Kairos Kookies

We may need up to 5,000 dozen cookies for a typical Kairos weekend. Do the math, that’s 60,000 cookies! Homemade kookies (cookies) are a tangible expression of Christian love and an indication of God’s concern for a group of people who seldom encounter either in the course of their daily lives. Your loving sacrifice will provide “bread” that shines the Light of God’s Grace into the darkest corners of a prison unit. May God bless you for the gift of baking!

 
Kookie Guidelines

Kookie Preparation The types of cookies that are generally acceptable are:  Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Molasses, Chocolate Chip, Ginger and Sugar. Check with your local institution for specifics on the type of cookies that are allowed. Cookies should be between 2 inches and 2-1/2 inches in diameter and not more than 1/2 inch thick. It is very important not to use icing, sugar or any other type of coating on the outside of the cookie. Do not add any kind of fruit or nuts to the cookies.

The Key Ingredient: Prayer

Pray individually or as a family over the ingredients before and during mixing. Pray over the cookies as you drop them onto the cookie sheets and bake them. Ask God to use your cookies as a source of His love to shine on the prisoners and staff on the Kairos weekend. Pray that each cookie brings the inmate, officer or warden who eats it closer to God. We want every person to become part of the family of God. Packing the Kookies Bag thoroughly cooled cookies in a quart sized Zip Lock bag, a dozen cookies to a bag. Label each bag with the cookie type inside. Freeze all cookies if not using within 3 days.

 

Getting the Kookies to the Prison If you are not working on the team, please deliver the cookies to a team member before the start of the weekend, so they can take them to the prison.

Kookie Recipes

Peanut Butter
3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
1-1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda  
Combine peanut butter, shortening, sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl and mix at medium speed until well blended. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda, mix well. Add flour mixture to peanut butter and mix until just blended. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with the tines of a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes until set. Makes 3 dozen cookies. 

Chewy Oatmeal
3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco
1-1/41⁄4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon  
Combine Crisco, brown sugar, egg, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until well blended. Combine oats, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a separate bowl, mix well. Add to Crisco/sugar mixture until just blended. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 2-1/2 dozen cookies. 

Chocolate Chip
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
1-1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Combine shortening, sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl, mix until well blended. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda, mix well. Add to shortening/sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup margarine or shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
In a large bowl, cream margarine or shortening with sugar. Add egg and blend. Add molasses and spices; mix well. Add flour and baking soda and blend. Chill dough 30 minutes or overnight (covered tightly). Shape dough into small balls and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Sugar Cookies
1 cup margarine (or butter); (2 sticks) at-room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Beat together margarine, oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Add dry ingredients to margarine mixture. Drop from a teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are light brown around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes (watch closely; cookies will be dry if they get too brown).  Makes approximately 5 dozen.