Hello, Good News! Welcome to another article where we share with you some of the best recipes from around the world. Today, we are going to explore the atlas cookie recipe, which is a fun and creative way to make cookies that reflect different cultures and cuisines.
Atlas cookies are cookies that are shaped or decorated to resemble a map of a country, region, or continent. They can be made with various ingredients and flavors, depending on the location you want to represent. For example, you can make atlas cookies with chocolate and hazelnut for Italy, or with coconut and lime for Thailand. The possibilities are endless!
Why You Should Try Atlas Cookie Recipe
Atlas cookie recipe is not only delicious, but also educational and entertaining. You can learn about different places and their cuisines, as well as have fun creating your own cookie maps. Atlas cookie recipe is also a great activity to do with your kids, friends, or family. You can challenge each other to make the most accurate or creative atlas cookies, or you can exchange them as gifts.
Atlas cookie recipe is also a good way to use up any leftover ingredients you have in your pantry. You can mix and match different flavors and toppings to create your own unique atlas cookies. You can also experiment with different shapes and sizes of cookies, or use cookie cutters to make them more precise.
How to Make Atlas Cookie Dough
The first step to make atlas cookie recipe is to prepare the cookie dough. You can use any basic cookie dough recipe that you like, such as sugar cookie, chocolate chip cookie, or oatmeal cookie. However, we recommend using a spritz cookie dough recipe, which is easy to make and pipe into different shapes. Here is a simple spritz cookie dough recipe that you can follow[^1^]:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together 3/4 cup (170 g) of unsalted butter and 1/2 cup (100 g) of granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add one large egg and one teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) of all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip or a cookie press with a disk of your choice.
You can also add food coloring to the dough if you want to make it more colorful.
How to Shape Atlas Cookies
The next step is to shape the atlas cookies. You can use a map or an atlas as a reference, or you can use your imagination. You can pipe or press the dough directly onto the prepared baking sheets, or you can shape them on a floured surface and then transfer them to the baking sheets. Here are some tips on how to shape atlas cookies:
- To make round or oval cookies, pipe or press the dough into circles or ovals of different sizes. You can also use a round cookie cutter or a glass to cut out the shapes.
- To make rectangular or square cookies, pipe or press the dough into long strips and then cut them into equal pieces. You can also use a knife or a pizza cutter to trim the edges.
- To make irregular-shaped cookies, pipe or press the dough into blobs or squiggles and then shape them with your fingers or a toothpick. You can also use scissors or a knife to cut out the shapes.
You can also combine different shapes and colors of dough to create more complex atlas cookies. For example, you can make a cookie map of Europe by piping blue dough for the sea and green dough for the land, and then adding yellow dough for the borders and red dough for the capitals.
How to Decorate Atlas Cookies
The final step is to decorate the atlas cookies. You can use any toppings or ingredients that you like, such as chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, sprinkles, candies, jam, frosting, etc. You can also use different flavors or extracts to enhance the taste of the cookies. Here are some ideas on how to decorate atlas cookies:
- To make atlas cookies with chocolate and hazelnut for Italy, pipe or press brown dough into a boot-shaped cookie and then sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top. You can also drizzle melted chocolate over the cookie or fill it with Nutella.
- To make atlas cookies with coconut and lime for Thailand, pipe or press green dough into a round cookie and then press shredded coconut onto the edges. You can also add lime zest or juice to the dough or the coconut, or top the cookie with lime slices or wedges.
- To make atlas cookies with peanut butter and jelly for the United States, pipe or press beige dough into a rectangular cookie and then cut out a star-shaped hole in the center. You can also use a star-shaped cookie cutter or a knife to make the hole. Fill the hole with peanut butter and jelly, or use them as glazes for the cookie.
You can also write or draw on the atlas cookies with edible markers, pens, or paints. For example, you can write the name of the country or region, or draw its flag or emblem.
Atlas Cookie Recipe Breakdown
To help you make your own atlas cookie recipe, we have prepared a table that shows some of the possible combinations of ingredients and flavors for different places. You can use this table as a guide, or you can create your own combinations based on your preferences and availability of ingredients. The table also shows the approximate baking time and temperature for each type of cookie dough.
Place | Dough | Color | Topping | Flavor | Baking Time | Baking Temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Italy | Spritz | Brown | Hazelnuts, chocolate | Chocolate, hazelnut | 10-12 minutes | 375°F (190°C) |
Thailand | Spritz | Green | Coconut, lime | Lime, coconut | 10-12 minutes | 375°F (190°C) |
United States | Spritz | Beige | Peanut butter, jelly | Peanut butter, jelly | 10-12 minutes | 375°F (190°C) |
France | Sugar | Blue, white, red | Sprinkles, frosting | Vanilla, almond | 8-10 minutes | 350°F (177°C) |
Mexico | Sugar | Chili, chocolate, cinnamon | Chocolate, chili, cinnamon | 8-10 minutes | 350°F (177°C) | |
China | Chocolate chip | Yellow, red | Almonds, sesame seeds | Almond, sesame | 10-12 minutes | 375°F (190°C) |
Australia | Oatmeal | Brown, green | Raisins, macadamia nuts | Raisin, macadamia | 12-15 minutes | 350°F (177°C) |
Egypt | Oatmeal | Beige, gold | Dates, pistachios | Date, pistachio | 12-15 minutes | 350°F (177°C) |
Brazil | Oatmeal | Banana, coconut, chocolate | Banana, coconut, chocolate | 12-15 minutes | 350°F (177°C) |