ORIGINAL LIP SMACKER’S COOKIE

Recipe by Wendy Nan Rees

This “people cookie made for dogs” is sure to get tails wagging.

3 cups whole wheat flour (or substitute 1 ½ cups of kibble flour for 1 ½ cups of whole wheat flour)

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup rolled oats

⅔ cup powdered nonfat dry milk

1 ½ cups chicken or beef broth, low salt

½ cup safflower oil 

3 large eggs (2 for recipe, 1 for cookie glaze)

¼ cup molasses

½ cup dried apples, chopped. (For the holidays, instead of apples, add a bit of canned pumpkin)

3 tsp. chopped parsley (set some aside for the topping)

Glaze: Beat 1 egg in a small dish and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. (Note: You may add chopped dried beef, or cooked turkey bacon, or some Parmesan cheese to these cookies; they can go from a sweet treat to a savory one.)

Add oil, broth, and eggs.

Let dough sit 20–30 minutes. Dough should be firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. (If the dough seems watery when using the pumpkin, slowly add a bit more flour, let dough sit, and roll.) Cut into shapes. Or roll the dough into a log shape, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze until it is firm enough to slice, but not frozen hard. Sprinkle with your desired toppings. In our house, we like the turkey bacon and cheese with the parsley. Freeze whatever dough you do not use.

Paint cookies with the egg glaze. A pastry brush works best, but a small spoon can be used too. Be sure to wipe off any extra glaze from top of cookie.

Bake 25–35 minutes until light golden brown. I prefer to turn off the oven, leaving the cookies in it, to dry out for a while—this helps to harden them and take the moisture out. But be sure they do not continue cooking, and keep the door a bit open as they cool. This helps preserve freshness and intensify flavor. Store in an air-tight container for up to
4 weeks in the refrigerator.