For snacking, few things can top a cookie dipped in warm or cold milk.
The cookie in question has to be plain, crisp, sturdy and an appropriate taste complement to the creamy milk. If it falls apart only two seconds after being dunked, it isn`t the right cookie.
Once you start eating, it`s hard to stop. With the Easter holiday and it`s overload of candy in mind, here are some cookies that can be tucked into an Easter basket, then enjoyed with an 8-ounce glass of skim milk for about 200 calories.
The cookies have 14 to 61 calories each. Assuming that a glass of skim milk has 90 calories, each recipe includes an appropriate serving size.
If you feel adventurous and can do math, you can mix and match the cookies to create your own 200-calorie snack. Or, don`t count at all, and have as many as you want.
All the cookies may be stored in airtight containers and will remain fresh for up to two weeks.
CHOCOLATE THINS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: At least 12 hours
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Yield: 48 cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted, cooled
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda, salt
1. Beat together the butter and sugar until light; beat in the egg. Stir in the coffee and chocolate.
2. Combine the dry ingredients and stir to mix well, then add to the chocolate batter, mixing until smooth.
3. Turn the dough onto a double layer of wax paper and roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Hint: To keep the log even, fold the wax sheets over the log and press your hand against the log. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use, at least 12 hours.
4. To bake: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut dough into 1/8-inch slices and set on greased cookie sheet (or line cookie sheet with non-stick parchment paper). Bake until the cookie is crisp and dry but not too brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
Note: This dough may be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. You can slice off as many slices as you need and bake to order.
Nutrition information per cookie: 45 calories; 3 g fat; 10 mg cholesterol; 51 mg sodium.
GINGERSNAPS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: At least 12 hours
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 55 cookies
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, not packed
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus water to equal 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry ginger
Pinch white pepper
1. Beat together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the lemon-flavored water. Add the grated fresh ginger. Stir together the dry ingredients and stir into the dough. Turn dough onto double sheet of wax paper and roll into a long log about 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate at least 12 hours, or freeze until needed.
2. To bake: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut dough into 1/8-inch slices and set on greased cookie sheet (or line cookie sheet with non-stick parchment paper). Bake until the cookies have flattened and look dry, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool.
Nutrition information per cookie: 40 calories; 1 g fat; 4 mg cholesterol; 49 mg sodium.
LADYFINGERS
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 48 cookies
2 eggs plus 1 extra white, separated
7 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons cake flour
Pinch salt
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with non-stick baking paper.
2. Beat 3 egg whites to light peaks, then beat in 3 tablespoons of the sugar gradually to form a stiff meringue.
3. Beat the yolks with 3 tablespoons sugar until light; add the vanilla, then stir in the flour and salt.
4. Stir in 1/4 of the meringue mixture to lighten the batter, then gently fold in the rest of the meringue to make a very light mixture. Turn batter into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. Pipe 3-inch strips onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (You will need to use the paper because the cookies are very delicate.)
5. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until ladyfingers are pale brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before peeling from the paper.
Note: This cookie can do double duty as ladyfingers in desserts.
Nutrition information per cookie: 14 calories; negligible fat; 9 mg cholesterol; 7 mg sodium.
ORANGE BISCOTTI
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 46 cookies; 1 per serving
6 tablespoons oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon minced dried orange rind
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and rinds for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the dry ingredients.
3. Stir the flour mixture into the oil mixture, blending until smooth. Divide the batter into 2 equal parts and form logs 2 inches in diameter and 14 inches long on greased cookie sheet. Try to make the logs even.
4. Bake the logs until puffed, lightly browned and dry, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cut each log into 23 pieces;
place each cookie on its side. (You will need 2 cookie sheets.) Bake another 10 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake 10 minutes more; the biscotti should be golden brown and dry. Cool.
Nutrition information per cookie: 61 calories; 2 g fat; 19 mg cholesterol; 47 mg sodium.
