Several years ago my younger sister started a tradition where we would get our kiddos together and bake cookies shortly before Christmas. It soon evolved into an amazing production of warm kitchens, favorite holiday treats, an amazing lunch and some awesome family time for our extended family as a whole. We have multiple generations, our mother, our aunt and her family, my boys including significant others and grandchildren that have been added and at the core my sister and her family which has also grown as significant others and her own grandchildren. This year we added a few new members some family friends and their children. We even did a smaller version after Sunday Dinner with my BIL and his children. Growing up I took for granted the love that is shared when multigenerations come together to cook and eat. I have many memories of baking, watching, cooking and most importantly learning at the side of my grandmothers as they worked hard to feed the families they had created. Food is quite the tradition in our family, one that I may have often overlooked from time to time. One that at times seemed like too big of a job to tackle alone, sometimes I am amazed at all I accomplished those years when my sons were younger and not into helping too much in the kitchen. We tend to stick to specific tried and true recipes, those that everyone enjoys, or was a specific memory from someone's youth. I grew up hearing about our Swedish heritage and holidays would include favorites from my grandfathers youth. Swedish rye bread is quite the favorite and a must have for holiday meals. My husband grew up with refrigerator cookies that I learned how to make from his mom, then adapted a bit to make them just a smidge healthier. While we typically stick to specific recipes I decided this year I was going to branch out a bit and found an amazing recipe combining two of my favorite things, chocolate and peppermint. I was ecstatic to find a recipe that used peppermint essential oil and knew I had to try it out! I've made sugar cookies in the past and added different essential oils to them, on a whole I don't do a lot of baking outside of holidays and birthdays. I have some tips to help you feel more confident in using essential oils when cooking and baking.
Using essential oils in cookie recipes can add unique flavors and aromas to your baked goods. However, it's essential to use them cautiously because essential oils are highly concentrated and potent. Here are some tips for incorporating Young Living essential oils into your cooking.
- Choose Food-Grade Oils: Ensure that the essential oils you use are labeled as food-grade. Young Living provides a line of essential oils specifically labeled for internal use, such as their Vitality line.
- Start with a Small Amount: Essential oils are potent, so start with a small amount and adjust according to your taste preferences. Just a drop or two can often be enough to infuse a noticeable flavor.
- Use the Right Flavors: Choose essential oil flavors that complement your cookie recipe. For example, peppermint, lemon, orange, lavender, and cinnamon are popular choices for baking.
- Dilution: Since essential oils are concentrated, it's a good idea to dilute them before adding them to your cookie dough. You can mix a drop or two of essential oil with a carrier oil (like coconut or olive oil) before incorporating it into the recipe.
- Mixing When adding essential oils, mix them thoroughly into the wet ingredients before combining with the dry ingredients. This ensures even distribution throughout the dough.
- Experiment: Baking is a creative process, so feel free to experiment with different essential oil flavors and quantities to achieve the desired taste.
- Consider the Cookie Type: Some cookie recipes may be more forgiving with strong flavors, while others may require a more delicate touch. Consider the overall flavor profile of your cookies.
- Adjust Other Ingredients: Keep in mind that adding essential oils may alter the moisture content of your dough. You might need to adjust other ingredients, such as flour or liquids, to maintain the desired cookie consistency.
Here's a basic recipe to get you started:
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4-5 drops Young Living Lemon Vitality essential oil
- 2-3 drops Young Living Lavender Vitality essential oil
Instructions:
- In a bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Add the essential oils and mix well.
- Form the dough into a log or shape of your choice, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Slice the chilled dough into cookies and place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Remember to adjust the essential oil quantities based on your taste preferences and the specific oils you're using. Enjoy your aromatic and flavorful cookies!
Here's the recipe I used from King Arthur Flour. These turned out AMAZING!!!! I will probably make them more frequently as I only was able to bring 3 home!
Chocolate Peppermint Snaps
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract*
1 1/2 cups (180g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
*Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint oil, to taste.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugars.
Add the egg, beating well and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add the vanilla and peppermint, beating to combine.
Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, beating to combine. Taste the dough; add more peppermint, if desired.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop a few generous teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2" to 2" apart. Since these cookies are dark-colored, it's difficult to tell when they're done. We suggest you bake 2 or 3 cookies alone first, before baking a couple of baking sheets' worth. That way, you can make sure you bake them to just the right degree of doneness.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes (if they're on parchment-lined baking sheets); bake a couple of minutes less if they're on dark sheets without parchment. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool. If they're crunchy and you prefer soft, bake the rest of the cookies a shorter amount of time; if soft and you're looking for a crunchy cookie, you'll know you need to bake them longer.
Bake the remainder of the cookies, letting them cool right on the pans, or transferring to a rack if you need the pans.
Wrap airtight, and store at room temperature. These cookies are sensitive to humidity; if they're crunchy, they'll quickly soften during humid weather, if not wrapped securely.
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