Vanilla Macarons – Italian Meringue

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Vanilla Macarons - Italian Meringue
In an attempt to make the perfect macarons for a recent Frozen Birthday Cake I made for our Granddaughter, I turned to Thomas Keller’s book “Bouchon Bakery,” followed the recipe from the ingredients to the instructions, and they came out perfect. I also followed the advice to use a convection oven to bake, and freeze the finished macarons before serving. I admit this will be my go-to macaron recipe from now on. This recipe is quite easy to make but I do recommend reading through the instructions before beginning to become familiar with making meringues and sugar syrups.

This recipe uses an Italian meringue which is a little trickier to make than the French version, but the results are outstanding. I used the exact recipe from Bouchon Bakery, including the metric weights using a food scare. The American measurements from Bouchon Bakery are included, but I have not tried these measurements myself. Because these macarons are vanilla flavored I also filled them with a vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Alas I neglected to get a more perfect photo of the macarons, these are actually the leftover macarons from the cake after the Birthday party.

There are two methods for making macarons, either using French meringue or Italian meringue. Both methods used the same ingredients but it’s all about how the meringue is prepared.

French meringue starts with raw egg whites and granulated sugar that are whipped to stiff peaks, then the dry ingredients (ground almonds and powdered sugar) are folded into the whipped mixture. This results in a batter that is easy with a light and delicate batter.

Italian meringue starts with raw egg whites that are whipped to soft peaks before a boiled sugar syrup is poured into the egg whites and then whipped to stiff peaks. This method essentially cooks the egg whites as they are being whipped into a glossy meringue. The meringue is then folded into an almond mixture resulting in a batter that is stable and easy to use.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sandwich Cookies | Piped Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen sandwich cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° F. Yield: 3 Dozen Sandwich Cookies Storage: Tightly wrapped, refrigerate or freeze

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Ingredients
Almond Mixture:
  • 212 grams finely ground blanched almond flour (or 1¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons) Tip: I use Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
  • 212 grams confectioner’s (powdered) sugar (or 1¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pre-sifted)
  • 82 grams egg whites (or ¼ cup plus 1½ tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Meringue:
  • 90 grams egg whites (or ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
  • Pinch of granulated sugar
Sugar Syrup:
  • 236 grams granulated sugar (or 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)
  • 158 grams water (or ⅔ cup)
Filling:
Instructions
Cut parchment papers to fit baking sheets. Draw rows of 1½-inch circles at least 1-inch apart to use as a template. Turn the parchment papers over so the markings are on the underside and line 2 to 4 large baking sheets with the parchment paper. Tip: Use a 1½-inch cookie cutter to draw around. Dab the corners of the baking sheet with butter or shortening or non-stick spray to hold the parchment paper in place.
Have a large 14-inch or 16-inch pastry bag, fitted with a ½-inch plain round decorating tip, or optionally insert a coupler with a ½-inch opening in the bag. Fold the bag down making a 4-inch cuff. Tip: Place the pastry bag in a tall jar or drinking glass to stabilize the bag when filling with the meringue mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (convection oven preferred, or standard oven)
Almond Mixture:
  1. In a large-sized mixing bowl, combine almond flour and confectioners’ sugar; sift or whisk together to mix. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the egg whites and vanilla extract in the well, mix ingredients thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.
Meringue:
  1. Place the egg whites and pinch of granulated sugar in a large bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set aside while starting the sugar syrup.
Sugar Syrup:
  1. In a medium-sized heavy saucepan combine sugar and water. Heat over low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar is completely dissolved and syrup looks clear. Stir gently to avoid splashing the mixture onto the sides of the pan.
  2. Begin Whipping Meringue: When the syrup looks clear increase the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches a temperature around 200 degrees F. using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. While letting the sugar syrup continue to cook, begin whipping the meringue; turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then reduce the mixer speed to low to keep the egg whites moving as the sugar syrup continues to cook and reach a temperature of 248 degrees F.
  3. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F. immediately remove the pan from the heat.
  4. Finishing Meringue: Quickly, as soon at the sugar syrup is removed from the heat and the bubbling decreases a bit, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup down the side of the bowl, pouring the syrup between the side of the bowl and the whisk. Tip: Try not to allow any syrup to pour onto the whisk as it will spin the syrup around the sides of the bowl. The meringue may deflate as the hot sugar syrup is poured in. Be careful, the sugar is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it.
  5. Once all the sugar syrup has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip the meringue until it is cooled and has formed stiff glossy peaks, about 5 minutes. Tip: Touch the mixture and make sure it has cooled to room temperature, if not continue to whip until it is cooled.
  6. Fold mixtures together: Add about one-third of the meringue mixture to the bowl with the almond mixture. Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture with a large rubber spatula. Continue adding and folding additional meringue to the almond mixture, a little at a time, until the batter is smooth and slowly runs off the spatula in thick ribbons. Tip: You will probably need most but not all of the meringue. The batter shouldn’t be so stiff that it holds its shape and doesn’t move, but it shouldn’t be so loose that it dissolves into itself and does not maintain the ribbon. It is better for the batter to be slightly stiff than too loose.
Piping the Macarons:
  1. Spoon a portion of the batter into the prepared pastry bag. Tip: Do not over-fill the pastry bag. the batter should just ooze out of the tip once the bag is full. If the batter stays stiff inside the bag it is too thick, if it drips out too fast the batter is too runny.
  2. Twist the top of the bag, hold the bag upright about ½ inch above the center of one of the traced circles and pipe out enough of the mixture to fill the circle. Fill the remaining traced circles on this first pan. Tip: Gently squeeze the bag and let the batter flow out, then as you release sweep the tip to the side rather than lifting straight up and forming a peak.
  3. Rap the bottom of the baking sheet a few times on the counter top to spread the batter evenly and smooth any peaks left by the pastry bag.
  4. Bake: Bake the macarons one sheet at a time. While baking, the macarons should form the classic “feet” around the bottom. Use a new parchment paper for each batch.
  5. If using a convection oven bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops are smooth and set.
  6. If using a standard oven, place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until the tops are smooth and set. After baking the first batch, reheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees before baking the second batch.
  7. After removing the baking sheet from the oven, place on a wire cooling rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the macarons from the parchment and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. They should come away easily.
  8. Repeat the baking and cooling process with remaining batter.
Filling:
  1. Prepare Swiss Meringue Buttercream or another filling of your choice.
  2. Spoon Buttercream filling into a pastry bag with a ¼ inch round tip. Start in the center, pipe buttercream in a spiral pattern on the flat side of a macaron cookie, not quite reaching the edges, then top with another cookie to make a Buttercream filled macaroon sandwich. Hold the macarons on the sides so the top doesn’t crack and press the two halves gently together to spread the buttercream to the edges.
Freeze before serving:
  1. The macarons are best if frozen before serving. Freezing the macarons makes them chewier and helps develop the flavors. Layer the macaron sandwiches between parchment paper in a pan then tightly cover the pan with foil, and freeze for at least 24 hours or up to 2 weeks. Before serving defrost in the refrigerator for about 3 hours. The macarons may then be served chilled from the refrigerator, or brought to room temperature to serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Tip: Swiss meringue buttercream filling is best if kept refrigerated.

Adapted From: Keller, Thomas, Bouchon Bakery, Artizan Publishing, New York, 2012

 

Gingerbread House

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Gingerbread House
Christmas means gingerbread and gingerbread houses, what fun it is to create and decorate these festive houses.

I think I found the perfect recipe for Gingerbread Houses in the Pastry Queen book by Rebecca Rather. This recipe makes a dough that is dense and sturdy, easy to roll and cut, and bakes nicely with little puffing or spreading. And the fragrance of gingerbread wafting through the house while it’s baking is deliciously amazing. I did alter the recipe a bit by increasing the spices (cinnamon nutmeg and salt) and decreasing the amount of cloves.

This dough takes a bit more time than a traditional dough but I think it is actually easier to make and work with. The sugars and spices are first heated on the stovetop to a bubbling boil. Then butter is added to create a butter and sugary base, and then the flour is stirred in. That’s it. Let the dough sit in the fridge overnight to chill and you’re ready to bake.

Melted the butter and sugar creates a gingerbread dough that is denser and chewier with less rise, basically a non-leavened dough despite including the baking soda which helps the cookies crisp. Versus creaming the butter and sugar to capture air bubbles which would produce a tender dough with a more cake-like leavened texture.

This gingerbread dough also makes an excellent rolled and cutout cookie; however, you would want to bake for less time to have a bit softer but still crisp cookie. The dough for gingerbread houses is typically baked longer to make the house pieces strong and sturdy.

Many recipes suggest rolling the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch to create sturdy gingerbread house pieces. This thickness obviously uses quite a bit of dough. I experimented with ¼-inch and this does make a nice sturdy house with a longer bake time. I also rolled the dough to ⅛-inch which certainly uses less dough and I found these houses were very sturdy, yet lighter in weight, making them seem a bit more delicate. Last I tried 3/16-inch, right in the middle of ⅛ and ¼-inches, and I think this thickness hits the mark perfectly. The houses are extremely sturdy with plenty of dough to use for more than one house. Tip: if you have rolling pin rings this is the time to use them to roll the dough to an even thickness.

Royal icing is the edible “glue” that holds the houses together, adheres candy pieces, and is used for beautiful decorations. I’ve provided my favorite royal icing recipe below. It is a thick icing to act as a mortar to hold the house pieces together. Even though you may only be making gingerbread houses for display and not eating, it’s nice to have everything taste yummy, just in case you do want to eat! I prefer using actual egg-whites over meringue powder just because it makes the royal icing tastes better; it’s best to use liquid egg-whites which have been pasteurized to destroy any salmonella bacteria vs using fresh egg-whites. Last are the decorations. We had a gingerbread party with our small grandchildren and they loved putting all the candies on the houses. This is the part where you can go wild and buy all the candies you want for decoration. Or, my favorite, is to just decorate with royal icing using minimal to no candies for beautiful all-white decoration.

Click here for more Gingerbread House Tips and Photos
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Gingerbread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Gingerbread House Tips and Photos
Ingredients
Gingerbread House Dough:
Tip: depending on the size and number of houses you are making, you may need to make one or several batches of gingerbread dough.
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup dark molasses
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces.
Royal Icing:
Tip: depending on the size and number of houses you are making, you may need to make one or several batches of royal icing.
  • 3 large egg whites, or 6 tablespoons liquid pasteurized egg whites. Tip: if using fresh egg whites measure the whites for 6 tablespoons.
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 4½ cups confectioners’ (powdered sugar)
Instructions
Gingerbread House Dough:
  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large-sized heavy-bottom pan, combine sugar, molasses, water, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter pieces to the hot mixture, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted. Let mixture cool for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the flour mixture to the cooled sugar and butter mixture, stir with a wooden spoon until completely blended.
  4. Spoon the dough into a gallon-sized resealable plastic freezer bag, flatten and shape dough into a disc, and seal the bag. Refrigerate the dough until thoroughly chilled, 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Tip: the dough will keep in the refrigerator several days before using if necessary.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line at least 2 large baking sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment paper.
  6. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit 15 minutes or more to warm-up so it is rollable. If the dough still seems to cold just let it sit a bit longer, or keep rolling. The more you roll the dough the softer and warmer it becomes.
  7. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 3/16-inch thickness. Tip: Use rolling pin rings to ensure the dough is evenly rolled. Tip: roll and the gingerbread dough on parchment paper cut to the size of the baking pan, then transfer the parchment paper to the pan. This will prevent having to move the dough pieces and causing possible distortion.
  8. Cut dough using gingerbread house templates. Use a thin metal spatula to carefully transfer house pieces to prepared baking sheets. Or, if rolling on parchment paper, remove any excess dough from around the cutout pieces and slide the parchment paper along with the cut pieces onto the baking sheet.
  9. Bake: Place cutout dough about 1-inch apart on baking sheets. Bake 17 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are lightly browned. Tip: Gingerbread houses need to be baked longer than regular cookies to create the sturdiness they need for building. If you press your finger on the baked cookie it should feel pretty firm. 17 minutes was the perfect bake time for my oven. Tip: if baking additional decorations such as gingerbread trees, stars, snowmen, etc., I bake these with less time such as 15 to 16 minutes.
  10. Remove the pan from the oven but don’t move the cookies to a cooling rack right away as they may break while still warm. Place the pan on a cooling rack for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Then slide a thin metal spatula under the pieces and carefully transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Or, slide the parchment paper with the pieces onto a cooling rack.
Royal Icing:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, add the egg whites and beat on medium to medium-high speed until the whites are frothy. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the almond extract and 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beat until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time; beating after each addition until the icing is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. After all the sugar has been added, continue beating for another 4 to 5 minutes on medium-high to high speed so the icing becomes light and fluffy. Tip: The finished icing should be thick like toothpaste.
  2. Cover the icing until ready to use; place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the icing to prevent the icing from crusting. Tip: royal icing dries out quickly, it is important to keep unused portions covered.
  3. Place icing in a piping bag fitted with a #10 piping tip. Tip: the #10 piping tip is a perfect size for piping a thick bead of icing to mortar the house sides together. Use smaller opening tips for decorating such as a #1 piping tip.
Gingerbread House Construction:
  1. For basic Gingerbread House construction tips, see Gingerbread House Tips and Photos
Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen, Rebecca Rather

 

Sea Salt Toffee Bars

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Sea Salt Toffee Bars
Toffee bars with a modern version that features a dark chocolate topping, toasted walnuts, and a sprinkling of flaked sea salt. This recipe for Sea Salt Toffee Bars will be a favorite cookie for cookie trays and gift giving.

I used the same cookie base as my recipe for traditional Toffee Bars since there seemed no reason to change an already perfect tasting cookie base.

I used a dark bittersweet chocolate with 72% cacao from Trader Joes, I think their chocolate is exceptional and wonderful to use for baking.

While searching for flaked sea salt I found Maldon Sea Salt Flakes at my local Whole Foods market. Flaked sea salt gives a beautiful presentation and slight crunch. I use salt sparingly as it doesn’t take much to make a difference. I used ½ teaspoon in this recipe but you can use more or less depending on your taste.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies | Chocolate
Serves: 2 dozen 2-inch squares or 4 dozen triangles
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4 Dozen triangles Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Chocolate Types | Toasting Nuts and Seeds
Ingredients
  • Cookie Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces. Tip: I use Trader Joes 72% cacao dark chocolate
  • ¾ cup lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • About ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt. Tip: I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

  • Sea Salt Toffee Bars
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; line the pan with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Cookie Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add flour and salt; stir until mixed.
  2. Press dough evenly into bottom of baking pan.
  3. Bake: Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Tip: 30 minutes was the perfect bake time for my oven. Remove from oven and immediately add the chocolate topping.
Topping:
  1. Sprinkle chopped chocolate onto hot cookie. As soon as the chocolate is soft, use an offset spatula to spread evenly over entire cookie. Sprinkle nuts evenly over warm chocolate, and gently press the nuts into the chocolate.
  2. Leave cookie in pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely and let chocolate set.
  3. Sprinkle flaked sea salt over top. Tip: the chocolate should be set before adding the salt, otherwise the salt will melt into the chocolate.
  4. Cut bars into 2-inch squares, then cut the squares diagonally to make triangles. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts.

