I am in a cookie competition....please give me your best recipe!?

Question

I am in a cookie exchange competition with my friendsand I want to win this year!! We are judged on taste and presentation. Any suggestions on recipes and presentation ideas??

Answer 1

NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter
24 oz. chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. van illa
3 cu ps chopped nuts (your choice)

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream<
/STRONG>
the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with
flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips,
Hershey Bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a
cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

As for presentation-- snowflakes out of colored paper for the hoilday, go to a party shop and see if they have anything festive for your table--good luck!

Answer 2

This is a very easy and great-tasting "sugar cookie" recipe that works up quick and the dough is nice to work with. I made some over the weekend and got many compliments. I used Christmas tree cookie cutters and garnished with melted chocolate chips placed in a zip-lock bag and clipped a small hole in the corner after melting. I just drizzled this over the trees like garland on a tree. Leave them out on wax paper overnight so the chocolate will set. Hope you enjoy them! Roll-Out Cookies Makes: About 2 dozen cookies Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 6-7 minutes Ready In: 16-17 minutes Ingredients * 1 cup unsalted butter, softened * 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar * 1 egg * 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract * 1/2 tsp. almond extract * 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour * 2 tsp. baking powder * 1 tsp. salt Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixer bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Knead in a small amount of icing color, if desired, for tinted dough. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Answer 3

The Monster Cookie Recipe
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.


Source:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32570,00.html?rsrc=search

Other Sources:
http://www.namebrandrecipe.com
http://www.kraftfoods.com
http://www.bettycrocker.com
Good Luck and May Your Cookie Win!

Answer 4

These are THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES EVER!! And that's not just my own opinion, but EVERYONE who has eaten them says the same. I send them to my daughter, and everyone at work gets excited! =)

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Use a small scoop or a spoon to place rounded cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven until they are very lightly browned. Don't overbake. Cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing from baking sheets.

Some little "tricks" to get these PERFECT: Before measuring your flour, sift if so it's nice and fluffy, then carefully scoop it into the measuring cup. Be sure to measure all of the ingredients accurately. You can cream the wet ingredients as much as you want, in fact you should mix them very thoroughly, but once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, only mix until it's all blended. Don't handle it too much at that point or the cookie will turn out tough. And, when you bake them, take them out of the oven when the cookies are just a golden color. They will not look done, but take them out and let them sit on the cookie sheet to cool for a few minutes before gently taking them off to set them in a place to completely cool. Do not package them until they are completely cooled.

Follow these directions totally taking care to be very accurate and you will have absolutely scrumptious cookies! You will have a great chance of winning hands down!

As far as presentation, I think the best looking chocolate chip cookies are on a nice, but plain, white plate.....maybe with a pretty edge, stacked slightly........maybe 8-10 cookies on the plate.

Good luck! :)

Answer 5

Mix up a batch of peanut butter cookie dough (Duncan Hines mix is the best). Roll into balls and roll the balls in a bowl of sugar to coat. Bake as instructed. While they are baking, remove the foil from several Hershey's kisses. The very minute you have taken the cookies out of the oven, place a Hershey's kiss in the middle of each freshly warm cookie.

These are absolutely delicious and look really cool, so that takes care of taste and presentation.

Answer 6

Here's my recipe for Ginger Cookies. It's better if you make them small. I am begged to make these whenever I cater desserts for a friend's party.


2 ¼ c. Flour
¾ c. Butter
2 tsp. Ground ginger
1 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 Egg
¾ tsp. Cinnamon
¼ c. Molasses
½ tsp. Ground cloves
2-4 tbsp. Sugar
¼ tsp. Salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients (excluding sugar). Beat butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy, and then add egg and molasses. Beat well, then stir dry ingredients into beaten mixture. Shape into 1 inch to 1 ½ inch balls then roll in remaining sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 ½ inches apart. Bake about 8-10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed. Let stand 2 minutes before putting on a wire rack to cool.

Answer 7

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.
Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan

Answer 8

www.foodtv.com I'd suggest a Gingerbread Cookie. They can be difficult to perfect, but if you practice and pull it off it's a sure thing! Add white icing and whatever comes to your mind as creative. Definitly check out the site for great recipes, ideas, and presentations. Good luck!

Answer 9

Make standard chocolate chip cookies but take one of those large candy bars like a symphony. I mean the big 8 ounce or more bars put it into a blender and add it to the dough along with the chips.

Answer 10

Prize Double-Chocolate Chip Cookies

1¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ t baking soda
2 stks unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 t vanilla
1 large egg
⅓ cup cocoa
2 T milk
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour and soda. In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in cocoa and milk. Fold in flour mixture, walnuts (if using) and chocolate chips. Drop batter by teaspoon onto lightly greased baking pan. Bake at 350° for approximately 12 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes before removing cookie from pan.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

1¼ cups butter or oleo, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
2 cups peanut butter chips or 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt, gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in peanut butter or chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons on very lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in 350° oven for 8 – 9 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet. Makes about 4½ dozen cookies.