My Favorite Drop Cookies

Chocolate Banana Cookies didn't make my list of favorites, but this is my favorite cookie photo so far

39 different cookies. It's quite possible that I've tried more cookie recipes in the past 10 months than in all the time prior to that. Making a batch of cookies every Sunday evening has become part of the rhythm of my weekends and something that has brought me great pleasure.

Not to say there haven't been some magnificent flops along the way. The ones that come to mind are 24-Karat Cookies and the cookie I will never live down - Poppy-Seed Wafers. There were near-disasters too - those cookies where I had to throw out a goodly portion because they stuck to the foil or burned.

But in between, there have been lots of good cookies and, yes, some mediocre ones. They start to run together after a while, but a few stand out and will no doubt be making encore appearances at my house.

With one exception, what follows is not an ordered list - it's hard for me to compare a cookie I tried two weeks ago with one I tried 6 months ago. There is one cookie that I keep thinking about, though, so I'd have to say that it is my favorite drop cookie. But first, the runners up...



Connecticut Nutmeg Hermits - nothing flashy, but definitely habit-forming



Date-Nut Wafers - sweet, crispy, chewy, with cinnamon, walnuts and dates. What more could you want in a cookie?



Date-Nut Rocks - hmmm... another date-nut cookie, maybe there's a pattern here.



Tijuana Fiesta Cookies - these were such a surprise to me - unusual and unusually good.


Which brings me to my favorite cookie so far...


Pumpkin Rocks - soooo good, wish I had some now. Crunchy outside, soft inside, loaded with nuts and raisins, and topped with a lemony glaze... mmmmm. As I said before, though, there's one caveat: these cookies are really best the day they are made.

Finally, just in case you're late to the party, all these cookies are from Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies. All the recipes are also included in a later compilation called Maida Heatter's Cookies. I recommend all Maida Heatter's books, but her cookie book is obviously near and dear to my heart.

Mondays with Maida - Vanilla Butter Wafers

Page 70 in the old book / page 98 in the new book

These cookies were incredibily easy, with just the most basic of cookie ingredients: butter, vanilla, sugar, egg, and flour. And yet, I'm still not sure that they came out the way they were supposed to. I'm certain they didn't end up shaped as Maida intended...

I thought I did "place the dough neatly and carefully", but nonetheless my cookies failed to "bake into perfect rounds". I opened the oven halfway through the allotted time in order to reverse the cookie sheets and was startled to see thin layers of dough floating on top of a sea of bubbling melted butter. Even when the cookies were done, there was still an excess of melted butter. Although the dough contains a high proportion of butter (1/2 cup butter to 1/3 cup flour), the dough appeared to be of a normal consistency before baking. Perhaps the excess butter was intentional (maybe it was necessary to achieve the browned edges?), but it sure turned me off to these cookies.

I came so close to throwing them in the trash - I put them in the storage container, then started to take them out, then put them back in, then stood there undecided for quite some time. At last, I packed them up, having decided that at least I need to get the cookie panel to taste them. When I brought them into work the next day, I handed out cookies to those on the panel and then, after initially hiding the rest in my office, decided to put the cookies out in their regular place (but without the usual email announcement). I was amazed to see that by afternoon, they were all gone.

Even more surprising, they didn't get a zero...

Suzanne: "I enjoyed this thin buttery wafer. It had a hint of lemon in the flavor. It would have been a great cookie if Cathy had put two of the cookies together with chocolate in the middle. Yum! Rating - 3.5"

Denny: "Too much butter, but I like butter and don't eat enough of it. Rating - 3.8"

Terri: "A buttery delight - wafer thin, chewy, and delicious with tea. This would be a good cookie with a fruit dessert. Rating - 3.0"

Phil: "A wafer thin, buttery cookie with an absence of sweetness. Not a first pick but might be a nice accompaniment to a sorbet or coffee ice cream. As wafer cookies go, stick with the praline with pecans or Norman Rockwell oatmeal varieties sampled previously. Rating - 2.8"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.3

That's a wrap for drop cookies! Next week the bar cookies begin with Petites Trianons. The contest was a bust (no entries), but tomorrow I'll tell you which were my personal favorites from among the drop cookies.

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Tijuana Fiesta Cookies

Page 68 in the old book / page 96 in the new book

Phil suggested that everyone might like these so much because we were on the rebound from those awful Poppy-Seed Wafers. There might be an element of truth to that, but they were awful good. Not only were they good, they were unusual - quite different in flavor from any spice cookie I've ever had.

