Cookies of the Month

Treyburn Country Club 1 Old Trail Drive Durham, NC 27712

NOVEMBER: Molasses Cookies Kenric Hunt - Brook Valley Country Club

Ingredients 2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour (spoon & leveled)

1 ½ TSP Baking Soda 2 1 TSP Ground Ginger ¼ TSP Ground Cinnamon 1/4 TSP Ground Cloves 1/4 TSP Nutmeg 1/4 TSP Salt 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature 1/2 Cup packed Light or Dark Brown Sugar

1/

4 Cup Granulated Sugar 1/4 Cup Unsulfured or Dark Molasses 1 Large Egg, at room temperature 2 TSP Pure Vanilla Extract 1/3 Cup Granulated or Coarse Sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt together until combined. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour and up to 2 to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough is chilled longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The cookies may not spread in the oven if the dough is too cold. Roll cookie dough, 1 Tablespoon each, into balls. Roll each in granulated sugar and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until edges appear set. If the tops aren’t appearing cracked as pictured, remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently bang it on the counter 2 to 3 times. This will help the warm cookies spread out and crack on top.

Return to the oven for 1 additional minute.

Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.

DECEMBER: Snowball Cookies Todd Jackson - Wakefield Plantation

Ingredients

2 TSP Vanilla Extract 1/3 Cup Sugar 2 TSP Water 2 Cups sifted All-Purpose Flour 1 ¼ TSP Salt 1 Cup Chopped Pecans 2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Creaming the mixture until light and fluffy. Blend in water.

2. Gradually add in and combine flour and salt, and beat until well blended. Add the pecans.

3. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place balls at least 1 inch apart onto a non-stick cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until firm to touch.

5. While cookies are warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on racks for a few minutes.

6. Roll cookies again in powdered sugar.

7. Store in a sealed container up to one week.