Cornbread bar wins Season's Best holiday cookie contest

It's hard to beat a good cookie during the Christmas season. And the options are seemingly endless.

After sampling the entries, the judges for the 2012 Season's Best holiday cookie contest selected Dana Johnston's cornbread bar as the winner.

"I was surprised by the taste," said Pam Pittman of Schnucks, who served as one of four judges. "It does not taste like cornbread and has some flavors you wouldn't think it would have."

In addition to Pittman, Penny Rosado of Country Mart, Tammy Martin of Food Giant and Southeast Missourian cooking columnist Susan McClanahan also served as judges.

McClanahan said the cornbread bar was "moist with a nice flavor." She liked the use of nuts and balance of spices.

Each judge was surprised by the taste. And Johnston was amazed her recipe came out on top.

"I'm shocked to beat everything chocolate," Johnston said. "That doesn't usually happen."

Johnston said she found the recipe in a magazine a few years ago and thought she could make it better. She said it is called cornbread bar because it looks and smells like cornbread when finished, but people are surprised to learn it isn't actually cornbread.

Her secret ingredient: Love.

The judges were impressed with this year's lineup of cookies.

"There were some very unique, original recipes," Rosado said.

Each judge shared her opinion on what makes a good cookie.

Rosado said she is a chocolate lover but also enjoys sugar cookies. Martin looks for good taste and softness. Pittman also said taste is important, but said it doesn't matter how pretty a cookie looks. McClanahan, however, said she likes Christmas cookies to be festive and use holiday ingredients.

The first runner up was the chocolate maraschino cherry cookie.

"It's a good Christmas cookie," Rosado said. "It's nice, moist, flavorful and colorful and is just a good mixture of ingredients."

The second runner up was the egg nog snicker doodle.

"It's a nice holiday cookie," Martin said, "with a nice mild flavor and would be good with coffee or tea to dip it in."

apicar@semissourian.com

388-3648

WINNER

"Cornbread" Bars

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

1 cup chopped pecans, pecan halves for decorating

Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

Mix eggs and sugars together.

Stir in oil.

Stir in flour until thoroughly mixed.

Fold in chopped pecans.

Pour evenly into the pan.

Top with pecan halves.

Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick is clean.

When cool cut into bars.

~ Dana Johnston

First runner-up

Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cookies

1 cup of butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 package of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of nuts

1/2 cup of maraschino cherries cut in pieces

Mix well. Add cherry juice if necessary. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes.

~ Victoria Scherer

Second runner-up

Eggnog Snicker Doodle

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

2 eggs

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. rum extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and 1 1/2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

In a shallow bowl, combine the nutmeg and remaining sugar. Roll dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

~ Aldeane Norton

Super Simple Chocolate/Toffee Cookie

1 box chocolate cake mix*

1/3 cup canola oil

2 beaten eggs

3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate covered toffee

Combine eggs and oil and mix well. Add cake mix and mix thoroughly until moistened. Add chopped candy. Place on greased baking sheet and place in 350 degrees oven for 9 minutes. Remove and place on cooling rack.

*These can be made using sugar free cake mix and Russell Stover sugar-free chocolate covered toffee pieces.

~ Cindy Kerber

Kookie Cookies

1 package (10-1/2 ounces) corn chips

1 cup light corn syrup

l cup sugar

l cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

Spread corn chips in a greased 15" x 10" x 1" baking pan.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over corn chips. Cool. Break into pieces.

~Carolyn Pickens

Apricot Chip Cookies

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup. packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vanilla baking chips

1/2 cup coarsely chopped apricots

1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine sugars. butter, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, oats, coconut, baking soda and salt. Beat at slow speed until soft dough forms. Stir in chips, apricots and nuts.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges are a light golden brown. Let cool 1 minute before removing from baking sheet. Cool completely before storing.

~ Maxine Michel

Toffee Almond Sandies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. salt

2 cups of sliced almonds

1 package (8oz.) toffee bits

Cream the butter, oil and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in almonds and toffee bits.

Drop by a teaspoon 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

~ Ann H. Albrecht

Fudgy Pecan Pie Cookie Bars

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided into 1cup and 1/4 cup

1 cup cold butter or margarine

4 eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

1 package Hershey's unsweetened chocolate Baking Bar,

unwrapped and melted.

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

350 degrees grease a 15 1/2X10 1/2X 1-inch jelly roll pan

Stir together flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar in large bowl.

With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press onto bottom of prepared pan.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until set.

Remove from oven, with back of spoon, lightly press crust into corners and against sides of pan.

Beat eggs, corn syrup, remaining 1 cup brown sugar, melted chocolate, vanilla, salt.

Stir in pecans, pour mixture evenly over warm crust, return to oven.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until chocolate filling is set.

Cool completely in pan or on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 3 dozen bars

~ Susan Fields

Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip cookies

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of flour (sifted)

1 cup shortening

2 cups of uncooked oatmeal (quick cooking)

2 eggs

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup coconut

1 package of semisweet chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugar together, add eggs, soda vanilla and salt; beat until blended. Stir in sifted flour and oatmeal. Finally, add coconut and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly. Roll dough into large sized balls. Place on greased baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown.

~ Mary Ann Cruse

Snickers Surprise

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1-13 oz. package of mini Snickers

Combine butter, peanut butter and sugars using a mixer on medium to low speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Mix in flour, salt and baking soda. Cover and chill dough for 2-3 hours. Remove dough from fridge. Divide into 1 tablespoon pieces and flatten. Place a mini Snicker in the center of each piece of dough then form the dough into a ball around the Snicker. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on baking rack or wax paper.

~ Brenda Snider