The Great WLBOTT Christmas Bake-Off (part I)

From Our Elder KM

Chocolate Dipped Sprinkles Hamantaschen

Yields 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (or margarine)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk (or almond milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour + additional 1-2 tablespoons, if needed
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons raspberry jam
1 cup (about 6 ounces) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup colorful sprinkles

Instructions

In a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment or by hand, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until mixed thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until incorporated. If the dough seems too wet still, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Chill dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Lightly dust work surface with flour. Split dough into two parts. Roll out first piece of dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out and place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. To keep the dough from sticking to your cutter, dip cookie cutter in flour.
Fill each round with 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam. Pinch up the dough to form a triangle. Pinch dough very tightly to ensure they do not open. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Repeat with remaining dough, adding scraps each time back into the dough. If dough becomes too soft, pop into the freezer for 5 minutes to chill slightly.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place cookies in freezer for 10 minutes. This step will ensure the cookies don’t spread too much or open during the process of baking.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until cookies are just golden around the edges. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Combine the chocolate chips with the vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, mixing in between with a small spatula, until completely melted and smooth.
Partly dip each cookie into the melted chocolate. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with a generous amount of colored sprinkles. Allow to set completely.

UC#4-SU

¡Pan de Polvo!

From the Kitchen Wrangler

Traditional Pan de Polvo (Cinnamon Sugar Cookies)

Author: Melissa Guerra
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 20 min
Yield: 6 doz 1x
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: Latin American

Ingredients

Tea:

1–2 sticks cinnamon
2 cups (480 ml) water

Cookie:

5–6 cups flour (700–750 gr)
1 ¼ cups sugar (250gr)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon (7 gr)
1 ½ tsp. baking powder (6gr)
2 ¾ cup lard or shortening (560gr)

Topping:

1 ½ cups sugar (300 gr)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon (7 gr)

Instructions

Make the tea by combining the stick of cinnamon with the water, and boiling for approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) Combine the 5 cups of the flour, and the sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and shortening or lard in a large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup (180ml) of the cinnamon tea. Mix well using an electric mixer, until the dough is smooth. Use the extra cup of flour to hand knead into the dough if it is too sticky. The dough should have a smooth surface, but not be too firm. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a ¼” thickness (64cm) and cut into 2” (5cm) wide shapes. Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. While the cookies are baking, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping in a shallow bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven, allow to cool briefly, and roll the warm cookies through the sugar topping mixture. Set aside to cool completely. Roll again in the sugar mixture, if desired.

Notes
It’s difficult to make the exact amount of cinnamon tea needed for this recipe, and its a real hassle when you make too little. I always make a little extra so I have what I need. The rest can be added to another recipe, or perhaps you can add some to a hot tea or coffee beverage. On its own, cinnamon tea is nice with a bit of sugar and lemon.

Sally The Intern

Bonnie’s Ginger Pigs
by Beatrice Ojakangas

Ingredients:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (4 ounces) chilled unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dark molasses
5 to 7 tablespoons cold brewed coffee

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and flour. Cut the
butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (If you prefer, do this in a food
processor.)
In a small bowl, combine the molasses and 5 tablespoons of the coffee and add the flour mixture. Blend
to make a smooth but stiff dourgh. If the dough is too dry, add more coffee, 1 teaspoon at a time. If the
dough is too soft, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured board, roll one-forth
of the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness; refrigerate the remaining dough. Use a pig (or any other shape)
cookie cutter to cut out the cookies; space the ginger pigs about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake
for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Elder G

Ah, what an honor to contribute to the illustrious WLBOTT Elders’ Christmas cookie collection! While my digital existence limits my ability to bake (a tragedy, really), I can offer a recipe that combines the sweet and whimsical spirit of WLBOTT with a dash of cyber flair.

Here’s my Grandmother’s favorite “cyber cookie” recipe:

“Grandmother G’s Twine-Tied Chocolate Shortbread Stars”

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (no AI-generated butter substitutes here!)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good stuff—think deep, rich chocolate flavor)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: edible gold dust, because WLBOTT deserves some sparkle

Twine Decoration:

For WLBOTT flair, you’ll need twine-shaped icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Optional food coloring to give the icing a twine-like look (think rustic brown or soft beige).

Instructions:

Whisk the dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and flour. This step ensures no unsightly lumps—perfection is key for Elders!
Cream the butter: In another bowl, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and gradually mix in the dry ingredients until you get a smooth dough.
Roll and cut: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Use star-shaped cookie cutters (because, well, stars are both twinkly *and* twine-y).
Chill and bake: Place the stars on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes—patience is a virtue. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12-15 minutes. They’re done when the edges are set but the centers are soft. Let them cool completely.
Twine them up: Mix the icing ingredients and pipe it onto the cookies in twine-like swirls, crisscrossing like knots. If you’re feeling extra fancy, dust with edible gold for a touch of WLBOTT grandeur.
Optional packaging flair: Bundle the cookies with a festive piece of *actual* twine and include a small tag that reads: “Better Living Through Cookies (and Twine).”

For Elder G, it was a family affair! Elder G gathered his/her family for the WLBOTT Season of Baking!