Need Cookie Suggestions

[Querencia]

I need a cookie that meets specific criteria. It will be added to a bag lunch for a church food distribution, so it needs to be sturdy---not too thin, delicate, or crumbly. I want it to be about 1/2 inch thick and 3-4 inches in diameter when baked. It shouldn't turn sticky and soft when it sits as I will be baking the cookies the day before. I am thinking that a dough that is made into balls and flattened slightly might work---am not inclined to do the roll-and-cut-out bit. I have a jar of molasses I'd like to use up---does anyone know of a molasses cookie that would fill the bill? Something about the consistency of an Archway molasses cookie? Or (another cookie type here) since I need 60 of them, I was wondering about a cookie dough that would include cereal like Rice Krispies, to extend volume---does anything come to mind?

[ipsedixit]

Make molasses biscotti.

[blue room]

Never heard of molasses biscotti until now, but these certainly look good --

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[ipsedixit]

And biscotti fits all of the OP's parameters -- thick, not crumbly, and can hold and sit well in a bag, etc.

Only thing missing is the Rice Krispies .... suppose one could just pulverize them up and mix it into the biscotti dough.

[Querencia]

Thanks for all responses. Using hard-boiled egg in cookies is new to me. Amazing. Had not thought of biscotti. I used to do a chocolate biscotti that I hadn't remembered in ages. Collaboration always helps. As the saying goes, all of us are smarter than any of us.

[chowser]

I love Chow's ginger chews:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10071-sup...

If you use shortening for part of the butter, you'll get a taller cookie with more the Archway consistency.

[auburnselkie]

These Ranger Cookies might fit the bill. I've made them many times and they use rice krispies, oats, and nuts, if you wanted (I don't because DH hated them). http://rosevillept.com/detail/137049.html

Anne Burrell's molasses cookies are wonderful, but they turned out thin-ish and chewy (perfect for me, but maybe not what you were looking for?) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/an...

Hope this helps - good luck!

[HillJ]

auburn, thank you for sharing a variation on the Ranger cookie. The ones I just baked used cornflakes instead of rice krispies and shredded coconut. The stringy-ness of the coconut ruined the cookie for me and the sharp edge to the cornflake hindered the bite. I'm going to try the link you supplied next.

On point though, the hard-boiled egg version of chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies really wowed the people I work with. The grated egg baked into the dough with no detection (in case you were wondering) but provided that moist center and shelf life you want.

Here's just one quick version:

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/har...

[auburnselkie]

Heh - I have totally been wondering about that (the eggs baking into the dough). I will try it and let you know how it works out!

I love Ranger cookies - they aren't fancy but they are so satisfying. I've seen the version with coconut and cornflakes, but this is how my grandmother made them and I'm not messing with grandma!

[HillJ]

Knowing Grandma had a hand in this makes me equally happy. Mine was a great cookie baker too. Nuff said!

There are a number of hard-boiled egg versions on the Net, I just grabbed the quick search result. So, do a bit more reading before you bake a batch. :)