Cookies and Biscuits

• Monte Carlos

Nothing beats timeless, classic baked treats, so revisit these crowd-pleasing Monte Carlos!

• Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup self raising flour
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 Yackandandah raspberry jam

Buttercream

• 60g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar mixture
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and essence until light and fluffy. Add egg. Beat until combined. Sift flours over butter mixture. Stir to combine. Stir in coconut.
3. Step 3
   Roll heaped teaspoons mixture into balls. Place on trays, 3cm apart. Using a fork dipped in flour, lightly flatten each biscuit until 1cm thick, making a criss-cross pattern in tops. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Step 4
   Meanwhile, make buttercream: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sandwich biscuits with 1 teaspoon jam and 1 teaspoon buttercream. Serve.

• Thong biscuits

Having the kids over in the summer holidays? Get into the swim with this fun recipe.

• Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/4 cup self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 125g butter, chopped
• 1 egg
• 10 multicoloured sour straps
• 36 white icing flowers
• Royal icing
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• Pink food colouring

• Method

1. Step 1
   Place flours, sugar and cocoa in a food processor. Process until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. With motor running, add egg and about 1 1/2 tablespoons iced water. Process until dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth. Shape into 4 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line two large trays with baking paper. Roll 1 dough disc between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using template, cut 9 thong shapes (if dough becomes too soft, refrigerate until firm). Place thongs 2cm apart on prepared trays. Repeat with remaining dough discs to make a total of 36 thongs. Freeze for 5 minutes or until firm. Bake for 8 minutes. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Step 3
   Make Royal Icing: Lightly whisk egg white and lemon juice together in a bowl. Gradually add icing sugar, whisking until smooth and combined. Tint icing pink (cover icing with damp paper towel to prevent drying out).

Step 4

Cut blue strips from multicoloured sour straps. Discard remaining colours from straps. Cut each blue strip in half lengthways. Cut each strip crossways into 4cm lengths. Spread biscuits with icing. Position 2 blue strips on each biscuit to form thong straps. Top each with a flower. Stand biscuits for 30 minutes or until set. Serve.

• Martha Stewart's elephant ear cookies

With its cute name and swirls of cinnamon sugar kids are going to love this Martha Stewart recipe for Elephant ear cookies.

• Ingredients

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Plain flour, for dusting
• 2 sheets frozen butter puff pastry, partially thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten well
• Extra caster sugar, for dusting

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Place pecans on a baking tray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Step 2
   Process pecans, sugars, cinnamon and salt until very finely chopped.
3. Step 3
   On a lightly floured surface, join pastry sheets along one side to form a rectangle, pressing along seam to secure. Using a rolling pin, roll out until smooth. Brush generously with beaten egg and sprinkle evenly with pecan mixture, patting it into pastry. Starting at 1 short side, roll up pastry as tightly as possible. If necessary brush off excess flour with a dry pastry brush as you are rolling, and press sides back into shape. Roll tightly in baking paper.
4. Step 4
   Increase oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Freeze dough for 20 minutes or until firm. Cut into 2.5cm slices. Sprinkle a flat surface with extra sugar. Coat both cut sides of dough slices in sugar. Press dough slices to flatten slightly. Roll out into 16cm rounds on sugared surface, sprinkling more sugar on top to lightly cover. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. Place 3 rounds on each tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 17 to 18 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays.

• White chocolate confetti cookies

Turn these pantry ingredients into rainbow-hued sweet delights and watch them disappear in a flash!

• Ingredients

• 175g butter, chilled, chopped
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 180g block white chocolate, melted
• 190g packet hundreds and thousands, to decorate

• Method

1. Step 1
   Process butter, sugar and flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg and extract. Process until mixture just comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently. Divide mixture into 2 halves. Shape into 2 discs. Wrap both portions in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2
   Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan-forced. Grease and line 2 large baking trays. Roll 1 dough portion between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using a 5cm round cutter, cut rounds from dough, re-rolling and cutting scraps. Place onto 2 prepared trays, 2cm apart. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are just firm to touch, but not browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
3. Step 3
   Repeat with remaining dough portion.
4. Step 4
   Spread tops of cookies with chocolate. Dip into hundreds and thousands. Set aside for 1 hour or until set. Serve.

