With so much at stake this election season, there is no way that any self- and country-respecting American can just sit idly by. After casting our votes on November 4, my roommates and I will do our part to foster civic awareness by hosting an Election Night party. During said party, we will snack on the prospective First Ladies' favorite cookie recipes. This afternoon, I donned my imaginary "Baking for Barack" apron and whipped up some tasty treats.
Cindy McCain's Oatmeal-Butterscotch Cookies - makes approx. 4 dozen
- 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 C granulated sugar
- 3/4 C packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 C flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t salt
- 3 C rolled oats
- 1 2/3 C butterscotch chips
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in the oats and butterscotch chips. Drop the dough by tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool immediately after pulling the cookies from the oven.
This recipe is straightforward and easy to make, with a delicious dough that yielded dense, richly textured cookies. There is an unusually high filler-to-batter ratio, with the combined oats and chips taking up more space than the wet and dry ingredients together. As with any butterscotch baked good, the finished product is a bit oily. The oats, by compromising the integrity of the batter, also make the just-baked cookies difficult to work with. Once the cookies have cooled, they are a bit hard and brittle; a quick microwave reheat solves that problem. All that said, these are the best oatmeal scotchies I have ever had.
Michelle Obama's Shortbread Cookies - makes approx. 30 pieces
- 1 1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 C plus 2 T sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 T amaretto (can substitute 1/2 t almond extract)
- 1 t each of orange and lemon zest
- 3 C cake flour
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 beaten egg white
- Preheat the oven to 325. Line a 17x12x1 inch baking pan with nonstick foil (or, grease the pan). In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1 1/2 C sugar together.
- Slowly add the egg yolks, and beat until smooth. Beat in the amaretto and zests.
- Stir in the flour and salt until all is well combined.
- Flatten the dough evely and smoothly into the prepared pan.
- Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle it with the remaining 2 T sugar.
- Bake at 325 for 25 minutes, or until brown. Turn off the oven and allow the cookies to sit in the oven, with the door ajar, for 15 minutes. Cut the cookies while they are still slightly warm, with a smooth-bladed (i.e., non-serrated) knife.
I have not yet sampled these cookies, as I am saving them for the party due to a comparatively low yield. However, if the ingredients and my kitchen's aroma are any indication, this is not your mother's shortbread - in a good way. The citrus zest and almond extract seem like an unusual combination at first, but their scents mingled very pleasantly; I will hope for a similarly-pleasant mingling of flavors in the finished product. Also, the egg-white-and-sugar topping helps retain some moisture in the battter, so I doubt this will be the crumbly, dry sort of shortbread most people recollect. The touch of sweetness in the topping will also be a pleasant surprise. It was difficult to adequately mix, and then spread, the stiff dough, but I hope to be rewarded for my efforts.
Family Circle magazine has traditionally published these recipes, and has polled its readers as to which cookie they preferred. Legend has it that the winner of the cookie contest will win the White House. Stay tuned for a poll of the election party's attendees!
