One Ring To Rule Them All

Sunday, July 29, 2012


Nobody knows exactly where it came from.

I thought we got it out of a cereal box.  My oldest daughter says it just showed up one day in a kitchen drawer.

The ‘it’ that I’m referring to is a replica Lord of the Rings ring, complete with elvish handwriting. 

However the ring arrived, it seems reluctant to depart.  We keep losing it, and it keeps finding its way back to us.  Most recently it was missing for a year.  But when the girls were packing for camp this summer, the One Ring slipped out of a suitcase that has been used at least twice since it was last seen.  Other than the fact that the gold has slightly tarnished over the years, it remains unchanged in any way.

It doesn’t seem to possess any other magical powers.  I can slip it over my finger without disappearing or, to the best of my knowledge, attracting the attention of Sauron. 



This recipe attracted my attention when I was looking for more recipes to use up my accumulated jams and preserves.  Although making Ring Cookies requires a few steps, they aren’t difficult, and the result is delicious.  Believe me, this is one case where you won’t mind at all being ruled by a ring.

Ring Cookies (aka Cookie bar Jammers)
Recipe from Lottie and Doof, and inspired by Dorie Greenspan)

Sablé Dough (from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and very creamy.  Add sugar and icing sugar and beat for a minute.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in two egg yolks and vanilla.

Pour in the flour (one cup at a time) and stir with a spoon until completely mixed. 

Brown Sugar Streusel

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
pinch of ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a small saucepan on stove.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a fork to form crumbs.  Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Assembling and baking the cookies:

You need one recipe of Sablé Cookie dough, one recipe of streusel, and some jam or preserves (I used strawberry jam and apple butter).
You also need a set of ring molds to shape and bake the cookies in.  (If you don’t have ring molds, just use round cookie cutters to shape the cookies and bake them free-form.  The cookies won’t be as symmetrical, but they’ll still taste great.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Roll dough to about 1/3” thick.  Use ring molds to stamp out cookies.  (I got about a dozen.)  Transfer the dough and rings to prepared cookie sheet, then chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes until the dough firms up. 

Top each cookie with 2 tsp jam or preserves, followed by 2 tsp of streusel.  Bake for 16 – 18 minutes, or until golden.  Remove from oven and let cool 5 – 10 minutes before removing the ring molds.

33 comments:

Golden Eagle said...

Mmm. Those sound really good!

Anonymous said...

What a tasty, sweet looking snack!

Ellen B Cookery said...

These look like a tasty treat.

Belinda said...

Ooo, Gollum left it there!! =) The brown sugar is sweet sweet sweet.

Neesie said...

I think these tasty treats will appear in my kitchen at some stage this week.
Thanks for sharing Beth ;D

Kitchen Riffs said...

Your intro was perfect for these cookies! Good story about the ring, nice ring cookies. Now, if you find the ring baked into these cookies - or something else - then things will start getting creepy. ;-) Fun post - thanks.

Valerie Gamine said...

Beth, I love what you've done with Dorie's shortbread recipe! That's mad genius!

And I think that ring must hold some kind of magic if no one seems to know where it came from. Plus it always finds it's way back to you...sounds a bit enchanted to me. :D

Gloria Baker said...

I think look delicious Beth!

Carol said...

They look amazing, with the jam and the streusel. I'd love a few of these!

Jemi Fraser said...

Kind of like butter tart topping - looks yummy!

Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself said...

Mmmm, this tart ring could definitely control me :D

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

Vi said...

The kids and I made made tons of freezer jam this spring. These cookies loos delicious and kid friendly, we will have to make some with our jam!

Barbara said...

Funny story about the ring!
Your jam cookies look really good and I it's fun to use up leftover jams this way.

Cathleen said...

Haha, I think I saw one of those rings attached to a bookmark in Chapters. My sister bought it, and wore it around her neck. I know, pretty cool, I wish I thought of that ;)
These look great!! I can't look away! It has begun...

Asmita said...

Wow, these look divine!

Angie's Recipes said...

These jam cookies look awesome with brown sugar streusel.

Jennifer Kendall said...

i've been having a craving for brown sugar in something...these sound perfect!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I so wish were eating like that now - those look so good!

Food Gal said...

That is hilarious about the Lord of the Rings ring. Good thing Gollum hasn't been showing up at your house, looking for it. ;)

Kayte said...

Fun to read about The Ring...isn't it fun when things like that have their own life in family lore? These cookies look really good to me.

Cindy said...

Looks delicious. You can always count on Dorie, she has great recipes!

Joanne said...

Haha I love the lord of the rings tie-in. These rings look delicious and definitely the perfect way to use up some extra jam!

Cucina49 said...

I love this story--the item that just won't go away no matter how much you try! I think I have a few things like that in my utensil drawer.

Miriam said...

Love this post! Awesome cookies :)
Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

Unknown said...

These cookies really caught my eye! I love all the steps in the recipe and the way you used all your rings to create these pretty scrumptious looking cookies;-)

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Oh, boy, these look wonderful! We have all sorts of those treasures around here, too :)

Lorraine said...

I am a big Lord of the Rings fan and also a big fan of yummy cookies like these. They look really delicious:)

Anonymous said...

I think I've lost most items like that, but when I find them it's a surprise from the bowels of cushions, boxes, and drawers.

Those ring cookies look delicious.

Kathy said...

Oh, These are beautiful! I love Dories Sable recipe…such a wonderful way to make them! Lord of the Rings was my sons favorite book when he was growing up.

Victoria said...

I love all your theme cooking :) It's funny how that ring kept reappearing after being lost so many times. Maybe it really is magical?? hehe. These cookies look fantastic. I always loved cookies with jam on them, and these are even more sophisticated than the ones I remember :)

grace said...

i've never seen cookies like this, but any recipe that includes streusel is a-okay in my book!
i loved the lord of the rings movies. more specifically, i loved legolas. :)

Catherine said...

Dear Beth, These ring cookies look pretty and delightful! I love cookies with jams. I know my family would love these LOTR inspired treat. Blessings my dear, your friend, Catherine xo

Sue said...

These cookies look like "melt in your mouth" GOODNESS! :)

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