Because of the unusual spices in this recipe, I was afraid I was setting myself up for another disaster. But I need not have worried, these cookies have a wonderful warm spicy taste. The anise is what you taste first, but it is supported by the ginger and molasses and the other spices (coriander, cinnamon, and cloves) as well, though they are less distinct.

Some people didn't really enjoy the noticeable presence of whole anise seeds and crushed coriander. If you make these (and I recommend that you do!), depending upon your intended audience, you may want to try grinding the anise seed before adding it. I used a mortar and pestle to crush the coriander, but next time I'll probably substitute ground coriander. I did like the whole anise seed though.

I had a little trouble getting the proper consistency for the icing. I used more sugar and less milk than called for and it still wanted to run off the cookies. Next time I think I'll start with 2 cups of sugar and play it by ear with the milk.

It's so nice to have a happy cookie panel again...

Suzanne: "This was a soft cookie with the definite taste of anise. If you don't like licorice you won't like this cookie. The cookie had too many different tastes. I prefer a crunchier cookie. I did like the icing and the pecan on top. Rating - 3.0"

Denny: "Another one that I wouldn't normally like but I rate them a 4. Very good even with the anise which I don't like. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Moist, yummy cookies. Loved the spices! Rating - 4.0"

Phil: "A delightful discovery -- soft almost fluffy cookie with a strong melange of interesting spices (aptly refered to as exotic by Maida) with a noticable zip of anise. Seemed to wake up a range of taste buds I didn't remember having. Rating - 4.4"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Vanilla Butter Wafers

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Poppy-Seed Wafers & A Contest!

Page 68 in the old book / page 96 in the new book

I won't beat around the bush... these were bad. The recipe calls for 5 ounces of poppy seeds which, with just a cup of flour, is an awful lot of poppy seeds. They are not attractive cookies either. Suzanne thought they looked moldy and someone else said they looked "herby". There are some chopped raisins in them, which provides slight relief from all those poppy seeds, but not enough to make the cookies palatable. Somehow (by the second day) they were all eaten, but I didn't get any positive feedback on these.

The ratings from the cookie panel were the lowest ever. Both Denny and Terri were out, so we're only hearing from three this week (thank goodness!).

Suzanne: "This is not a cookie that you want to immediately pick up and eat. There are so many poppy seed, the cookie looks moldy. It has that grey-green look. The taste is just okay. It definitely has a long lasting taste, since after you finish the cookie, your tongue keeps finding poppy seeds hidden in your gums and teeth. Rating - 2.0"

Laura: "Laura doesn't care for poppy seeds. Thanks anyway. Rating - 1.0"

Phil: "Sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles -- bitter, bitter, bitter, in spite of an occasional raisin. Even a competent cook could not salvage this dreadful cookie. Plus anyone consuming all those poppy seeds can forget about passing the drug screen for Department of Homeland Security any time soon (if that's your poison). Rating - 0.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 1.0


So, on a more cheerful note... Only two more drop cookies to go! To celebrate the end of the first chapter in the book, I've decided to sponsor a little contest. The prize will be a copy of the old book: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies.

To enter you must write a brief cookie review "in the style of Phil" - whatever you decide that is. You may make or buy the cookie, but the post should include a photo, some background about where the recipe or cookie came from and the review - which you may attribute to Phil if you wish. Email me a link to your post by August 23rd. Phil has kindly agreed to judge the entries. I will announce the winner and post a list of the entries (possibly with some comments from Phil) on Tuesday, August 30th. Please feel free to enter even if you already have a copy of the book - you can give it to a friend or bestow it upon one of the other entrants.

Next week - Tijuana Fiesta Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Butterscotch Molasses Cookies

Page 66 in the old book / page 97 in the new book

The notes with this recipe say that these cookies are easily mixed in a saucepan. If easily means in an uncomplicated way and without much chance of messing it up, then yes, they are easily mixed. But if easily means throw stuff in the saucepan, give it a few little stirs and voila, you have cookie dough, then I'm sorry, they are not easily mixed. This is a stiff dough stirred by hand - you will feel the burn. Think upper body workout.

The dough is not at all sticky and too stiff to simply drop from the spoon. I found myself shaping it into balls with two spoons. This wasn't difficult, but it would be just as easy to roll it in your hands into balls.

These cookies are simple and good, but not great. Sweet and slightly chewy, they have attractive, crackly tops. I thought they tasted more like molasses than butterscotch. In fact, they tasted much like a ginger snap and some assumed they were ginger cookies despite the fact that there is no ginger in them.