  5. Sea Salt Toffee Bars

 

Coconut Cherry Almond Meringues

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Coconut Cherry Almond Meringues
Coconut Cherry Almond Meringue Cookies, the name says it all. The flavors in this cookie work absolutely perfectly together. They are sweet, gooey, crispy, crunchy and oh so delicious and addicting.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Meringue Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 225° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Making Meringue
Ingredients
Meringue Cookies
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, firmly packed
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds, divided
  • ½ cup plus about 2 tablespoons candied (glace) cherries, (not maraschino cherries), cut into small pieces, divided. Tip: this will use around 25 to 30 cherries. Chop into about ⅛-inch to ¼-inch sized pieces.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
Meringue Cookies:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until the whites look frothy, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Reduce the speed to medium and gradually add the granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time or in a slow steady stream down the side of the bowl, then add the salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high to high and beat until stiff glossy peaks form.
  2. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula or large wire whisk, gently fold the coconut, ½ cup almonds, and ½ cup cut-up cherries into the meringue.
  3. Drop meringue by level tablespoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheets. Tip: the meringues won't spread so they can be placed about 1 inch apart.
  4. Use the back of the spoon to make the dollops rounded and to create a swirl on top if desired. Sprinkle tops of meringues with the remaining ¼ cup almonds and 2 tablespoons cup-up cherries. Tip: I just placed 2 or 3 cherry pieces in the top of each cookie, you can add more if desired.

  5. Coconut Cherry Almond Meringues
  6. Bake: Place the two pans in the oven and Bake for 1 hour. At the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven for 1 additional hour to cool and crisp.
  7. Remove pans from oven. Slide the parchment paper with the meringues off the pan and onto a wire cooling rack. Let meringues cool completely before removing from the parchment paper. Tip: The meringues may still seem a little soft when removed from the oven but they will crisp as they cool.
  8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature layered between wax or parchment paper

 

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

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Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Chocolate Chip Meringue cookies practically melt in your mouth and easily rival a traditional chocolate chip cookie made with flour and whole eggs. These meringues are made brown sugar for a rich caramel flavor, along with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and toasted pecans for sweet and nutty flavor.

Making meringue cookies is very quick and easy and they are perfect for holiday cookie trays and cookie exchanges. This recipe is made with 2 egg whites and makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Meringue Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 225° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Making Meringue
Ingredients
Meringue Cookies
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • ¾ cup pecans, lightly toasted, coarsely chopped, divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
Meringue Cookies:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until the whites look frothy, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Reduce the speed to medium and gradually add the brown sugar one tablespoon at a time or in a slow steady stream down the side of the bowl, then add the salt and vanilla. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high to high and beat until stiff glossy peaks form.
  2. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula or large wire whisk, gently fold ½ cup of mini chocolate chips and ½ cup toasted chopped pecans into the meringue.
  3. Drop meringue by level tablespoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheets. Tip: the meringues won't spread so they can be placed about 1 inch apart.
  4. Use the back of the spoon to make the dollops rounded and to create a swirl on top if desired. Sprinkle tops of meringues with the remaining ¼ cup mini chocolate chips and ¼ cup pecans.

  5. Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
  6. Bake: Place the two pans in the oven and Bake for 1 hour. At the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven for 1 additional hour to cool and crisp.
  7. Remove pans from oven. Slide the parchment paper with the meringues off the pan and onto a wire cooling rack. Let meringues cool completely before removing from the parchment paper. Tip: The meringues may still seem a little soft when removed from the oven but they will crisp as they cool.
  8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature layered between wax or parchment paper

 

Chocolate Ginger Sugar Cookies

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Chocolate Ginger Sugar Cookies
Double chocolate with bits of ginger make a delicious cookie. The cookie dough balls are rolled in granulated sugar to give a sugary and crackly top.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Serves: 4½ dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup chopped crystallized (candied) ginger. Tip: finely chop into about ⅛-inch sized pieces. Place the chopped ginger in a small bowl and stir with 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar to help prevent the chopped ginger from clumping together.
Topping:
  • About ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift or whisk to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and beat together until mixture is smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; beat together just until well mixed.
  3. Remove bowl from mixer, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula stir in the chocolate chips and chopped ginger.
  4. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. using 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or just until cookie edges are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Adapted from Bake From Scratch Holiday Cookies 2018

 

Chocolate Witch Hat Cookies

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Chocolate Witch Hat Cookies
Start with a yummy chocolate cookie, top with a bit of melted candy melts, a chocolate kiss, and a few Halloween sprinkles. Kids of all ages will love these Halloween goodies.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Crackle Cookies | Halloween Cookies
Serves: 3½ dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Parchment paper or small amount of vegetable shortening for preparing baking sheets
Dough:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or, 8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • About ¼ cup granulated sugar
Decorations:
  • 3½ to 4 dozen chocolate kisses, unwrapped
  • About 8 ounces candy melts. Tip: I used Merckens Orchid, Orange, and Alpine Green Confectionery Coating Wafers.
  • Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour baking powder and salt. Sift or whisk to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-size heavy-bottom pan over low heat, combine chocolate and butter, stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted. Remove from heat.
  3. Add brown sugar, use a wooden spoon to beat until thoroughly mixed. Then add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed.
  4. Cover dough and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  6. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. using 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or just until cookie edges are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Decorations:
  1. Place the colored wafers in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Melt, stirring gently with a rubber spatula. If using different colors, melt each color separately. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Place the melted wafers in a decorating bag with a round decorating tip. Tip: I used disposable decorating bags with a #8 or #10 tip. Or, place in a small resealable plastic bag and cut the corner of the bag to make about a ¼ inch opening.
  3. For each cookie, pipe about a 1-inch circle of melted wafers in the center of the cookie, press 1 of the candy kisses into the center of the melts, then sprinkle with a few sprinkles. Let set until the candy melts are completely set, 10 to 20 minutes.

Decorations inspired from Betty Crocker

 

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Rich chocolate cookies with a sugar coating, these cookies are just a bit chewy and ultra-delicious. The sugar coating makes a distinctive crackled top.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Crackle Cookies | Chocolate Cookies
Serves: 3½ dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Parchment paper for preparing baking sheets
Dough:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or, 8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • About ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour baking powder and salt. Sift or whisk to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-size heavy-bottom pan over low heat, combine chocolate and butter, stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted. Remove from heat.
  3. Add brown sugar, use a wooden spoon to beat until thoroughly mixed. Then add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed.
  4. Cover dough and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  6. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. using 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or just until cookie edges are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

 

Peanut Butter Crackle Cookies

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Peanut Butter Crackle Cookies
Peanut butter cookies are always a family favorite, and these cookies do not disappoint. Crackled cookies are always enticing, especially when they’ve had a dip into melted chocolate and a sprinkling of honey roasted peanuts.

These cookies get their distinctive cracking by first rolling balls of dough in granulated sugar, then a second roll in powdered sugar. This double rolling promotes extra cracking by drying out the surface of the cookie before the cookie interior has fully baked.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Crackle Cookies
Serves: 4 dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Melting Chocolate
Ingredients
Parchment paper or small amount of vegetable shortening for preparing baking sheets
Cookie Dough:
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
Topping:
  • About ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • About ½ cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
Chocolate and Nut Garnish:
  • About 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small ¼-inch sized pieces. Tip: you can substitute any chocolate type you prefer, such as semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate.
  • About ½ cup honey roasted peanuts, roughly chopped. Tip: you can substitute salted peanuts if you prefer, or a mix of honey roasted and salted peanuts.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Cookie Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly mixed. Add peanut butter, continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; beat together just until well mixed.
  3. Shape dough into small balls about 1” in diameter, using 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated, then roll the balls in powdered sugar to thoroughly coat.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or just until the edges are set and the cookies are cracked on top. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Tip: the cookies may seem very soft but they will firm-up as they cool.

  3. Peanut Butter Crackle Cookies
Chocolate and Nut Garnish:
  1. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  2. Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Melt the chocolate stirring gently with a rubber spatula. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water. See Melting Chocolate.
  3. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate. Immediately sprinkle the chocolate with a few of the chopped peanuts. Place the cookie on the parchment lined pan, and let sit until the chocolate is completely set, 1 to 2 hours. Tip: instead of dipping the entire half cookie in the chocolate, I prefer to coat just the top half of the cookie. Hold the cookie and “lay” just the top half of the cookie in the chocolate. Use a kitchen knife or small offset spatula to scrape the cookie edge to remove excess chocolate.
  4. Store cookies in an airtight container separating layers with a piece of parchment or waxed paper.

Recipe adapted from bakefromscratch.com

 

Rice Krispy Treats

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Rice Krispy treats
Such delicious and easy no-bake treats to make, Rice Krispy Treats have a crispy bite along with ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness. I’ve taken the traditional recipe and stirred in mini marshmallows and white chocolate chips, then finished with a white chocolate drizzle and colored sugar sprinkles. Change the color of the sugar sprinkles to match the season.

This is one of the rare occasions I like to use a salted butter instead of unsalted butter as the salt helps to balance the sweetness.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies | No-Bake Cookies
Serves: 2 dozen bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9x13x2 inch Pan Prep: buttered Bake:[b] No-Bake [b]Yield: 2 dozen 2-inch bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature
Ingredients
About 1 tablespoon softened butter for preparing pan
Bars:
  • 6 cups rice Krispy cereal
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2 cups mini-marshmallows
  • ¼ cup salted butter
  • 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows, or 6 cups mini-marshmallows
Topping and Decoration:
  • About ½ cup white chocolate candy melts or white chocolate chips
  • Colored Sugar Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
Bars:
  1. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with softened butter.
  2. In an extra-large bowl combine the rice krispy cereal, white chocolate chips, and 2 cups mini-marshmallows. Mix together and set aside. Tip: these ingredients will be easier to stir into the melted butter and marshmallow mixture if pre-mixed.
  3. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the 10-oz. bag of marshmallows or 6 cups mini-marshmallows; heat and stir with a rubber spatula or rubber spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted and the butter and marshmallows are completely combined. Tip: you can also melt the butter and marshmallows together in a large bowl in the microwave; heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes and stir, then heat another 30 seconds to 1 minute longer or until the butter and marshmallows are melted and combined.
  4. Pour the melted butter and marshmallow mixture over the rice krispy mixture and immediately stir with a heavy wooden spoon until completely mixed.
  5. Pour the cookie mixture into the prepared pan and press down evenly with the back of a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, or your fingers lightly buttered. Let cookie cool and set, then cut into 2-inch bars. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless-steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.
  6. Remove the bars from the pan and place on a large cookie sheet. Tip: This will allow the topping to be drizzled over the top and down the sides of each bar.
Topping and Decoration:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the candy melts or white chocolate chips Or, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as chocolate will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Spoon the melted chocolate into a small plastic freezer bag. Twist the top of the bag to create some pressure to make easier to squeeze out. Cut a tiny corner off the tip of the bag and drizzle over the tops of the bars and allowing any drizzle to hit the sides of the bars. Immediately sprinkle with colored sugar sprinkles before the chocolate sets.

 

Bienenstich Bars

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Bienenstich Bars
The star of these cookie bars is the thick layer of crunchy honey and almond topping. This bar cookie is inspired by the traditional German Bienenstich Cake, but instead of a brioche dough used in the cake, this recipe uses a lightly sweetened cookie base. I have added some lemon zest to the cookie base and lemon juice to the topping to tame the sweetness and provide a subtle flavor contrast to the sweet honey topping.

Tip: Make the cookie base first, and to save on time while you are making the base start the topping ingredients on the stovetop to begin the butter and sugar mixture heating.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies | Honey Cookies | Almond Cookies
Serves: 2 dozen bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9x13x2 Pan Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Small amount of butter or vegetable shortening plus parchment paper for preparing pan
Cookie Base:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
Honey-Almond Topping:
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup honey (preferably clover honey)
  • ¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt, such as sea salt or coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 cups sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 9x13x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable shortening (to hold the paper in place,) then line with parchment paper allowing extra paper to overhang the edges to make easy removal after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the parchment paper.
Cookie Base:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and lemon zest until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the sugar and beat another 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly combine. Add the eggs and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
  3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the flour mixture. The dough will be fairly stiff.
  4. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan using a rubber spatula, back of a spoon, or offset spatula to spread as smoothly and evenly as possible. Set aside while preparing the Honey-Almond Topping.
Honey-Almond Topping:
  1. Tip: Start the topping ingredients on the stovetop over low heat to begin the butter and sugar mixture heating while preparing the cookie base.
  2. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed pan over low heat, combine the butter, sugar, honey, cream, and salt. Stir and heat until the butter has melted.
  3. Increase the heat to medium-low and continue stirring while bringing the mixture to a boil. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture reaches a temperature of 245 degrees F, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove pan from the heat and immediately stir in the lemon juice and almonds. Set aside to cool 3 to 5 minutes so the topping is not scalding hot when placed on the cookie base. Stir the mixture frequently while cooling. Be careful, the sugar mixture is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it.
  4. Pour the still hot Honey-Almond Topping onto the top of the cookie base, spreading the topping as evenly as possible.
  5. Bake: Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the Honey-Almond Topping is golden brown. Tip: 45 minutes’ bake time was just right in my oven with the topping a deep golden brown and the cookie base baked thoroughly. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes just to let the topping set a bit, then immediately cut into bars before the topping hardens.

 

Sugar and Spice Cookies

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Sugar and Spice Cookies
A little sugar plus a little spice turns ordinary sugar cookies into a delightful spiced treat and have the perfect amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to give a subtle but not overwhelming spicy taste. These cookies are good plain with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa, but I like to dress them up with a little vanilla frosting to make them even better.

I made two versions of this cookie and everyone liked them both equally. In the first batch of cookies which I made for Thanksgiving this year, I used ½ cup of light brown sugar and ¾ cup granulated sugar. This made the cookie dough more golden which was perfect for the fall leaves cookie cutters I used. In the second batch of cookies I eliminated the brown sugar and used all granulated sugar, 1¼ cups, which resulted in a lighter cookie, perfect for Christmas decorated cookies. Use either version you choose, both were loved by everyone I shared them with.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cutout Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Serves: 3 to 4 dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 to 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container,
Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
  • 3 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir to mix.
  3. Form dough into a 6-inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes using a cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Frosting:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth, adding enough milk to make a good spreading consistency. Tip: when adding the milk, start with 2 tablespoons, then add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
  2. Frost cooled cookies, and decorate with some of the frosting tinted with food coloring, if desired. Tip: I frosted ½ of each cookie, then with the leftover frosting used red and green food coloring for the decorations. I put the colored frostings in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip and piped free-form holly leaves and trees.
  3. Set aside until frosting is set.

