manganese, 14 percent of the daily requirements of copper, and roughly 10 percent of the daily requirements for potassium. Other minerals and vitamins present are magnesium, selenium, vitamin B-6 and niacin”. Of course, what you tell them about all the butter and sugar – well – you’re on your own!

• 1½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 lg. eggs
• ½ c. blackstrap molasses
• 4½ c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt  
• 4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• sparkling sugar, opt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses. Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  Add to the creamed mixture; mix well. Using an ice cream scoop (your choice for size), form balls and dip top into sparkling sugar before placing on ungreased baking sheets sugar side up. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Do not overbake.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

This is my daughter Paula’s recipe. She gave it to me years ago and I have been making these “easiest of all bar cookies” ever since. I usually don’t include the nuts, but they were in the original recipe, so I figured to stay in her good graces, I better list the ingredients as originally presented. (I’m still working on “mother of the year” you see, although after all these years, I realize it just ain’t going to happen!)

Anyway, these are the most wonderful bar cookies imaginable. Every time I make them I get compliments. And in my usual humble manner, I accept the accolades as if I had accomplished the most difficult of culinary endeavors. Right! (I don’t even have to get the mixer out when I make these babies, I mean Blondies! They practically make themselves!)

So if you too want to bake a simple treat for your family and friends, bake up a batch of these delightful morsels. They are just too good and too easy to believe. And thanks again Paula for this incredible recipe.

• ¼ c. melted unsalted butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 c. flour
• ¼ c. chopped walnuts, opt.

Stir the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together using a whisk. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour just until combined with the other ingredients. Spread the dough into a lightly buttered 9×9 or 7×11-inch pan (glass is best). Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 for metal) for 25-30 minutes or just until the dough is set and a lovely light golden brown. Don’t overbake. Cool and cut into serving sized pieces.

FYI – triple batch makes 2 – 9×13-inch pans. (You too could have done the math, but I thought I would help you out this time! Don’t get used to it!)

I love candied ginger. (Well actually, I love ginger any old way – candied, fresh, dried and ground – you name it!) But with candied ginger, I especially love it when combined with lemon. There is just something about the duo that sends my taste buds soaring. So when I decided I wanted a ginger cookie with a lemon frosting, I thought about my old friend stem ginger.

Now for those of you who may be unfamiliar with this gift from the Gods, let me provide you with a rough guide/short definition. Stem or candied ginger comes from choice pieces of the underground stem of the ginger plant, which are then sliced, cooked with water and sugar and allowed to dry (crystallized) or preserved in sugar syrup (stem). But you will see either form (crystalized or stem) labeled synonymously. (For this recipe, you want the dried or crystalized version.)

But enough about what ginger is, and on to what it can lend to a cookie. First of all, think of your favorite ginger cookie. (And if that doesn’t make you go all over gaga, you might as well leave this recipe and go fix some other type of cookie!) But if you are thinking to yourself that nothing in the world is better than a fabulous ginger/molasses cookie, then keep reading.

But unlike a full blown, in your face ginger cookie, this is more of a sophisticated, great Aunt Martha’s kind of ginger cookie. It pairs well with the likes of fine red wine or a lovely single malt Scotch. Although not pretentious, it is not a cookie to serve as an after game treat for your kid’s softball team. This is a cookie that should be nibbled, not gobbled. Plus your children may not even like this cookie. (They probably don’t like red wine or Scotch either for that matter!)

So if some afternoon you are feeling all grown up and want to make a special occasion cookie, give this recipe a try. (And yes, I firmly believe cookies can be served as dessert for even the most sophisticated of dinner parties. Of course there are some rules to serving cookies for dessert under these conditions. The cookies must be truly delicious, attractive to look at, small in size, and pair well with coffee or after dinner liqueurs.)

And of course, you can always make these cookies even if there is no special occasion looming on your horizon. I mean why not? They are easy to prepare and last well. You can even make some to share at work. There is absolutely no one who doesn’t love walking in their break room and discovering a plate of homemade cookies just waiting to be eaten. Well, as long as you don’t work with Crankshaft, that is! (Sorry Lena.)

• 1¼ c. (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• 2¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ c. finely minced dried crystalized ginger, divided
• 4-oz. (½ pkg.) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 c. powdered sugar, or more as needed
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or more as needed

Whip 2 sticks (1 cup) of the butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy. Add vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, ground ginger, and salt. Stir in ¼ cup of the finely minced crystalized ginger ensuring that all of the small pieces are coated with flour. (Sometimes using your fingertips is the best method to break up the minced ginger and coat it with flour.) Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions at low speed. After the last addition, do not over-mix. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic gently shaping it into a round log about 1-inch wide. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Un-wrap log and slice dough a generous ¼-inch thick. Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart on parchment paper lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned on bottom, 15-18 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, beat cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup (½ stick) butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat well. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Frost cooled cookies. Lightly sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup candied ginger. (Gently push down on the ginger so that it is firmly embedded in the frosting.) Allow frosting to set completely before storing in an airtight container.

I say, when in doubt, bake chocolate chip cookies! And I don’t mean just when you are trying to decide which type of cookie to bake. I mean when you are in doubt about anything! I mean really, if you can’t come up with a reasonable plan while munching on a fabulous  chocolate chip cookie and sipping a steaming hot cup of coffee, maybe you aren’t anywhere close to fully understanding your uncertainty to begin with! Or, at the very least, you just might need a little more time or empirical study to make an educated decision. So a chocolate chip cookie couldn’t possibly hurt regardless!

Plus, at the very least, you will have baked up a wonderful treat for yourself, or if you are feeling magnanimous, a cookie your family and friends can also enjoy. After eating one of these cookies, you may even be able to see your “doubt” as a worthy challenge rather than an insurmountable problem.  (See how there should never be a doubt that a simple chocolate chip cookie can make life better!)

Now having just said “simple” chocolate chip cookie, I almost hesitate to mention the fact that this is really not a simple cookie. Oh the preparation is simple, but the cookie itself is quite complex. (If a cookie can be said to be “complex” in the first place!)

And if I may be so bold as to say, this cookie has enough character to stand up to any overwhelming challenges that may be thrown your way. It is definitely not a wimp cookie. It’s ever so chocolatey, has just the perfect amount of crunch from the almonds, and chewiness from the coconut. And with the espresso powder to enhance the flavor of the chocolate and the almond extract to bring out the coconut’s finer qualities, this is a cookie that can be relied upon to help you celebrate life’s little pleasures as well as deal with life’s little trials.

So give this recipe a try. It’s a good recipe to have by your side. And yes I know. Some people rely on their best friends to help them through rough times. But can your best buddies raise your endorphin level like chocolate can? Can your friends be on call 24/7? Can they be with you at your desk at work, or in staff meetings, or be there after you make a fool of yourself by stating the obvious to your boss who watches reality shows and doesn’t think big time wrestling is choreographed? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you need to have these cookies in your life. May the Force be with you!

• 1 c. (2 cubes) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ c. cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp. espresso powder, opt.
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1½ c. toasted coconut
• 1 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 c. slivered almonds  

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of your electric mixer; beat until soft and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs; beat until well blended. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, beating well after each addition. Stir in the toasted coconut, chocolate chips, and chopped almonds until just incorporated. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Using a small ice cream scoop (I use a 1¼-inch diameter scoop), drop dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets 2½-inches apart. Flatten each cookie slightly with your fingertips. Bake for 12-13 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and let cool a couple of minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.