This one received mixed reviews from the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "The cookie was crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. This was a good cookie, not great, but good. This cookie was heavy which means one was enough. You felt full after eating the cookie. Rating - 3.0"

Denny: "No offense, but could've been sugar cookies except for all your work. Rating - 2.7"

Laura: "Maybe it was just the one I took, but my cookie was a tad dry. Not bad, but not my favorite thus far. Rating - 2.0 (sorry)"

Phil: "A blue collar kind of cookie which knows that if you're going to consume a couple of hundred calories you should know it. Simple flavors, sweet, with a little chew. Rating - 4.2"

Overall rating by the panel - 2.9

Next week - Poppy-Seed Wafers (Mohn Cookies)

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Page 65 in the old book / page 93 in the new book

I'm afraid that this last of the oatmeal drop cookies is still not what I'm looking for in an oatmeal cookie. Judging by the ratings and comments of the cookie panel, it isn't what they're looking for either.

This dough is very thin - almost like a batter - and there's just enough of it to hold together the oats, raisins, and currants. The instructions say to bake these for 17 to 20 minutes, but I found that they smelled and looked done after 14 minutes. When freshly baked, the cookies are slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy inside. I didn't eat one the next day, but they appeared to have lost their crunch by then. I used the old fashioned rolled oats this time, but even that didn't elevate these cookies above the very ordinary.

Brace yourselves. Here's the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "What can I say? This was not my favorite cookie. Actually it tasted like a granola bar in the form of a cookie. It was a little dry so I actually ate the raisins for moistness. Yuk! Rating 2.0 (for effort)"

Denny: "Not my favorite so I'd give it a subjective 2.9. Rating - 2.9"

Terri: "A chewy (almost molasses) taste with lots of raisins! A flat cookie ~ could have used more oatmeal. Rating 3.0"

Phil: "A very wholesome, dense cookie which would be a great companion for that rare wilderness adventure (in lieu of that last handful of trail mix). Tastes a bit like a soft granola bar. If your not in survival mode pass on this one. Rating 2.7"

Overall rating by the panel - 2.7

Next week - Butterscotch Molasses Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

Page 64 in the old book / page 92 in the new book

I think I'm feeling a little let down by the oatmeal drop cookies in this book. Not one of them fits my idea of the perfect oatmeal cookie... thick, loaded with raisins (sorry Suzanne!), crunchy outside, moist and chewy inside. This week's cookies - Oatmeal Molasses Cookies - are no exception. Like the cookies from the last two weeks, they are thin and crunchy. In addition to the oats, they've got nuts and coconut in them and they are flavored with molasses and vanilla.

One thing I've been doing that I hadn't mentioned before, is using quick oats rather than the old fashioned rolled oats. I've done this mostly because I wanted to use what I had on hand, but I can't help but wonder if any of these cookies would have been better with the rolled oats. I tend to think not, since the weakness has been flavor rather than textural interest. But for you traditionalists... I do intend to use the old fashioned rolled oats in next week's cookies!

Suzanne is back from vacation, but Terri is stepping in for Phil, who is out with a cold. I neglected to collect Laura's comments, so I may be updating this post if I get them later. Here's the panel...

Update - I've added Laura's comments and recalculated the overall rating...

Suzanne: "My first question to Cathy when I heard the word 'oatmeal', was if there were raisins in them. I was pleasantly surprised to find out there were no raisins. This would be a great dunking cookie in coffee or milk since the cookie is crunchy. The walnuts are an added treat. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Another Rockwell favorite? Crunchy which I like. I also like the ingredients but really couldn't taste them. I guess you gotta like bland cookies to be a great artist. Rating - 3.0"

Terri: "A delicious mix of coconut, walnuts and molasses make this a flat, crunchy and sweet cookie. Reminds me of a granola bar type texture. Once again, delicious with coffee. Rating - 3.5"

Laura: "Tasty but a tad dry - probably because I was out on Monday and got it a day late. Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.4

Next week - Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Oatmeal Snickerdoodles

Page 62 in the old book / page 91 in the new book

I think snickerdoodle lovers will love these cookies, but others may find them a little plain. They are small, thin and crunchy, with cinnamon inside and out.

These were easy to make, but the method given doesn't result in especially attractive cookies. The cookies are dropped and then sprinkled with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. I think the more traditional way of making snickerdoodles is to form them into balls and then roll the balls in the cinnamon and sugar. If I were to make these again, I think I'd try that approach.