  4. Sugar and Spice Cookies

 

Almond Crescent Cookies

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Almond Crescent Cookies
Also called Viennese Almond Crescents, these buttery cookies have a subtle almond flavor and a snowy white covering. These crisp yet tender cookies seem to melt in your mouth.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Serves: 3½ dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container,
Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen - Cornflower Blueaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⅓ cups almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup superfine granulated sugar Tip: Make your own superfine sugar by processing granulated white sugar in a food processor or grinder.
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
Topping:
  • About 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and almond extract, continue beating until mixture is thoroughly combined and mixture is creamy, about another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add flour mixture; beat starting on low speed, and then increase to medium speed as the mixture is combined. Tip: after adding the flour mixture the dough may seem dry and crumbly, keep beating until the dough comes together, this may take 1 to 3 minutes.
  3. Shape dough into balls, using 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball. Roll each ball into a log shape about 3 inches long, tapering the ends slightly, then curve the ends slightly making a crescent shape.
  4. Bake: Place crescents about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are just a pale golden color and the bottoms and tips are just beginning to brown.
  5. Remove baking sheets from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool, letting the cookies cool about 5 minutes on the pans before moving cookies to the wire cooling rack.
Topping:
  1. When cookies are cooled, gently roll each crescent in powdered sugar until completely coated.

Recipe adapted from: Bake from Scratch, Holiday 2016; Baking Illustrated, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated, 2004; Malgieri, Nick, Cookies Unlimited, Harper Collins, New York, 2000;

 

Hazelnut Orange Biscotti

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Hazelnut Orange Biscotti
These flavorful and crunchy cookies are a version of Paul Hollywood’s recipe from the Great British Baking Show. Each slice is brimming with hazelnuts, and along with orange flavor from orange zest, these cookies are wonderful.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cookies | Biscotti | Dairy-Free Cookies
Serves: 2 dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Toasting Nuts and Seeds
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1½ cups hazelnuts (filberts), skinned, and coarsely chopped
  • zest of 1 large orange (about 2 tablespoons) Tip: do not include any of the bitter white pith in the zest.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper or non-stick baking mats. Tip: These cookies can be mixed by hand or with an electric mixer.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine Flour, sugar, and baking powder; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the eggs to the flour mixture; stir just until mixed. Add hazelnuts and orange zest; stir until mixed.
  3. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into two logs, each 10 to 14 inches long.
  4. First Bake: Bake for 25 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from oven; leave cookies on the baking sheets, place on a wire cooling rack to cool slightly.
  5. While still warm, cut each log diagonally into ¾ inch slices. Tip: My favorite tool to cut biscotti cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  6. Second Bake: Lay slices flat on the baking sheet, return to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn slices over and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn a light brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on wire cooling racks to cool.

Recipe adapted from The Great British Baking Show

 

Raspberry Meringues

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Raspberry Meringues
Crispy meringues with a soft, gooey, marshmallow-like center sandwiched together with a white chocolate ganache and raspberry filling. These meringue sandwiches will satisfy your sweet tooth.

The fairly short baking and cooling time helps creates the gooey marshmallow-like center.

Superfine sugar dissolves easier into the egg whites than regular granulated sugar, and also helps to maintain a light textured meringue. Make your own superfine sugar by putting granulated sugar into a food processor, blender, or small food grinder and processing into fine granules. Vinegar is an acid used to help stabilize and give more volume to the beaten egg whites.
Recipe type: Meringue Cookies | Raspberry Cookies | Drop Cookies | Gluten-Free Cookies | Sandwich Cookies
Serves: 1 dozen sandwich cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Starting Oven Temp: 300° Yield: 1 Dozen Sandwich Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature

Help: Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Making Meringue

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Filling:
  • 1 packed cup (about 5 ounces) fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into small pieces.
  • ¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream
Meringue:
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ½ cup superfine sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
  • ½ cup sifted confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Filling:
  1. Raspberry Puree: In a small heavy bottomed pan over medium low heat, combine raspberries and sugar; cook gently until the puree is thick, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Pour hot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to strain out the seeds and discard the seeds. Set aside to cool while making the white chocolate ganache.
  2. White Chocolate Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized heat proof bowl and set aside.
  3. In a small heavy saucepan over medium low heat, heat the cream until it is hot and just beginning to steam, or reaches about 200 degrees F. using an instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate, stirring in a circular pattern until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Tip: if any pieces of chocolate remain unmelted, place the bowl over a pan of hot water and continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Tip: I use a Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer to test the temperature of the cream when making white chocolate ganache. Since white chocolate is especially sensitive to heat and susceptible to over-heating I bring the cream just to the point it is steaming and starting to simmer, or about 200 degrees F.

  4. heating-cream
  5. Stir 2 tablespoons of the raspberry puree into the white chocolate ganache. Tip: Any remaining raspberry puree can be refrigerated and saved for another use.
  6. Set the filling mixture aside on the countertop while preparing the meringues; do not refrigerate. The filling will thicken as it sits.
Meringue:
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. Gradually add the superfine sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and then add the vanilla and vinegar. Continue beating another 1 to 2 minutes or until the meringue is thick and the sugar has completely dissolved. Tip: Rub a bit of the meringue between your fingertips to make sure it feels smooth, with no trace of sugar granules. If the mixture feels sandy, continue beating another 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula fold the confectioners’ sugar into the meringue in 2 additions, folding the mixture until the sugar is completely incorporated.
  4. Bake: Drop meringue by heaping tablespoonfuls into 24 large dollops about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Use the back of the spoon to make the dollops rounded and to create a swirl on top. Place the two pans in the oven and reduce the heat to 275 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the bake time.
  5. At the end of the baking time, turn off the heat, prop open the oven door, and leave the meringues in the oven for 30 minutes to cool.
  6. Assembly: Spoon about one tablespoon of filling onto the bottom flat side of one meringue. Place another meringue, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the meringue. Repeat with remaining meringues and filling.

  7. Raspberry-Meringues
Adapted From: Paul, Michael, Sweet Paris, Hardie Grant Books, 2012

 

Hot and Spicy Triple Chocolate Cookies

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Hot and Spicy Triple Chocolate Cookies
Cinnamon, cayenne pepper and ground black pepper spice up these Triple Chocolate Cookies. You first taste the spicy cinnamon with chocolate followed by a little, but not too much, heat from the cayenne and black peppers. These cookies are wonderful.

I saw a recipe for Triple Chocolate Chile cookies on bojongourmet.com and decided to try, but with a few of my own twists thrown in. I think the final outcome of my recipe is 100% success.
Recipe type: Drop Cookies | Chocolate Cookies | Pepper Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature or freeze

Help: Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Melting Chocolate | Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
Dough:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate; set aside. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the hot water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. Gradually add the granulated sugar and mix together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until well mixed and any lumps in the brown sugar are dissolved. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly blended.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted chocolate, mix until blended. Add the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is completely blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick.
  5. Bake: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until cookies are set and slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack. Do not over-bake. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Adapted From: bojongourmet.com, Triple Chocolate Chile Cookies

 

Triple Chocolate and Espresso Cookies

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Triple Chocolate and Espresso Cookies
This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’s Double Chocolate with Espresso Cookies on foodnetwork.com. Yes these are good!!! I did make some changes; I added extra vanilla extract because I love the taste of vanilla with chocolate. Also I substituted chocolate covered espresso beans with espresso powder; I use Medaglia D’oro Instant Espresso Coffee.

Chocolate and coffee make a winning combination, so don’t be shy with the espresso, I used 5 teaspoons for a wonderful balance of chocolate and espresso. These cookies have a crispy outside, but soft and chewy inside with a fudgy flavor.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Chocolate Cookies | Espresso Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips | Melting Chocolate | Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 teaspoons instant espresso coffee (espresso powder)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
Dough:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate and butter; stir to combine. Set aside. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the hot water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and instant espresso coffee; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until whipped and light in color. Gradually add the sugar and mix together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the water and vanilla extract and continue beating until blended.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture, mix until blended. Add the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is completely blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick.
  5. Bake: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until cookies are set and slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack. Do not over-bake. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Adapted From: foodnetwork.com, Giada-de-Laurentiis, Double Chocolate and Espresso Cookies

 

Raisin Date Refrigerator Cookies

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Raisin Date Refrigerator Cookies
I adapted this recipe from another recipe, Vanilla Nut Refrigerator Cookies, which is from my Grandma Myers. I had this thought that substituting the nuts for raisins and dates would be good, and they turned out delicious.

It’s possible my Grandma added raisins or dates herself and I just didn’t know. My daughter Jessica thinks these cookies would be perfect with chocolate chips added; I have to agree chocolate chips is a great idea.

These are called refrigerator cookies or sometimes icebox cookies. However, I often keep the unbaked cookie logs in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. The logs are easier to slice and they can be stored for long periods of time if well wrapped.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies | Icebox Cookies
Serves: 10 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 10 Dozen Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • ½ dates, cut into about ¼ inch pieces
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar; beat together until mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until mixed. Add raisins and dates; stir until mixed.
  2. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round or square log, about 10 inches long. Wrap each log in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Tip: keep the unbaked logs in the freezer instead of the refrigerator if you prefer. The logs are easier to slice and they can be stored for long periods of time if well wrapped.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  5. Bake: Bake 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Tip: if the unbaked cookie logs are stored in the freezer instead of the refrigerator the baking time will normally be longer, about 14 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

 

Candied Orange Ginger Cookies

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Candied Orange Ginger Cookies
I noticed this recipe created by pastry chef Francois Payard in the December 2015 issue of Oprah magazine and knew instantly I needed to try it, especially when I saw candied ginger as one of the cookie ingredients.

The cookie ingredients are the same as the original recipe (except I also added a pinch of salt,) but I decided to take the preparation in a totally different direction with wonderful results. Chef Payard uses a food processor and pulses the ingredients into a smooth dough. In my version the egg whites and sugar are first whipped to stiff peaks making a meringue-like cookie, and then the almond flour along with finely chopped candied orange peel, ginger, and dried cranberries are folded into the dough to give little bursts of flavors as you bite into each cookie. These gluten-free and dairy-free cookies have marvelous holiday flavors with a slightly chewy texture.
Recipe type: Dessert | Meringue Cookie | Shaped Cookie
Serves: 3½ to 4 dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3½ to 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature or freeze

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons candied orange peel, chopped very fine
  • 1 tablespoon candied ginger, chopped very fine
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon dried cranberries, chopped fine
  • 2½ cups almond flour
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
Tip: The candied orange peel and candied ginger should be chopped very fine, but the dried cranberries, even though also chopped fine, can be left in little bigger pieces.
For Rolling:
  • About ½ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium size bowl combine the chopped orange peel, chopped candied ginger, and chopped dried cranberries with the almond flour. Stir to mix, separating the fruits so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the salt and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar in a slow steady stream while continuing to beat. Beat about 2 minutes longer until stiff meringue forms with still shiny peaks.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sprinkle the almond flour and fruit mixture over the meringue in three additions, folding each addition in with a large rubber spatula.
  4. Transfer the dough mixture to a medium sized bowl, cover, and freeze overnight. Tip: the dough must be frozen, not refrigerated, to become stiff enough to form into balls for baking.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. For Rolling: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl.
  7. Remove the chilled dough from the freezer. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter and using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball. Roll each ball in confectioner’s sugar and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Return the remainder of the dough to the freezer until ready to use.
  8. Bake: Bake until cookies are light golden brown, 18 to 19 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet placed on a wire cooling rack until cooled. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula.

Adapted from December 2015 Oprah Magazine

 

Cranberry Pistachio Icebox Cookies

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Cranberry Pistachio Icebox Cookies
I know these cookies are a winner in my family; the first time I made them my husband Jim ate half the cookies before I could even get a picture taken!

A delicious cookie to have in your refrigerator ready to bake, made with dried cranberries, pistachios, and a touch of orange and cinnamon flavors. Before baking the cookie dough is brushed with beaten egg and rolled in coarse sugar for a sweet and crunchy bite.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies | Icebox Cookies
Serves: 3 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup shelled pistachios, preferably salted variety, coarsely chopped
Topping:
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup coarse (turbinado) sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and orange zest and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, taking about 1 minute, then beat for about 1 to 2 minutes longer to thoroughly combine. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer if necessary to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
  3. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3 to 4 additions and mix just until thoroughly incorporated. The dough may be stiff and seem crumbly.
  4. Add the cranberries and pistachios. Beat on low speed just until incorporated.
  5. Divide dough in half. On a large piece of wax or parchment paper, shape each half into a round log, about 8 inches long and 1½ inches in diameter.
  6. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  8. Topping: Remove chilled logs from refrigerator. Use a pastry brush to brush a coating of the beaten egg over the entire long side of the logs (not the ends.) Place the coarse sugar on a piece of parchment paper and roll the logs in the sugar, coating the logs well with the sugar.
  9. Slice chilled dough logs into ¼ inch slices and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  10. Bake: Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown on the edges. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Peppermint Divinity Bars

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Peppermint Divinity Bars
So good! These Peppermint Divinity Bars feature a buttery vanilla cookie base and a soft peppermint divinity topping sprinkled with peppermint candies. This is definitely a holiday cookie that you’ll love.

This is a recipe where you want to start preparing the Divinity Topping as the cookie base is baking. The goal is to have the Divinity Topping completed when the pan comes out of the oven or shortly after so the topping can be spread on a still hot cookie base.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies
Serves: About 3 Dozen Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13x9x2 inch oblong pan Pan Prep: Parchment Lined and greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough Base:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Divinity Topping:
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
  • ¾ cup crushed hard peppermint candies, divided (takes about 35-40 candies)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable shortening (to hold the paper in place,) then line with parchment paper allowing extra paper to overhang the edges to make easy removal after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the parchment paper.
Tip: Crush the peppermint candies before you start preparing the recipe. If the candies are individually wrapped, remove all the wrappings and place candies in a resealable heavy-duty plastic bag. I think it is easiest to place the closed bag on the floor or hard surface and use a hammer to break up the candies.
Cookie Dough Base:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed about 30 seconds to soften. Add sugar and beat until well mixed and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, beat until well mixed, the dough will be fairly stiff.)
  3. Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, smooth with an offset spatula.
  4. Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven.
  5. Meanwhile, while the cookie is baking, prepare Divinity Topping
Divinity Topping:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the salt and beat until soft peaks form. Set aside. Tip: Use a stand mixer; a hand mixer is not likely to have enough power for the heavy texture of the candy.
  2. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir gently to avoid splashing the mixture onto the sides of the pan. When the mixture begins to simmer, cover the pan tightly with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes to allow condensation to form and run down the inside of the pan to help wash away stray sugar crystals.
  3. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches a temperature of 250 degrees F, a hard ball stage, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. While the syrup is cooking, wash away any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan by wiping upwards with a damp pastry brush so the sugar crystals don’t fall back into the syrup.
  4. Meanwhile, as the temperature of the syrup reaches about 230 degrees F, continue beating the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Stop the mixer, remove the whisk attachment and attach the paddle.
  5. When the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, Immediately remove pan from the heat. Tip: Lower the heat when the temperature reaches about 240 degrees to slow the cooking because at this point it will quickly reach 250 degrees. In addition, remove the pan from the heat just before the syrup reaches 250 degrees to prevent it from going over 250 degrees.
  6. Immediately start pouring the hot sugar mixture, in a thin steady stream, into the beaten egg whites, while beating with the electric mixer at medium speed. This will cause the egg whites to double in volume. Be careful, the sugar is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it.
  7. Slowly add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Increase the speed to high and continue beating at high speed until the candy cools, becomes almost stiff but still glossy, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup of the crushed peppermint candies and beat just until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  8. Working quickly, spread the mixture over the top of the still warm cookie base, spreading evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup crushed peppermint candies over the top. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, 2 to 4 hours, before cutting into bars.
  9. When cookie is cool, use the parchment overhang to lift cookie from the pan, and cut into 2-inch bars. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bars is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into squares.

