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I had promised to post this to the list following a request for a nut
free cookie recipe. It is a slight modification on the one posted Wed,
10 Nov 1999 16:32:47 -0500 by Mary Thorpe <[log in to unmask]> The
original posting has other variations that I did not include here so it
is worth checking out since she had some other interesting ideas.

I generally bake dairy free so used Fleischman's no salt margarine
instead of butter and found that they would not hold their shape. The
last time I made them my helper "kneaded" the dough alot longer than
usual and that time the cookies came out thicker. I haven't tried them
since to determine if that would be the secret to being able to get the
cookies to hold their shape when using cookie cutters or not (I had
thought it was due to using margarine instead of the butter, hopefully
this will solve the problem). BTW if you knead them for a much shorter
time the cookies come out flatter & are crispy, still delicious (except
for the lack of spices they remind me of the Ginger Man cookies from
Peppridge Farms).

I have found that this cookie does not go stale or rancid (remember I am
not using butter) even after weeks of sitting in my cookie jar so I
don't freeze any extra.

The original source for this recipe is
http://www.maria-brazil.org/cookies.htm

Biscoitos de Maizena

2 cups cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter or margarine (if you use salted just omit
the salt)

Preheat oven to 375oF. Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt together (I
generally mix my dry ingredients in a plastic container and shake it to
get all the ingredients well mixed, this is a favorite job of my 5 year
old helper) put dry mix in bowl, add the egg and then add the butter.
Knead well. I like to then place the dough in the frig and for about a
half hour but have left it as much as a couple of days but you can just
let it stand for just ten to fifteen minutes. I shape the dough into
balls and place them on a cookie sheet (either grease it or use
parchment paper), the size of the balls are up to you. The time for
baking depends on the size of the cookie, generally about 7 minutes.
Don't let them get too brown or they will have a burnt taste. I find a
light tan is enough. Let cool slightly on the pan (if you take them off
too soon they will fall apart) and then put on a wire rack to cool.

These are my favorite variations are (I generally make all of these from
one batch of dough):
1) This is a favorite of every child that has had these (and none of
them have celiac). Take the ROUND colored sprinkles (the long sprinkles
don't work as well) and mix well into a portion of the dough after it
has been well kneaded. Even if your helper kneads too long it will just
give the dough a pretty color. Let dough rest and then make into balls
and bake.

2) Make balls and dip into chocolate chips. I find this works best and
allows you to control the amount of chips per cookie. I seemed to get
too many cookies with little or no chips when I tried mixing it into the
dough.

3) (although this posting is in response to a request for a nut free
cookie I am posting MY version of this recipe and since this is a
favorite I am going to include it!!) My favorite nut for this recipe is
hazelnut. I just chop them into small pieces and add. Let rest, make
balls and bake.

Betsey Carus
Baltimore, MD

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