Elgin cop rolls in the (cookie) dough

An Elgin police officer for more than 16 years, Lorenz Burkert never knows what will be coming at him.

"I can go from handling something as simple as a parking complaint or directing traffic to a fight, maybe with weapons," Lorenz says.

Drug arrests, domestic batteries and major accidents crank up the stress.

"Our hearts can go from 0 to 60 and back down in a matter of three minutes," he says.

To unwind, Lorenz finds peace in baking and sharing cookies, cupcakes, banana bread and other goodies. He turned to baking therapy just two years ago.

"Because my wife (Nina) makes most dinners I wanted to contribute a little bit, so I make dessert," says Lorenz, adding that Nina loves cookies.

A rookie in the kitchen, Lorenz worked his way through a box of recipes from family and friends, starting with oatmeal raisin walnut and progressing through spritz, chocolate chip, chocolate with white chocolate chips, cupcakes and banana bread.

"It was almost like going back to school," he says. "I've gotten to the point where it's relatively easy."

Typically he bakes every other week and for family birthdays. His decorated sugar cookies are so good that he was asked to bake 300 for a wedding shower.

During the holidays, demand spikes.

"It's crazy; I go several days in a row, constantly baking something."

To avoid overindulging, Lorenz and Nina take the overstock to work and share with family and friends. No one is left out: Lorenz occasionally bakes biscuits for his six dogs and cat, all rescue animals with special needs.

Whether his cookies go to humans or animals, says Lorenz, "it's a feeling of pride" when others enjoy them.

Join the fun with three of Lorenz's most popular varieties, and add your own touches. Substitute any jelly in the Strawberry Jelly Cookies and get creative with decorations on the Sugar-Frosted Sugar Cookies ... "they're as sweet as it gets," says Lorenz.

It doesn't tempt Lorenz too much. Like a number of bakers I've met, Lorenz enjoys the baking more than the eating.

"If I ate them all I'd be 300 pounds," he says.

Then who would chase the bad guys?

Frosted Sugar Cookies

3¼ cups flour

1½ cups sugar

⅔ cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs

2½ teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

Frosting

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups powdered sugar

Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, milk, vanilla and salt in a mixing bowl; beat until well incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Roll dough into ball, wrap with wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly flour a work surface.

Divide dough in half and return half to refrigerator. Roll out dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake about 7 minutes or until bottom is lightly brown.

For frosting: Whisk together egg whites and lemon juice in bowl. Add powdered sugar and stir to incorporate. Spread onto cooled cookies.

Makes about 5 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Strawberry Jelly Cookies

3¾ cups flour

1⅓ cups butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup orange juice

1 egg yolk

Strawberry jelly

In a large bowl, beat together flour, butter, sugar, orange juice and egg yolk until well combined. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Press your thumb into each ball making a deep indentation; bake for about 10 minutes or until set.

Remove from oven and fill with strawberry jelly. Bake 5 minutes more. Cool.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Chocolate and Walnut Cluster Cookies

1½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 cups walnuts, chopped

Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, beat together chocolate, flour, sugar, butter, egg, salt, vanilla and baking powder. Stir in walnuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets; bake about 10 minutes. Cool completely and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 2½ dozen.