Here's the cookie panel - Suzanne is still on vacation, but will be back next week:

Terri: "If you like French toast, you'll enjoy Oatmeal Snickerdoodles. A flat, chewy cookie with a great cinnamon taste. Delicious with coffee. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "I'd give them a 3, but they taste like Norman Rockwell's favorites. Equally uninspiring. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "My favorite so far! The perfect amount of crunch! You can go wrong with cinnomon! 10 of 5. Rating - 5"

Phil: "Not quite up to par with the oatmeal competition so far. A dense, crunchy cookie with good but not remarkable flavor. Rating 3.2"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Norman Rockwell's Oatmeal Wafers

Page 61 in the old book / page 90 in the new book

These are beautiful, large, thin cookies with a delicate crunch and an interesting name. Maida Heatter's note explains "They are a favorite of Norman Rockwell, the great illustrator of Americana."

I liked these a lot. They are not overly sweet and have a wonderful texture. I think the walnuts I used were a little less flavorful than normal and didn't have that slightly astringent bite you normally associate with walnuts, so the flavor of the cookies was a little bland. With better nuts, though, I think they would be outstanding.

These were very easy to make. I used parchment on the cookie sheets as I normally do, but for these cookies I'd say it is essential.

Here's the cookie panel - Terri is filling in for Suzanne, who is on vacation this week:

Terri: "These wafer-like cookies (1/4 inch thick) are a wonderful combination of nuts, oatmeal and a great buttery flavor. Chocolate chips would make them perfect! Rating - 4.5"

Denny: "Obviously Norm got his inspiration elsewhere. I'd give them a 2.9, rather ordinary. Good but ordinary. Rating - 2.9"

Laura: "Yummy crispy oatmeal cookies... my favorite, so far. Rating - 5"

Phil: "A flying saucer like wafer with a crater like surface. Great choice for those sci fi or NASA gourmands. This thin, chewy cookie is not as sweet or sticky as the Praline wafers (previously reviewed) but more a buttery fusion of yummy yet hard to decipher ingredients. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.2

Next week - Oatmeal Snickerdoodles

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - German Oatmeal Cookies

Page 60 in the old book / page 94 in the new book

These are soft, slightly spicy oatmeal cookies loaded with raisins, dates, pecans, and chocolate chips.

Making these cookies was easy and uneventful. Maida Heatter's note that accompanies the recipe refers to them as "real old-fashioned cookie-jar cookies" and I would agree. In taste and texture they remind me of some banana cookies my mom used to make, even though they have no banana in them. I thought they were very good.

'Tis the season for vacations and the cookie panelists are no exception. Both Denny and Phil are vacationing this week but will return next week.

Suzanne: "This cookie had so many things in it that it masked the taste of the raisins. The chocolate chips made the cookie. Yeah chocolate! Rating - 3.8"

Terri: "A delicious combination of chocolate chips, pecans, raisins and oatmeal make this chunky cookie a great mix of textures. Seemed a tad bit dry, not a moist type cookie. Rating - 4"

Laura: "Sweet, tasty and a little bit of everything - nuts, chocolate, raisins, etc. Yummy goodness. Rating - 4"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

By the way, just wanted to call attention to the Top Ten list that I recently set up. Now that the cookie panel has rated a little over ten different cookies, I will maintain a list of the ten most highly rated cookies with links to the original posts. You'll find a link to the Top Ten list in the sidebar along with the links to the Mondays with Maida archive and nutrition facts.

Next week - Norman Rockwell's Oatmeal Wafers

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Blind Date Cookies

Page 58 in the old book / page 89 in the new book

These are soft cookies, each with a walnut-stuffed date inside and a thin glaze on top. I thought they were a little too sweet.

If these had been easier to make I might have liked them better. The dough is very thin - almost like a batter - and the stuffed dates must be dipped in it. Maida Heatter suggested using two forks to roll the date around in the dough until generously coated. I found this technique awkward and it took me a while to get the hang of it. Eventually, I found a method that worked for me. I would run the forks slightly below the date, lifting it and turning it.

I think I was muttering a lot while making these cookies - they weren't fun and the results were frustrating. The cookies came out various sizes and I didn't think they looked all that appealing. Surprisingly, most of the cookie panel loved them. Everyone was very impressed with the stuffed date and was wondering how I got the nut in there (which is very easy if you don't try to use a whole walnut half as specified in the recipe - I used half of a half, or a couple of smaller pieces). It was getting the date into the cookie that was troublesome!

