Laura Corin Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 (edited) Husband - Texas - talks about his ideal Christmas biccie - spiced sugar cookies that are only slightly soft. The recipes I can find talk about soft being a virtue. Do you have an only slightly soft recipe? He's not demanding this but it would make him happy. Laura - clueless, from the land of crisp biccies. Update 27 December - success! I made these https://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/texas-sugar-cookies/ but added a teaspoon of cinnamon and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg. Husband said that they were not quite the same, but - if anything - better than his mother's. Many thanks, everyone - especially @TechWife Edited December 27, 2022 by Laura Corin 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Well, I can't really help you. What I know is that I grew up hating my mom's sugar cookies. They were super thin and very, very crispy. I am a firm believer that cookies should not be crispy (or at least, not super crispy). And she only put a tiny layer of frosting on them. I was...not young...when I realized that sugar cookies didn't have to be made that way. People can make fat, soft, lovely sugar cookies at home! For some reason, I assumed only bakeries had the secret to wonderful sugar cookies. I, unfortunately, am not one of them. All kinds of sugar cookies elude me. They just don't turn out. I've tried countless recipes and only persist in trying because our kids like to make them. If no one else has any suggestions, tag me, and I can ask for her recipe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danae Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Use a regular rolled sugar cookie recipe, but instead of rolling and cutting the dough form it into small balls. Dip the balls in sugar, or a mix of sugar and spices, and put them on your cookie sheet dipped side up. Flatten the balls with the bottom of a glass, or a meat tenderizer, or anything else that will make a cool pattern. The thinner you squish them the crispier they come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idalou Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Have you looked at recipes for Snickerdoodles? You can adjust for spice levels. If you make them thick they will be softer, thinner is preferable to me. They are meant to be a bit crispy on the outside but sort of soft in the center. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Idalou said: Have you looked at recipes for Snickerdoodles? You can adjust for spice levels. If you make them thick they will be softer, thinner is preferable to me. They are meant to be a bit crispy on the outside but sort of soft in the center. Thanks. The way he describes it, his ideal is that they are only slightly yielding. He buys crisp biscuits here and leaves the packet open so they take on a tiny bit of moisture. His mother is no longer with us and she had no daughter who might have the recipe. Edited December 18, 2022 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue plaid Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 If you are looking for a recipe with the spices mixed into the dough, I have a recipe! The consistency should be as you describe 🙂 Ginger Cookies 2 c. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 tsp. ground cloves 3/4 tsp. ground ginger 1 c. sugar 3/4 c. butter 1/4 c. dark molasses 1 egg Cream butter and sugar, then add molasses and egg and beat until well mixed. Add remaining ingredients and stir until mixed. Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut, then roll in additional granulated sugar to coat, and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 11-12 minutes. (Cookies puff while baking and then start to fall -- I consider them done when they start to fall/have fallen, but if you bake them much longer than this they may end up crisp.) (From a cookbook of my Mom's when I was growing up.) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 I feel like the “spiced sugar” thing is confusing me. Are you imagining something different from a spice cookie, which obviously includes a lot of sugar? To me a sugar cookie is a cookie without other flavoring. Kind of like vanilla ice cream. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 (edited) I wonder if a chewy cookie would be the right texture? Like this? (note: I have no experience with this recipe site, it just came up on my google search): https://butternutbakeryblog.com/spice-cookies/ Here's another; you could change up the spices to your/your husband's liking. I have successfully made recipes from this blogger, though I've never tried this one. https://reciperunner.com/chewy-chai-spice-sugar-cookies/ Edited December 18, 2022 by marbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 38 minutes ago, BandH said: I feel like the “spiced sugar” thing is confusing me. Are you imagining something different from a spice cookie, which obviously includes a lot of sugar? To me a sugar cookie is a cookie without other flavoring. Kind of like vanilla ice cream. I'm speaking from ignorance here - he describes it as a sugar cookie with Christmas spices in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 3 minutes ago, Laura Corin said: I'm speaking from ignorance here - he describes it as a sugar cookie with Christmas spices in it? I wonder about a molasses cookie? It will have the shape of a sugar cookie (not a roll out one). I can see how someone would describe it as "like a sugar cookie"? I haven't tried this one, but I generally like her cookies:https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/crisp-molasses-cookies/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 (edited) Do any of these look familiar to him? Texas Spice Cookies Crispy Vanilla Spice Sugar Cookies Spice Sugar Cookies ETA - this describes the texture you’re after. Maybe it could be the base with spices from one of the other recipes added to it? Texas Sugar Cookie Edited December 18, 2022 by TechWife 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 (edited) Your description, especially the part about “only slightly yielding”, reminds me of a family recipe. It’s always been flavored with nutmeg, but you could adjust the spices to taste. As is, it’s less sweet than most cookies, but has a very pleasant flavor. The texture is firm rather than crisp or soft. 