Anne Byrn shared a recipe from her latest cookbook, American Cookie. (see recipe below) Meet Anne at a cookie tasting and book signing for American Cookie on Sunday September 9 at 2 pm. at Parnassus Books. Get details at
https://www.parnassusbooks.net/event/author-event-anne-byrn-author-american-cookie
IRMA ROMBAUER’S REFRIGERATOR LACE COOKIES
A FINE ARTS STUDENT at Washington University, Irma Rombauer had a flair for decorating cakes and baking cookies before she wrote The Joy of Cooking. So no surprise that there are umpteen cookie recipes inside Joy, many of them icebox. It was the 1930s, a time of planning and baking ahead. And Rombauer tells us these plain and simple chocolate, spice, oatmeal, and butterscotch cookies “are all so good that is hard to decide upon the best.” I love her lace cookies, made with oats and so named because after baking, the oats create a lacy, almost see-through effect. Rombauer’s rules for making icebox cookies were simple: Combine the ingredients as directed. Shape the dough into long rolls about 2" in diameter. If the dough is too soft to roll, chill it until you can handle it and roll into a log, instead of adding more flour. That’s because extra flour makes your cookies dry. Her cookies are a true overnight icebox cookie, which not only makes for easy slicing but gives the dough a time to rest, which improves its texture. And Rombauer baked in a hot oven— 400°F—so keep an eye on them!
½ c granulated sugar
½ c light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 T whole milk
½ t vanilla extract
1½ t lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
1 ½ c old-fashioned oats
1 c all-purpose flour, sifted
1½ t baking soda
MAKES: 4 dozen (2" to 21 ⁄2") cookies
A FINE ARTS STUDENT at Washington University, Irma Rombauer had a flair for decorating cakes and baking cookies before she wrote The Joy of Cooking. So no surprise that there are umpteen cookie recipes inside Joy, many of them icebox. It was the 1930s, a time of planning and baking ahead. And Rombauer tells us these plain and simple chocolate, spice, oatmeal, and butterscotch cookies “are all so good that is hard to decide upon the best.” I love her lace cookies, made with oats and so named because after baking, the oats create a lacy, almost see-through effect. Rombauer’s rules for making icebox cookies were simple: Combine the ingredients as directed. Shape the dough into long rolls about 2" in diameter. If the dough is too soft to roll, chill it until you can handle it and roll into a log, instead of adding more flour. That’s because extra flour makes your cookies dry. Her cookies are a true overnight icebox cookie, which not only makes for easy slicing but gives the dough a time to rest, which improves its texture. And Rombauer baked in a hot oven— 400°F—so keep an eye on them!
PREP: 15 TO 20 MINUTES CHILL: 12 TO 24 HOURS BAKE: 8 TO 10 MINUTES
1. Place the sugars and soft butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is well blended, 1 minute. Beat in the egg, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined, 30 to 45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the oats on low speed, just till combined.
2. With a fork, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-size bowl. Add to the oats mixture in 2 batches, beating on low speed just until the flour is blended, 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Place a 16" to 17" piece of waxed paper on the countertop. Drop spoonfuls of dough lengthwise on the paper, making a line about 12" long. Fold the paper lengthwise over the dough and make a log, rolling to 1 3 ⁄4" to 2" in diameter and 13" to 14" long. Place the log in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
4. When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400°F. 5. Remove the dough from the fridge, and place on a cutting surface. Remove the waxed paper. Cut the dough into 1 ⁄4" slices and place on an ungreased baking sheet 21 ⁄2" apart. Place the pan in the oven. 6. Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan no longer than 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack with a metal spatula and cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store the cookies in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week.
Cookie Swaps for Busy Cooks Through History You might think that the cookie swap—where you bake cookies and bring them to a party and trade with other people who also bring cookies—is a modern phenomenon. It’s perfectly logical that people today would want a fabulous spread of holiday cookies without spending a lot of time in the kitchen baking them. But swaps, or “exchanges” as they were first called, have been taking place in America for nearly 100 years. They were annual holiday events, from California to New Jersey, offering friendship, festivity, and most of all cookies! In the 1920s, when the first references were made to “cookie exchanges” in local newspapers, they were held at churches throughout the Midwest. A 1934 Indiana newspaper explained the rules—you baked and shared one cookie with each participant. But by the 1950s, the stakes were clearly higher. You brought a batch of your best cookies and, according to the Brownsville, Texas, newspaper food columnist in 1952, took home as many cookies as you had brought less the number you had eaten. So you didn’t want to go hungry to the cookie swap! Bridge clubs, church groups, newcomer organizations, Girl Scout leaders, neighbors—they all held cookie swaps in the weeks before Christmas. Some had rules that were discussed a month in advance. Often, you were encouraged to bake a “new” recipe, although many cooks resorted to a family favorite. Most of the time, you had to bring copies of your recipe for the other participants. And if you were hosting, you had to give some thought as to how people might take that bevy of cookies home. One hostess painted cookie jars for each of her guests. By 1960, syndicated food columnist Clementine Paddleford declared “cookie swaps are sweeping the nation.” The appeal, she said, was the dazzling array of cookies you could come home with and gift to others. And as a result, you had more time “to enjoy the last mad holiday rush.” More than a half century later, many of us can relate to that statement. Cookie swaps allow us to savor more cookies than we’d ever end up baking by ourselves. And they’re a great way to taste other people’s cookies or to exercise our creative skills in the kitchen with a new recipe. Planning on baking cookies from American Cookie for a cookie swap? Here are my top 10 suggestions and why:
1. Irma Rombauer’s Refrigerator Lace Cookies: an American classic
2. Sara’s Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies: simply a real treat
3. Coconut Macadamia Macaroons: for their chewy, crunchy, almond-y texture
4. Beatrice’s Peppernuts: the recipe makes a ton
5. Kathleen’s Sugar Cookies: fun to decorate with others using colored sprinkles
6. Apricot and Raisin Rugelach: exotic and delicious
7. Cornmeal Pistachio Cookies: wonderful wafers for sharing
8. Mexican Wedding Cookies: everybody loves them—enough said! 9. Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies: a dazzling addition to the holiday spread
10. Kate’s Pecan Tassies: sheer bliss in one bite
Reprinted from AMERICAN COOKIE. Copyright © 2018 by Anne Byrn. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Tina Rupp. Published by Rodale Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
