Vanilla/Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

Christmas is almost here and you really wanted to bake a variety of cookies.  Where did the time go?  Maybe you can get one batch off, but were is the variety? We’ve got that covered with our Vanilla/Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies - one batch of dough makes six different cookies.  Here’s the recipe and the game plan.

Vanilla/Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp grated orange peel
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
one chocolate bar

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly.  Add egg,  vanilla and orange peel and mix well. Mix flour, salt and baking soda together and stir into butter mixture.

Divide dough in half and roll one half into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate until chilled through.

Add 2 tablespoons  cocoa powder to the other half and mix well.  Roll into a 1 1/2 inch log, wrap and refrigerate. 

When the logs are well chilled, preheat oven to 350° and slice one half of each log into thin slices (1/8 - 1/4 inch) and place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Take the other half rolls and roll them slightly. Cut them in half.  Take one vanilla half and one chocolate half and roll them in the chopped walnuts, pressing firmly so that the nuts are really imbedded in the logs.  Cut each log into thin slices, place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Take the last two logs, cut them in half and roll them so they are less than half inch in diameter.  Take one of each color and flatten and place one on top of the other.  Cut in half and stack and then cut in thin slices so that you have striped cookies. Place on ungreased baking sheet and baked 10 - 12 minutes at 350°.  These might take longer as they are a little thicker.

The last variation is pure kindergarten!  Take each remaining log and twist together. Fold it over itself and roll it into  log.  Fold it over itself and roll again and do that one more time and you will have a marbled log.  Slice the log into thin slices and you know what to do next.

After the cookies cool, melt half of the chocolate bar in a small microwavable bowl.  All microwave ovens are different, so I go by 30 second increments until the chocolate is soft.  It will be hot!  Don’t stick a finger in to test it; stick a cookie in to cover a third with chocolate.  Dip half of each variety of cookie in chocolate and you will have almost a dozen different cookies! All from one recipe!