M
mochi
Guest
It was my Chinnie's birthday, so I decided to make her some chin Cookies.
This is very simple and only requires a few ingredients that you already have on hand.
The whole idea of making this recipe not only it is fun and able to make your chin something by yourself, but it is also cheap. Because the ingredient are those that your chin already eats, this wont create an upset stomach.
The measurement in the recipe do not need to be exact and the recipe can change depend on what you have on hand
*My Chin Cookie Recipe*
Ingredients:
Mazuri chinchilla feed (80-90%)
Kaytee Chinchilla Fruit & Veggie Treat (I used only the timothy pellets and whole oats)
Rosehips (curshed without the silver thread)
alfalfa hay (mostly leaves, because the stems do not bind well)
a few thin slices of apple
Or, add in your normal supplements, like: probiotic acidophilus powder, activated charcoal powder...etc
*only used chin safe treats*
Instruction:
1. gather a few cups (about 2 cups) of your chin's normal feed in a zip lock bag. For me, I used Mazuri
2. To the zip lock bag, add in your chin's favorite treat
I added whole oats, timothy pellets, rosehips, alfalfa hay (leaves)
3. I added tiny slices of apple (guilty, BUT since it is her birthday....i guess a little bit wont hurt)
*Remember, feed should be the major ingredients, the ratio of treat should not exceed (~20%) of the total ingredients. so keep the ratio 80:20 of your feed and treat ratio.
4. Blending
use a blending machine, dump in all your ingredients, add a couple splashes of water to make this process go easier for your blender. Blend until all the chunks are gone and the mixture become homogenized like a "cookie dough"
5. Let the "dough" Rest
put the blended mixture back into the zip lock bag, add a couple more Tbs of water to let the dough become more pliable during the resting period. Store in refrigerator for 1 day or even longer (3 days for me) to let the dough become more pliable and manageable during the molding process.
6. Molding (The hardest part for me)
a. Use your favorite cookie cutter. For me, I use a heart shaped mold. On a silicon mat,place your mold and hold it with one hand, then use your another hand, grab 2 pinches of dough and place it in the mold.
* I tried to use a spoon to measure the exact amount, but i found out using my fingers are better. Even though the dough is blended and water is added, the mixture is still very crumbly. Because as you are pinching, it helps to pack the dough together, so it wont be as messy to fit it in the mold.
b.Then gently tap with your finger to pack the dough to flattens it.
* I found out it is better to use a gentle tapping motion, so it wont create a dent in the dough.
c. after packing the dough, and the thickness is relatively uniform, push out your dough out of your cookie cutter and place it on the silicon mat. The cookie's thickness should be around 2/16 inches.
d. reshape your molded cookies if desired. This will be the final shape of your cookie.
* Since my finger cant reach well in the mold, I found out the edges are still a bit raised and the thickness is still not uniform, so after placing the molded dough onto the mat, flatten your cookies again by tapping your finger, this will smooth out all the rough edges and unevenness.
7. Baking
Bake your cookie in an oven with the lowest temperature setting for your oven. I used 170-180F. The heating process should be slow to dry out the cookies without caramelization. Check a few times for doneness, the center should not be moist. The finished product should be hard and brittle. Baking time: about 2 hours.
8. Storing
place on cookies on the counter overnight to cool off and vent off any residual moisture. This would ensure the cookies to stay crisp.
*alternative molding process: if you dont have the time to mold each and every cookie. Simply use a spoon to spoon out dough balls onto your silicon mat, then place a sheet of parchment paper over, then use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into even 2/16 thickness. (I did not use this method, but I am interested if anyone tried this)
Making the cookie is time consuming and messy, but my chin appreciate it by happily chomping her birthday present!!
HAPPY BAKING!
*The attached picture:
1. The ingredients (alfalfa, rosehips, whole oat and timothy pellets, Mazuri feed)
2. cookies before baking
3. The finished product
4. My Birthday girl eating my cookies! (she is giving me the stink eyes because i wake her up from her beauty sleep)
5. Molding process
This is very simple and only requires a few ingredients that you already have on hand.
