Holiday Cookie Recipe Question(s)

[livinitup]

I am famous for burning my family of origin’s Christmas cookies. So, I don’t have much experience baking them. This year, DD wants to bake my mom’s shortbread jam cookies for H’s holiday party (she is invited). She asked my mom for the recipe, so mom copied it from her ancient cookbook. The recipe calls for shortening. Would you buy shortening or substitute for unsalted butter?

Who has a favorite holiday cookie?

Opinions welcome. Feel free to add your own holiday cookie question, too.

[lostlenore]

I would buy the shortening. It comes in very easy to measure/use sticks now…I always use those when I make snickerdoodles.

[cereal K]

I agree - I’d buy shortening. It seems wildly different to me than butter.

Now, all of my grandma’s recipes called for “oleo”. I have no issue subbing that for butter.

[Leeham Rimes]

I’m not an ad-libber when it comes to baking substitutions. Whenever I try, the taste is always off, so I would just stick to the recipe as is.

[bee20]

Shortening in cookies typically makes them softer, and the taste will be a little different too. I've made a few recipes both ways and for something like shortbread I would not substitute.

[meanie]

I will echo the others - no substitutes. Baking is more like science, things really need to be done in a certain way to achieve the right texture.

[luckystar2]

Agree use the shortening. I have a few old family cookie recipes. One calls for shortening. I don’t typically use shortening but I love these cookies so I stick to the recipe as is and buy the shortening.

[tacokick]

For shortbread jam cookies I’d use butter. Or at least half butter. I think it would taste a lot better and would be an easy sub.

[kdubs923]

Dec 4, 2023 21:54:33 GMT -5 lostlenore said:

I would buy the shortening. It comes in very easy to measure/use sticks now…I always use those when I make snickerdoodles.

Not the OP, but do you have a snickerdoodle recipe you'd share?

DS had some Snickerdoodle cookies last year and he could not get enough of them. We were at a party and didn't get the recipe. They were so chewy & soft. We've tried a few recipes at home they're not quite the same. None of our recipes called for shortening, so maybe that's where we went wrong.

[redheadbaker]

I'd use half butter/half shortening. I hate the mouthfeel of shortening.

[ellipses84]

I’d substitute butter but if you want it exactly like your moms and she uses shortening you may want to get it. There are tons of substitutions for shortening. I often use applesauce as a substitute in banana bread and it can be used for any sweet baked goods. The butter can make it a little greasier.

[ellipses84]

My favorite Christmas cookies my family makes are Chocolate Haystacks, which are basically just dry chow mein noodles and chocolate. You can make caramel or peanut butter flavor too.

[jinkies]

If you have trouble with burning cookies, I'd recommend investing in a silicon baking mat. they help distribute the heat more evenly or something-- I don't really know the science but in my experience cookies are much less likely to burn when you use one.

[isabel]

Dec 4, 2023 22:13:31 GMT -5 kdubs923 said:

Dec 4, 2023 21:54:33 GMT -5 lostlenore said:

I would buy the shortening. It comes in very easy to measure/use sticks now…I always use those when I make snickerdoodles.

Not the OP, but do you have a snickerdoodle recipe you'd share?

DS had some Snickerdoodle cookies last year and he could not get enough of them. We were at a party and didn't get the recipe. They were so chewy & soft. We've tried a few recipes at home they're not quite the same. None of our recipes called for shortening, so maybe that's where we went wrong.

I can't remember where these came from. Definitely someone on Food Network, but it's been too long and I don't have a link anymore. Anyway, these are chewy and delicious.


Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ C. All-Purpose Flour

• 1 tsp. Baking Soda

• ½ tsp. Salt

• ½ C. Shortening

• 8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Softened

• 1 ½ C. Sugar, Plus 3 Tbsp.

• 2 Eggs

• 1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

With a handheld or standing mixer, beat together the shortening and butter. Add the 1 ½ cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth.

Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the dough, by hand, into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar. Flatten the balls into 1/2-inch thick disks, spacing them evenly on unlined cookie sheets. Bake until light brown, but still moist in the center, about 12 minutes. Cool on a rack.

[circa1978]

I know shortening isn't popular in modern cooking but I have a few recipes I think it is better than butter for. I'd make it successfully at least once using the recipe as written before I started messing with things.

[jane6672]

I would not swap shortening for butter, the consistency will change.

If anything, go 50/50 shortening and butter.

[underwaterrhymes]

Not a cookie, but my MIL makes the best banana bread and uses shortening. I tried making it with butter and it was not the same, so I’d stick with shortening if that’s what the recipe calls for.

[DotAndBuzz]

With only a couple exceptions, I use half shortening, half butter when I bake cookies.

But If you want it to be exactly like the original, follow the recipe exactly.

[mala]

I would get shortening. It's not my favorite but it will affect the texture if you use butter.

[dirtyred]

Butter contains some water, while shortening doesn't.  That's why your cookies' texture come out different if you swap one for one.  

Generally, one cup plus two tablespoons of butter for one cup of shortening will keep the texture the same.

[expectantsteelerfan]

I've also had success with a favorite traditional family recipe that calls for shortening using 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter. That is probably what I'd do.

[stemmie]

For a family recipe, I don't substitute.

