Tuesday, December 23, 2008

I thought I'd burned my bottoms!

I made the coffee cookies tonight and they're pretty good! Nothing unusual about them, just a basic cookie that has a subtle hint of coffee flavor. (I almost wish it had more. You could probably adjust a little, but you wouldn't want them to get too runny.) It has a little crispness to the outside, but is soft and cake-like inside. A time wasn't given in my Amish cookbook (Thank you, Alaina, for the sundial suggestion--ha ha! But I made them at night, so I would have been screwed!), so I started with 10 minutes. The bottoms were almost looking too brown, but the tops still looked a little moist, so I gave them a couple more minutes, and that seemed to be just right.

This is not a sweet cookie, so if you like things sweeter, don't bother with these. I'm going to give the recipe as I found it in my Amish cookbook, then I'll tell you my modifications. Oh, and I didn't take a picture of the cookies, because they're just plain brown ones (like a plain brown wrapper!). But I know I looked just like this picture when I was baking! Sweet bonnet, eh?


Coffee Cookies

3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups lard
1 1/2 cups coffee, a little strong
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
vanilla and lemon
4 eggs
6 cups flour

Mix coffee and flour alternately. Bake at 350 degrees.

Okay, first off, I halved this recipe right off the bat. I ended up with 4 dozen cookies, so use your math skillz and cut everything in half unless you want coffee cookies out the wazoo!

It says "lard." Not too many people still use lard for cooking (although it makes a dandy pie crust...but even my Mom doesn't use it anymore), so I used the butter Crisco stuff.

The coffee I used was more than "a little strong." Ken likes very strong coffee...his Mom and stepdad call it...what is it? Jet fuel? Something like that. But as I mentioned, I would kind of like an even stronger coffee flavor in these. I wonder if you could throw some instant coffee granules in there, a tablespoon or so?

I used a teaspoon of vanilla, and a tablespoon of lemon juice. I bet a teaspoon or so of lemon zest would work even better--a little more intense than juice.

Do the usual, cream the sugar and wet ingredients (except for the coffee) then add the dry, alternating with the coffee. Oh, and I also added about a cup of chopped pecans. I think Linda suggested that, and it was a good addition. Drop by teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
I baked 'em for 12 minutes, and removed them to a wire rack to cool.

There was another coffee cookie recipe besides this one--basically the same recipe--that called for a light frosting made with powdered sugar. If you like things sweeter, do the frosting, but I like just the plain cookies.

15 comments:

  1. Try adding instant coffe to the regualr coffee to make it stronger... Momma G used to have a recipe for a coffee cookie that worked something like that...

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  2. you could always add a little coffee liqueur.... to kick up the flavor.

    xxalainaxx

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  3. Lard...LOL, I haven't heard that in years. It sounds just awful. :o

    The cookies sound interesting. I like cookies & I like coffee so.....maybe.

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  4. Hi Beth,
    Lisa just took the words -- and the lard -- right out of my mouth. Would you believe some cultures still love lard? A couple of weeks ago I was enjoying a delicious steak dinner in Japan, only to be told that the white powder which had been sprinkled all over our meal was Pig Lard. I had assumed it was seasoning ...
    Best,
    Marty

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  5. I found out a few weeks ago how to add wet ingredients to cookies and still retain the look of a cookie and not some road kill crispy pastry. Just add the amount of wet that you would like, then after all is said and done, slowly add small amounts of flour until the mixture is thickened enough. It doesn't seem to mess with the flavor of the cookies too much as long as you're careful about not dumping half a container of flour in there. Glad to hear you've come to the dark side for a while. ;)~
    Love,
    Jamie

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  6. Enjoy all of those cookies! Sounds like you will have them for awhile. LOL I hope you & Ken have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!

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  7. You can buy lard where we are in the grocery stores, quite a few people still use it. Glad your cookies turned out nicely. Have a great Christmas. Blessings, Teresa

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  8. Those cookies do sound good and with the added pecans they must be scrumptious. I would have to quarter that recipe for sure. I bet your house was filled with the good baking fragrance.
    Glad you didn't burn them!

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  9. Lard was the only shortning we had when I was a kid but I am glad there is something new. Cookies sound good. Have a very Merry Christmas Ken and Beth and Sheeba Lucy

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  10. Just stopped by to listen to 'Dreaming' ... one of my faves by Debbie Harry and the boys ... takes me back to my malformed, 'era of my discontent'. Really didn't mind, just wanted to endure it and come out of the other side.

    Today, the lyrics seem more profound than they did before ... deep! I used to wonder if I would ever stop 'hearing' songs the way I do ... but hey, 'dreamin' is free'!

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  11. i use lard and margarine,50/50 when im baking.id love to try this recipe,but we dont use cups over here. how bigs a cup?lol.if you got any idea in either pounds and ounces or metric let me know please beth. have a wonderful xmas,take care lots of love mort xxxx

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  12. They sound good to me. I'll have to give them a try. Hoping this day and all that follow treat you well. Take care and Merry Christmas to you and yours,
    Katie

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  13. I do have lard..they sell it in the baking aisle at WM for about $2. I love strong coffee..or as we call it "grow hair on your damn chest" coffee.
    Your cookies sound good! XO

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  14. So, I'm thinking espresso powder added in the batter and the icing made with confectioners sugar and kahlua. Hmmm.....

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