Last week my husband and I are participated in a Cookie Making Contest put on by his
cousin Katie. It was lots of fun. Last year Katie and her sister Meghan organized a Pie Making Contest in honor of their Grandpop’s 96th Birthday. Grandpop Nicholson loved dessert. When asked the question, “Pie or Cake?” his reply would be “Both”. I previously mentioned that I made a Tomato and Cheese Pie came in second in last year’s pie contest . Click here to read about it and get the recipe.
Grandpop Nicholson passed away this past January but Katie, who is always creative and up for anything felt that this fun new tradition should live on. This year’s contest was something new however, a family cookie making contest.
My husband and I are nothing is not competitive and not long after Katie announced the contest did we decide that we would have to have a strategy if we wanted to do well.
My husband and I are huge fans of America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks. We love their slow cooker cookbooks, there are three of them, because they make meals that always turn out delicious. Also I find that America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks usually inadvertently teach you techniques that you can use with other recipes from other sources.
After some searching, I ultimately chose the Chocolate-Mint Cookies, found on page 216.
The recipe is also available online from the American’s Test Kitchen website but it is a paid access site. As I mentioned, I found the copy we used at the library but if you are interested in buying it from Amazon*, you can click here.
My husband chose to make the Salted Peanut Butter-Pretzel-Chocolate Chip Cookies found on page 71. I never ended up getting a picture of the final product 🙁 but I took several pictures of the process. I have no excuses, sorry Hubby.
To prepare we each made a practice batch of cookies one week before the competition. This practice proved to be important for me because I did my math wrong and added 2 sticks of butter, 16 tablespoons, in the practice batch instead of the called for 12 tablespoons of butter. My first batch of cookies were good but not as thick and dense as the batch I entered in the contest. Our practice batches allowed us to figure out the quirks of the recipes and to have plenty of cookies to “practice” eating. (Like we need practice eating cookies!)
So how did we do?
What was the winning cookie? Aunt Jeanne took gold with Magic Cookie Bars
All of the entries were delicious and everyone had a great time. The contest field was populated by some great cookies. My husband’s sister, Tina, made pizzelles from a recipe that was passed down in the family by her husband’s grandmother. Katie, who hosted the party, made two cookie entries that were pumpkin based from recipes she invented herself. Pictured below on the top right are her Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pickups. Her sister Meghan and Meghan’s husband Steve made a delicious Smore Inspired Cookie. My husband’s Grandmom, Helen, made delicious Lemon Bars.
We also feasted on Molasses Cookies and Strawberry Merengue Cookies, pictured here.
And a scrupulous Forgotten Kiss Cookie
After cookie eating, voting, and the award ceremony, Katie capped off the party with a round of Halloween Trivia that pitted the party into two warring factions. Just kidding, Katie prepared and organized a friendly game of Halloween Trivia that was competitive but friendly. I will admit though that my side of the room won! It was a great party all in all and everyone had a nice time. Thanks to Katie! I hope that next year brings another baking contest!
What cookies do you like to bake? What cookies do you like to eat? Have you ever held a Baking Contest? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section.
*Note: The Amazon link for the America’s Test Kitchen Cookie Cookbook is an Affiliate Link. If you decide to purchase book, I will receive about 4.5%.
