One Cookie Dough - Endless Possibilities

From one simple  batch of cookie dough, you can make an endless variety of cookies.  This recipe easily doubles.  For each of the add-ins listed below, use one half of the single recipe or one fourth of the double recipe.

Basic Creamed Dough

(Adapted from The Good Cook)

Makes about 1 ½ pounds, or about 40 cookies)

Single Recipe
14 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt

Double Recipe
28 tablespoons
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt


In bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the beaten egg.  Sift together the flour, baking powder.  Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until just combined. 

Add in suggested ingredients.  Bake in a preheated 375º oven for about 10 minutes or until firm and golden brown.  Remove from the pan onto cooling rack and cool completely.

Variations:

(For single batch)
Chocolate Dough: Substitute ½ cup cocoa powder for ¼ cup flour.

Rich dough (suitable for piping): add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 egg yolk.

Swirls: Make one batch plain, one batch chocolate.  Roll flat. Top Plain with chocolate and roll jellyroll fashion. Slice. 

Additions:
To ½ single batch or ¼ double batch add:

½ cup nuts, candied fruit, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, toffee bits (everyone’s favorite), or dried cranberries.

Roll into balls and make jam thumbprints or add chocolate kiss.

Add 1 tablespoon bourbon or other liquor.

Replace extract with rose water, orange extract, lemon extract, etc.

Glaze cookies with royal icing tinted and flavored (pink color with rose water; green color with mint, etc.)

Add 1 teaspoon spice (apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cardamom, etc.)

Pipe in cookie press.

Dip in chocolate.
Roll in nuts.

Let your imagination go!

Suggestions:

Make a double batch, set aside. Make second chocolate batch in same mixer, so you won’t dirty it twice.