Suzanne: "I LOVED these cookies. I could have eaten them all. I usually try to eat only one cookie, since I'm trying to watch my girlish figure, but I'm sure I'll be going back for more. Rating - 5"

Terri: "Although I love sweets, I thought the icing made the cookie too sweet. The walnut inside the date was a pleasant surprise. Cookie could have been bulkier - it is fairly flat with lump in middle (blind date). would be tasty with a sorbet. Rating - 3"

Laura: "Moist yummy cookie with delightful light glaze and a tasty surprise inside. Yum! Rating - 4"

Phil: "A blind date worth the risk. This cookie works at several levels – sugary sweet glaze and fruity sweet date with a textural mix of a cakey cookie and sticky date enveloping a chunk of walnut. Rating - 4.4"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.1

Next week - German Oatmeal Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Date-Nut Rocks

Page 57 in the old book / page 87 in the new book

The last (and possibly best) of the rocks. This is a plainer and simpler cookie than the other rocks - no icing and only one spice - but very, very good. These are soft cookies stuffed with dates and pecans and flavored with allspice and brown sugar.

Making these cookies is easier than either the pumpkin or banana rocks because they are not iced. I don't mind icing cookies, but when the icing has to go on the moment the cookies come out of the oven, things tend to get a little crazy in the kitchen! With these, you drop them on the sheet, bake 'em, and put them on a rack to cool. Done.

Date-Nut Rocks would be perfect for mailing - they're not at all fragile and hold up very well in storage.

Date-Nut Rocks received uniformly high scores from the cookie panel this week. Denny will be away on vacation for the next few weeks, so Terri has volunteered to fill in for him. As I did with the others when the cookie panel first convened, I asked Terri what she liked in a cookie. Here's her reply: "I really like almost any cookie imaginable. I prefer cookies with nuts and flavoring more than pure chocolate cookies. Actually, I'll try anything :)" And here's the cookie panel:

Suzanne: "This cookie is a little dry. I do love the sweet taste of the dates, even though at first glance I though they looked like the dreaded raisins. Rating - 4"

Terri: "Just the right amount of dates and pecans in this cookie. The allspice added flavor, but not too spicy. Moist, and not crumbly, make this similar to a date-nut bread. Perfect cookie with coffee or tea. Rating - 4"

Laura: "I like 'em! A yummy 'slice' of 'date bread' in a moist, delicious cookie. Rating - 4"

Phil: "In contrast to the excesses of Banana Rocks, this combination of ingredients really worked for me. This cookie looks interesting and delivers with a nice synthesis of sweet dates, crunchy pecans and a noticeable zip of allspice. Rating - 4.1"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.0

Next week - Blind Date Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Banana Rocks

Page 54 in the old book / page 88 in the new book

Another "rock" this week, which means another big, soft, chunky cookie. These cookies are called Banana Rocks, but there's a whole lot more going on... raisins, dates, prunes, walnuts, lemon zest, oats, and spices. Given that roster of ingredients, I guess it's not too surprising that you can barely taste the banana.

Then again, I may have been partly to blame for the rather subdued banana flavor in these cookies. I didn't plan ahead, and so had no ripe bananas on hand. The bananas I used were perfect for eating - sweet, but still slightly firm - but probably were not ideal for baking.

The glaze on these cookies, as with the Pumpkin Rocks, is applied as soon as the cookies are removed from the oven. It dries completely and interestingly, unlike the glaze on the Pumpkin Rocks, it stays dry even after the cookies have been stored for a couple of days. This glaze is simply a buttery sweet icing, with no lemon juice or other flavorings.

I liked these cookies very much, but not as well as the Pumpkin Rocks. I had one on the day they were made and another two days later. Initially the lemon flavor stood out, but it seemed to fade a bit after a couple of days, allowing the banana flavor to come through a little more. If you like a busy cookie with lots of "stuff" in it, you'll love these.

Banana Rocks got mixed reviews from the panel...

Suzanne: "The best part of this cookie was the icing and walnuts. The cookie looked like a "Banana Rock" but was soft inside. The prunes and dates were okay, but I still picked out the raisins. Rating - 3"

Denny: "Banana Rocks Rule! Even though they're not chocolate, I'll give them my first 5! Excellent, big chunky and flavorful. Couldn't taste too much banana but that was overwhelmed by the walnuts, raisins, prunes, and dates. Rating - 5"

Laura: Laura ate a cookie, but because of a sinus infection couldn't taste it, so she decided to bow out of the judging this week.

