Golden Raisin Whippersnapper Cookies

Blackberry Pie Murder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

## For the Cookies:

* 1/2 cup boiling water
* 1 teaspoon brandy extract
* 1/2 golden raisin ***(Andrea uses golden raisin, but you could use regular raisins if you prefer)***
* 1 large egg
* 2 cups thawed, not frozen Cool Whip ***(measure this--Andrea said her tub of Cool Whip contained a little over 3 cups.)***
* 1 package ***(approximately 18 ounces)*** spice cake mix ***(Andrea used Duncan Hines)***

## For Rolling Cookie Balls:

* 1/2 cup powdered ***(confectioners')*** sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* Either boil the half-cup of water on the stove and then pour it into a microwave-safe bowl OR heat the half-cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl ***(Andrea used a one-cup Pyrex measuring cup)*** for 60 seconds on HIGH. This might not be boiling, but it will be hot enough for your purposes.
* Add the brandy extract to your hot water.
* Sprinkle in the raisins and set the bowl on the counter while you prepare the cookie sheets.
* Chill 2 teaspoons from your silverware drawer by sticking them in the freezer. You want them really icy cold. This will make it a lot easier to form the cookies after the dough is mixed.
* Prepare your cookie sheets by spraying them with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, or lining them with parchment paper, which you will then spray with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
* Whisk the egg in a large mixing bowl.
* Measure out 2 cups of Cool Whip and stir them into the egg.
* Check your raisins to see if they've plumped up. If they have, drain them and then pat them dry with a paper towel. If they haven't plumped, give them a little more time before you drain them and dry them off.
* When your raisins are plumped and drained, add them to the mixing bowl and stir them in by hand. Mix very gently and don't over-stir. You don't want to stir all the air out of the Cool Whip.
* Sprinkle the cake mix over the top of your mixing bowl. Fold it in very gently, mixing only until everything is combined. The object here is to keep as much air in the cookie batter as possible.
* Place the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a separate small bowl. ***(You don't have to sift it unless it's got big lumps.)***
* Add the cinnamon to the bowl and stir it all up with a fork. Mix until the cinnamon is thoroughly combined with the sugar.
* Take your teaspoons out of the freezer and drop the cookie dough by chilled and rounded teaspoonfuls into the bowl of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Roll the cookie dough ball around in the bowl with your fingers to coat it on all sides.

**Hannah's 1st Note:  Roll only one cookie dough ball at a time. If you roll too many at once, they'll stick together and you'll have a real mess. This dough is very sticky, so you must keep your fingers coated with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.**

**Hannah's 2nd Note: If you're really having trouble with the sticky dough, refrigerate your mixing bowl and dough for one hour. Then take it out and try it again. If you do this, don't forget to turn off your oven. You can preheat it again a few minutes before you take the cookie dough out of the refrigerator.**

* Place each coated cookie dough ball on the cookie sheets you've prepared, 12 cookies to each standard-sized sheet.
* Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch when tapped very lightly on the top with a fingertip.
* When the cookies have baked, take them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

**Hannah's 3rd Note: If you used parchment paper, all you have to do is wait 2 minutes and then pull the whole sheet of parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Just leave the Golden Raisin Whippersnappers on the parchment paper until they're cool, and then simply peel them off.**

Yield: 3 to 4 dozen delicious cookies, depending on cookie size.

***Andrea likes these cookies even though she doesn't like raisins. I think it may be because of the brandy extract.***