Yoga Cookies

I found Yoga Cookies in Chloe's Kitchen, a vegan cookbook by Chloe Coscarelli. The recipe uses genuine ingredients, not strange substitutes, so the cookies taste good in a healthy sort of way. With walnuts, coconut and chocolate chips as major ingredients, what could be bad?

11/2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup agave or maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened (or sweetened) shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy free for vegan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, agave and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk until combined.  Using a large spoon or spatula, fold in the oats, coconut, raisins, walnuts and chocolate chips.  Scoop about 1 1/2 tbl. of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten the dough with the palm of your hand.  Continue making about 32 cookies in this way.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden.

Makes about 32 1 inch cookies

Note: These cookies make a wonderful treat with little effort. Ms. Coscarelli advises that the dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month

Oatmeal Coconut Raspberry Bars

I made these bar cookies as a way to use some of the coconut I inadvertently stockpiled in my kitchen. But the cookies are so delicious that I would go out and buy some more coconut to make them again. They are buttery, crumbly, addictive and easy to make. The recipe was published in the February 2002 issue of Gourmet magazine. Since I used strawberry jam instead of raspberry, I guess I should call them Oatmeal Coconut Strawberry bars. Whatever you call them, they are delicious.

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4- 1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread 3/4 cup coconut evenly on a baking sheet and toast in middle of oven, stirring once, until golden, about 8 minutes, then cool.

Blend together flour, sugars, and salt in a food processor. then add butter and blend until dough begins to form. Transfer to a bowl and knead in oats and the 3/4 cup of toasted coconut until combined well.

Reserve 3/4 cup dough and press remainder evenly into bottom of a buttered 13 by 9 inch metal baking pan and spread jam over it. Crumble reserved dough evenly over jam, then sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup (untoasted) coconut.

Bake in middle of oven until golden, 20-25 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack. Loosen from sides of pan with a sharp knife, then lift out in 1 piece and transfer to a cutting board.

Cut into 24 bars.

The bars can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container. They can also be frozen.

Mrs. Kolbert's Coconut Bars

This recipe appeared in the Christmas issue of Gourmet Magazine in 1993. After holding on to the magazine for 16 years I finally found the time to make this very simple, homey bar cookie. The impetus was my discovery of bags of flaked coconut sitting in my cupboard. Has this ever happened to you? You see an item in the supermarket and think it would be a good idea to buy it in case you need it. You have a problem when you do exactly the same thing several times. Not only do I have sweetened coconut but I have three bags of unsweetened coconut in my freezer. What to do? Yes, these sweet, adorable cookies present a lovely way of reducing the coconut overstock in my kitchen. But there is no need to wait until you have a coconut glut. Make these and enjoy their old fashioned goodness any time.

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup plus 3 tbl. flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped blanched almonds

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl with a fork, stir together 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, 1 cup of the flour, and the butter until the mixture is combined well. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking pan (it may look as if there isn't enough dough but work on spreading it evenly and it will cover the bottom of the pan). Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.

In the bowl with the fork combine the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, the remaining 3 tbl. flour, the coconut, the almonds, the eggs, the vanilla, and the salt and blend the mixture well. Spread the coconut mixture evenly over the crust and bake for 20 minutes or until it is pale golden. Cut the mixture into 48 bars and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Makes 48 small bar cookies

Notes: The next time I make these I will make 24 larger cookies. These were so small that I ate 6 of them in a flash. They can be frozen in airtight containers for 1 month. I froze half of my batch and Henry and I ate the rest very quickly.

Triple Ginger Cookies

I was in the mood to do some holiday baking and began with these cookies. The recipe appeared in the December issue of Bon Appetit and got great reviews on Epicurious.com. I had all the ingredients needed at home, including a bottle of molasses that had been in the cupboard for a few years. When all the cookie dough balls were laid out on two baking sheets, I discovered that my oven was on the fritz. What to do? My niece Julie was with me and we walked the two cookie sheets over to her house, one block away. Once in a working oven, the cookie dough balls, did what they were supposed to do and turned into cookies. They tasted better the next day, as the flavors had a chance to develop. Also consider adding more fresh and crystallized ginger if you enjoy a very gingery flavor.

For the time being, further baking plans are on hold pending an oven repair (or replacement). How could this happen right before Christmas?

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup light (mild flavored) molasses

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh peeled ginger

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup (about) sugar

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven: preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt together. In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in both sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed just to blend between additions.

Place 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl. Measure 1 tbl. dough. Roll into ball between palms of hands, then roll in sugar in bowl to coat; place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until surfaces crack and cookies are firm around edges but still slightly soft in center, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on rack.

Makes about 40 cookies

Notes: I beat all ingredients by hand and used only light brown sugar, not a combination of light and dark brown. I used Grandma's molasses which isn't labeled light or dark. For a stronger ginger flavor increase the crystallized ginger to 1/2 cup and fresh ginger to 2 tsp.

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If you haven't already discovered the combination of bananas and chocolate. you are in for a big treat. If you know how delicious bananas and chocolate taste together, you're also in for a big treat. I followed the recipe in Martha Stewart's Cookies. Since the recipe makes lots of cookies, I froze half of them. Although the cookies taste wonderful, their texture is somewhat limp. This didn't seem to be a problem for the eaters I observed. As always, use a very ripe banana for the best flavor.

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk both flours, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

Put butter and both sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks and walnuts.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. (You will have to do a second batch in this way). Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen

Notes: I combined all ingredients by hand as I don't have a standing mixer. I used chocolate chips instead of coarsely chopped chocolate.

Ne Plus Ultra Cookies

If you are a purist when it comes to chocolate chip cookies then turn the page now (oops, just scroll down).  If the thought of tasting chocolate chips, raisins and pecans all in one bite turns you on, this one is for you.  I loved these cookies.  Henry said he eats enough raisins in his morning oatmeal and doesn't need them in his cookies.  As they say, chacun a son gout.

This recipe is in Martha Stewart's Cookies (From the Editors of Martha Stewart Living).  The book was recommended by Jean, co-proprietor of Blackwood and Brouwer Booksellers Ltd. in Kinderhook NY and also cookiebaker supreme.  Despite my complex feelings about Martha Stewart, when Jean recommends a cookbook, I buy it. 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup raisins (golden or dark)

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and eggs; mix until well combined. 

Sift flour, salt and baking soda into a small bowl;  add to butter mixture on low speed until just combined.  stir in chocolate chips, raisins and pecans.

Roll dough into 2 1/2 inch balls, then flatten them to 1 inch thick.  Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks.  Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Makes 1 dozen large cookies

Notes:I did all the mixing by hand with a wooden spoon.

I put 6 cookies on each baking sheet and flattened them once they were on the sheets.  The dough is sticky and I thought that would work better.

I froze half of the cookies wrapped well in plastic.  They were fine once defrosted and back to room temperature.