Island Pantry
Creative containers give cookies a Christmas flair

By Kaui Philpotts

Anyone can make cookies. Even if your baking skills are so limited that you fail with a packaged cake mix (and a lot of us have done that, yeah?), you can manage to stir up a creamy mixture of butter and sugar, mix in an egg and some flour and presto, you're almost there.

When giving a cookie gift, a container like this lauhala basket gets you style points. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Wrap homemade cookies creatively and every morsel will be appreciated. All it takes is a little more thought than money. A visit to a shop that sells inexpensive imports for cookie containers like small lauhala boxes, pretty tins or ceramic plates can yield pretty treasures. Wrap the cookies in cellophane wrap, parchment paper or waxed paper and secure with tape.

Make use of all that pretty holiday ribbon you've been squirreling away. Inexpensive tin baking pans and molds from places like Ross make great containers. So do glazed ceramic planters. Mail-order catalogs and kitchen specialty stores are another good source of containers. Use your imagination.

Cookie-making tips

• Assemble all the equipment and ingredients you will need for your cookies before you begin, and read the recipe all the way through.
• If you are not sure of your oven's temperature, buy an oven thermometer. You'd be surprised how many baking projects have been ruined by incorrect oven temperatures.
• If you are making cut-out cookies such as sugar cookies, don't re-roll the dough to make more cutouts. The cookies will become tough. Just bake the bits in whatever shape they're in for your own snacking.
• Ice Box cookies should be chilled again after rolling and being placed on the cookie sheets before you bake them.
• It's nice to give a variety of cookie types. To avoid making yourself crazy with baking, begin now. Rolled dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen until you need it in early December.
• Another way to have a nice assortment is to have a cookie exchange. Get together with your friends or office mates. Have everyone make their favorite cookie or cookies and put them out on a table so that everyone can pick a few of each. Or supplement the ones you make with some of the better ones from commercial bakeries such as Saint Germain.

These coconut shortbread cookies can be made ahead and the dough kept in the refrigerator or a day or two before baking. You can either shape them in a long log and then cut them into pieces, or press the dough into the empty butter box before chilling for a different shape.

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

• 8 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour, sifted before measuring
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugar. Sift the flour and salt together and add to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well. Stir in the coconut and blend. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 rolls and wrap in waxed paper (or force into an empty butter or margarine box). Chill until firm. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do not over brown. When completely cooled, store cookies in an airtight container until ready to package. Makes 8 dozen.

This is an easy cookie for non-bakers and ginger lovers.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening, softened (do not use butter)
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, at medium speed, gradually add in 1 cup of the sugar to the soft shortening, creaming until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Blend in the molasses and egg.

At low speed, beat in the flour mixture until just blended. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

Shape dough into 11/4 inch balls and roll in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Place the cookies two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Makes 3 dozen. (Both the above recipes are from "Maui Cooks Again.")

Blondies are also known as "white brownies." They've been around since the late 19th century and have a small following all their own.

Blondies

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 ounces pecans (fl cup) coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with flour, tap out excess and set aside.

Spread pecans on a baking pan and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butters and sugars. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping sides. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Beat in chips and pecans. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface is golden and a cake tester comes out barely clean, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.(from "Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies").

Reach Kaui Philpotts at taste@honoluluadvertiser.com.