Sliced Cookies – So Good!!
Buttery, crumbly and so very tasty. These are my slice cookies that you can add your choice of fill ins to. One of my favourite fill ins is white chocolate and macadamia but there are so many choices. These cookies sit in my top five. I find them hard to resist and I am always asked for the recipe!
Fill ins
Really anything goes, use up what you have left in the pantry or indulge in your favourite combinations. Use around 240 grams of your favourite fill ins. If the fill ins are sticky, i.e dried figs, toss them in flour before adding to stop them clumping together. Here are some that I have tried and enjoy:
- Chocolate Chip: Add your favourite chocolate chips to the mix
- Nutty Delight: Add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds. Also good when combined with choc chip!
- Fruit and Nut: Incorporate dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots along with nuts for a sweet and tangy flavour.
- Citrus Zest: Add grated citrus zest (lemon, orange, lime) to the dough for a burst of fresh flavour.
- Caramel Pecan: Add pieces of caramel along with pecans for a rich and indulgent treat.
- Nutella Twist: Swirl Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread into the dough for a decadent twist.
- White Chocolate & Macadamia – one of my favourites!
- Sticky Date & Ginger: a much loved combinations.
Tips
- Creaming Butter and sugar: We double cream in the Thermomix. This helps create a tender texture and adds richness to the cookies.
- Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Chocolate: Choose eating chocolate and not cooking chocolate for this recipe. Chop into small chunks that will make it easier when slicing the chilled dough.
- White Chocolate and Macadamia Nuts: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips or chopped chunks and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts. Make sure the add-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Chilling the Dough: Chill the cookie dough for at least 1-2 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilled dough helps prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking and enhances their flavour.
- Slicing: Use a serrated knife as you will hit lumps of chocolate and nuts. If they fall out, just push them back into the dough. Make a small template out of baking paper, of the width you will be cutting, place and mark your log before cutting.
Storage
Properly storing cookies is essential to maintain their freshness and flavour.
Room Temperature:
- Most cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Use a container that seals tightly to prevent air and moisture from getting in.
- Line the container with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent cookies from sticking together.
- Store the container of cookies in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
- Make sure the container is kept away from strong odours, as cookies can absorb unwanted flavours.
Freezing Cookies:
- To freeze cookies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid.
- Once frozen, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or resealable freezer bags. Place parchment paper or wax paper between layers of cookies to prevent sticking.
- When you’re ready to enjoy the cookies, you can thaw them at room temperature or reheat them in a preheated oven for a few minutes to regain their crispness.
Rejuvenating Stale Cookies:
- If your cookies become a bit stale, you can try placing a slice of bread in the container with them. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and become softer.
- Alternatively, you can gently warm them in a low oven 150°C for a few minutes to restore some of their crispness.
Freezing uncooked dough:
Freezing cookie dough logs is a convenient way to have freshly baked cookies on demand without having to make the dough from scratch each time.
1. Prepare the Dough: Follow the recipe to prepare the cookie dough.
2. Shape the Dough into Logs: Shape the cookie dough into a log, (I also like to make a cut mark where I will slice them) and then wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap or baking paper. Make sure the logs are well-sealed to prevent freezer burn and to keep out any air that could affect the dough’s quality.
3. Double Wrap for Protection: For added protection against freezer burn and odours, you can place the wrapped dough logs inside a resealable freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air before sealing the bag.
4. Label and Date: It’s a good idea to label the freezer bags with the type of cookie dough and the date of freezing. This helps you keep track of how long the dough has been in the freezer.
5. Freeze: Place the wrapped and bagged cookie dough logs in the freezer. They can be frozen for several months, typically up to 2-3 months, while still maintaining good quality.
6. Thawing and Baking: When you’re ready to bake cookies, there’s no need to thaw the dough logs completely. You can slice the dough directly from the frozen log, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time. Slicing frozen dough can result in cleaner, neater cuts than thawed dough.
Sliced Cookies
Equipment
- TM5 or TM6
- 2 Cookie Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 180 grams butter, room temp
- 70 grams castor sugar
- 70 grams brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 300 grams plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 100 grams macadamias chopped
- 100 grams white chocolate eating not cooking chocolate. chopped into small pieces.
- 40 grams chopped cranberries tossed in flour
Instructions
- Add flour and baking powder into Thermomix Bowl and turbo/1 sec/3 times. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add butter, castor sugar, brown sugar and salt to Thermomix Bowl and mix 30 seconds/speed 4. Scrape down and repeat.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla. Insert butterfly and mix 1 minute/speed 4.
- Add reserved flour and baking powder and mix on dough mode for 30 seconds. Dough should just be combined, if not repeat for a further 10 seconds, (don't over mix).
- Add chocolate, macadamias and cranberries and mix through with spatula. Tip out onto Thermomix® Baking Mat or a lightly floured bench. Shape into a log approx. 25cm long. Cover in plastic wrap and twist ends to make the log nice and tight. Pop in fridge to firm up for an hour or two.
- Pre heat oven to 180℃ (fan). Slice log into cookies approx. 1.5cm wide. Place on baking tray and cook for 10 mins. Turn oven down to 150℃ (fan) and cook for approx. 12-15 mins. Allow cookies to cool on tray before removing to a wire cooling rack to cook completely.