Hamburger and Hot dog Cookies!

Perfect BBQ cookies!

The unofficial start of summer is about to be kicked off for most North Americans- Canada Day (July 1st) and Independence Day (July 4th)! Fireworks, picnics, BBQs, parades will all be had by millions of us over the coming few days. The fireworks and parades I may not be able to help with but I do have something to share for the BBQs and picnics - cookies! And not just any cookies but cookies that go with the summer BBQ theme - hamburgers and hotdogs!  I think they are adorable! I made them for my kids to share at the last day of school and everyone loved them. The hamburgers don't require actual baking - just a little melting of chocolate and the hotdogs are a sugar cookie recipe that I add some food gel to for that good 'ol processed meat colour ;) I've also made successful dogs with a shortbread dough just in case sugar cookies aren't your thing.

I hope everyone enjoys their respective holidays!

And just in case you need some random facts to spice up your holiday BBQs read these:

United States

• Almost 1 in 3 hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 19.7 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2012.
•  Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of the nation’s total production.
•  Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July barbecues. Approximately half of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2011. 

Canada

• More than 75% of the world's maple syrup comes from Canada.
• The world’s first chocolate bar was made at Ganong’s candy factory in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
• Canadians eat more salt than any other country in the world.
• Canadians eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, more frozen fruits and vegetables, more flour, more fish, more nuts, more pulses and drinks more tea and 2% milk than Americans.
• Alberta is responsible for 60% of Canada’s beef production.
• 73% of Canada’s seafood comes from Atlantic Canada.

No-bake Hamburger Cookies

Ingredients

A box of nilla wafers.

One bag of chocolate candy melts.

Red and yellow decorating icing (I used premade to save time)

1/2 c coconut

a few drops of green food colouring

What to do

If using coconut for "lettuce" , place the coconut in a ziploc and add a couple drops of green food colouring. Seal the bag, shake and mix until the coconut is the desired colour.

To make sure my patties were the right size, I first cut a piece of parchment paper to match the size of a cookie sheet. Then I traced the outline of a nilla wafer many times on the sheet leaving about 2 inches between each circle. Turn the paper over so any ink doesn't transfer to the chocolate. 

Melt about a cup of chocolate candy melts in the microwave according to the bags directions.

Using a teaspoon, drop chocolate on the pre-traced circles and spread to match the circles.

Take one wafer and gently press the flat side of the cookie into each melted chocolate circle. Repeat to fill each traced circle.

Place the cookie sheet in the fridge to set the chocolate. It will take about 20 minutes unless your chocolate in very thick.

Remove from fridge and flip over your bun/burger. You can now dress your burgers with "ketchup" or "mustard" icings. Sprinkle a little coconut on the edges for "lettuce".

Place another nilla wafer on top to complete your burger! Let set (I left mine over night but it shouldn't take too long).

Enjoy!

Hot Dog Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2.5 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• red food colouring
• green food colouring
• black food colouring (optional)
• red and yellow icing (store bought might be the easiest)

What to do

• In bowl; whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Set aside.
• In another large bowl beat butter and shortening.
• Beat in sugars until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Mix in flour mixture.
• Take 2/3 dough and place in separate bowl.
• To the other 1/3 of dough, add no taste red food colouring and a little green food colouring - you'll probably need to add 3x the amount of red to green - add sparingly as it's easier to add more colour than take it out!! This combo of colours should give you the pinky/browny colour of a hotdog! 
• Make the buns first - Using approx 2 tbsp or 30 grams of "bun" dough, shape it into bun. Either use your finger or perhaps a chopstick or other skinny cylindrical item to make space for the hot dog. Repeat leaving about 2 inches between each cookie on your baking sheet.
• Now take about a tbsp (maybe a bit less) of hotdog dough and roll into a weiner. Carefully, place it into the "bun".
• If desired, dip a toothpick into some brown or black food colouring and add"char" marks to the dog.
• Refrigerate your hotdogs at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in the centre of your oven for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown on the bottom and edges.
• Let cool for 5 minutes on tray.
• Transfer to racks; let cool completely.
• Add red/yellow icing as condiments!