Adapted From: Southern Living Magazine, December 2013

  1. Peppermint Divinity Bars

 

Chocolate Pecan Revel Bars

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Chocolate Pecan Revel Bars
Scrumptious oatmeal cookie dough creates the top and bottom layers of these Revel bars with a rich and gooey chocolate fudgy middle layer.
Recipe type: Bar Cookies | Oatmeal Cookies | Chocolate Cookies
Serves: About 6 Dozen Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 10x15x1 inch Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 6 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Small amount of butter or vegetable shortening plus parchment paper for preparing pan
Oatmeal Cookie Dough:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 14 tablespoons (1 stick plus 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
Chocolate Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 15x10x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable shortening (to hold the paper in place,) then line with parchment paper allowing extra paper to overhang the edges to make easy removal after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the parchment paper.
Oatmeal Cookie Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed about 30 seconds to soften. Add brown sugar and beat until well mixed and any lumps in the brown sugar are dissolved. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, beat until well mixed. Add oats and beat until well mixed. Set aside while preparing the Chocolate Filling.
Chocolate Filling:
  1. In a medium heavy bottomed pan, add the butter, semisweet chocolate, and sweetened condensed milk. Heat over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and pecans. Set aside.
  2. Assembly: Press about two-thirds (about 3 cups) of the oatmeal cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Tip: damp fingertips work the best to press the dough evenly.
  3. Spread the Chocolate Filling over the oatmeal cookie layer.
  4. Using your fingers dot the remaining oatmeal Cookie Dough in small bits evenly over the chocolate layer. Tip: the dots of oatmeal cookie dough will not cover the entire top; you should see the chocolate layer peeking through.
  5. Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned (The chocolate layer may still look moist.) Tip: baking 25 minutes will result in a softer cookie, 30 minutes in a firmer cookie. I prefer to bake these cookies for about 30 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, from 2 to 4 hours, before cutting.
  7. When cookie is cool, use the parchment overhang to lift cookie from the pan, and cut into 2x1-inch bars. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bars is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into squares.

 

Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies

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Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies
One of the best brownies I’ve tasted. These brownies are rich, chocolaty, dense, and almost melt in your mouth.

I like to use Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate, the perfect bittersweet chocolate for these brownies.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies | Brownies
Serves: 2 dozen bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or Refrigerate or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate
Ingredients
Small amount of butter or vegetable shortening plus parchment paper or foil for preparing pan
Brownie Batter:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable shortening (to hold the paper in place,) then line with parchment paper allowing extra paper to overhang the edges to make easy removal after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the parchment paper. Tip: I prefer using parchment paper but you can also use heavy-duty foil if you prefer. The foil will hold in place without first greasing the pan, line with a piece of foil large enough to allow overhand and then brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the foil.
Brownie Batter:
  1. In a small heavy-bottomed pan over low heat, combine butter and chocolate; stir frequently until melted so chocolate does not burn, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Or, place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave at 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as mixture will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly. Or, place butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. When the butter is almost melted add the chocolate. After one minute remove the bowl from the heat and let sit until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly. See Melting Chocolate.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a wire whisk to break them up. Add the brown sugar, whisking to mix together. Make sure any lumps in the brown sugar are dissolved. Add the granulated sugar and whisk to mix together just until everything is blended. Add the warm butter and chocolate mixture and vanilla and stir with the whisk just until blended. Don’t over-whisk, you are not trying to add air into the mixture.
  4. Add the flour in 3 additions, blending with the whisk, rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until blended.
  5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs that cling to the toothpick. Do not overbake.
  6. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Let stand at least 4 hours before cutting and serving.
Topping:
  1. Use the paper overhang to lift brownie from the pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper a little larger than the size of the brownie top and cut the paper into ¼ inch strips. Lay the strips on top of brownie about ¼ inches apart. Use a fine mesh sieve to sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top of the brownie, and then carefully remove paper strips. Trim the edges of brownie if desired to remove the outside edge, and cut brownie into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut brownies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the brownie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the brownie into squares.

Adapted From: Malgieri, Nick, Chocolate, HarperCollins Publishers, 1998

 

Dark Chocolate Glazed Brownies

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Dark Chocolate Glazed Brownies
Dark Chocolate brownies and glaze made with unsweetened baking chocolate make these brownies very fudgy and indulgent.
Cuisine: Dessert | Bar Cookies | Brownies
Serves: 2 dozen bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or Refrigerate or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate
Ingredients
Small amount of butter or vegetable shortening plus parchment paper or foil for preparing pan
Brownie Batter:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
Dark Chocolate Glaze:
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1¼ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, sifted or strained before measuring, then spooned in measuring cup and leveled
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable shortening (to hold the paper in place,) then line with parchment paper allowing extra paper to overhang the edges to make easy removal after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the parchment paper. Tip: I prefer using parchment paper but you can also use heavy-duty foil if you prefer. The foil will hold in place without first greasing the pan, line with a piece of foil large enough to allow overhand and then brush a thin coating of softened butter or shortening over bottom and sides of the foil.
Brownie Batter:
  1. In a small heavy-bottomed pan over low heat, combine butter and chocolate; stir frequently until melted so chocolate does not burn, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Or, place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave at 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as mixture will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly. Or, place butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. When the butter is almost melted add the chocolate. After one minute remove the bowl from the heat and let sit until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. See Melting Chocolate.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a wire whisk to break them up. Add the granulated sugar and whisk to mix together just until everything is blended. Add the warm butter and chocolate mixture and vanilla and stir with the whisk just until blended. Don’t over-whisk, you are not trying to add air into the mixture.
  4. Add the flour in 3 additions, blending with the whisk, rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until blended. Stir in the walnuts.
  5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs that cling to the toothpick. Do not overbake.
  6. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool. When cooled to the touch top with Dark Chocolate Glaze.
Dark Chocolate Glaze:
  1. Place butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. When the butter is almost melted add the chocolate. After one minute remove the bowl from the heat and let sit until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. See Melting Chocolate.
  2. Remove bowl from the heat and add the confectioners’ sugar alternately with the water. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very smooth.
  3. Immediately pour glaze on top of cooled brownie and spread glaze evenly with an offset spatula.
  4. Let glazed brownies stand at least 4 hours before cutting and serving. Use the paper overhang to lift brownie from the pan. Trim the edges of brownie if desired, and cut brownie into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut brownies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the brownie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the brownie into squares.

Adapted From: Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003

 

Walnut Meringue Drops

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Walnut Meringue Drops
The flavor of these little meringue drops is almost like divinity candy, and so much easier to make. These snowy white meringues are crunchy and full of toasted walnuts, with just a touch of orange flavor. They are not too sweet and very addictive. The meringues are baked at a very low oven temperature to dry them while keeping their white color, they should not be browned.
Recipe type: Meringue Cookies | Walnut Cookies | Drop Cookies | Gluten-Free Cookies | Dairy-Free Cookies
Serves: 4 dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 225° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Making Meringue

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Meringue:
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/16 teaspoon (pinch) salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups broken walnuts, lightly toasted. Tip: Break the walnuts into pieces by hand for a clean break because chopping with a knife causes too many crumbly bits of nut. And then lightly toast the walnuts, do not overbrown.
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Instructions
Meringue:
  1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt; place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using a wire whisk, whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. Tip: the mixture should reach about 130 degrees F. using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature, or feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips. Remove from heat and dry the bottom of the bowl.
  3. Attach the bowl to the electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed for 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture forms a thick fluffy meringue. Add the vanilla and continue beating another 1 to 2 minutes or until the meringue is thick, fluffy, and cool. Tip: Touch the meringue and make sure it has cooled to room temperature. Also the outside of the bowl should feel cool to the touch.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula or large wire whisk, gently fold the walnuts and orange zest into the batter.
  5. Bake: Drop meringue by heaping teaspoonfuls about 1½ inches apart onto the baking sheets. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the meringues feel crisp and dry and release easily from the parchment paper. They should not show signs of browning. Tip: Test releasing the meringues by sliding a thin metal spatula underneath to loosen them from the paper.
  6. At the end of the baking time, turn off the heat and leave the meringues in the oven for 1 hour to cool and finish drying out.

 

Linzer Bars

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Linzer Bars
Traditional Linzer dough is often made with finely ground almonds, sieved hard-boiled egg yolks, lemon zest, spices, and raspberry jam. Using pre-cooked egg yolks lends extra richness to the dough but does not act as a binder.

Use either seeded or seedless jam, I prefer seedless in cookies. I think it is also fun to use other jam flavors such as apricot, blackberry, or marionberry. I made this batch using raspberry jam for half the cookies and apricot jam for the other half.
Recipe type: Bar Cookies | Almond Cookies | Raspberry Cookies
Serves: 4½ Dozen
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 4½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room temperature or freeze layered between wax or parchment paper

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 ounces (about ¾ cup) whole almonds, with skins
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 yolks of large hard-boiled eggs, finely sieved (see Tips below for making perfect hard-boiled eggs and sieving egg yolks.)
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Filling:
  • ½ cup seedless raspberry jam, or more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
For Dusting Work Surface:
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Topping:
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coarse (turbinado) sugar
Instructions
Tip for making perfect hard-boiled eggs: Use fresh Grade AA large eggs. Make sure there are no small cracks in the egg shells. Gently place the eggs in a single layer in a pan, using a pan large enough so that the eggs don’t touch each other. Fill the pan with cold water to cover the eggs completely by about ½ inch. Place the pan, uncovered, on the stovetop over high heat just until the water begins to boil, and then immediately remove from the heat and cover the pan tightly with a lid. Let the eggs sit in the covered pan of hot water for 17 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs, using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let the eggs cool in the ice water for 10 minutes and then drain the water. Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs until ready to use, then peel and enjoy.
Tip to sieve egg yolks: Remove the egg yolks from the hard boiled eggs, and place the egg yolks in a food sieve or strainer over a small bowl. (I like to use a small tea strainer.) Press the egg yolks through the sieve by rubbing with a small rubber spatula or the back of a spoon and letting the sieved yolks fall into the bowl.
Dough:
  1. Place the almonds and ¼ cup of the flour in the bowl of a food processor or small food grinder fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the almonds are very finely ground. Set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine remaining 1¾ cups flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves; sift or whisk together. Add the ground almond mixture and whisk together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, lemon zest, and orange zest until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the sugar and beat another minute to thoroughly combine. Add the sieved egg yolks and vanilla and continue to beat just until mixed, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the flour mixture, blending in about 1 cup at a time. The dough will be fairly stiff.
  5. Divide the dough into six equal pieces and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat. Tip: To hold the parchment paper in place, dab the corners of the baking sheets lightly with butter or shortening and then line them with parchment paper.
Filling:
  1. In a small bowl, combine raspberry jam and lemon zest. Set aside.
For Dusting Work Surface:
  1. In a small bowl combine the flour and powdered sugar. Lightly dust a pastry mat or pastry board with some of the mixture to prevent the dough from sticking.
Shape the Cookies:
  1. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough refrigerated until ready to use. Press the dough to form it into a square log about 9 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Tip: Each time you press the dough, turn the log to the next side, keeping the diameter as uniform as possible. If the dough starts to crack just push it back together.
  2. Place the log onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Gently press down on top of the log with your hand until it is approximately 1¼ inches wide; you will now have a dough strip about 10 inches long. Form a trough for the jam down the length of the dough strip by pressing the center of the dough using the rounded handle of a kitchen knife or wooden spoon. The trough should be about ¼ inch deep, about ¼ to ½ inches wide, and stop about ¼ inch from each end to prevent the jam from running out. Hold the sides of the dough strip as you form the trough to prevent the sides of the dough from spreading too much.
  3. Use a fork to lightly prick the inside of the trough to allow steam to escape when baking. Use a dough scraper or kitchen knife to score the dough strip into 1 inch diagonal pieces; this will make the bars easier to cut after baking. Make sure and only score the dough, do not cut through the dough.
  4. Repeat the shaping steps with another dough piece. You should be able to bake two dough strips on the same baking sheet.
  5. Topping: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the entire top of each dough strip with beaten egg white and sprinkle the top edges of the trough with some of the coarse sugar.
  6. Bake: Bake the strips for 10 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Gently re-press the trough if it has slightly closed up when baking. Fill each trough with about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the filling, dropping the filling from the tip of a teaspoon. Do not overfill. Sprinkle the tops with additional coarse sugar if desired. Return the strips to the oven and bake another 20 minutes or until the jam is bubbly and the strips are lightly browned. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes, and then cut the bars where you scored the dough previously. Transfer the bars off the pan and directly onto the wire cooling racks to finish cooling completely.
Adapted From: Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003

 

Pfeffernusse

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Pfeffernusse
Pfeffernusse is a classic German Christmas cookie, also known as Peppernuts. The Peppernut name is in part because the cookies are small, brown, and crunchy like nuts, also due to the combination of pepper and spices that give the cookie a slight peppery bite.

Original Pfeffernusse is made without butter, but modern recipes use a small amount of butter for a softer texture and better flavor. The melted butter in this recipe helps to make a tender cookie, and heating the spices enhances their flavors
Recipe type: Shaped Cookies | German Cookies | Spice Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 6½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup blanched, slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup candied orange peel
  • 1 large egg
Topping:
  • ½ to ¾ cup confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and black pepper; stir to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, heat butter until melted and starting to simmer around the edge of the pan. Add spice mixture and cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly so the spices don’t burn. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add molasses and brown sugar, stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to thoroughly mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  3. In a food processor, combine flour, baking soda, salt, almonds, and orange peel. Process until mixture is finely ground, about 1 minute. Set aside.
  4. Add egg to the cooled butter mixture, and mix well to combine. Add flour mixture, and stir just until mixed.
  5. Form dough into a flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  6. Remove refrigerated dough from refrigerator. Divide into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. On a sheet of wax paper shape each ball into log, about ½ inch thick by 10 inches long, by rolling back and forth on the wax paper under the palm of your hand. Place logs on a wax paper lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  8. Remove enough dough logs from the refrigerator to bake one pan of cookies Keep remainder of dough logs in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  9. Bake: Cut the chilled logs into 1 inch pieces Place pieces 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown. Remove from oven.
Topping:
  1. While cookies are still hot from the oven, roll each log in about ¼ cup powered sugar until completely coated.
  2. Place cookies on wire cooling racks to let cool. When completely cooled, either roll the cookies in another ¼ to ½ cup confectioners sugar again until completely coated, or use a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the confectioners sugar, or place sugar and cooled cookies in a resealable plastic bag and give the cookies a quick shake to coat. This second rolling finishes the cookies with a snowy-white topping.
Source: America’s Test Kitchen Holiday Cookies 2010
Baggett, Nancy, The International Cookie Cookbook, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, 1988

 

Lemon Sour Cream Cookies

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Lemon Sour Cream Cookies
Our Son-in-Law Robert shared this cookie recipe from his Grandmother, an old-time recipe with flavors that are both sweet and tart, perfect for filling a cookie jar or sharing with neighbors.