• Giant Anzac biscuits

There's only thing better than an Anzac biscuit — a giant Anzac biscuit! These gorgeous chewy biccies are a treat for the tastebuds.

• Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 185g butter, chopped
• 1/4 cup golden syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Combine oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Place butter, syrup and 1/4 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until butter has melted. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Stir butter mixture into oat mixture.
3. Step 3
   Using 1/4 cup mixture per ball, roll mixture into 12 balls. Place 2 balls, 10cm apart, on each prepared tray. Using the palm of your hand, flatten each ball into a 1cm-thick, 8cm (diameter) round. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes or until golden. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat process with remaining mixture. Serve.

• Funny face lollipop biscuits

Your next fundraising event will be a success with these kid-friendly lollipop biscuits.

• Ingredients

Equipment

• You need 34 paddle pop sticks

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 1/4 cups plain flour
• 1/3 cup Smarties
• 1/4 cup Freckles, halved
• 2 tablespoons jelly beans

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced. Line 3 large baking trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg. Beat until just combined. Stir in flour until combined.
2. Step 2
   Roll 1 rounded tablespoon mixture into a ball. Place on a prepared tray. Press to flatten into rounds. Carefully insert 1 paddle pop stick in round. Repeat with remaining dough and sticks. Press lollies into top of biscuits to form faces.
3. Step 3
   Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and just firm to touch. Cool on trays. Serve.

• Fudgy chocolate caramel biscuits

These fudgy chocolate caramel biscuits are the perfect any time treat.

• Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup chopped jersey caramels
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate melts, halved

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 3 large baking trays with baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla, sugar and egg until smooth. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder over butter mixture. Stir until combined. Fold in caramels, walnuts and chocolate.
3. Step 3
   Roll 2 level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on prepared trays, 4cm apart. Using the palm of your hand flatten mixture slightly.
4. Step 4
   Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until just firm to touch. Stand biscuits on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve.

• Mini M&M biscuits

Make the kids feel special on their first day of school with these scrumptious M&M biscuits.

• Ingredients

• 60g butter, softened
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 x 160g packet mini M&Ms

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add oil and flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir to form a soft dough.
3. Step 3
   Using 1 level teaspoon mixture at a time, roll into 40 balls. Place balls, 3cm apart, on prepared tray. Flatten slightly. Gently press 3 M&Ms onto each biscuit.
4. Step 4
   Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 10 minutes or until biscuits are light brown. Cool on trays. Serve.

• Pink flower cookies

Make a batch of these pretty flower cookies for your loved ones.

• Ingredients

• 100g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour
• 1 sachet pink sprinkles

Royal icing

• 1 eggwhite, lightly whisked
• 1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

• Method

1. Step 1
   Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon rind. Beat to combine. Sift flour over mixture. Stir to combine. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
2. Step 2
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Roll dough out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using a 7.5cm flower-shaped cookie cutter, cut flowers from dough. Press remaining dough together and repeat to make a total 16 cookies. Place, 3cm apart, on baking trays. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, swapping trays after 10 minutes, or until golden. Stand for 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Step 3
   Make icing Place eggwhite in a bowl. Gradually add icing sugar, whisking until smooth. Spread over cookies. Top with sprinkles. Set aside for 20 minutes or until set. Serve.

• Double choc biscuits

Start with our clever basic sweet dough - give it a twist - then have fun, rolling, shaping and decorating it in delicious ways.

• Ingredients

• 80g white chocolate melts
• 80g dark chocolate melts

Chocolate dough

• Biscuit dough (see related recipe)
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 250g pkt dark choc bits

• Method

1. Step 1
   To make the chocolate dough, replace the custard powder in the basic biscuit dough with the cocoa powder. Add the choc bits with the flour. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Step 2
   Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Cut the dough in half. Roll tablespoonfuls of 1 dough portion into balls. Place, 2cm apart, on the prepared trays. Flatten slightly.
3. Step 3
   Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 25 minutes or until firm. Set aside on the trays to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. Step 4
   Place the white chocolate melts in a small sealable plastic bag. Cook in microwave on medium/ 500watts/50%, stirring every minute, until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Cut about 2mm from 1 corner of the bag. Drizzle the white chocolate over the biscuits. Repeat with the dark chocolate melts, drizzling in the opposite direction to the white chocolate. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.