GOLDEN NUGGETS

These cookies contain two of my favorite things, apricots and coconut. The first step was to cook the dried apricots to "plump" them up. The final step was to roll the dough in coconut before baking. The final result was a soft cookie that was strong on coconut and lacking in apricot. Maybe the cooking took the taste from the dried apricots or there weren't enough of them, but either way, it made the cookies just a bit above average. Guido really liked them , however , so I may just be overly critical since I had such high hopes. Look forward to feedback tomorrow!

RECIPES!!!

I am only going to post the recipes of cookies that people seemed to like. So, if there is one of your favorites missing, let me know and I will post it next time or email it to you!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

It has been awhile since we have used chocolate chips and I think its about time for some chocolate! These are not as moist as a traditional brownie but more like a cake. The brown sugar makes it similar to a caramel cut with a chocolate twist. They were a hit around here. The only problem is that the recipe only makes a 9 X9 inch pan.....not enough if you have a crowd! Enjoy!

SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES

A thin, crisp, delicious molasses cookie. The only suggestion is to not over bake them. I kept them on the small side and pulled them out of the oven about a full minute early. The directions said to roll them in powdered sugar while they were warm but I think just sprinkling them with the sugar would be sufficient.

CANADIAN HONEY DROPS

Sometimes it would be nice to have a bit more information about where the recipes come from. Is it really from Canada or was Betty just having an unpatriotic moment? As for the cookies, they are good...not exceptional. This is a sandwich cookie with apricot jam being the filling between the honey cookies. They are a bit on the sweet side so you don't want to make them too big. They also need to bake a full 11 minutes. The brown color was the same at nine minutes and when I took them out....don't panic and take them out too early!
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RAISIN CRISSCROSS COOKIES

It may actually be Crisscross Raisin Cookies but to check the cookbook would mean walking back to the kitchen, which is not going to happen at this late hour, so the listed name is going to stand. Whatever they are called, I really like them! They are a crisp lemon shortbread which will go very nicely with tea. I have to admit that I added a bit more lemon extract than called for ( my hand slipped!) but I think it was a good addition. One of the variations is to add chocolate chips instead of raisins which would also be good. This was one recipe that needed the full time listed to bake. Also, they just slid off the pan so clean up was very, very easy. Hope everyone enjoys them tomorrow!

COFFEE FRUIT DROPS

These cookies were a bit different to make. The fruit in the name comes from diced apples and raisins that are cooked in strong coffee and spices. It all makes for a cookie that has an interesting taste. They were soft, which may be a problem in Hawaii, but the coffee keeps them from being too sweet. Guido liked them and I rate them a bit above average. Oh, they also have nuts as well as the fruit and I had to mix pecans and walnuts (recipe called for walnuts) as I only had 1/2 cup of each. I guess it is time to hit the store again!!