Carla Halls Crinkle Cookies Recipes

CARLA HALL'S CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Gently melt butter and chocolate together in a glass bowl in the microwave or over a pot of simmering water. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, salt, sugars and vanilla.
• Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture, and then add flour. Stir just until combined. Cool mixture in refrigerator until you can work with batter.
• Form cookies into dime sized balls and roll in powdered sugar. Transfer cookies to a parchment lined sheet tray. Bake for 5 minutes or fudgier cookies or up to 8 minutes for crunchier and cracked cookies. Allow to cool before serving.

CARLA'S PERFECT MIX-AND-MATCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• For the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the stick of room temperature butter, granulated sugar, dark brown and light brown sugars on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. DO NOT OVER BEAT. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla until combined. Slowly stream in the melted butter until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until completely combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips or the other mix-in combinations you desire by hand.
• Using a tablespoon or small scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet and then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place half of the cookie dough scoops 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Chill the remaining dough while you bake the first batch.
• Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, if you desire.
• Cool the baking sheets completely, then line with parchment paper and repeat the baking process with the remaining dough.

VANILLA SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated.
• Reduce the speed to low and gradually add flour mixture. Beat, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the dough comes together in large clumps.
• Transfer the dough to a gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag and press into a 1-inch thick, 9 by 5-inch rectangle. The bag is 9 inches wide, so you're pressing the dough to the edges. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the dough into thirds to form rectangular logs that are 3 inches wide. Cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are browned and the tops are golden, 14 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheets on wire racks. The shortbread keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

DROP BISCUITS

Steps:

• For the sorghum drop biscuits: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter a large cast-iron skillet.
• Mix both flours, the baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl with an open hand, using your fingers as a whisk. Add the shortening and use your fingertips to pinch it completely into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter on the large holes into the flour. Toss until all of the pieces are coated. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Using your hand as a spatula, gently mix until the dough forms a shaggy mass. Scrape the dough off your hand.
• Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, drop 16 mounds of dough into the prepared skillet, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• For the sorghum butter: Whisk the butter in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk in the sorghum and salt until fully incorporated. Use immediately.
• Serve the Drop Biscuits warm with the Sorghum Butter.