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 egg 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and, as the recipe says, “enough flour to knead”, which ends up being 3-4 cups. Cream the butter and sugar; add beaten egg; add other ingredients. Roll (a bit under 1/4” is typical here: they puff slightly while baking) and cut. Bake at 350 degrees. At various times we have sprinkled colored sugar on these before baking; added a glaze of confectioners sugar, hot milk, and vanilla after baking; and just eaten them plain. Any of these treatments works. Edited December 18, 2022 by Innisfree 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 Pferfernuse? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 4 hours ago, TechWife said: Do any of these look familiar to him? Texas Spice Cookies Crispy Vanilla Spice Sugar Cookies Spice Sugar Cookies ETA - this describes the texture you’re after. Maybe it could be the base with spices from one of the other recipes added to it? Texas Sugar Cookie He thinks the Texas Sugar Cookie recipe looks right - thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 3 hours ago, Laura Corin said: He thinks the Texas Sugar Cookie recipe looks right - thank you! Let us know how they turn out, please! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 9 hours ago, Laura Corin said: I'm speaking from ignorance here - he describes it as a sugar cookie with Christmas spices in it? This is gonna be funny if it's a ginger snap and he just doesn't know what they're called. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 5 hours ago, KungFuPanda said: This is gonna be funny if it's a ginger snap and he just doesn't know what they're called. He says definitely cinnamon rather than ginger though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danae Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 5 hours ago, Laura Corin said: He says definitely cinnamon rather than ginger though. Crispy Snickerdoodles? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 10 hours ago, Laura Corin said: He says definitely cinnamon rather than ginger though. Does he know what shape it was? That could narrow down the search. If they were round, it could be cinnamon crinkle cookies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 40 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said: Does he know what shape it was? That could narrow down the search. If they were round, it could be cinnamon crinkle cookies. Smooth rather than crinkly he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 I'd do a butter cookie recipe, but with spices added in. Or a spritz cookie - although you don't have to use the cookie press. Otherwise, I bet he is thinking of a snickerdoodle. In my head snickerdoodles are popular in Texas, no idea why I think that, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 17 minutes ago, ktgrok said: I'd do a butter cookie recipe, but with spices added in. Or a spritz cookie - although you don't have to use the cookie press. Otherwise, I bet he is thinking of a snickerdoodle. In my head snickerdoodles are popular in Texas, no idea why I think that, lol. He's never heard of a snickerdoodle but that doesn't mean he hasn't eaten one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Laura Corin said: He's never heard of a snickerdoodle but that doesn't mean he hasn't eaten one. Ohhh, ask him if there was any cinnamon and sugar on the outside. If not, then you can rule out snickerdoodle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 4 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said: Ohhh, ask him if there was any cinnamon and sugar on the outside. If not, then you can rule out snickerdoodle. He says not. The cinnamon was integral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 (edited) I have a crisp sugar cookie recipe - but no spices. If you slightly underbake it, it will be softer. But they are delicately crisp and really good. I remember my great-aunt getting this recipe from my mother's cousin's wife around 1970. Sugar Cookies cream together: 1c powdered sugar 1c granulated sugar 1c butter ~~ add: 1c oil 2 eggs Mix well in stand mixer. slowly add: 4 ½ c + 2 Tbsp. flour, sifted. 1t salt 1t cream of tarter 1t soda 1t vanilla Roll in (1" - 1 1/2" ish) balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar then place on cookie sheet. Use a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar to flatten each ball, redipping in sugar as needed so balls don’t stick. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes then place on rack to cool. Edited December 19, 2022 by gardenmom5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 On 12/18/2022 at 8:09 AM, Laura Corin said: I'm speaking from ignorance here - he describes it as a sugar cookie with Christmas spices in it? Is he from a part of Texas where German's settled? There are recipes online for spiced sugar coookies. Have you been able to look through any of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 28, 2022 Author Share Posted December 28, 2022 Update in first post. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 I'm glad you found something that was similar and your DH enjoyed it. The problem with older gen cooks and bakers is that they often weren't following a written recipe. They made up their own. We have an infamous family story about some cookies that my grandma made. They were apparently delicious and everyone wanted her to make more. The problem was that she was just using what she had on hand (poor, lived on farm) until she got a nice dough consistency, didn't write anything down and was not able to re-create them exactly the same way again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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