Fennel Brown Sugar Cookies

Getting a sample of Fennel Pollen was interesting for me. I wanted to make a savory dish, yet my mind kept saying, 'coooookies....brown sugar.....' So I finally gave in and made some.

I took them to work last week to get my friends to test them out and the reponse was excellent. Then yesterday, one of my co-workers begged me to make them again. So there you have it folks, these cookies are good and they linger in the memory!



Fennel Pollen Brown Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 F

2/3 c vegetable shortening (I like Jungle)
3/4 c C & H brown sugar
1 egg
4 tsp almond milk
1 tbsp Fennel Pollen Spice
2 c WW flour
1½ tsp baking powder

Thoroughly cream butter, sugar, & Fennel Pollen Spice. Add egg; beat fluffy. Stir in milk. S

Sift dry ingredients; stir in.

Chill at least one hour, though two is best.

On a lightly sugared surface (I used a Fennel Pollen/sugar mix I made) and roll 1/2 the dough to 1/8” thickness, cutout with cookie cutters.

Chill remaining dough until ready to use. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, making
sure they are not touching. Bake 6-8 minutes until light brown.



P.S. There will be a savory recipe with the pollen, so stay tuned!

Doll's Shortbread

Traditional shortbread is plain and doesn't have eggs. This one has one egg for a binder and is quite delicious. It is basic and simple, a treat that you can enjoy warm or room temperature, alone or even serve with fresh fruit and a side of cream!

Doll, btw, is one of my many nicknames!



Doll's Shortbread

1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 c walnut oil
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c demerrera sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c chopped semisweet or dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Combine butter, oil, sugar, flour and salt until combined and crumbly. Add egg until just combined (do not overmix!!) Add in nuts and chocolate, you can use a wooden spoon or plastic spatula for this, just make sure that it is all evenly distributed.

Bake 25 minutes, then enjoy!

Holiday Cookie Recipe

It makes me sad that the holiday has become so commercialized and is geared so much toward children. I wish to highly recommend a tradition that was alive for many years in my own family until she moved away. My older sister bakes cookies every year and was one of the inspirations for my foray into culinary school.

So, yearly I was allowed to help bake and decorate stockings, Santa’s, present and other cookie cut outs, which I remember fondly (oh, yeah and I always got to lick the beaters!) as we played with colored frosting and sugar. So you can imagine my delight when she actually agreed to part with her recipe! I nearly died. Then she said I could share with you! So here it is:

Carrie’s Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 F

2/3 c butter
¾ c sugar
1 egg
4 tsp milk
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp grated orange peel
2 c flour
1½ tsp baking powder

Thoroughly cream butter, sugar, orange peel & vanilla. Add egg; beat fluffy. Stir in milk. Sift dry ingredients; stir in.
Chill at least one hour, though two is best.
On a floured surface roll ½ the dough to 1/8” thickness, cutout with cookie cutters. Chill remaining dough until ready to use. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Bake 6-8 minutes until light brown.

Frost as desired.

You have to promise that you will make these with your kids, your favorite niece or nephew, maybe just your not so little younger siblings. The memories you create will be the best treasures of the holiday.

On That note, happy Christmas, Solistice, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yule Holiday!