I intended to make these with Halloween-themed M&M's, but I didn't find any, so you're just going to have to pretend. One of my chief complaints about M&M cookies is that the candies are so sweet that the overall effect can be something that appeals only to those who are 10 and under. But this recipe is just the thing--not too sweet and the generous quantity of vanilla along with a hint of nutmeg give them a flavor I can only describe as perfect.
from The Essential Crunchy Sugar Cookie recipe in The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion
1/4 cup (1 5/8 oz.) vegetable shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (this is 1/2 stick, or 2 oz.)
2/3 cup (4 3/4 oz.) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (2 oz.) milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon white vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, a whole tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I grated my own with a microplane grater and used about 1/2 teaspoon just because it ends up being so fluffy)
2 cups (8 1/2 oz.) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups M&M's*
additional granulated sugar for tops of cookies
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (Alternatively, you can grease the baking sheets.)
Using a stand mixer (or sturdy electric hand mixer and a large bowl), cream shortening, butter, and sugar for approximately 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl.
In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Add this to the butter mixture, beating until well combined. The mixture will look curdled, but this is fine.
Add nutmeg, flour, baking soda, and salt while mixer is off. Start beating on slowest speed and gradually increase to medium-low, beating until the mixture forms a cohesive dough. Add M&M's and beat or stir until candies are evenly distributed throughout.
Use a cookie scoop, spoon, or your hands to form dough into 1.5-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten the balls to 1/4 inch thick.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating sheets on top and bottom racks halfway through. When done, the cookies should be a light gold color and just beginning to brown around the bottom edges. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag for up to 1 week.
*A "medium" bag of M&M's contains 1 3/4 cups, which works fine for this recipe, but if you spring for the "large" bag, you'll have a full 2 cups and some leftovers to much on, which may be either a positive or a negative depending on your perspective.
I try not to keep baked goods in the house, as they are my kryptonite, but I'm going to have to try these, Pepper. I enjoy oatmeal M&M cookies, which usually aren't so sweet, but it's nice to have more texture contrast. I dig the emphasis on vanilla and the touch of nutmeg.
How is the texture/moisture after they cool? I'm guessing the cider vinegar is there to help with leavening.
These are totally worth it! Plus, they freeze well. I find if the cookies aren't right out on the counter where I can see them, they don't disappear quite so quickly.
The cookies are a bit crunchy but not overly so. The recipe doesn't mention the reason for the cider vinegar, but yeah, I assume it's to provide an acid for the baking soda to react with.
I made chili today. Used too much of the soaking water for the chiles and the Mrs thought the outcome was too bitter. I thought it came out pretty good, but not enough beefy flavor to balance the 6 cups or so of chile sauce I made (guajillos and anchos toasted and soaked; a charred onion and charred garlic, ground, toasted cumin, cloves, and oregano, fresh rosemary, extra cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, cocoa powder, coffee, some soak water, some chicken stock, and a can of chopped tomatoes, all put into the blender until smooth). Ground beef (80/20, about a pound and a half). Can of red kidney beans and can of black beans, rinsed. A couple tablespoons of sugar.
Anyway, I have a crockpot full of chili that I will be eating by myself.... Boo.
This is my house with every batch ... which looks a lot like yours (but with fewer "fresh" ingredients and I like some vegetables chunks so I don't blend the onions and diced tomatoes).
I also use brown sugar, dark beer & tomato paste.
yea, normally I would have chunks of onions and peppers too. I just went with straight chile sauce this time because...I dunno.
Anyway, I played around with some things to try to tame the bitterness. Added some lime juice and then some malt vinegar to up the acidity, then some liquid smoke, fish sauce (a tablespoon, maybe) and some tamari to up the umami. All of that took a bit of the edge off of the perceived bitterness without really changing the flavor profile. I might add another can of tomatoes on tuesday (gonna be in LA and Orange tomorrow).
the Mrs will have to suffer with the leftover mushroom curry I made on saturday.
Mrs. Hayes gamely eats my Cincinnati chili the first evening, but her heart isn't really in it. I'd probably make it every three weeks if she liked it as much as I do. But I don't complain about being responsible for the leftovers.
If I could rotate Cincinnati chili, chile verde, and red bean chili with greater frequency, I'd be a very cool cucumber.
Looking forward to the onset of chili & stew weather.
I think this is just an opportunity to host a party . . . at which you serve chili.
And discuss family history.
I've been thinking about making chili for a week or two. Probably going to have to happen soon now.
On a lark, this summer I bought two poblano plants for $.25 a piece (clearance sale!). Friday night I completed my harvest, roasted, peeled, and froze the peppers. I now have 3 pint-size bags (roughly half full, each) of poblanos ready to be tossed into a crockpot for chili. I also have some 20+ quart bags full of diced tomatoes. I'm excited to make chili from homegrown ingredients.
I'll have you try these. M&M cookies are favorites of my kids (weird, right?), so I'm sure these would go over well.
I suspect these cookies would also work well with chopped-up bits of leftover Halloween candy, but I can't imagine my kids would relinquish any of their candy for me to attempt it.
Just siphon off a piece everytime they ask for some. A little candy embezzlement, if you will.
Do you suppose these cookies ship well? 😀
Wait . . . is this a request? I do think they actually have a pretty good texture for shipping. In comparison, these ones are a bit too delicate.
Just a wish, 's all. They look great
You don't parent-tax Halloween candy?!
That stuff is fair game as far as I'm concerned, particularly if left unattended in common areas.
The less parent-tax you impose on candy, the more you'll grow the stash, and then it will trickle down... into the couch cushions.
Wrappers, for damn sure. And then I'll have to bring the shop-vac in for a pre-Thanksgiving couch cleaning, by the time one factors those in along with the popcorn, crayons, loose change, legos, batteries, various playing cards, game tokens...
Don't they know about income tax and storage fees?
Oh, Zee mentioned that.
There's a tax that's withheld when the candy is earned, and there's variable fees for every day it sits in the house.
And if you unwrap a lot and leave half-eaten pieces all around the house, the fees might get usurious and a big portion shipped to your father's office breakroom.
I really want to see the full tax code of the R household.
I have logistical and other supporting teams that need bribing!