Basic cookie recipe?

[SomeDanGuy]

I'm looking for a very basic cookie recipe. (i.e. - flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda/powder, oil, vanilla, whatever)

The plan is this - to test various substitutes with the ultimate goal of low-calorie cookies. For example, they make Splenda for baking now and I want to see how it compares to regular sugar. So the more basic the ingredients, the greater fraction of it I can substitute for other stuff. Right now I know of substitutes to try for sugar, butter, oil and eggs, although I don't think the butter will bake well.

Any help? (l looked around online and a lot are complex and involve shortening, and the one I tried totally failed)

[gothicmom]

Sugar cookies

cream: 1/2 c. butter

1 cup sugar

Blend in: 1 egg

Add: 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

roll out dough and cut out the cookies. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

[SomeDanGuy]

Hooray! I tried it out this morning, and they came out great. Thank you so much!

[gothicmom]

you just replaced the sugar with splenda?

[SomeDanGuy]

Well I just tested the recipe NORMAL for the time being so that I could have a control group to compare further experiments to.

I'll begin experimenting next week, after gross anatomy finally ends tomorrow and I have some free time

[gothicmom]

ah....ok

[Ginevra]

This sounds like a thinly veiled attempt at getting everyone's easy to make cookie recipes

[gothicmom]

hehehehehe

chocolate chip cookies are easy too. If you want the recipe let me know!

[Fierce Critter]

Every kitchen should have a copy of the Better Homes & Garden cookbook. It's the red & white checked one that generally comes ring-binder style.

There are great, basic recipes in there.

[gothicmom]

mine is WELL used.

[Ginevra]

They carry those at Target although I'm not sure how much they are offhand.

[Fierce Critter]

My copy I got cheap 'cause it was an experiment in publishing a hard-cover, bound version without the thumb indexes, etc. Ended up very unpopular and sold for like $4.00. I don't think they make it this way anymore.

They DO publish a softcover version, however. But the creme de la creme is the ringbound, thumbindexed version.

It's SUCH a great tool. If you don't know the basics like baking a potato (I had no clue what temp or how long), etc. it's invaluable.

[gothicmom]

But the creme de la creme is the ringbound, thumbindexed version.

Thats what i have. My mom bought mine at Sams several years ago. I still have to look to see how long for a baked potato or how long to boil corn on the cob!

[SomeDanGuy]

REPORT:

Splenda:

This was obnoxious to use. You have to be careful to stir it into the butter gradually or it will permanently clump up. In the end, the recipe comes out too dry and particulated. I reduced the flour content to make it more normal, but the dough still came out of the oven the same:

- Dough balls don't flatten out at all and the 'cookies' ending up being more like dry biscuits, or scones more accuratly.

Fake butter:

I tried out the liquid, no-calories stuff. Surprisingly, they came out more edible than the splenda ones. In this case the dough comes out runnier than usual. Even if you add in extra flour, they come out the same:

- Cookies are oddly rubbery. I don't know how to describe it exactly. They don't taste bad, but I wouldn't call the substance a cookie really. It's rather odd. But on the other hand it cuts calories almost in half!

I tried using both together to see if they'd cancel each other out, but they come out pretty much like the fake butter ones.

So in conclusion: Failure all around!

[Fierce Critter]

By any chance, have you checked to see if either product has a website with tips on how to substitute their product for the "real thing"?

[Onyx]

I often wonder what these artificial things do to one's body. I say just make them with real sugar and real butter and eat them less often or limit yourself to only a couple.

I no likee fake food.

[Fierce Critter]

Agreed, Onyx. Everything in moderation. You can eat too much of something made with real butter & sugar, sit around the house all day and get fat. :whistling: But if you stick to a reasonable serving and are reasonably active, I suspect your body will appreciate less chemical-laden ingredents much more than all this hybrid frankenstein food.

[Ginevra]

One word: Twinkies

Twinkies and cockroaches will inherit the earth and it's a toss-up as to who will actually be ruler over the other.

Seriously, there IS so many additives in soooo many foods that we eat, when I get "natural" foods or drinks to consume, it's actually quite a different taste.

[nvayne]

I completey agree just eat the real thing and stick to one or a half serving just to get rid of the craving. I watched a roomate eat a whole box of fatfree cupcakes, live on healthy choice pizzas, and use I can't belive it's not butter yet she still managed to gain weight over the year I lived with her... dispite all the "healthy eating".

nvayne

[Brenda Starrr]

Pillsbury slice and bake, or anything that you just slice and bake. Or, eat other people's homemade cookies. Works for me, anyway.

[Marblez]

Pillsbury slice and bake, or anything that you just slice and bake. Or, eat other people's homemade cookies. Works for me, anyway.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What she said!

[Onyx]

I completey agree just eat the real thing and stick to one or a half serving just to get rid of the craving. I watched a roomate eat a whole box of fatfree cupcakes, live on healthy choice pizzas, and use I can't belive it's not butter yet she still managed to gain weight over the year I lived with her... dispite all the "healthy eating".

nvayne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Nvayne! Welcome to the new DGN board

Onyx

[gothicmom]

Here ya go.....

Sugar Cookies

This sweet treat will bring forth childhood memories

Makes 2 ½ dozen cookies

Preparation Time: 27 minutes

Baking Time: 8 to 10 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional Garnishes: decorative candies and colored sugars

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Gradually flour mixture add to SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking mixture, beating until blended. Do not over-mix.

Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half; pat each half into a circle and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill cookie dough for one hour or until slightly firm.

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Work with one portion of dough at a time. Roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a cookie cutter, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with decorative candies or colored sugars, if desired.

Bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrients Per Serving

Serving Size 1 cookie

Calories 150

Calories from Fat 60

Total Fat 7g

Saturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 30mg

Sodium 60mg

Total Carbohydrate 19g

Dietary Fiber 0g

Sugars 7g

Protein 2g

[gothicmom]

1 cup SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking

Notice it says Sugar Blend. Thats a blend they sell thats part splenda part regular sugar. That allows you to cut your sugar intake.

[Kit Kat P]

Did you ever try it with applesauce?