No bake cookies are a great introduction to homemade cookie making for aspiring cooks of all ages because they are so quick and easy.
Making no bake cookies is a great way to introduce kids to homemade cookie making since you don't need an oven and mixing and measuring is less precise than with baked cookies. They are perfect for those times when you don't want to heat up the kitchen or when you don't have access to one. They also are great when you want a sweet treat but don't have the time to preheat the oven and bake batch after batch of homemade cookies.
So what are no bake cookies? They are a mixture of crispy, crunchy ingredients combined with sticky, binding ingredients. Cookie crumbs, dry cereal, nuts, and dry chow mein noodles are examples of commonly used crispy ingredients. Peanut butter, honey, marshmallows, corn syrup, or a combination of sugar and milk boiled together are examples of popular gooey binding ingredients.
They require minimal equipment too. Usually all you need is a spoon and a saucepan or bowl.
Then all that you need is the patience to wait until the cookies set. You can often speed this along with a little time in the refrigerator.
There are lots of different no bake cookie recipes to choose from in a wide variety of styles. Some are relatively healthy with lots of dried fruit and nuts. Others are more decadent thanks to the liberal use of cookie crumbs, chocolate, and marshmallows.
The classic no bake cookies that have been around for more than sixty years are Crispy Rice Treats. Other favorites include Butterscotch Haystacks made with crispy chow mein noodles, Bird's Nests, Rum Balls, Graham Cracker Squares, Peanut Butter Bars, Coconut Apricot Balls, and Chocolate Oatmeal Drops.
Martha McKinnon is an avid home cook and cooking instructor who loves sharing everything she has learned through her years in the kitchen with all who are interested.
Home baked cookies are a perfect dessert for holiday gatherings, birthday parties and your children's school functions, but having to make them on the same day you need to do one million other things, like working a full time job, or cleaning your house , can be a major challenge for a busy mom! Fortunately, many cookie recipes can be considered "make ahead", meaning, make the dough ahead and freeze all of it, or a portion, for later use. With cookie dough that you've made ahead and frozen, you spend less time in the kitchen, which stays clean, and you have some delicious homemade cookies to offer your guests (or to send off to school) in a snap. Here are some guidelines for freezing make ahead cookies.
Flash Freezing
Yes, there is a method to freezing cookie dough! Simply putting your cookie dough in a plastic container and throwing it in the freezer will work, but I don't recommend it. What happens when you are ready to cook, but your cookie dough is a solid chunk of ice? You will be waiting hours for that huge mass to thaw! There is a better way, and it's called flash freezing. For flash freezing, you will need a cookie tray, saran wrap, parchment paper, a tablespoon cookie scoop and a gallon sized, labeled freezer bag.
Once you've assembled and mixed your cookie dough, use a tablespoon cookie scoop, to scoop out the dough into balls and then place them onto your cookie sheet very close together. A cookie scoop will save time and produce perfect balls of dough for perfectly shaped cookies. Your fingers will stay clean, and you won't have to deal with sticky tablespoons! Once you've filled your tray, cover it in saran wrap and place it in the freezer for two to three hours, until partially frozen.
Label Your Freezer Bags
While your cookie dough is freezing, label your freezer bag. Most freezer bags have a white area for labeling. If you prefer, you may use freezer tape, available at most grocery stores. Using a permanent marker, label your freezer bag with the name of the cookies, the date they were frozen, the cooking time, and any other specific cooking directions, so that you don't have to search for the recipe, when you are ready to cook.
Once your dough is partially frozen and no longer sticky to the touch, place your dough into the freezer bag and put it back in the freezer. By flash freezing, your pre-formed cookie dough won't stick together, and will be ready for the oven when you are.
On the day you are ready to cook, take the dough out and place the balls of dough on your parchment lined cookie tray. Preheat the oven. The dough should thaw for at least 30 to 45 minutes and then you are ready to bake according to the instructions on your freezer bag.
Make Ahead Cookies
I have used the flash freezing method for many cookie recipes and have had fantastic results. These cookie recipes include: big ginger cookies; brownie cookies; macadamia nut cookies; oatmeal cookies; peanut butter chocolate chip crackles; peanut butter kiss cookies; snickerdoodles; and everyone's favorite, chocolate chip cookies. You can find these great make ahead cookie recipes, as well as specific flash freezing instructions, in my Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook, to be published in the summer of 2009.
For homemade cookies in a flash, I highly recommend flash freezing. Enjoy!
Jane Doiron is a busy working mom of two boys. She is an Elementary School teacher with a passion for cooking and experimenting with recipes. With her busy schedule, Jane has found that make ahead meals (meals prepared in advance) are time-savers, money-savers and are the best alternatives to eating "take-out", which is not usually a healthy meal choice. Jane's cookbook is the result of her years of seeking out new recipes, experimenting with family-favorite recipes, and turning them into make ahead meals. Make ahead meals can be frozen ahead, assembled ahead, or cooked ahead and reheated. The recipes in her cookbook are a combination of all three and were specially formulated without compromising the food's taste and texture. Along with make ahead meals, in her book, Jane also shares her favorite dessert, appetizer and side-dish recipes, as well as helpful tips, like, make ahead tips for the holidays, freezing, must-have items for freezing, and many more useful cooking tips for making recipes ahead. Stay tuned! Jane's book, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms will be published in the summer of 2009. You will be able to purchase your own copy of Jane's book by visiting Amazon.com and makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com Sign up now for a sneak peak at four make ahead recipes appearing in Jane Doiron’s cookbook, by visiting makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com
