Common Types of Cookies

!±8± Common Types of Cookies

Everyone loves home-baked cookies. Nothing is more welcoming than the smell of freshly baked cookies or the sight of them cooling on the counter. It's my favorite kind of aromatherapy.

Cookies have a long history, dating back to 7th Century Persia. By the 1800s, cookie recipes began appearing in cookbooks as 'small cakes.' In fact, the term 'cookie' comes from the Dutch word koekje or koekie which means little cake.

Recipes for cookies in a variety of styles and flavors increased in the early 1900s and continues today. Cookies are the most common treat baked in home kitchens and it's estimated that more than half of all home baked cookies are chocolate chip.

But there are a lot more kinds of cookies out there waiting to be baked. Most cookbooks classify them by how they are formed into the following categories or types of cookies:

Bar Cookies, Squares, or Pan Cookies
The quickest and easiest type of cookie to make. Batter or dough is pressed or spread into a pan and cut into bite-size pieces after baking. Brownies are the classic example of a batter-type bar cookie but they come in a variety of styles and flavors.

Drop Cookies
By far the most common type of homemade cookie created by dropping or pushing cookie dough from a teaspoon or tablespoon onto a prepared cookie sheet. Just mix, drop, bake, and enjoy -- definitely an easy cookie type. Popular examples of drop cookies include oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and chocolate chip.

No Bake Cookies
Another easy cookie, no bakes don't require an oven. They are a great way to introduce kids to the fun of cookie making. Some of my favorite no bake cookie recipes include rice krispie bars, coconut date balls, rum balls, and peanut butter bars.

Ice Box or Refrigerator Cookies
Originally referred to as "ice box cookies," made from stiff dough that is refrigerated and usually formed into a cylinder before slicing and baking. Contemporary cookbooks may categorize refrigerator cookies as sliced or slice and bake cookies. You can keep a log of cookie dough in the refrigerator or freezer then slice, bake, and enjoy a warm, fresh from the oven, homemade cookie whenever a cookie craving strikes.

Shaped Cookies
These cookies are shaped by hand or with molds or extruded from a cookie press or pastry bag. Shortbread is a classic example of a hand shaped cookie. There are also lots of popular holiday "spritz" cookies that require a special cookie press.

Whichever type of cookie you choose to make, friends and family are sure to applaud your efforts.

Common Types of Cookies

Green Hoodie Purchase Where To Buy Geneva Switzerland Tourism

Decorating Xmas Trees With Cookies and Candy

!±8± Decorating Xmas Trees With Cookies and Candy

Decorating xmas trees with cookies and candy is a great way to give your tree that personal touch. It is creative and the results can be astounding in terms of their creative impact. Decorating an
artificial tree with baked goods is one way to make it look more homey and real. A slim christmas tree really looks great with decorations made out of slim wrapped candies. The snowy color of
shortbread confections also plays off nicely against any color of tree including the artificial white christmas tree.

Decorating xmas trees with food goes back to the times before Christ was born. Offerings of food were often placed along sills and windows to feed the good spirits and protect from the evil ones. The first
christmas trees were in fact imitations of the pyramid shape of real conifers. The custom of placing pickles and other foods on the steps of cedar pyramids of wood that were hand constructed was very common in Germany before the 16th century. It wasn't until Martin Luther came along and presented the upright tree that was brought indoors and lit with candles that we became familiar with the Christmas tree that we know today.

Using food as adornments on evergreen boughs is a time-honored tradition. Perhaps the strangest one is the German custom of hanging pickles on the tree. Today you can buy German ornaments made of glass that feature pickle cartoon characters wearing tiny Santa hats.

Decorating xmas trees with shortbread and ginger bread men is also a tradition that came out of Germanic and Slavic cultures. Of course today you can buy all kinds of different cookie cutters that
certainly pique one's creativity when it comes to making edible xmas decorations. Popular cookie cutter shapes are Christmas stockings, Santa, reindeer, presents and stars. However you could also decorate your tree with shortbread or gingerbread cut into any shape you like.

There are some really interesting novelty cookie cutters on the market including ones shaped like nativity scenes. One nice idea might be to decorate your tree with heart shaped cookies. You could
also make one very large angel, decorate it with edible gold and glitter and use it as a tree topper.

Decorating xmas trees with candies can be even more fun. You can hang single candies from a tree - such as lollipops and foil wrapped chocolates. Toffees wrapped in foil look especially nice on a tall
slim christmas tree. Candies can also be glued together in sunburst shapes to make interesting decorations or even strung together to make a long, shiny and delicious garland.

It is also very easy to make xmas tree decorations using pins and Styrofoam balls or backing. Simply spray the Styrofoam balls with green gold or silver and pin the candies so that they cover the
surface of the ball. A similar idea comes from Martha Stewart who does the same with gumdrops and miniature marshmallows. You could also use candied fruit. In fact one age old xmas decoration is the
oranges that is stuck with cloves and hung from the tree. In theory you could also use oranges as the base for any type of home made candy ornament.

One idea is to create a tree topper for your xmas tree using peppermint candy canes. This involves gluing them onto a round Styrofoam ball so that they radiate from the center in the circle. The same thing can be done with gumdrops on toothpicks and lollipops.

By the way, the candy cane is one of the most potent of Christmas symbols and it is actually a symbol of Jesus. A candy maker invented them in Indiana in the late 1800's. He came up with the idea of
bending a plain white peppermint stick. The color white symbolizes the purity and sinless nature of Jesus. The three small stripes to symbolize the pain Christ on the cross. The reason there are three is
because they represent the Holy Trinity. The one bold stripe represents the blood of Jesus. Right side up it looks like a shepherd's staff because Jesus is the shepherd of man. Upside down, it becomes the letter J symbolizing the first letter in Jesus' name. So candy canes are more than just pretty confections. They have quite a serious meaning.

When it comes to decorating xmas trees, one cannot say enough about popcorn. Popcorn is one of the most versatile of xmas tree decorations. Most traditional is the xmas tree garland that is strung
with the popped kernels. Popcorn balls that are dyed with food coloring also make very attractive christmas tree decorations. Left white, however, these popcorn balls look like snowballs hanging on
your tree.

Christmas tree garlands can also be made out of any kind of berries. Cranberries and holly berries (not edible!) make especially nice garlands because of their festive red color.

Some years, cereal companies also put out cereal in Christmas colors such as red and green. These types of cereals can also be made into shapes using a Rice Krispy Square recipe and hung by a thread.

Another unique idea is to decorate your christmas tree with homemade candy apples. These bright glossy red treats look absolutely fantastic, especially on a white or green tree. A nice compliment to
the color of the candy apples would be gold chocolate coins or foil covered chocolates in the shape of Santa also strung on the tree. A starburst of candy apples would make a stunning tree topper for a
slim christmas tree.

When decorating xmas trees with candy and baked goods remember that your success is only as limited as your imagination. If you are stuck for ideas, Martha Stewart's cookbooks are an excellent source of inspiration. You can also get great ideas on the Internet and by searching traditional xmas tree sites to get ideas about how these decorations are supposed to look.

Decorating Xmas Trees With Cookies and Candy

Ventless Dryers Sale Gamo Pellet Save You Money!