Monday, February 17, 2014

Kool-Aid Cookies

You ever heard or read that you should have one thing you can consistently make and make well?  I think people are usually meaning a main dish to impress visitors but I would say these cookies are my one thing I can make well to impress.  They are very basic, easy, and turn out delicious.  They have a slightly crunchy exterior with a soft center and wonderful tang from the Kool-Aid.  This is probably the recipe which I get requests for the most often.


I generally make lemon cookies and strawberry cookies.  There are many flavor combinations but these are the ones I like best.  If you are experimenting I will say 4 grape Kool-Aid packets with 1 white cake mix is waaaay too much.  Just saying.  Don't try it. =)

Kool-Aid Cookies
yield: around 30 cookies per batch

Ingredients (pictured is for a double batch, list below is for a single batch)

-1 standard size box of cake mix
-1 unsweetened Kool-Aid packet
-1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
-2 eggs
-approx. 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375°.
2) Combine the cake mix and Kool-Aid packet in a bowl and give a brief stir.  Add the oil and eggs and mix until everything is combined.
3) Put around 1/3 cup powdered sugar on a plate.  Break off a small piece of the batter and roll into a ball; should be around 1" - 1 1/2" in diameter.  Roll this ball in the powdered sugar, tapping off the excess, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Repeat.
4) Bake for about 8 minutes.  (My slow oven takes 13 minutes.).  If they look like they need more time after 8 minutes I would rotate the cookie sheet 180° and set the timer for a few more minutes.  The hardest part of this recipe is determining when they are done.  They will come out of the oven before they actually look done; the insides will still be a little gooey and look moist.  Mine were still sizzling on the cookie sheet.  I leave them on the cookie sheet, on top of the stove, another 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.   If they start to brown they are definitely done.  When they are done done they should be fairly easy to get off the cookie sheet (with a flipper) but the insides will still be soft. 

I seem to make these most this time of year.  When the snow won't stop piling up outside there is something so hopeful and springy about brightly colored cookies that pop in your mouth.  


Source: modified from AllRecipes

2 comments:

Lauren said...

So you use lemon cake mix + lemon koolaid, and same for strawberry? Have you ever tried another kool-aid flavor? Those look super yummy!!!!

diana said...

That's how I do it! I've tried orange cake mix with orange koolaid mix but didn't like those as much. And I've done white cake mix with 4 packets of grape koolaid and that was waaaay too strong. Family members have been more adventurous with their flavor combinations but I stick with what I know I like!