C&H Sugar 1001 Cookie Starter

5 cups - all-purpose flour 
3 3/4 cups - C&H® Pure Cane Granulated Sugar 
2 tablespoons - baking powder 
2 teaspoons - salt 
1 1/2 cups - plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 


In a 4-quart bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir until thoroughly blended. Add butter and use pastry blender or clean hands to work into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Makes 10 cups. For best results: Be sure that your baking powder is less than a month old when putting together the mix. If using margarine, do not choose diet, whipped or soft. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Do not press the mix. Let Cookie Starter Mix come to room temperature before use.

1. Assemble the 1001 Cookie Starter – this homemade baking mix becomes the base to easily create a variety of cookie recipes. The 1001 Cookie Starter makes 10 cups, and you know exactly what goes into each one, including the sweetness of pure cane sugar. You can use the Cookie Starter right away or save it, either frozen or refrigerated, for when you are ready to bake.
   
   Storage Tip: Divide 1001 Cookie Starter mix into 1 cup portions before freezing. Use plastic resealable bags or air-tight containers.
2. Add specialty ingredients along with cups of the 1001 Cookie Starter to make various cookies: gingerbread, sugar cookies, fudge balls, brownies, pinwheel cookies and more. Try a few of our recipes below or experiment and create your own recipe with these helpful tips:
   • For sweeter, crispier cookies, add 2-4 tablespoons of C&H^® Light Brown Sugar and/or you can use 2-4 tablespoons of butter or margarine.
   • When making cookies, if your mix is slightly dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk at a time, until dough-like consistency is reached.
   • Experiment with spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves or allspice.
   • Enhance the flavor of chocolate cookies by substituting 1-2 tablespoons of brewed coffee at room temperature for another liquid in the recipe. Or, if no liquid is called for in the recipe, in addition to the coffee, add equal parts of cocoa powder.
   • Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of flour to a recipe to give it a consistency that can be rolled and cut. Remember to allow dough to chill before cutting.
3. Wrap up all your different cookies to give as holiday gifts, then wait for the smiles! See all of C&H^® Sugar's unique Holiday Gift Ideas for more delicious holiday recipes, tips on adding an extra touch to your baked gifts and also some free gift tags you can print at home.

For more recipes, see C&H 1001 Cookie Starter homepage.