The Southern cookie book

THE SOUTHERN
COOKIE
BOOK Southern Living THE SOUTHERN
COOKIE
BOOK 2016 Time Inc. Books Published by Oxmoor House, an imprint of Time Inc. Books 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281 Southern Living is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, excepting brief quotations in connection with reviews written specifically for inclusion in magazines or newspapers, or limited excerpts strictly for personal use.

Senior Editor: Katherine Cobbs Editorial Assistants: Nicole Fisher, April Smitherman Assistant Managing Editor: Jeanne de Lathouder Assistant Project Editor: Lauren Moriarty Senior Designer: Maribeth Jones Ju nior Designer: AnnaMaria Jacob Photographers: Iain Bagwell, Victor Protasio Prop Stylists: Kay E. Clarke, Mindi Shapiro Levine, Lydia DeGaris Pursell Hand Model: Kylie Dazzo Food Stylists: Victoria E. Cox, Margaret Monroe Dickey, Rishon Hanners, Catherine Crowell Steele Recipe Developer and Tester: Callie Nash Assistant Production Manager: Diane Rose Keener Assistant Production Director: Sue Chodakiewicz Copy Editors: Julie Bosch, Ashley Strickland Freeman Proofreaders: Rebecca Brennan, Julie Gillis Indexer: Mary Ann Laurens Fellow: Natalie Schumann eISBN: 978-0-84874-755-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015957930 First Edition 2016 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Time Inc. Books products may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Christi Crowley in the Special Sales Department at (845) 895-9858. Books. Books.

Please write to us at: Time Inc. Books Attention: Book Editors P.O. Box 62310 Tampa, Florida 33662-2310 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION The world loves cookies. The English have their biscuits, Germans enjoy keks, and Italians love to dunk biscotti or amaretti into whatever they might be sipping. While the affinity for cookies is universal, distinctions abound. The regional flavors, ingredients, and recipes of the South inspire the recipes in this book, so dont be surprised to find cornmeal mixed with the flour or a batter spiked with Kentucky bourbon.

Youll also find cookie recipes inspired by classic Southern desserts like . Whether you crave sweet or savory, round or square, dropped, rolled, or filled, you will find recipes for cookies, bars, brownies, and confections to suit every occasion and taste so no cookie jar is left unfilled. No matter where you live, or whether you are a seasoned baker or cookie rookie, you will appreciate the tried-and-tested tips and techniques for baking success brought to you by the Souths most trusted kitchen at Southern Living . Happy dunking, Katherine Cobbs, Senior Editor BATTER UP: GET INTO THE SWING WITH THESE BASIC TOOLS Any way you roll, drop, or slice it, you need a few basic tools to cover your bases. MIXING BOWLS A set of metal or glass nesting bowls in three different sizes equals one for every taskmixing dry ingredients, creaming butter and sugar, or melting chocolate. MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS A heavy-duty metal set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and glass measuring cups with a lip in sizes up to 4 quarts for liquids are workhorses of the bakers kitchen.

A set of measuring spoons on a ring keeps things together and tidy. WHISK For beating eggs, whipping egg whites or cream, or whisking dry ingredients, a balloon whisk is a must. SIFTER/MESH STRAINER Whether you use a hand-crank sifter or a wire-mesh strainer, both produce light, fluffy lump-free flour that yields tender baked goods. They may also be used to dust baked goods with powdered sugar or cocoa. WOODEN SPOONS For mixing batters, there are few better (or less expensive) tools in the kitchen. ROLLING PIN Whether you choose one made of wood or marble, with handles or without, choose a heavy one so you dont have to press too hard as you roll the dough.

SCOOPS Ice cream-style scoops come in many sizes to portion dough with precision, and the trigger action of the scoops keeps hands clean. SPATULAS Choose flexible rubber ones for folding in ingredients and scraping down bowls, metal varieties for transferring cookies to cooling racks, and small offset spatulas for icing or moving smaller cookies from pan to plate. COOKIE CUTTERS With options in every shape and size imaginable, this is where you have fun with rolled cookie dough. PARCHMENT PAPER Make cleanup a cinch by lining pans with parchment to keep baked goods from sticking. SHEET PANS Larger than most baking sheets, jelly-roll pans with rims are all you need for baking cookies. Other options include insulated and nonstick baking sheets.

KITCHEN TIMER If you dont use a wristwatch, cell phone, or tablet to time your baking, an old-fashioned timer is a must. COOLING RACK Raised mesh racks allow air to circulate around cookies so that they cool evenly and quickly. COOKIE TINS The best thing since sliced bread is the airtight container. Decorative ones are great for giving, but any kind keeps cookies fresh longer. CANDY THERMOMETER These are designed to precisely measure high temperatures of foods, such as caramel. Buy one with a clip attachment so you dont have to hold it while you stir.

BATTER UP: GO MAJOR LEAGUE WITH EQUIPMENT EXTRAS These kitchen additions take cookie baking from great to grand slam. MIXER (STAND AND HAND) A heavy-duty stand mixer allows for hands-off mixing, comes with a variety of attachments, and is great for making dough. Turn to the trusty hand mixer for a light-duty alternative. FOOD PROCESSOR This tool makes tedious tasks like chopping, slicing, and shredding a snap. Look for a machine with a large feed tube and sturdy, sharp blades. PASTRY BAGS AND TIPS For applying frosting, creating decorative flourishes, and piping egg whites for meringues, look for an array of tips and disposable bags for easy cleanup.

PASTRY CUTTER Similar to a pizza cutter, but with a much smaller wheel, pastry cutters come with smooth or fluted edges for decorative scalloped cuts. SHAKER/DREDGER This handheld cup with a perforated top allows for a fine dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa on cookies before or after baking. SQUIRT BOTTLES Often used for condiments, plastic bottles with a narrow spout are great for piping hot caramel or chocolate and make decorating and cleanup a breeze. SILICONE MAT These handy baking mats take away the need for parchment, wax paper, oil, or grease for baking pans. They are safe to heat up to oven temperatures of 475F. CITRUS ZESTER A fine rasp-style grater is a multipurpose tool for grating everything from ginger to nutmeg and makes fine, frilly shavings of zest for accenting baked goods.

SPICE GRINDER A small electric spice or coffee bean grinder allows you to grind whole spices as needed. Whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground spices and can be ground to yield just what you need for a recipe. CITRUS REAMER When lots of fresh citrus juice is required for a recipe, a ribbed wooden or upright glass reamer allows you to extract the most juice with just a twist of the wrist. HEAVY SAUCEPAN Designed for melting sugar or candy-making, a heavy-duty saucepan is key. Stainless steel is both nonreactive and light enough inside to make it easy to gauge when sugar has reached caramel-colored perfection. DOUBLE BOILER Great for gently heating sauces or melting chocolate, a double boiler is worth the investment.