The original recipe uses shortening or margarine and ½ teaspoon of an extract, with an optional walnut or pecan half pressed on top before baking. I made a few changes by using unsalted butter and adding a full teaspoon of vanilla extract. The original recipe is also a drop cookie, and then flattened with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. I found it was easier to roll the dough into balls, roll the balls in sugar, and then flatten slightly with a glass.

I also brushed on a thin layer of lemon glaze and sprinkled extra lemon zest to really enhance the lemon flavor, but these cookies are delicious with or without the glaze. I made the glaze thick enough to brush and used a silicone brush which left little ridges for a decorative finish.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 6 to 7 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
Topping:
  • ¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar, or more if needed
Lemon Glaze:
  • 2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature or softer, but not melted
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, half and half, or cream
Garnish:
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, place the butter and lemon zest in a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and lemon zest on medium speed about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. Gradually add the sugar and mix together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly blended.
  3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the sour cream, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and sour cream, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  4. Cover dough and refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  6. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: Since the dough is a bit sticky, keeping the unused dough in the refrigerator to keep chilled until ready to use between batches makes the dough easier to handle and roll into balls.
  7. Topping: Roll the balls in granulated sugar and place on baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to gently flatten the cookies to about ½ inch.
  8. Bake: Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are just starting to brown around the edges. Remove from oven. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Glaze and Garnish:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and lemon juice. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Add enough milk, half and half, or cream to make a good spreading consistency.
  2. Spread a thin coat of glaze onto cooled cookies using an offset spatula or silicone brush, and sprinkle with a bit of lemon zest. Set aside until glaze is set.

 

Lemon Snowballs

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Lemon Snowballs
Lemon Snowballs, also known as Lemon Meltaway cookies, are buttery, lemony, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Roll these cookies twice in confectioner’s sugar; the first rolling allows the sugar to melt into the cookie while they are still hot from the oven, the second rolling gives the finished snowy-white topping.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Topping:
  • About 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. Place the confectioner's sugar and lemon zest in a small food grinder, blender, or bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the lemon zest is chopped into very small pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add confectioner’s sugar and lemon zest mixture and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, continue beating until mixture is thoroughly combined and mixture is creamy, about another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add flour mixture; beat starting on low speed, and then increase to medium speed as the mixture is combined. Tip: after adding the flour mixture the dough may seem dry and crumbly, keep beating until the dough comes together, this may take 1 to 3 minutes.
  4. Shape dough into balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  5. Bake: Place balls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.
  6. Remove baking sheets from oven.
Topping:
  1. While cookies are still hot from the oven, roll each ball in powered sugar until completely coated.
  2. Place cookies on wire cooling racks to let cool.
  3. When completely cooled, either roll the cookies in confectioner's sugar again until completely coated, or use a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the confectioner's sugar. This second rolling finishes the cookies with a snowy-white topping.

 

Cornmeal Cookies

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Cornmeal Cookies
The cornmeal in these cookies provides a wonderful crunchy texture and contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the dried fruits. This is a refrigerator cookie that is formed into logs, refrigerated, then sliced and baked. The dough can be made in advance, wrapped well, and refrigerated for 1 to 2 weeks or frozen until ready for baking.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies | Icebox Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 6 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup currants
  • About 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, ¼ cup cornmeal, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, taking about 1 minute, then beat for about 1 to 2 minutes longer to thoroughly combine. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer if necessary to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  3. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3 to 4 additions, and mix just until thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be stiff and may seem crumbly.
  4. Add the raisins, cranberries, and currants. Beat on low speed just until incorporated.
  5. Divide dough in half. On a large piece of wax or parchment paper, shape each half into a round or square log, about 10 inches long and 1½ inches in diameter. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cornmeal onto the logs and press the cornmeal gently into the dough, coating the entire outsides with cornmeal.
  6. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  8. Slice chilled dough logs into ¼ inch slices and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with a little turbinado sugar. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  9. Bake: Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown on the edges, but the centers are barely colored. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Jan Hagels

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Jan Hagels
Jan Hagels are crunchy cinnamon and almond flavored Dutch cookies that are irresistible.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie | Almond Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: one 10½ x15½ x1 inch Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 10½ x15½ x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening, or line the pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides. Tip: rub a bit of vegetable shortening or butter in the bottom of the pan corners and well as the pan sides to help the parchment paper to stay in place.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt; sift or whisk together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar and then beat for about 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly combine. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer if necessary to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat an additional 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly combine.
  3. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3 to 4 additions, and mix just until thoroughly incorporated.
  4. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula or offset spatula.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white with a fork until frothy, and then spread evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the top of the egg whites.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the almonds.
  7. Bake: Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave cookie in the pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. While cookie is still warm cut into diamond shapes; cut diagonally from one corner to about 3 inches off from the diagonal corner. Make parallel diagonal cuts about 1½ inch apart. Once all the diagonal cuts are made, make straight cuts lengthwise about 1½ inch apart, creating diamond shaped pieces. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie, or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie.
  8. Let cookies cool completely; remove from the pan with a small metal spatula.

Peppermint Candy Cookies

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Peppermint Candy Cookies
Yummy peppermint candy cane cookies are filled with peppermint flavor. Each cookie has a hidden filling made with crushed candy canes and cream cheese. After baking the hot cookies are sprinkled with a little extra crushed candy cane to make a pretty cookie, just right for Christmas sharing. The original recipe calls for a drop of red food coloring added to the filling, but I think the color from the candy canes provides enough color so I have deleted the food coloring from the directions.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
  • ½ cup finely crushed candy canes (about 3 to 4 ½-ounce candy canes)
  • ½ cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon milk (preferably whole milk)
Tip: to crush candy canes, Place candy in a ziplock plastic bag, crush candy inside the bag by lightly pounding with the flat side of a large knife or rolling pin
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and pecans; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and confectioners’ sugar; mix together until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add vanilla extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Filling:
  1. In a small bowl, combine crushed candy canes and confectioners’ sugar. Reserve ¼ cup of this mixture for topping cookies.
  2. To remaining candy cane mixture, add cream cheese and milk; stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
  3. Reserve about ½ cup of the dough to cover the cookie filling. Shape remainder of dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: A small ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  4. Use your index finger or a wooden spoon with a rounded handle to make a deep indentation with the tip of the handle in the center of each cookie ball. If the dough sticks dip the tip in flour before pressing.
  5. Fill center of cookie with ¼ teaspoon filling. Use a small bit of the reserved dough; flatten into a small disk and place over the filling to seal the hole, smooth and blend the edges. Gently reshape or reroll into a ball shape if necessary.
  6. Bake: Place filled balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the cookies are set but not browned. Remove from oven and leave cookies on baking sheet. Sprinkle the top of the hot cookies with a small amount of the reserved candy cane and confectioners’ sugar mixture. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes, then remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Source: Naftalin, Rose, Grandma rose's Book of Sinfully Delicious Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Cheesecakes, Cake Rolls & Pastries, Random House, New York, 1975

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

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Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Transform Pumpkin Spice Cookies into festive jack-o-lanterns by decorating with some colorful royal icing. These lightly ginger spiced cookies are just as delicious un-frosted.

For these cookies I used royal icing. I used a pastry bag with a #2 tip to pipe around the edge of the cookie with a thick piping icing, (You could also use a plastic squeeze bottle with a tip available in decorating stores), then filled in the cookie using a thinner flooding icing. To make thicker icing add more confectioners’s sugar, to make the icing thinner add more egg white or small amount of warm water. For the pumpkin I used orange food coloring with a drop of red and black. For the stem I used leaf green food coloring with a bit of juniper green added and sprinkled a little sour apple colored edible glitter to add some sparkle (available in decorating stores.)

I have included a basic recipe for confectioner’s sugar icing along with recipes for Royal Icing. Royal Icing made with egg whites is generally not consumed but is great for non-edible decorations such as gingerbread houses or tree ornaments. Since the egg whites are not cooked there is a greater risk of salmonella. Royal Icing made with meringue powder is safe to eat. For more information, see my Royal Icing page.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Royal Icing

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup light or dark molasses
Confectioner’s Sugar Icing:
  • 3 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Or
Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder (edible):
  • 4 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • Approximately ¼ to ½ cup warm water (or more if needed)
  • Flavoring (optional)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Tip: If using an extract for flavoring, use one that is clear so it does not add unwanted color to the finished icing, such as orange, lemon, mint, almond, and clear vanilla.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites (non-edible):
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • Approximately 2 or 3 teaspoons warm water (or more if needed)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs, vanilla, and molasses; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture, stir until well mixed.
  3. Form dough into two 6 inch flattened disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Tip: The dough may be refrigerated at this point for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes using a cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 11 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Make icing of your choice to frost and decorate cookies. Choose from either the Confectioners’ Sugar Icing, or the Royal Icing made with Meringue Powder (edible), or the Royal Icing made with egg whites (non-edible.)
Confectioner’s Sugar Icing:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth, adding enough milk to make a good spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
  2. Frost cooled cookies, sprinkle with sugar sprinkles if desired. Set aside until frosting is set.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder (edible):
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine meringue powder and powdered sugar. Add water in small quantities, start with tablespoons of water, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add water in teaspoonfuls or just drops of water at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add food coloring and flavoring (optional.)
  2. Use immediately. Keep unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until the water is thoroughly combined.
  3. Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites (non-edible):
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each cup until smooth. Add water, a few drops at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add food coloring (optional.)
  2. Use icing immediately, keeping unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until water is thoroughly combined.
  3. Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Pecan Tassies

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Pumpkin Pecan Tassies
A mini pumpkin pecan pie combined into one bite-sized cookie treat. If you love traditional Pecan Tassies and Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, then Pumpkin Pecan Tassies are destined to become a new favorite. These Tassies begin with a tender cream cheese pastry pressed into mini muffin pans, a filling made with pumpkin, spice, and a kick of rum, and finished with a brown sugar pecan topping.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Pastry | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 24-Cup Mini Muffin Pan Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 24 Tassies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Pumpkin Filling:
  • ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream
  • 1 tablespoon rum (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Pecan Topping:
  • ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer, add butter and cream cheese; mix together on medium speed until smooth and thoroughly blended. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
  2. Pat pastry into a 6 inch disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Remove chilled pastry from the refrigerator and divide into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in an ungreased mini muffin pan. Press the pastry against the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form the Tassie shells. Tip: Using one 24-cup or two 12-cup mini muffin pans is ideal. If you have only one smaller pan, keep the extra pastry in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  4. Cover filled pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate Tassie shells until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Filling:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, pumpkin, melted butter, egg, whipping cream, rum, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a wire whisk and whisk together just until smooth. Tip: Do not over-mix, and do not use an electric mixer as this will create too many air bubbles in the filling. Set aside.
Topping:
  1. In a small bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Set aside.
  2. Remove the pastry filled muffin pans from the refrigerator. Pour the filling in each cup, filling only about two-thirds full. Don’t over-fill as the filling puffs up while baking. Tip: to make filling the cups less messy, use a liquid measuring cup with a spout to pour the filling. Sprinkle the pecan topping on top of the filling in each cup.
  3. Bake: Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown around the edges. Rotate the pans from front to back toward the end of the baking time so the Tassies brown evenly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Run the tip of a small sharp paring knife around the edges of the muffin cups to loosen the Tassies. When Tassies are cool enough to handle remove from the muffin pan and place on wire cooling racks to let cool.

Pecan Tassies

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Pecan Tassies
Tassies are a southern Christmas treasure, normally taking center stage on the cookie tray. These cookies taste like a bite-sized morsel of pecan pie, with a golden brown crust and lots of chopped pecans in a gooey filling – yummy and addicting
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookie | Pastry | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two 24-Cup Mini Muffin Pans Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 48 Tassies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature, or Freeze

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling:
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped, divided
Instructions
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and cream cheese; mix together on medium speed until smooth and thoroughly blended. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
  2. Divide pastry in half; pat each half into a 6 inch disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Remove one of the chilled pastries from the refrigerator and divide into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in an ungreased mini muffin pan. Press the pastry against the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form the shell. Return the filled muffin pan to the refrigerator until ready to add the filling. Tip: Using two 24-cup, or four 12-cup mini muffin pans is ideal. If you have only one pan, keep the extra pastry and filling in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  4. Remove remaining pastry from refrigerator, and repeat.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Filling:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Use a wire whisk and whisk together just until smooth. Tip: Do not over-mix, and do not use an electric mixer as this will create too many air bubbles in the filling.
  2. Remove the pastry filled muffin pans from the refrigerator. Distribute 1 cup of the pecans among the pastry-lined muffin cups, sprinkling a few pecan pieces in the bottom of each cup.
  3. Pour the filling over the pecans in each cup, filling only about two-thirds full. Don’t over-fill as the filling puffs up while baking. Tip: to make filling the cups less messy, use a liquid measuring cup with a spout to pour the filling.
  4. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of pecans on top of the filling in each cup.
  5. Bake: Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown around the edges. Rotate the pans from front to back toward the end of the baking time so the Tassies brown evenly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Run the tip of a small sharp paring knife around the edges of the muffin cups to loosen the Tassies. When Tassies are cool enough to handle remove from the muffin pan and place on wire cooling racks to let cool.
Adapted From: Walden, Hilaire, The Great Big Cookie Book, Hermes House, London, 2008,

Orange Scented Coconut Macaroons

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Orange Scented Coconut Macaroons
Coconut orange and chocolate, oh my but these are wickedly good. A little crunch on the outside, and then chewy and moist on the inside. The small amount of chocolate from dipping the bottoms and a light chocolate drizzling on top makes a pretty and festive presentation and is the perfect accompanying flavor.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Coconut | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 300° Yield: 7 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest (about 1 orange)
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 2 (14 ounce) packages shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Topping:
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line Baking sheets with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites and salt. Using a wire whisk, whisk until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add sweetened condensed milk, orange zest, orange extract, vanilla extract, and coconut extract; continue to whisk until combined.
  2. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the coconut, making sure the coconut is thoroughly folded through the batter.
  3. Shape dough into mounds, or haystack shapes using about 2 tablespoons of dough for each macaroon, and Pressing the shape firmly together. Tip: A size 40 ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized macaroons and makes the perfect haystack shape.
  4. Bake: Place macaroons about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until macaroons are lightly golden brown on the bottom and the tops are lightly browned in spots. Tip: The coconut will tend to brown in spots. Do not bake until they are brown all over, but just until the tips of the coconut are lightly browned.
  5. Remove macaroons from the oven. Set baking sheets on a wire cooling rack, leaving the macaroons on the baking sheets to cool completely.
Topping:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate. Or, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as mixture will burn easily. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Remove cooled macaroons from baking sheet. Dip the bottom of the macaroon into the melted chocolate. Place on a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet to harden.
  3. After dipping all the macaroons in chocolate, spoon any remaining melted chocolate into a small plastic freezer bag; roll over top of bag to keep neater. (You could also use a plastic squeeze bottle with a tip available in decorating stores), Twist the top of the bag to create some pressure to make easier to squeeze out. Cut a tiny corner off the tip of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over the top of the macaroons.
  4. Let macaroons sit 1 to 2 hours, or until chocolate hardens, or place in the refrigerator to chill and harden, about 30 minutes.
Source: Taste of the South Magazine, Christmas Cooking Southern Style, 2007

  1. Orange Scented Coconut Macaroons

 

Orange Oatmeal Cookies

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Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Crisp oatmeal cookies with a touch of orange and nutmeg. These are delicious and addicting.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 7 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about half of 1 orange)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs, orange zest, and orange juice; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt; stir until well mixed. Add oats, stir until mixed.
  2. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.

