Eating Healthier in Today's World

Humungous Batch of Cookies in Your Bosch Mixer - with 9 variations

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We don't want to alarm anyone or be accused of pushing the season BUT, we all know that the holiday season will be upon us soon.  It never fails that we are asked for cookies or goodies to bring or send to a myriad of events or occasions all during that Christmas season time, when we just don't have time to make them.  The solution of coarse it to make them ahead.

That also may be difficult, because even for seasoned bakers, making just a half dozen different holiday cookies can be a daunting task requiring serious planning, shopping and time. No wonder we prefer to let our friends do our baking for us and so we go to cookie swaps. 

The real challenge of making multiple varieties of cookies (or of any recipe) is that each batch usually requires a different set of ingredients, a different method, different equipment and probably different oven temperatures.  The answer for this problem is to make a really big batch that you can change into a variety of different cookies.  I would like to show you a great recipe for a really, really large batch of a basic cookie recipe that you can make with your Bosch Universal Kitchen Machines and the cookie paddles, that can be made ahead and then frozen in cookie balls ready to bake when needed.  The best thing about them is that not only can it be made in all one batch at one time, but it also can be changed into several variations depending on what you like or how you feel that day.

By the way don't let the proportions scare you, but just make certain you are using a Bosch Universal machine and not a different kind of mixer, as this would truly break anything else that would be considered a domestic type mixer.   This recipe uses the cookie paddles on the metal drive and the Bosch bowl with the splash ring and lid. 

 Put in 3 lbs. of butter at room temperature. Put in 1 lb. at a time and let the paddles cream it up for a few seconds.

Now add: 4 1/2 cups of packed brown sugar and 1 1/2 cup white sugar and cream until smooth and flluffy (about 3 min.)

Using speed 1, add 1 doz. eggs and 2 Tbsp. Mexican vanilla (or the scrapings of 2 vanilla beans) and mix until smooth.  You can also add a package of instant vanilla pudding at this stage which will insure that the cookies will remain soft for a week after baking.

By the time you get to the next step of adding the dry ingredients your bowl is packed full.  But is it really?  You are going to add about 20 cups (5 lbs) of white all-purpose flour (you could use whole wheat but the white flour will produce lighter cookies).  Start by adding 4 cups of flour, 2 Tbsp. of baking soda, and 3 tsp. sea salt.  Put the clear lid on over the splash ring and turn on speed one.  Mix for just a few seconds until the flour is barely mixed in.  Watch, with great dis-belief, how the flour is incorperated into the mixture.  Now stop the machine and add 4 more cups of flour and mix in again with the lid in place.  Repeat the last step until all the 20 cups is mixed in.

Now divide your mixture into 3 batches and add whatever variation you like.  I am making mint-chocolate cookies in the picture above.   I have listed some of our favorites below.  Scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop (we use the Kuhn Rikon cookie scoop) onto a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet and freeze in the ball shapes for 2 hours.  Once frozen you can place the cookie balls into marked plastic freezer bags, ready to use when the time comes. 

I let the dough thaw for a couple of hours on a greased or parchment covered cookie sheet and then bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees F. for 12 to 15 min.or until golden.  This recipe makes 240 cookies.

Variations:  Add to divided mixtures

• Craisin/White Chocolate - Add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup white chocolate chips
• Choclate Mint - Add 1 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract,  3/4 cup mint chocolate chips
• Peanut Butter/Oatmeal -  Add 1 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup peanuts (honey-roasted if you like, and 1/3 cup peanut butter
• Chocolate/Peanut Butter- Add 1 cup Reece's pieces and 1 cup cocoa
• Coconut Cookies - Add 1 cup shredded coconut, 1 tsp. coconut extract
• Toffee/Pecan Cookies - Add 2 cups toffee chips, 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• Coconut Apricot - Add 1 1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup apricot presserves
• Candy Cane Cookies - Add 1 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy, 1 tsp. peppermint extract, a 1 cup shredded coconut (opt) We crush the candy in our Bosch food processor attachment.
• Snickerdoodles - Add 3 Tbsp. cornmeal, 2 Tbsp. molasses, 1 tsp. cinnaimon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. ginger.  When thawed and ready to bake roll balls in 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

   

Cick here for printed recipe for Humungous Cookies