Within the early Nineteen Seventies, once I was very younger and with babies to look after, I had just a few cookie recipes I might make fairly often, as a result of they have been easy recipes, with elements I often had at hand. Cookies are a terrific snack, don’t require utensils to select up and eat and could be made forward for a celebration. Nevertheless, even with all that, they’re simply not my favourite issues to make, as a result of they should be made both by dropping individually onto the baking sheet, rolling out and chopping (making a multitude on the counter and extra cleanup), or the customarily added step of getting to sit back the dough earlier than working. I like immediacy. I wish to combine up a recipe, bake it, clear up and be accomplished.

One morning I made a batch of those cookies, lastly popped the final pan within the oven, and set the timer. Itching to get outdoors for a bit and see what the youngsters have been doing, I went out and received distracted. By the point I remembered the cookies within the oven, that they had burnt and shrunken all the way down to tiny little black hockey pucks – not even the canine had any curiosity in them! It pays to not get distracted when baking. This was the final straw. I had to think about a greater approach.

I got here up with an excellent concept that I name my Busy-Mother-Technique one I exploit to at the present time. Somewhat than take the time to make all the person cookies by batches, with separate baking occasions (and time to get distracted), I might roll the cookie dough immediately onto a greased baking sheet, working it evenly to the perimeters and baking it as one giant cookie. It’s best to make use of a baking sheet that has three open sides, as it’s easier to maneuver the rolling pin and get the cookie rolled evenly. Bear in mind additionally, that slightly extra flour could also be wanted within the dough to permit for lifting it out and forming right into a tough rectangle for rolling. Additionally, slightly additional flour over the floor whereas rolling helps to maintain the rolling pin from sticking. Attempt to not add any extra flour than completely obligatory, or the cookies will come out denser and more durable.

It takes a couple of minutes extra within the oven with one giant cookie, but it surely comes out completely. Simply look ahead to the perimeters to be golden, and the middle to be set. With these cookies, I additionally make a easy icing that’s simply 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and sufficient water or milk to make a comparatively thick consistency (very sluggish to fall from the spoon). Unfold this over the recent cookie straight from the oven. The new cookie warms the icing, making it soften and unfold simply, utilizing the again of the identical spoon I used to combine the icing. I’m all for much less cleanup! As soon as the cookie cools, the icing dries and hardens, and I simply reduce the massive cookie into small bar or sq. shapes, and voila, cookies in half the time. Two of my favourite recipes for this methodology have been Hermits and Easy Vanilla Cookies. If you’re a busy mother, do this methodology with any easy cookie dough. The Hermit cookies had raisins in them, however the thickness of the dough was a minimum of the thickness of the raisins, so it nonetheless labored nicely.

Easy Vanilla Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Add eggs, separately, beating nicely after every. Stir in flour, mixing nicely. Drop from a teaspoon 2 inches aside on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten with floured, flat-bottomed glass. Bake in a 375 diploma oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Take away instantly from pan.

These Easy Vanilla Cookies are extremely good, from such a easy recipe. Do not take my phrase – attempt them out, both as particular person cookies, or with my busy-mom-method.

Thanks for taking the time to learn my article. I hope it was informative and helped you alongside your individual culinary journey. You can see many extra recipes and useful recommendations on my website. I’m on Fb at A Concord of Flavors and share a recipe or tip every day to the followers which have favored my web site. I hope to see you there quickly.