Orange Date Nut Bars

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Orange Date Nut Bars
These cookies are very chewy and delicious with a nice orange flavor topped with a light lemon glaze. They make a great Christmas cookie. This recipe comes from my sister Linda Stradley and her website What’s Cooking America.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pitted dates, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
Lemon Glaze:
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1¼ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until well blended. Add eggs, orange zest, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in chopped dated and walnuts. (The batter will be very thick.)
  2. Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave cookie in the pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Lemon Glaze:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice and confectioners sugar; beat until smooth and creamy. Spread glaze on top of cooled cookie. Cut into 2 inch bars. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.

Orange Cornmeal Sandies

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Orange Cornmeal Sandies
Cornmeal is the “sandy” ingredient in these flavorful orange cookies. When cooled, dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate. This recipe was published in the Oregonian FOODday December 5, 2006.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (1 orange)
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
  • ¼ cup finely ground toasted walnuts or pecans
Topping:
  • 6 to 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg yolks, orange zest, and orange extract; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture and nuts; stir to mix.
  3. Divide dough in half, form each half into a flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board. and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one of the discs to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into circles with a floured 3 inch-round cookie cutter or drinking glass. Cut each circle in half.
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
  7. Remove remaining dough from refrigerator, and repeat.
Topping:
  1. In In top of a double boiler over hot water, Melt the semi-sweet chocolate. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Holding each cookie by the straight side, dip the points and rounded side of the cookie into the melted chocolate, leaving most of the cookie exposed. Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and let sit 1 to 2 hours, or until chocolate hardens.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The classic oatmeal cookie, filled with raisins and spices. Old Fashioned type oatmeal gives the cookies a nice chewy texture.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup raisins
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir until well mixed. Add oats and raisins; stir until mixed.
  2. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Recipe from Quaker Oats

Neapolitan Cookies

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Neapolitan Cookies
Two types of flavors combine to make a distinctive cookie. Light dough filled with almond flavoring, cherries and nuts is sandwiched between a chocolate, cinnamon, nutty dough. These take a little more time to prepare, but they get rave reviews.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies, |Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9"x5"x2¾" Loaf Pan and Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined, Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 9 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dark Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
  • Tip: See Toasting Nuts and Seeds. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
Light Dough:
  • ½ cup finely chopped dark raisins
  • ¼ cup finely chopped golden raisins
  • 12 finely chopped candied cherries.
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
Prepare one 9x5x2¾ inch loaf pan; lightly grease with shortening and then line with parchment paper.
Dark Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate. Or, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as chocolate will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and heat to simmering. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add melted chocolate; stir to mix. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed. Add nuts, stir to mix. Set aside while mixing the light dough.
Light Dough:
  1. Chop the raisins and cherries; sprinkle the chopped raisins and cherries with 1 teaspoon flour to keep the fruit from sticking together. Set aside. Tip: Since the raisins and cherries get very sticky when chopping, sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of flour before chopping to help cut down on the stickiness.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt together; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg, water, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed. Add chopped raisins and cherries; stir until mixed. Set aside.
Assembly:
  1. Divide the dark dough in half. Place half the dark dough in the bottom of the loaf pan, packing it down evenly. Add all of the light dough, packing it evenly over the dark dough. Add remaining dark dough, packing it evenly over the light dough.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. Grabbing the top edges of the parchment paper, lift dough from loaf pan, remove paper and discard. Using a long kitchen knife, cut dough lengthwise into thirds. Keep one third of dough out, wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and return to refrigerator until ready to use.
  5. Bake: Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
  6. Repeat with remaining dough.
Recipe adapted from Rose Naftalin's Holiday Goodies

Mountain Bar Cookies

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Mountain Bar Cookies
No flour and no baking - what could be easier? Just cook part of the ingredients on top of the stove, add in some oats, peanut butter and coconut, and then drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking pans to cool.
Recipe type: Dessert | No-Bake Cookies | Shaped Cookies | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Type: Unbaked Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment or Wax Paper Lined Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup dry nonfat milk
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 2½ cups old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • ½ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, wax paper, or a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large heavy bottomed pan over low heat, combine sugar, dry milk, water, butter, and cocoa powder or baking chocolate; stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the mixture does not burn. Remove from heat.
  2. Add oats, peanut butter, coconut, and vanilla; stir until mixed.
  3. While mixture is still warm, drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Let sit until cool and the chocolate is hardened. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.

Molasses Spice Cookies

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Molasses Spice Cookies
Molasses Spice Cookies, called Pepparkakar in Sweden, are a lightly spiced molasses cookie with a crinkly, sugary top. These cookies are delicious any time of year, but there’s something about the cool days of fall and cold days of winter when this cookie seem very appealing. Enjoy with a steaming mug of hot chocolate or coffee or glass of cold milk; Molasses Spice cookies will warm you from head to toe
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
Topping:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted and cooled butter, sugar, molasses, and egg. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined and smooth. Add the flour mixture and still until thoroughly blended.
  3. Cover dough and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape all the dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Use enough balls to bake one pan of cookies (about 12) and keep remainder of balls in the refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: An ice cream scoop with a release mechanism is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. Place granulated sugar in a low, flat dish, such as a pie plate. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and the tops are just beginning to crack. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes, the cookies will flatten and larger cracks will form as they cool. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

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Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Soft pumpkin cookies, fluffy cream cheese filling, and a sprinkling of cinnamon spiced powdered sugar complete these Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. This mini version is just the right size, and the pumpkin and cream cheese combination is scrumptious.

Of course these are not really a pie at all, but a cookie. Whoopie Pies are essentially two cake-like cookies sandwiched with a generous helping of fluffy creamy filling.

Original Whoopie Pies, believed to have originated in the 1920s in either Maine, Pennsylvania, or by the Amish are large affairs, about 4 inches in diameter, and made with a soft chocolate cookie and marshmallow filling. The clever name is possibly from children that would squeal with delight and yell “whoopie” whenever they were getting one of these delicious treats. Modern versions include a cookie made with chocolate or other flavors such as pumpkin and red velvet, and fluffy fillings with all flavors imaginable.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sandwich Cookie | Pumpkin
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup pumpkin
  • ¼ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Filling:
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
Topping:
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; beat on medium speed until mixture is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed, mixture may appear curdled. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, beat together until well mixed.
  3. Bake: Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Tip: Use a measuring tablespoon, fill the spoon with dough and level off with a knife. Use a spoon or knife to scrape the dough out of the measuring spoon and onto the pan, keeping the dough formed in as round a shape as possible.
  4. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes. When they seem firm enough, remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Spiced Cream Cheese Filling:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves; use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat until filling is smooth and creamy.
  2. Assembly: Spoon about two teaspoons of filling onto the bottom flat side of one cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
Topping:
  1. Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops of the cookies with the sugar mixture.
  2. Place the whoopie pies on a baking sheet in a single layer and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up the filling before serving.
  3. The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Source: Land O’ Lakes
Lewis, Matt and Renato Poliafito, Baked Explorations, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, 2010

Mincemeat Drops with Rum Frosting

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Mincemeat Drops with Rum Frosting
A creamy rum frosting tops these flavorful drop cookies. Mincemeat, spices, and rum flavoring are added to a brown sugar dough. These cookies are a nice treat anytime in the fall or winter, or add to your cookie tray at Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup prepared mincemeat
  • ½ teaspoon rum flavoring
Rum Frosting:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • ¼ cup golden rum
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add mincemeat and rum flavoring; stir until mixed. Add sifted flour mixture, stir until mixed.
  3. Bake: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 14 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned and only a slight indentation remains when cookies are touched. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Rum Frosting:
  1. In a small bowl, combine butter, confectioner’s sugar, and rum; beat until smooth.
  2. Spread a small amount of frosting on each cooled cookie.
Recipe Adapted from Bluestein, Barry and kevin Morrissey, The Complete Cookie, Doubleday, New York, 1996

Mincemeat Bars

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Mincemeat Bars
A blanket of snowy white sugar covers these sweet, delicious bars. The mincemeat, molasses, raisins, and brown sugar flavors, enhanced by the orange and vanilla extracts combine to give a wonderful rich taste. Perfect for your fall and winter dessert table.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light or dark molasses
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon pure orange extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup prepared mincemeat
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine egg, butter, brown sugar, and molasses; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is thick and smooth. Add orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract; stir to mix. Add mincemeat, raisins, and walnuts; stir to mix. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed.
  3. Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Topping:
  1. Remove from oven. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops of the hot bars with confectioner’s sugar. Leave bars in pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool. Cut into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.
Adapted from: Bluestein, Barry and Kevin Morrissey, The Complete Cookie, Doubleday, New York, 1996

Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies

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Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies
Crisp, yet chewy. These thin and lacey wafers are sandwiched with a creamy milk chocolate filling. Not your everyday cookie as they take a little extra time and care to make, but worth the effort.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sandwich Cookies | Shaped Cookies | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Foil Lined and Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwich Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
  • 12 ounces Milk Chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with foil and lightly grease with shortening.
Batter:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine melted butter, oats, sugar, flour, salt, corn syrup, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  2. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 3 inches apart onto foil lined baking sheets. Spread the dough into a thin circle with the back of a spoon that has been dipped in water (so the dough does not stick to the spoon.)
  3. Bake: Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Gently peel foil from cooled cookies. Tip: since the foil will probably crumple and tear when peeling away from the cookie, plan on using a fresh sheet of foil for each pan of cookies.
Filling:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the milk chocolate. Or, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as chocolate will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and heat to simmering. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate onto the flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, placing flat side onto the chocolate.

Peanut Butter Roundup Cookies

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Peanut Butter Roundup Cookies
Round up the peanut butter, chocolate chips and oatmeal for a fantastic cookie.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 8 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and peanut butter; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until well mixed. Add chocolate chips and oats, stir until mixed.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  3. Bake: Place balls, 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Flatten balls in a crisscross pattern with a fork that has been dipped in water (so the dough does not stick to the fork.) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
What a wonderful surprise when you bite into these cookies! A cookie and candy combined into one. These cookies start with the Classic Peanut Butter Cookie dough.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Tip: Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
Filling:
  • About 36 miniature peanut butter cups, with paper wrapping removed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir until mixed.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Bake:
  1. Place balls, 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or just until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Tip: Unlike Classic Peanut Butter Cookies, these cookies are not flattened with a crisscross design before baking.
Filling:
  1. Remove baking sheets from oven. While cookies are still hot and on the baking sheet, press a miniature peanut butter cup into the middle of each cookie.
  2. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Peanut Butter Cookies

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Peanut Butter Cookies
An all-time family favorite, with their rich butter and peanut taste and distinctive criss-cross top.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir until mixed.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  3. Bake: Place balls, 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Flatten balls in a crisscross pattern with a fork that has been dipped in water (so the dough does not stick to the fork.) Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Mandelhoernchen

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Mandelhoernchen
This recipe is shared with me by Albert Greuter, from his Great Grandmother Preussner who had all her recipes hand written in German, but Albert has since translated into English. These little cookies are delightful, with a nice nutty almond flavor and cinnamon coating. Mandelhoernchen means “Almond Horns,” as the dough is rolled into ropes then cut into smaller pieces which are curved into a crescent, or “horn” shape.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 5½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup finely chopped blanched almonds
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Topping:
  • 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and almonds; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; mix together until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add almond extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, mixing until combined. Tip: When adding the flour the mixture will seem dry and crumbly. Keep mixing until the dough comes together.
  3. Cover and refrigerate dough until chilled, 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. Shape chilled dough into ropes ½ inch thick; cup ropes into 2 inch long pieces. Curve each cut piece into a crescent shape, smoothing the cut ends. Tip: Gently curve around your finger to form the crescent shape.
  6. Bake: Place crescents about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.
  7. Remove baking sheets from oven.
Topping:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and cinnamon. Sift or stir together to thoroughly combine.
  2. While cookies are still hot from the oven, roll each cookie in the powered sugar mixture until completely coated.
  3. Place cookies on wire cooling racks to let cool. When completely cooled, re-roll the cookies in the powdered sugar mixture again.

Maple Pecan Drops

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Maple Pecan Drops
Cool autumn days are perfect for rich, golden, maple flavored cookies. These cookies have a subtle maple flavor, which are enhanced with the taste of sweet dates and toasted pecans, then topped with a creamy maple flavored frosting.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Refrigerated

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • ½ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
Maple Frosting:
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • ½ cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add maple syrup; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until well mixed. Add oats, pecans, and dates; stir until mixed.
  2. Bake:
  3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet two minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Maple Frosting:
  1. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and confectioner’s sugar; beat until smooth. Spread a small amount of frosting on each cooled cookie; sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.

Lemon Bars

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Lemon Bars
lemon bar crust that can be overly butter laden, these bars are made with a vanilla cookie crust. The lemon filling is sublime, both sweet and tart, and sets up to a firm texture that is easy to cut and serve. Traditional lemon bars are sprinkled with powdered sugar before serving, but they are just as delicious without the sugar sprinkle – you choose.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Foil Lined and Buttered Pastry: Vanilla Cookie Pastry Prep: Baked Starting Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen bars Storage: Cover, Cool Place or Refrigerate

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cookie Crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons whipping (heavy) cream
Lemon Filling:
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 4 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • Tip: Use a citrus zester and citrus juicer for fresh zest and freshly squeezed juice.
Topping (Optional):
  • ¼ to ½ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; line with heavy duty aluminum foil, allowing extra foil to overhang the edge to make easy to remove after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush softened butter over bottom and sides of the foil.
Vanilla Cookie Crust:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolks, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons cream. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dough comes together and can be formed into a ball. Tip: If the dough seems too dry add another tablespoon of cream.
  3. Sprinkle dough evenly into prepared pan. Use your hands to press dough into pan, smoothing the surface and spreading in the pan as evenly as possible. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 30 minutes.
  4. While dough is refrigerating, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, allowing 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat before baking.
  5. Bake: Remove pan from refrigerator, place in oven and bake 30 minutes or until the edges of the crust turn a light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing lemon filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Lemon Filling:
  1. In a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, combine sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and butter. Cook and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until butter is melted and mixture is thickened, about 7 to 8 minutes or registers 170 degrees using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove from heat.
  2. Immediately pour hot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean nonreactive bowl to strain out the lemon zest and any pieces of cooked egg. Stir in the whipping cream, and then pour into the baked crust.
  3. Bake: Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the center 3 inches is almost set but still jiggles slightly if pan is shaken. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. When cool refrigerate at least one hour or until ready to serve.
  4. Use the foil overhang to lift bar from the pan, and cut into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bars is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the bar for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut into squares.
Topping (Optional):
  1. Just before serving, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the bars with powdered sugar. Refrigerate leftovers. Tip: Add the powdered sugar just before serving as the sugar will soak into the bars as they sit.