The whole idea of making this recipe not only it is fun and able to make your chin something by yourself, but it is also cheap. Because the ingredient are those that your chin already eats, this wont create an upset stomach.
The measurement in the recipe do not need to be exact and the recipe can change depend on what you have on hand
*My Chin Cookie Recipe*
Ingredients:
Mazuri chinchilla feed (80-90%)
Kaytee Chinchilla Fruit & Veggie Treat (I used only the timothy pellets and whole oats)
Rosehips (curshed without the silver thread)
alfalfa hay (mostly leaves, because the stems do not bind well)
a few thin slices of apple
Or, add in your normal supplements, like: probiotic acidophilus powder, activated charcoal powder...etc
*only used chin safe treats*
Instruction:
1. gather a few cups (about 2 cups) of your chin's normal feed in a zip lock bag. For me, I used Mazuri
2. To the zip lock bag, add in your chin's favorite treat
I added whole oats, timothy pellets, rosehips, alfalfa hay (leaves)
3. I added tiny slices of apple (guilty, BUT since it is her birthday....i guess a little bit wont hurt)
*Remember, feed should be the major ingredients, the ratio of treat should not exceed (~20%) of the total ingredients. so keep the ratio 80:20 of your feed and treat ratio.
4. Blending
use a blending machine, dump in all your ingredients, add a couple splashes of water to make this process go easier for your blender. Blend until all the chunks are gone and the mixture become homogenized like a "cookie dough"
5. Let the "dough" Rest
put the blended mixture back into the zip lock bag, add a couple more Tbs of water to let the dough become more pliable during the resting period. Store in refrigerator for 1 day or even longer (3 days for me) to let the dough become more pliable and manageable during the molding process.
6. Molding (The hardest part for me)
a. Use your favorite cookie cutter. For me, I use a heart shaped mold. On a silicon mat,place your mold and hold it with one hand, then use your another hand, grab 2 pinches of dough and place it in the mold.
* I tried to use a spoon to measure the exact amount, but i found out using my fingers are better. Even though the dough is blended and water is added, the mixture is still very crumbly. Because as you are pinching, it helps to pack the dough together, so it wont be as messy to fit it in the mold.
b.Then gently tap with your finger to pack the dough to flattens it.
* I found out it is better to use a gentle tapping motion, so it wont create a dent in the dough.
c. after packing the dough, and the thickness is relatively uniform, push out your dough out of your cookie cutter and place it on the silicon mat. The cookie's thickness should be around 2/16 inches.
d. reshape your molded cookies if desired. This will be the final shape of your cookie.
* Since my finger cant reach well in the mold, I found out the edges are still a bit raised and the thickness is still not uniform, so after placing the molded dough onto the mat, flatten your cookies again by tapping your finger, this will smooth out all the rough edges and unevenness.
7. Baking
Bake your cookie in an oven with the lowest temperature setting for your oven. I used 170-180F. The heating process should be slow to dry out the cookies without caramelization. Check a few times for doneness, the center should not be moist. The finished product should be hard and brittle. Baking time: about 2 hours.
8. Storing
place on cookies on the counter overnight to cool off and vent off any residual moisture. This would ensure the cookies to stay crisp.
*alternative molding process: if you dont have the time to mold each and every cookie. Simply use a spoon to spoon out dough balls onto your silicon mat, then place a sheet of parchment paper over, then use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into even 2/16 thickness. (I did not use this method, but I am interested if anyone tried this)
Making the cookie is time consuming and messy, but my chin appreciate it by happily chomping her birthday present!!
HAPPY BAKING!
*The attached picture:
1. The ingredients (alfalfa, rosehips, whole oat and timothy pellets, Mazuri feed)
2. cookies before baking
3. The finished product
4. My Birthday girl eating my cookies! (she is giving me the stink eyes because i wake her up from her beauty sleep)
5. Molding process
