Candy Recipe: Lots-a-Luv Cookies

Friday, February 13, 2009 - by Robby

Valentine’s Day is inching closer and closer. And people always say the best gifts are ones given from the heart, but nothing says “I love you” better than something from the heart for the stomach.

So in honor of all those lovey-dovey cherubs hovering by, here is my February candy recipe of the month. I call it my Lots-a-Luv Cookies. These babies are sure to wow anyone you present them to because they aren’t the sort of things you would just hand over to anybody.

What You’ll Need

• 1 Cup of Pastry Flour
• 1 Cup of Graham Flour
• 1 Cup of Oats
• 1 Cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup of Butter
• ¾ Cup Brown Sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ Cup of Honey
• 1 Cup of Granulated Sugar
• 6 oz of Dried Apricots, Chopped
• 4 oz White Chocolate, Chopped (I used blocks, but chips will work too)
• 6 oz Macadamia Nuts, Chopped
• 4 oz Crystallized Ginger, Chopped
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Vanilla
• ¼ Tsp Kosher Salt
• 3 Jumbo-Sized Eggs
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• Heart-Shaped Candy of Your Choosing
• Spatula/Large Spoon
• 2 Large Bowls
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper/Wax Paper
• Cooking Spray

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the baking tray with parchment paper.

Step 2. Set your dry bowl by combining the flours, oats, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder into one of the bowls. Stir until all ingredients are evenly dispersed

Step 3. Begin your wet bowl by creaming the butter, both sugars, and honey in the other bowl. Make sure the butter has softened. You can do this step with an electric mixer, but the butter should be soft enough that a spoon will work well too.

Step 4. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture, beating until completely mixed.

Step 5. Pour in a quarter of the wet bowl into the dry bowl and mix, making sure you are getting at the flour from the edges. Add the next quarter and mix again. Repeat until all the wet mixture has been completely added to the dry. Do not over-stir the batter!

Step 6. Fold in the ginger, apricots, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate, keeping in mind that the batter is plenty stirred at this point, and all you are doing is dispersing these ingredients.

Step 7. Roll dough balls with your hands that are approximately 2 Tablespoons. An ice cream scoop works well for this step too.

Step 8a. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray and place six cookie dough balls onto the tray, leaving several inches between each one. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes, depending on your oven’s strength. You’ll know they’re done when the tops firm and brown slightly.

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Step 8b. For an extra soft cookie, my favorite, chill the batter for at least an hour in the freezer. Then set six pieces on the sprayed baking sheet and place in the oven. Depending on your oven and how long you set these in the freezer, cookies need to bake between 12-25 minutes (I know 25 seems like a long time in cookie world, but trust me). Remove when tops firm and brown.

Step 9. Gently insert your candy hearts on top of the cookie. I had leftover Jube Jels so I used those, but conversation hearts or another non-chocolate candy should work too (chocolate ones would melt from the heat of the cookie).

Step 10. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. Eat immediately or store in an air-tight container.

These cookies encompass many of the things I love about candy and food. I only make them for people I care about and want to spend the time, effort, and money on (yes, money – Macadamia nuts are not the cheapest thing in the supermarket!). Hopefully there’s a special someone in your life you can share these cookies with. But if not, nothing wrong with telling yourself how much you think you rock with a batch of cookies all for you. Happy cookie Valentine’s Day!

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