Phil: "Just looking at this cookie makes one pause to examine it more closely and wonder what's in store. A sort of fruit cake of a cookie with no noticeable trace of banana. While I liked all the ingredients, and as usual mine was cooked to perfection, the combining of these ingredients seemed more like a recipe created by a committee. Rating - 3.2"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.7

Next week - Date-Nut Rocks

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Pumpkin Rocks

Page 53 in the old book / page 86 in the new book

This is actually a cookie that I had made once before. The cookies are called rocks because of their shape rather than their texture. They are very good - sort of like a mini pumpkin muffin loaded with raisins and walnuts. They are really wonderful the day they are made - the lemon icing glistens and they still have a little crunch on the outside.

These are easy to make, but I encountered one bit of difficulty while making them. I failed to read the icing recipe ahead of time and so had not taken out some butter to soften. To make matters worse, I had forgotten that the icing is applied to the hot cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. So... I was scurrying around at the last minute, washing the mixer bowl, and trying to get the icing made in time. Initially my icing was lumpy with bits of (cold) butter. In desperation I filled the sink with hot water and stuck the bowl in there for a couple of minutes. I put the bowl back in the mixer, beat the icing a little more and voila - my icing was saved!

I really like these cookies - I have only one complaint about them. The icing becomes wet after the cookies have been in an airtight container overnight. This change doesn't affect the taste of the cookies at all, though it does affect their appearance and texture and makes them a little messy to handle.

Though the scores from the cookie panel don't reflect it, the Pumpkin Rocks were very well received by everyone in the office. Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I like pumpkin anything, so I enjoyed these cookies. I have to admit, I did take out the raisins. This cookie is soft and spicy. Rating - 4"

Denny: "Pumpkin Rocks Rock! But I do like pumpkin and nuts very much. I'd give them a 4.5 as I'm saving my 5's for chocolate and nuts. Rating - 4.5"

Laura: unfortunately there was a mix-up and Laura didn't get to try one of these. Sorry Laura!

Phil: "A suggestive looking cookie with a bubbly exterior coated in a light glaze. Moist, sweet, with a smidge too many raisins. Rating - 3.4"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Banana Rocks

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Hawaiian Pineapple Cookies

Page 52 in the old book / page 85 in the new book

My mom used to make a pineapple and coconut cookie that I always loved. When I saw the name of this week's cookie, I had visions of a Maida Heatter version of my mom's cookie. However, with an emphasis on the pecans and brown sugar, this cookie is quite different. The pineapple almost seems like an afterthought.

I had just one problem making these cookies - I didn't have enough crushed pineapple. I have had a suspicion in recent years that the pineapple to juice ratio in canned crushed pineapple has been shifting in favor of the juice, and now I have proof. In this 1977 recipe, Maida Heatter calls for an 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple. She instructs you to drain it and says you should have 2/3 cup pineapple. Well, I had less than half a cup. I don't know if the amount I was missing would have made a difference, but I felt the pineapple in these cookies was barely noticeable.

I had high hopes for these cookies, so I felt a little let down by the results. They were good, but not unusually so. I may have to dig up my mom's recipe and make some of those to console myself.

Suzanne gave these cookies a perfect rating, but I think she was just terribly relieved to have a cookie with no dried fruit in it. Here's the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "Great cookie! I love the pecans. The cookie was pleasing to the eye with a large pecan on the top. Perhaps it was the combination of the sweet pineapple, the spices and pecans that made this a really good cookie. Rating - 5"

Denny: "I liked them but they were a little non-descript except for the pecan. Didn't taste much pineapple though. Rating - 3.5"

Laura: "The name of these cookies intrigued me this Monday morning. I couldn't wait to sample them and I was not disappointed! These were very flavorful and moist, with just the right amount of crunchy pecans and tangy pineapple. Rating - 5"

Phil: "Just in time to impress new management during the federally designated Asian/Pacific Islander month these cookies were both topical and tasty. The pineapple did not dominate but offered some added sweetness plus a little moisture to the cookie. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.3

Next week - Pumpkin Rocks

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Indian Figlets

Indian Figlets - oh, and guess where the plate came from!
Page 51 in the old book / page 84 in the new book

These cookies are an interesting combination of spice, lemon and figs. I thought the combination of lemon and fig sounded really good, but I felt that the lemon was overpowered by the spice and I think I prefer an uninterrupted dose of fig (as in a fig bar) rather than bits of fig scattered within the cookie.

