“Cookielicious” got introduced at the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance conference in Daytona Beach last weekend. It was well-received … especially the glorious photos of the cookies. I think lots of people were reading to head home and start baking.

I was on a panel discussion with four other cookbooks authors and I do claim to have the cookbook with the most calorie-potential. Nothing really healthy about these cookies … but they do make you happy!

© 2010, Cookielicious. Seaside Publishing All Rights Reserved.

I am not sure how I came to be a cookie diva. I’ve always been more of a savory cook than a baker, though I do like to turn butter, flour, sugar and eggs into delicious things.

I credit the late Jim Bennett, a St. Petersburg Times reader, with getting me started on the high road to cookiedom. Mr. Bennett called me many years ago for some advice about a cookie recipe. His wife had died three years before and he finally felt okay about making the Christmas cookies himself that they used to make together. He is the one who taught me about the power of cookies.

His phone call spurred the idea for the Times’ annual holiday cookie project. This is the ninth year we’ve asked readers to submit their favorite recipes.

I think about Mr. Bennett often and some wonderful conversations we shared over the years about cookies and cooking. We even shed a few tears together. Here is his family recipe … he sent me some Rocks that he baked and I can attest they were quite good, despite the fruit-cake ingredients!

Christmas Rocks
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
8 ounces pecans, chopped
8 ounces raisins
8 ounces chopped dates
4 ounces candied cherries, chopped

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Mix in flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder and salt. Add pecans, raisins, dates and cherries. Cookie dough will be quite thick and difficult to stir. Wash your hands and dig in!

Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in preheated 325-degree oven.

Makes about 6 dozen 1 1/2-inch cookies.

Times testing note: Recipe can easily be doubled but use 3 eggs.

Source: Helen and James Bennett

© 2010, Cookielicious. Seaside Publishing All Rights Reserved.

I am so excited that my new cookbook will be hot off the presses in about a week. I hope you’ll really like it. It’s about cookies … so what’s not to like?

Some of the recipes are original, but many of them come from readers of the St. Petersburg  Times. They are true cookie-monsters. One of my favorites in “Cookielicious” are the Peanut Butter and Jam Bars. They are perfect for after-school snacks.

Peanut Butter and Jam Bars
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup raspberry jam
Glaze:
2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugars, margarine, peanut butter and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder, and mix well. Reserve 1 cup dough. Press remaining dough into ungreased 13- by 9-inch pan. Spread with jam, then crumble reserved dough and sprinkle over jam. Bake until golden brown (approximately 20 minutes). Cool while preparing glaze.

To make the glaze, heat margarine over low heat. Mix in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat in hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, till smooth. Drizzle glaze over top and cut into 2- by 1-1/2-inch bars.

Makes 3 dozen.

Freezeworthy: No.

Dolores A. Haase, Clearwater

© 2010, Cookielicious. Seaside Publishing All Rights Reserved.