Eighteen Dozen Cookies-Part 1

I love, love, love cookies.  I can generally take or leave most other types of desserts, but put a cookie in front of me, and I am a goner.  I think I may have been Cookie Monster's mother in another life.  I don't mind then, once or twice a year,  making a large batch of cookies.  This time it is for our church's annual Highway Rest Stop, Coffee Break Weekend.  This is a fund raiser for the youth group.  I made four kinds and will share the recipes over the next four posts.

This first recipe is a favorite cookie from my childhood.  It is a Betty Crocker recipe from somewhere in the late 40's to early 50"s.  It is a soft chocolate, cake-like cookie.  The original recipe called for shortening, and I still use that; but you can use butter or margarine.  You can use melted chocolate or cocoa.  I use cocoa.  The dough needs to chill at least an hour and can be refrigerated longer.  I generally double the recipe and put half in the freezer so I can bake some at another time.  I either use liquid buttermilk or Saco Dry Buttermilk which keeps a long time in the refrigerator.  I like the flavor these give, but you can do the milk and lemon juice or vinegar substitute.  You can use dried cranberries, candied cherries, other nuts, or any flavor chips instead of the walnuts.

Chocolate Drop Cookies
1/2 c. shortening, butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
1 egg
2 sqs. unsweetened chocolate, melted or
6 T. cocoa and 2 T. more shortening, butter, or margarine
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda
1 3/4 c. flour
1 c. chopped walnuts (I toast them)

Cream shortening and sugar until creamy.  Beat in egg.  Stir in melted unsweetened chocolate and buttermilk.  Combine flour, salt and soda.  Stir into mixture until blended.  Stir in nuts.  Chill 1 hour or overnight.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees F. 8-10 min.  Makes 4 dozen

If using cocoa, add it with dry ingredients.  If using dry buttermilk, add the needed water to the egg/sugar mixture and the dry buttermilk with the dry ingredients.

Enjoy.  Back tomorrow with the second recipe.

Linking to Ingredient Spotlight