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

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Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Three wonderful layers, a brown sugar oatmeal cookie base on the bottom, sweet raspberry preserves in the middle, and a refreshingly cool, lemony cheesecake filling on top. Delicious!
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Refrigerate

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Crust:
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cups old-fashioned oats
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Fruit Layer:
  • ½ cup raspberry preserves
Cream Cheese Filling:
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Crust:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; beat together on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add flour, oats, and salt; beat until blended.
  2. Press mixture evenly into the baking pan.
Bake and Fruit Layer:
  1. Bake: Bake crust 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
  2. Remove from oven, and immediately spoon raspberry preserves over hot crust and spread in an even layer. Set aside.
Cream Cheese Filling:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat at low speed until well blended.
  2. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the eggs. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture; continue beating on low speed until well mixed. Tip: keep the mixer at low speed to prevent air bubbles from forming.
  3. Bake: Pour filling over the still warm raspberry preserves layer. Bake 25 minutes or until filling is set. The middle may still jiggle a little bit but will set up as it cools. Remove from oven and place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
  4. When cooled to room temperature, cut into bars about 2 inches by 1½ inches. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.
Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.
Adapted From: The Cookie Bible, Publications International, LTD, Illinois, 2004

Lemon Ring Cookies

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Lemon Ring Cookies
A tender lemon cookie, covered with lemon frosting and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts; you’ll get a burst of fresh lemon with every delicious bite.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon Icing and Nut Garnish:
  • 1½ cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt butter. Remove from heat and cool. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the hot water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. Add sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice to cooled butter; stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well mixed.
  4. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; mix with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer to form a smooth dough.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅛ inch to ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough with a round 2½ inch scalloped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.) Cut out the center with a ½ inch round or scalloped cookie cutter. Re-roll and cut out the scraps.
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Lemon Icing and Nut Garnish:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner's sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir until smooth. Add additional 1 tablespoon of lemon juice if needed to make a good spreading consistency.
  2. Spread icing over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with a few chopped pistachio nuts before the frosting sets. Tip: Ice one cookie at a time, then immediately sprinkle nuts on top, and then set on a wire cooling rack for icing to set.
Adapted from: Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980

Lemon Tassies

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Lemon Tassies
Sweet and sassy, and cute as a button, these Tassies will remind you of miniature lemon pies. Each Tassie is created with a simple cream cheese pastry pressed into a mini-muffin pan, and then after baking is filled with a sweet, yet slightly tart delicious lemon filling.
Recipe type: Dessert | Filled Cookies | Pastry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 24-Cup Mini Muffin Pan Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 24 Tassies Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Filling:
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Instructions
Cream Cheese Pastry:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, add butter and cream cheese; mix together on medium speed until smooth and thoroughly blended. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
  2. Pat pastry into a 6 inch disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Remove chilled pastry from the refrigerator and divide into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in an ungreased mini muffin pan. Press the pastry against the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form the Tassie shells. Tip: Using one 24-cup or two 12-cup mini muffin pans is ideal. If you have only one smaller pan, keep the extra pastry in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  4. Cover filled pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate Tassie shells until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  5. While Tassie shells are refrigerating, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, allowing 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat before baking.
  6. Bake: Bake 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown around the edges. Rotate the pans from front to back toward the end of the baking time so the Tassie shells brown evenly. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to let cool.
  7. Run the tip of a small sharp kitchen knife around the edges of the muffin cups to loosen the Tassie shells. Remove shells from pan and place on a serving plate.
Lemon Filling:
  1. In a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, and butter. Cook until thickened and gently boiling, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon so mixture does not burn, continue cooking for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
  2. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with a fork or wire whisk to thoroughly break up the yolk.
  3. Temper the eggs: very slowly, in a thin stream, pour about ½ of the hot lemon mixture into the beaten eggs while quickly whisking together. Tip: The technique used to blend uncooked eggs with a hot liquid is called tempering. Tempering slowly warms the eggs so they are closer to the temperature of the liquid they will be added to, preventing the eggs from scrambling. If you simply poured the eggs into the hot mixture they would immediately start cooking and you would have chunks of cooked egg in the mixture.
  4. Return the egg mixture back to the rest of the hot lemon mixture, pouring back slowly while whisking the two mixtures together. Return to medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula and scraping over the bottom of the pan, cook until mixture boils and becomes thick, or registers about 150 degrees using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove from heat.
  5. Cover the surface with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the top of the filling so a film does not develop. Cool to room temperature.
  6. Spoon one rounded teaspoon of filling into each Tassie shell. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Ladyfingers

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Ladyfingers
Ladyfinger cookies are made with a sponge-cake batter, resulting in ever-so-light cookies that almost melt in your mouth. The French term for Ladyfingers is biscuits a la cuilliere, which means spoon cookies, because they were originally formed with a spoon. Using a pastry bag, however, makes these cookies quick to make and gives them a more uniform shape. Ladyfingers are best eaten or used the day they are made as they tend to get increasingly fragile the longer they sit.

Ladyfingers can be served alone as an accompaniment to coffee or tea, and are also used in classic desserts such as Tiramisu and Charlotte Russe.

Ladyfinger batter should be baked as soon as you have piped the shapes and dusted them with powdered sugar. Before starting, have all ingredients prepared and ready to use, the baking pans and pastry bag laid out and ready to use, and the oven pre-heated. This is called mise en place – A French term meaning “everything in its place.”
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Piped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Paper Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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Ingredients
Batter:
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt (pinch)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • About 1 cup of confectioners’ (powdered) sugar for dusting
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Tip: dab the corners of the baking sheet with butter or shortening to hold the parchment paper in place.
Batter:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg yolks and ¼ cup granulated sugar; using an electric mixer beat on low speed about 1 minute or until blended, and then increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 5 to 8 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and drops in ribbons when the beater is lifted. Lower the speed to low and beat in the vanilla until mixed, and then increase the mixer to high and beat another 30 seconds or until it thickens again. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Set aside.
  2. In another large mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula; partially fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. Don’t try to fully incorporate the egg yolks until the flour is added.
  4. Place the flour into a flour sifter and sift the flour over the batter and fold into the batter in three additions. Make sure and scrape the bottom of the bowl with the spatula to blend the entire mixture. Tip: You can use a fine mesh sieve in place of a flour sifter.
  5. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag with a ½ inch round decorating tip, filling the bag about one-third full. Pipe out the fingers 3 to 4 inches in length, leaving 2 inches between each finger. Tip: Hold the pastry bag about 1 inch above the pan and gently squeeze the pastry bag to pipe out the fingers, letting the batter fall to the pan and not get flattened by the edge of the tip.
  6. Using a flour sifter or fine mesh sieve, generously sift powdered sugar over the Ladyfingers. After a few seconds, if the sugar is absorbed into the batter, repeat, giving the ladyfingers a second dusting of sugar.
  7. Bake: Immediately after you have piped a full pan of fingers and dusted with powdered sugar, place the baking sheet in the oven to bake, and then continue with the remaining batter and the second baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until the Ladyfingers are a light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Ladyfingers are best eaten freshly baked and the same day they are made, or store in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days layered between wax or parchment paper.
Source: Bloom, Carole, The International Dictionary of Desserts, Pastries, and Confections, Hearst Books, New York, 1995
Malgieri, Nick, Perfect Cakes, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2002

Lebkuchen Bars

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Lebkuchen Bars
This recipe comes from my nieces and nephews German grandmother Gertrude Zemp, whom we always called Grandma Gertie. She was a wonderful cook and made delightful German pastries including these Lebkuchen Bars, meaning "Lifecakes." This recipe is shared with me by my sister Linda.

Grandma Gertie would make these bars at least one month in advance, tightly wrapped in an air-tight container, as they improve with age. The scrumptious honey flavored bars are dense and chewy, filled with almonds, candied fruits, and spices. A simple icing of confectioners’ sugar and milk is spread over the bars when they are hot from the oven, creating a very thin crackly glaze.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 12"x17"x1" Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Lightly Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 5 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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Ingredients
Dough:
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups unblanched almonds, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup candied citron, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup candied orange peel, finely chopped
  • 2 cups honey (preferably clover honey)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup bourbon or whiskey
  • 3 large eggs
Icing:
  • 1¼ cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 12x17x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening, or line the pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides. Tip: rub a bit of vegetable shortening or butter in the bottom of the pan corners and well as the pan sides to help the parchment paper to stay in place.
Dough:
  1. In a very large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add the chopped almonds, candied citron, and candied orange peel; stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside. Tip: make sure and use a very large bowl as this is a large recipe.
  2. In top of a double boiler over hot water, combine the honey and sugar. Heat and stir with a rubber spatula until the sugar is dissolved. Tip: test if the sugar is dissolved by rubbing a bit between your fingers; there should be no grittiness left from the sugar granules. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the hot water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. When sugar is dissolved, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool to just slightly warm. Stir in the whiskey.
  4. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the eggs, whisking about 1 minute. Add the eggs to the honey mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
  5. Pour the honey and egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
  6. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula or offset spatula. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack and spread icing over hot cookie.
Icing:
  1. In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and milk; stir until smooth. Immediately spread the icing evenly over the hot baked cookie using a small offset spatula.
  2. Leave pan on wire cooling rack to cool completely, from 2 to 4 hours, before cutting. When cool, use the parchment overhang to lift cookie from the pan, and cut into 1½ to 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bars is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into squares.
Storing and Aging:
  1. The bars can be eaten immediately; however they are best when allowed to age at least 1 to 4 weeks or longer. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and then place in a sealed plastic freezer bag.
Source: What’s Cooking America

Linzer Cookies

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Linzer Cookies
These pretty sandwich cookies are festive and exceedingly delicious. Reminiscent of the famous Viennese Linzertorte with a generous filling of raspberry preserves, sandwiched between a cookie base and cutout top so the filling peeks through. Linzer cookies are traditionally made with hazelnuts, but you can substitute with almonds, pecans, or walnuts if you prefer.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Sandwich Cookies | Raspberry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2½ Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup filberts (hazelnuts), blanched
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • Tip: Use a citrus zester fresh zest. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
Filling and Topping:
  • ½ cup raspberry preserves
  • ¼ cup confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together to mix.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts until finely ground. Add the hazelnuts to the flour mixture. Whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed.
  4. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  6. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅛ inch thickness. Cut dough with a round 2½ inch scalloped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.) Cut out the center from half of the shapes with a 1½ inch scalloped cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps, or bake the 1½ inch shapes separately.
  7. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Filling and Topping:
  1. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry preserves over each cookie without the middle cutout.
  2. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops of the cookies that have the middle cutout with confectioner’s sugar. Place the cutout cookies on top of the raspberry-covered cookies.
Adapted from: Stewart, Martha, Baking Handbook, Clarkson Potter, New York, 2005

Linzer Thumbprint Cookies

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Linzer Thumbprint Cookies
Almond flavored butter cookies filled with raspberry jam and lemon zest that are both delicious to eat and pretty to serve.
Recipe type: Dessert | Thumbprint Cookies | Shaped Cookies |Raspberry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 300° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup ground almonds
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Filling:
  • ½ cup raspberry preserves
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; mix together until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
  3. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  4. Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. With your thumb or index finger, press an indentation in the center of each ball to hold the filling. Tip: instead of using your finger, use a wooden spoon with a rounded handle; make a deep indentation with the tip of the handle in the center of each cookie. If the dough sticks dip the tip in flour before pressing.
  5. Bake: Bake 20 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Filling:
  1. In a small bowl, combine raspberry preserves and lemon zest.
  2. Fill the center of each cookie with about ½ teaspoon of the filling. Tip: to fill the cookies neatly, point the tip of the spoon down into the indentation and slide the filling off with another spoon or your fingertip.

Springerle

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Springerle
These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies, with a distinct anise flavor provided by a bit of anise extract plus whole anise seeds. Anise has the flavor of licorice but is far removed from artificially flavored licorice candies.

Springerle, a German word meaning “little jumper” or “little knight” is a centuries old cookie. The cookie is either pressed into a carved cookie mold or rolled with a carved Springerle rolling pin; either method produces a cookie with an embossed design. The unbaked cookies are laid on pan a sprinkled with anise seeds and left to dry overnight or up to 24 hours. This drying time gives Springerle its distinctive texture and helps to set the design so it is still visible after baking. When baked, these scrumptious cookies puff up like little pillows. You can still make Springerle if you don’t have Springerle cookie molds or rolling pin; simply roll out the dough with a smooth rolling pin and cut the dough into small rectangles or other shapes; you will have a delicious cookie, just without the embossed design.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 5 Dozen Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure anise extract
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
For Rolling and Drying Dough:
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons anise seeds
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the eggs and beat 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed until the eggs become thick and lemon colored. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the eggs. Add the vanilla extract and anise extract. Beat mixture on medium high about 15 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the butter, and continue beating until thoroughly mixed, about another 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, beat on low to medium speed until flour is thoroughly mixed in. the dough will be fairly soft.
Rolling and Drying Dough:
  1. In a small bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar. Whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon anise seeds evenly over the bottom of each pan.
  3. Generously sprinkle some of the flour-powdered sugar mixture on a pastry mat or pastry board. Form Springerle dough into a ball, and using a lightly floured smooth rolling pin, roll dough to a ½ inch thickness. Gently push the dough around on the board or slide a large spatula underneath to make sure the dough is not stuck to the board before proceeding. Sprinkle additional flour-powdered sugar mixture underneath if necessary.tray of Springerli Cookies
  4. Rub some of the flour-powdered sugar mixture into the Springerle rolling pin to prevent dough from sticking; tap out excess flour. Roll the Springerle rolling pin firmly over the rolled out dough. Use a sharp kitchen knife or dough scraper to cut the rectangles apart using the straight lines between each design in the rolling pin as a guide. Reroll scraps and repeat. Tip: If you don’t have a Springerle rolling pin, cut the dough into rectangles about 1½ inches by 2 inches, or cut into any shape you desire.
  5. Lay cutout rectangles on top of the anise seeds in the baking pans 2 inches apart. Cover with a paper towel and let cookies sit for 12 to 24 hours to allow the cookies to dry and set the design.drying springerli cookies
  6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  7. Bake: Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are set and the top of the cookies are still pale and the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
  8. The cookies can be eaten immediately; however they are best when allowed to age at least 1 to 2 weeks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and then place in a sealed plastic freezer bag.

Spritz Cookies

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Spritz Cookies
Almond flavored buttery cookies are always a holiday favorite. These tender cookies are bite-size delicacies and are perfect without any adornments. But I can’t resist, these cookies just sing out to be decorated with sugar sprinkles, glitter, dragees, or even candied fruits. I like adding a red or green candied cherry half to the center of the wreath shapes, but better yet, try a bit of fruitcake glace mix.

