Specifically, a Cookie Monster. I've never made cookies as far as I can remember. But after seeing a reader's recipe in Everyday Food (October 2010, pp.128-9), I thought why not give it a try? After all, JL likes cookies and this is something he can snack on anytime both at home and in between classes. I have heavily adapted what was originally "date and nut cookies" into a combination which he couldn't resist - chocolate and dried apricots. But to be really honest, I planned for a chocolate-pineapple combo. No such luck for me as the grocery shop across the street had to run out of dried pineapples the very day.
Apricots & Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 36 (1.5-inch diameter)
Apricots & Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 36 (1.5-inch diameter)
Ingredients
1 cup chopped dried apricots*
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
1/2 cup chopped hazelnut*
2 cups all-purpose flour*
2 tsp baking powder*
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients marked * in a large bowl until apricots, chocolate chip and hazelnut are well coated with flour.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Add to the dry mixture and stir until combined.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Spoon dollops of the cookie dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about an inch apart. I use two tablespoons for this: the main one to spoon the dollops (about half a tablespoon of dough each time), the other to scrape the dough off onto the parchment paper.
5. Bake at 350F for 18 minutes.
This makes a whole lot! I'd just leave them sitting on the kitchen counter and they'll quietly disappear over a few days. In our apartment, I love that I don't have to worry about bugs nor humidity which will soften the cookies. Back in Southeast Asia, I would have to keep them in air-tight containers. Ah, the life!
1 cup chopped dried apricots*
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
1/2 cup chopped hazelnut*
2 cups all-purpose flour*
2 tsp baking powder*
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients marked * in a large bowl until apricots, chocolate chip and hazelnut are well coated with flour.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Add to the dry mixture and stir until combined.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Spoon dollops of the cookie dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about an inch apart. I use two tablespoons for this: the main one to spoon the dollops (about half a tablespoon of dough each time), the other to scrape the dough off onto the parchment paper.
5. Bake at 350F for 18 minutes.
This makes a whole lot! I'd just leave them sitting on the kitchen counter and they'll quietly disappear over a few days. In our apartment, I love that I don't have to worry about bugs nor humidity which will soften the cookies. Back in Southeast Asia, I would have to keep them in air-tight containers. Ah, the life!