I had no difficulties making these cookies. They went together easily and there were no unusual ingredients. I found that Sunmaid sells packaged figs now, so I had no trouble finding those either.

The cookie panel had lots to say this time, so without further ado, here they are!

Suzanne: "Not much to say about the "Indian Figlets". You could definitely taste the ginger and other spices. Walnuts would have been a good addition. I don't think children would like this cookie since you could feel the seeds from the fig when you bit down on the cookie. I guess I'm not going to get excited until we get back to chocolate cookies. Rating - 3"

Denny: "They were good but lack crunch. Raisins instead of figs maybe, but definitely would be better with nuts. Phil steered me toward the raisins. The hint of lemon added to their flavor. Rating - 3.8"

Laura: "Moist and yummy figgy cookie with a delightful hint of lemon! Rating - 3"

Phil: "A cross between a Fig Newton and a Post-it. Chock full of fig chunks with a hint of lemon (interesting contrast) mixed in with a puffy cookie filling. The tactile challenges this gooey, fig endowed cookie poses, however, makes it quite unsuitable for returning to work at a computer keyboard any time soon. Rating - 2.9"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.2

Next week - Hawaiian Pineapple Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - 24-Karat Cookies

Page 50 in the old book / page 83 in the new book

I swear it was an honest mistake. I forgot to give Phil his cookies this week. It had nothing to do with the fact that these were the worst cookies I've ever made from this book - bland and not at all sweet. Nor did I fear the sweetly scathing remarks that the cookies might have provoked. We were only in the office at the same time one day this week and I neglected to tell him about the two cookies I had placed in the freezer for him.

But if I anticipated that Phil would not like these cookies, I should have known that Suzanne would hate them. I had just been tending to something around the corner from Suzanne's office and was headed back to my own office. As I rounded the corner I came upon Suzanne standing outside her office. She had just taken her first bite from a 24-Karat cookie and had such a look on her face! I would describe it as shock mixed with distaste.

I was actually looking forward to these - thinking that they might be like little carrot cakes. They have grated carrots, raisins and walnuts in them. However, the only sweetener is half a cup of honey, which just isn't enough to make the cookies sweet. I don't think I'll be making these again, but if I did I'd be seriously tempted to top them with some cream cheese icing.

So here's the cookie panel with their thoughts ...

Suzanne: "Blah! Blah! Blah! After my initial shock that the cookie was soft and bland, I unsuccessfully tried to pick out the "RAISINS" (boo raisins) to salvage some part of the cookie. It wasn't worth the effort. This isn't Cathy's fault. Cathy is a great baker. It's the recipe. Rating - 0"

Denny: "Well Cathy you finally missed one or more likely the recipe did. It was OK but the nuts were barely detectable and it wasn't sweet enough. I did taste a bit of honey. I'd give it a 3 but will still check back later for any leftovers. Rating - 3"

Laura: "Tastes like carrot cake in a cookie! I especially love the walnuts & raisins/currants. Rating - 4"

Phil: I forgot to give Phil his cookies before he left on vacation - sorry!

Overall rating by the panel - 2.3

Mondays with Maida will be taking a little break, but will be back on May 23rd with Indian Figlets.

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Nut-Tree Walnut Jumbles

Page 49 in the old book / page 82 in the new book

As you may have already guessed from last week, I'm starting to have trouble thinking of something new to say about all these drop cookies. Don't get me wrong... I do like drop cookies, and they are easy to make, it's just they're not that interesting to write about... or so it seems by the time you get around to the 23rd variety of them.

The one thing that I found interesting this week, was that there is sort of a progression from the Praline Wafers, to the Farmer's Wife's Pecan Cookies to these cookies. When I started this project, one thing I was hoping to gain from it was a better understanding of the chemistry of cookies - how different ingredients in various amounts affect the outcome of a cookie recipe. I think it would be fun to spend a day or two experimenting with slight variations on a single recipe, but I'm not sure when or if I'll ever get around to that. In the meantime, though, I can notice the similarities and differences in Maida Heatter's recipes and try to figure out cause and effect. These cookies have more flour, less sugar (and use dark rather than light brown sugar) and have some sour cream, resulting in a not quite chewy and almost cakey cookie, or what Maida Heatter calls semisoft.

I thought these cookies were nice, but nothing special. They're supposed to be topped with a walnut half, but I didn't have any walnut halves or even any attractive pieces, so I omitted them. It also seemed to me that they had plenty of nuts on the inside and didn't really need a piece on top (OK, and I couldn't help but recall Phil's comment about the Farmer's Wife's Pecan Cookies).