Fat's a pretty critical piece to not just taste but texture in baking. My mom has an old favorite cookbook her mom gave her some 65 years ago. Many of the recipes I grew up on came from that book. DH once tracked down a used copy and I later found one for my niece as a housewarming gift. My niece has been trying to replicate the banana bread mom made with no success-- she texted me Saturday morning to ask what brand of shortening we used. Thing is that mom didn't ever have shortening on hand and used the same measure of Wesson which produces a moister result that toasts beautifully. I grew up making it with her, so I automatically knew this but niece didn't and wondered what she was doing wrong.

cereal K, my aunt made the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. I begged her for years for her recipe. Turns out it's the OG Tollhouse one with the teaspoon of water in it. She sheepishly admitted she used half butter/half Imperial margarine to save money as a young SAHM. The combination, along with chilling, replicates the size and texture perfectly.

livinitup, if you routinely burn cookies, it might be worth checking how accurate your oven is with a thermometer. My last one ran about 15F low, the one before that was 20F hotter.

A silicone mat will avoid scorching the bottoms. Insulated cookie pans will as well. I have a friend who bakes cookies as a professional side hustle-- she uses Airbakes with parchment for almost all her recipes.

www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cookies/airbake-cookie-sheet

[Bad Dingo]

If your DD is interested in doing more baking/cooking, I highly recommend the America's Test Kitchen cookbooks:
www.amazon.com/Complete-Baking-Book-Young-Chefs/dp/1492677698

[bex1973]

Dec 5, 2023 9:01:32 GMT -5 stemmie said:

For a family recipe, I don't substitute.

Fat's a pretty critical piece to not just taste but texture in baking. My mom has an old favorite cookbook her mom gave her some 65 years ago. Many of the recipes I grew up on came from that book. DH once tracked down a used copy and I later found one for my niece as a housewarming gift. My niece has been trying to replicate the banana bread mom made with no success-- she texted me Saturday morning to ask what brand of shortening we used. Thing is that mom didn't ever have shortening on hand and used the same measure of Wesson which produces a moister result that toasts beautifully. I grew up making it with her, so I automatically knew this but niece didn't and wondered what she was doing wrong.

cereal K , my aunt made the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. I begged her for years for her recipe. Turns out it's the OG Tollhouse one with the teaspoon of water in it. She sheepishly admitted she used half butter/half Imperial margarine to save money as a young SAHM. The combination, along with chilling, replicates the size and texture perfectly.

livinitup , if you routinely burn cookies, it might be worth checking how accurate your oven is with a thermometer. My last one ran about 15F low, the one before that was 20F hotter.

A silicone mat will avoid scorching the bottoms. Insulated cookie pans will as well. I have a friend who bakes cookies as a professional side hustle-- she uses Airbakes with parchment for almost all her recipes.

www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cookies/airbake-cookie-sheet

Reminds me of that Friends episode LOL

[livinitup]

Now I have to figure out if my mom used shortening or substituted butter all these years. I know it’s not margarine. There is a big can of Cristco in the cabinet that gets used and replaced regularly but she also uses butter. Im not sure if she’ll admit to adding Crisco. This year, she denied using lard in her Thanksgiving pie crusts while it sat on the counter next to her during prep.

[sdlaura]

Agree on shortening. For nestle tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, instead of the amount of butter it calls for, I use half butter and half shortening, and it makes them better IMO.

My favorite/my family's favorite holiday cookie is almond raspberry thumbprint cookies. My kids don't even like almonds or almond flavors normally, but they love these, and they're always a huge hit with adults, too:

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10222/raspberry-and-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/

[bex1973]

Dec 5, 2023 12:02:08 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Agree on shortening. For nestle tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, instead of the amount of butter it calls for, I use half butter and half shortening, and it makes them better IMO.

My favorite/my family's favorite holiday cookie is almond raspberry thumbprint cookies. My kids don't even like almonds or almond flavors normally, but they love these, and they're always a huge hit with adults, too:

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10222/raspberry-and-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/

Those look so good! And easy!!

[sdlaura]

bex1973, they are! Make sure to double it if you make them, because they go fast

[luckystar2]

Dec 5, 2023 12:02:08 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Agree on shortening. For nestle tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, instead of the amount of butter it calls for, I use half butter and half shortening, and it makes them better IMO.

My favorite/my family's favorite holiday cookie is almond raspberry thumbprint cookies. My kids don't even like almonds or almond flavors normally, but they love these, and they're always a huge hit with adults, too:

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10222/raspberry-and-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/

I’ve been making those thumbprint cookies for the last several years. I can’t stand almond extract though so I replace it with vanilla. Highly recommend that change! Everyone loves them and they’ve become a Christmas favorite.

[bex1973]

Dec 5, 2023 12:26:16 GMT -5 luckystar2 said:

Dec 5, 2023 12:02:08 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Agree on shortening. For nestle tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, instead of the amount of butter it calls for, I use half butter and half shortening, and it makes them better IMO.

My favorite/my family's favorite holiday cookie is almond raspberry thumbprint cookies. My kids don't even like almonds or almond flavors normally, but they love these, and they're always a huge hit with adults, too:

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10222/raspberry-and-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/

I’ve been making those thumbprint cookies for the last several years. I can’t stand almond extract though so I replace it with vanilla. Highly recommend that change! Everyone loves them and they’ve become a Christmas favorite.

Oh thank you for this! I always have vanilla but would have had to buy almond!