Favorite Cookies For the Holidays

DEAR SOS: It’s time to start my Christmas cookie baking, and I’ve lost the recipe for my very favorite Disneyland Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie. Please print it soon.

--MAXINE

DEAR MAXINE: Tell you what. We’ll print not only your favorite cookie recipe, but those most often requested. That way, you and other readers will have several cookie recipes for your holiday baking.

DISNEYLAND’S

OATMEAL-

RAISIN

COOKIES

3 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/8 cups shortening

1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups rolled oats

2 1/2 cups dark raisins

Blend flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in mixing bowl. Set aside until needed.

Cream shortening with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix in reserved flour mixture until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add oats and raisins. Mix until blended, about 1 minute.

Using ice cream scoop (size No. 24), scoop out cookie dough into 4 dozen large balls. Place about 6 balls on each lightly greased baking sheet, pressing down until about 1/4-inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Bake at 350 degrees 9 to 12 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly then remove cookies from sheets and cool on racks. Makes about 4 dozen.

BOURBON BALLS

1 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers

Powdered sugar

1 to 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup bourbon, dark rum or brandy

1/4 cup granulated or powdered sugar

Combine crushed wafers, 1 cup powdered sugar, pecans and cocoa powder. Add corn syrup and bourbon and mix well. With dampened hands, shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated or powdered sugar.

Pack loosely in tin, separating layers with wax paper. Cover tightly and store at least 24 hours for best flavor. Makes about 4 dozen.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CHIP

COOKIES

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

1 (4-ounce) bar milk chocolate, grated

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

Mix together flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Place small amounts in blender and process until mixture turns into powder.

Mix butter-egg mixture with flour mixture until just blended. Add chocolate pieces, milk chocolate and nuts. Shape dough into balls about size of golf balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 12 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

GRISWOLD’S

HAYSTACK COOKIES

13 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

6 1/2 cups flake coconut

1 1/2 cups chopped dates

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine egg whites and sugar in top of double boiler. Cook over simmering water until mixture reaches 120 degrees or feels hot to touch. Stir constantly.

Combine coconut, dates, walnuts, salt and vanilla in mixing bowl. Add hot sugar mixture and blend well.

Using small ice cream scoop, form into balls and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and remove from pan. Makes about 3 dozen.

SOFT MOLASSES

COOKIES

4 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup melted shortening or part margarine

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Sift together flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Cream sugar and shortening until light. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well. Mix in molasses and sour milk. Add flour mixture and mix well. Fold in raisins and nuts.

Drop by teaspoons on greased baking sheet or pinch off pieces of dough about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pat each into 4-inch circles on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 8 to 10 minutes for small cookies, 10 to 15 minutes for large. Do not overbake, or cookies will not be soft. Makes 8 to 9 dozen small cookies.

Note: To make sour milk, add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to enough whole milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.

PEANUT BUTTER

CUP COOKIES

(Lilly Rose)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coin-size peanut butter cups, foil removed (preferably Reese’s)

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars thoroughly. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Combine flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.

Place dough in rounded teaspoons in greased miniature muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies puff up and are barely done. Remove from oven and immediately push 1 peanut butter cup into each cookie-filled muffin cup.

Cookies will deflate and form tart shell around peanut butter cup. Let cook in pan, then refrigerate until shine disappears from chocolate. Gently lift each tart out of pan with tip of knife. Makes about 2 dozen.

This recipe for Toasted Rice Stuffing was inadvertently omitted from last week’s column:

TOASTED RICE

STUFFING

1 1/2 cups rice

3 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 onion, chopped

1 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3 cups toasted fine dry bread crumbs

3 teaspoons poultry seasoning

3 eggs, beaten

Salt, pepper

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Spread rice in shallow baking pan and toast at 400 degrees, shaking pan now and then to prevent burning, until rice is golden, about 20 minutes.

Combine rice, water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to boil, cover, turn heat very low and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Cook onion, celery and parsley in butter until tender, but not browned. Remove from heat.

Stir in bread crumbs, poultry seasoning, eggs and rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss lightly with fork. Add nuts and mix again. Makes enough stuffing for 12- to 16-pound turkey, 2 or 3 roasting chickens, or bake in shallow pan at 375 degrees 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings baked separately.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.