The cookie panel had quite a variety of ratings for these...

Suzanne: "Perfect cookie with a cup of coffee. This is a cakey cookie. You can really taste the brown sugar. This along with the walnut pieces inside make this a perfect cookie. This would also be good with vanilla ice cream. Yeah, no raisins!. Rating - 5"

Denny: "Very good Nut-Tree Walnut Jumbles. Rating - 4"

Laura: "Chewy cookie with yummy nutty crunch. Rating - 3"

Phil: "Cathy, quit your day job – perfectly cooked cookies – moist, puffy, and nicely textured. But put your considerable skills to another recipe – too nutty and not sweet enough for this sweet tooth. Rating - 2.8"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.7

Next week – 24-Karat Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Route 7 Raisin-Nut Cookies

Page 48 in the old book / page 81 in the new book

You know, a year or so from now, I'll be wishing for the good old days when all I had to do was mix up some dough and drop it on a cookie sheet. Making cookies every Sunday evening has become my routine since I started Mondays with Maida, and a rather painless one at that. I still have months of "easy" cookies to go - there are 17 more drop cookies - but then the degree of difficulty will start to inch up. There will be many more simple cookies, but multi-layered bar cookies will make occasional appearances amidst the more ordinary brownies, then icebox cookies, and then *biting my knuckles* rolled cookies. Yes, cookies will be taking a bigger bite out of my weekend when I finish up this chapter, so I will give thanks for the drop cookie...in all its simplicity!

Maida Heatter describes these cookies as traditional cookie jar cookies and I would characterize them that way as well. They are mildly spiced cookies that are crunchy on the outside, somewhat cakey on the inside, and loaded with walnuts and raisins. They are not unusual in any way, but they are very good.

And now a word from the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "BOO -- Raisins! The nuts were great and the cookie was crunchy. I'm not a fan of spice/raisin cookies, so I'd rate this one as a 3. I'm showing my age, but I've decided to rate the cookies as the kids did on 'American Bandstand' in the 1950 - 1960's. Rating - 3 1.5" ***

Denny: "The 'Route 7 Raisin Nut Cookies' were very good. Rating - 4"

Laura: "Yummy and crunchy! I love the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Rating - 4"

Phil: "Not sure what to expect from a Route 7 cookie. Figured on some variant of road food - ample, stick to your ribs and average. Was pleasantly surprised by this combination of raisins and nuts in a slightly sweet, perfect puffy size cookie (a little more than a bite size but not too big). Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.6 3.3 ***

*** UPDATE *** Late breaking news...I was talking with Suzanne today and asked about the American Bandstand reference in her comments because I didn't really get it. Turns out she had forgotten that I wanted her to provide a rating on a scale from 1 to 5 and was (she thought) providing an unsolicited numerical rating on a scale of 1 to 10, which she explained through her reference to American Bandstand. So, she didn't really mean to give the cookies a 3. On a scale of 1 to 5, she felt they only merited a 1.5, making the revised average for the panel 3.3.

Next week – Nut-Tree Walnut Jumbles

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - The Farmer's Wife's Pecan Cookies

Page 47 in the old book / page 81 in the new book

What a difference a cup or so of flour makes! These cookies have the same ingredients as last week's cookies, but with more flour, less sugar and less butter. While last week's Praline Wafers were thin and candy-like, these are thicker, more traditional cookies that are very crunchy.

These cookies are super easy to make. You melt the butter in a saucepan and mix in the other ingredients right in the pan. Making them was blessedly uneventful - no cookies sticking to foil this week!

I liked the cookies very much; they're quite sweet and VERY crunchy. They are also rather pretty, with a nice sheen and pecan half perched on top.

Here's what the cookie panel thought...

Suzanne: Suzanne was busy taking care of her brand new grandson, so didn't get a chance to try the cookies this week.

Denny: "Farmer's Wife's Pecan Cookies were very good. Rating - 4.22"

Laura: "Deliciously crunchy and incredibly tasty. Rating - 5"

Phil: "Not a soft cookie, crunchy at the edge and more chewy as you approach the middle - crowned with a textured pecan great for cookie aesthetics but not so good for enhancing the tasting experience. A serviceable cookie and if exposure time (time to disappear from the container after staff are advised there are cookies) is any indicator, one of the quickest to disappear. Rating - 3.75"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.3

Next week – Route 7 Raisin-Nut Cookies

Nutrition Facts