Spritz cookies are a Scandinavian cookie, named for the German word spritzen, meaning ‘to squirt,’ and are pressed from a cookie press or piped from a pastry bag. This recipe makes dough that is extremely easy to work with and the perfect consistency for pressing through a cookie press.
Recipe type: Dessert | Cookie Press Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 80 to 90 Cookies Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Decorations (optional):
  • Sugar Sprinkles or nonpareils
  • Dragees
  • Edible Glitter
  • Candied fruit such as cherry halves and Minced Fruitcake glace mix
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and sugar and mix together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beat until thoroughly blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
  3. Fill a cookie press with dough and fit the cookie press with a plate of your choice. Press the dough at least 1 inch apart onto the baking sheet. Refill the press as necessary.
Decorations (optional):
  1. Before baking, decorate the cookies as desired. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles, dragees, or edible glitter. The cookies that are pressed into a wreath shape are perfect for adding a candied cherry half or filling with a little bit of fruitcake glace mix.
  2. Bake: Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are set or just barely a pale gold around the edges. Do not over bake and do not brown. Remove from oven and use a metal spatula to carefully transfer the fragile cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

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Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies are an all-time favorite for my family. These cookies are soft, yet a bit crunchy, with a wonderful taste of cinnamon. After baking, the cookies have a sugary cracked top.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tarter
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Topping:
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and 1½ cups sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt; stir until mixed.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients of ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the balls in the topping mixture until completely coated.
  2. Bake: Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 11 minutes. Tops of cookies should be puffed up and still soft in the middle. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. The cookies will flatten out as they cool.

Seven Layer Bars

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Seven Layer Bars
These cookies are quick and easy to make with no mixing, stirring, or extra bowls required; just seven ingredients, layered right in the baking pan.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Bars:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 full graham cracker sheets)
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bars:
  1. Melt butter in one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the melted butter and press down.
  2. Sprinkle on the coconut, then the chocolate chips, then the butterscotch chips. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over all. Sprinkle on the nuts and press down lightly to compact the mixture.
  3. Bake: Bake for 30 minutes or until very lightly browned. Leave cookie in the pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool. Cut into 2 inch bars.
Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.

Sweet Potato Drops

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Sweet Potato Drops
Add these delicious Sweet Potato Drop cookies to your Thanksgiving dessert table along with the pumpkin and pecan pies. Everything about these cookies tastes of the holidays; from the sweet potatoes, raisins, spices, pecans, to the bourbon. The bourbon glaze drizzled over the top also saturates into the cookies, giving them a potent bourbon kick.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Glazed Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 1 or 2 medium)
  • ⅓ cup dark raisins
  • ⅓ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • 8 ounces canned crushed pineapple
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
Bourbon Glaze:
  • 1 cup confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 3 tablespoons bourbon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. Bake the sweet potato until fork tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Cut potato in half and scoop out the insides. Mash with a fork. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the dark raisins, golden raisins, and bourbon. Set aside to soak.
  3. Drain the pineapple in a colander, pressing out the excess liquid with the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  5. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg; beat until thoroughly mixed. Stir in 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes and pineapple. Stir in the raisins and bourbon. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed.
  6. Bake: Using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, drop dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. With the back of a spoon, flatten each cookie to a 2½ inch circle. Bake 15 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch and the edges are golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Bourbon Glaze:
  1. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and bourbon; stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.
Adapted From: Bluestein, Barry and Kevin Morrissey, The Complete Cookie, Doubleday, New York, 1996

Swiss Meringue Horns

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Swiss Meringue Horns
These tender cookies with meringue and nuts almost melt in your mouth. Swiss Meringue Horns are easy to make, but they have several steps which make them seem difficult, but the cookies are worth the effort. The dough is rolled into circles, covered with a sweetened meringue, and sprinkled with chopped nuts. After baking a bit of icing and chopped nuts are spooned on top of the still hot cookies.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Meringue Cookies | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 10 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Making Meringue

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (or a combination of both)
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Rolling Dough:
  • About 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Icing:
  • 2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons warm milk, plus more if needed (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast; whisk together to mix. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and vanilla; stir with a wooden spoon, electric hand mixer, or with your hands until thoroughly mixed.
  2. Divide dough into 10 equal portions, using about ⅓ cup for each portion. Roll each portion into a ball, cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
Filling:
  1. Finely chop the nuts either by hand using a sharp kitchen knife, or by pulsing in a food processor. Set aside.
  2. To make meringue: In a large mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and continue beating about another minute until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate meringue until ready to use, and keep refrigerated while not using during cookie assembly.
Rolling Dough:
  1. Generously sprinkle a pastry mat or pastry board and rolling pin with some of the powdered sugar.
Assembly:
  1. Remove one of the balls from the refrigerator. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before rolling, if necessary, to soften the dough enough to make rolling easier. Roll the dough ball into an 8 inch circle. Tip: As you are rolling the dough, gently pick the dough up and lightly re-sugar the work surface. Make sure it is not sticking to the board when ready to add the filling or it will make rolling into cookie rolls difficult.
  2. Spoon ¼ cup of the meringue on the circle and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the chopped nuts over the meringue.
  3. Using a sharp kitchen knife, pizza cutter, or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 12 wedges. Tip: The easiest way to cut each piece evenly is to cut the dough as though cutting a pizza. Cut the dough into quarters, and then cut each quarter into thirds.
  4. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge. Place the cookie rolls on the cookie sheet with the point underneath.
  5. Bake: Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are light brown and the meringue is a light golden brown. Remove from oven and ice the cookies while still hot.
Icing:
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine powdered sugar and vanilla. Add warm milk in small quantities, start with 2 tablespoons of milk, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add milk in teaspoonfuls or just drops of milk at a time, until it is the desired consistency; The icing should be like a sour cream or a little thinner.
  2. While cookies are still hot from the oven, spoon about ¼ teaspoon of icing on top of each cookie. Sprinkle about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon chopped nuts (left over from the filling) on top of icing. Use a metal spatula to carefully transfer the fragile cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool.
  3. Repeat assembly, baking, and icing for remaining dough balls. Tip: Either use fresh parchment paper for each pan of cookies, or clean off the parchment paper, pan, or non stick baking mat between uses, otherwise any meringue, icing, or nuts that are left on the pan will burn when put back into the oven.
Recipe adapted from Redbooks Special It’s Almost Christmas Cookbook, November 1977

Holiday Cranberry Bars

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Holiday Cranberry Bars
The snowy white frosting with a sprinkling of cranberry and orange pieces then drizzled with white chocolate makes a holiday cookie showpiece. These cookies are festive looking, delicious, and rich.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 12"x17"x1" Jelly Roll Pan Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 4 dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Refrigerate

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TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cups white chocolate chips
  • 1½ cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup grated orange zest (about 2 oranges)
Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about half of 1 orange)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about half of 1 orange)
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare one 12x17x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until mixed. Add white chocolate chips, cranberries, pecans and orange zest; stir until mixed.
  2. Bake: Spread the dough evenly in the jelly roll pan (dough will be stiff). Bake 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Leave cookie in pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Frosting:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and vanilla. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Spread on cooled cookie.
Topping:
  1. In a small bowl, combine cranberries and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Sprinkle over frosting.
  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the white chocolate chips; stir constantly until melted so chocolate does not burn. Drizzle melted chocolate over cookie.
  3. When chocolate is set, cut into 3 inch squares; cut each square in half diagonally. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.
Tip: These bars can be baked in a 9 inch by 13 inch baking pan; bake about 35 minutes.

Holiday Glazed Jumbles

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Holiday Glazed Jumbles
These cookies are overflowing with candied fruit and golden raisins laced with brandy, along with toasted almonds, giving them a jumbled appearance. The cooled cookies are topped with a drizzle of vanilla glaze, perfect for your holiday cookie tray.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Glazed Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1¼ cups candied fruit mix (fruitcake mix)
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup brandy or bourbon
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup blanched, slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
Vanilla Glaze:
  • 3 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons warm milk (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine candied fruit mix, golden raisins, and brandy or bourbon. Stir to mix, then heat mixture in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar; beat together on medium speed until mixture appears light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg beat until thoroughly mixed. Add sour cream and beat until mixed. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just until mixed.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the almonds and fruit and brandy mixture.
  5. Cover dough and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  7. Bake: Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Vanilla Glaze:
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon, combine powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla. Add warm milk in small quantities, start with 2 tablespoons of milk, and then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add milk in teaspoonfuls or just drops of milk at a time, until it is the desired consistency. The glaze should be like a soft icing. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Honey Bars

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Honey Bars
Honey sweetened and studded with candied fruit, these Honey Bars have the taste and look of Christmas. After patting the dough into the pan, lightly score the top to define the squares then decorate with blanched almonds, candied cherries and pineapple pieces. Once baked and cooled, they are ready to serve and brighten up your holiday cookie tray. For those on special diets, these bars are dairy-free.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 12"x17"x1" Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups unblanched almonds, finely ground
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup honey
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup mixed candied fruit (fruitcake mix)
Topping:
  • Whole blanched almonds
  • Whole candied cherries
  • Pieces of candied or dried lemon peel or pineapple
  • 1 large egg white
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, ground almonds, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
  2. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine honey, vegetable oil, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs to break them up. Add the cooled honey mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Add the flour mixture and stir until well blended; the mixture will be stiff. Stir in the candied fruit.
  4. Turn dough out on a large piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into a flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour to make dough easier to handle.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 12x17x1 inch Jelly Roll pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
  6. Remove dough from refrigerator. With floured hands, press dough into pan, smoothing the surface and spreading in the pan as evenly as possible.
Topping:
  1. Using a kitchen knife or dough scraper, lightly score the dough into 3 inch squares. Decorate each square with almonds, cherries and pieces of candied lemon peel or pineapple.
  2. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg white to break it up. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush egg white over the entire top of the dough. Discard any unused egg white.
  3. Bake: Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool for 1 hour, and then cut the bars into 3 inch bars where you scored the dough previously.
Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.
Adapted From: Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980

Honey Hearts

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Honey Hearts
These cookies combine the sweet taste of honey, candied peels, and a hint of spice. Sandwiched together with raspberry preserves and then a dunking in chocolate makes these cookies complete. The flavor of Honey hearts seem to improve after a day, giving the flavors a chance to blend together.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Sandwich Cookies | Chocolate | Raspberry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 425° Yield: 1½ Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons mixed candied peel, finely chopped (use a combination of orange peel and lemon peel)
Filling:
  • ½ cup raspberry preserves
Topping:
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons shortening
Instructions
Dough:
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, combine sugar, butter, and honey; stir constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until heated and butter is melted. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  4. Pour the cooled honey mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add egg and candied peel. Beat with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until well mixed. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed. The dough will be stiff.
  5. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough with a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Don’t overbake as these cookies can get tough. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack.
Filling:
  1. While cookies are still warm, spread about 1 teaspoon raspberry preserves on a cookie. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Place cookies back on wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Topping:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, Melt the semi-sweet chocolate.
  2. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. Dip half of each heart sandwich into the melted chocolate. Place on wax paper; let sit until the chocolate is hardened.
Adapted from: Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking Fisher Publishing, 1980

Russian Teacake Cookies

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Russian Teacake Cookies
Rich with butter and nuts, these little shortbread-like “cakes” seem to melt in your mouth. Roll these cookies twice in confectioners sugar; the first rolling allows the sugar to melt into the cookie, the second rolling gives the finished snowy-white topping, making a festive favorite holiday cookie. This cookie is known by many names including Mexican Wedding Cakes, Swedish Tea Cakes, Italian Butter Nut Cookies, Butterballs, and Snowballs.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 3½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Topping:
  • About 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add confectioner’s sugar and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract, continue beating until mixture is thoroughly combined and mixture is creamy, about another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and chopped nuts; beat starting on low speed, and then increase to medium speed as the mixture is combined. Tip: after adding the flour mixture the dough may seem dry and crumbly, keep beating until the dough comes together, this may take 1 to 3 minutes.
  3. Shape dough into balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  4. Bake: Place balls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.
  5. Remove baking sheets from oven.
Topping:
  1. While cookies are still hot from the oven, roll each ball in powered sugar until completely coated.
  2. Place cookies on wire cooling racks to let cool. When completely cooled, either roll the cookies in confectioners sugar again until completely coated, or use a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the confectioners sugar. This second rolling finishes the cookies with a snowy-white topping.

Rugelach

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Rugelach
This classic version of Jewish Rugelach, made in a crescent shape, has a thin layer of apricot preserves brushed on the rolled pastry, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, golden raisins, and walnuts. The pastry, made with cream cheese, adds just a slight tangy contrast to the sweetness of the filling and is very easy to work with and roll out. These are wonderful little pastries that are hard to resist. Rugelach is easy to make, but it does take time as the dough needs to be refrigerated before rolling and filling
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
Filling:
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup apricot preserves
For Rolling Dough:
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
Topping:
  • ¼ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • Reserved sugar-cinnamon mixture
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt, mix on low speed to blend. Add the butter and cream cheese and mix on medium speed just until blended, do not over mix. Or, process in a food processor just until the dough comes together in small clumps.
  2. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a 4 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Filling:
  1. Plump the raisins by steaming with a double boiler; steam the raisins about 1 minute or until softened. Thoroughly drain, or spread the raisins on paper toweling to dry. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Place a steamer or plastic or wire mesh colander on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Finely chop the walnuts. Set aside
  3. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. Just before ready to use, place apricot preserves in a small microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave 30 to 40 seconds just to warm slightly and make easier to spread. Or, heat in a small saucepan on the stovetop, stir and heat the jam over low heat until it liquefies. Remove from heat. Set aside.
For Rolling Dough:
  1. In a small bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar. Set aside.
Assembly:
  1. Remove dough disks from refrigerator. Let stand 10 to 30 minutes before rolling. Tip: The dough is ready to roll when you can leave a slight imprint in the dough when you press it with your fingers.
  2. Lightly sprinkle a pastry mat or pastry board and rolling pin with some of the flour and powdered sugar mixture, roll one of the dough disks into a 10 inch circle. Tip: As you are rolling the pastry, gently pick the pastry up and lightly re-flour the work surface, and then replace the pastry upside down. Make sure it is not sticking to the board when ready to add the filling or it will make rolling into crescents difficult. If necessary, pick the pastry up again and lightly re-flour the surface underneath.
  3. Use a pastry brush and brush 2 tablespoons of the warm apricot preserves evenly over the top of the dough. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar-cinnamon mixture over the top of the preserves, then sprinkle ¼ cup golden raisins over the top, and then sprinkle ¼ cup walnuts over the top. Run the rolling pin gently over the top to gently press the mixture into the dough.
  4. Using a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 12 wedges. Tip: The easiest way to cut each piece evenly is to cut the dough as though cutting a pizza. Cut the dough into quarters, and then cut each quarter into thirds.
  5. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge, ending with the pointed tip underneath. Bend the edges slightly to form a crescent. Place each crescent on a large baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough discs.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F while crescents are chilling. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper.
  7. Remove enough crescents from the refrigerator to bake one pan of cookies (about 12) and keep remainder of crescents in the refrigerator until ready to use. Place crescents on the prepared baking sheet.
Topping:
  1. Use a pastry brush and lightly brush the tops of each crescent with a small amount of heavy cream. Lightly sprinkle a little of the reserved sugar-cinnamon mixture over the top of each.
  2. Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bottoms are light brown and the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and use a metal spatula to carefully transfer the fragile cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: Transferring the cookies immediately from the baking sheet to the wire rack will help prevent any leaked out filling from sticking to the cookies. Tip: Either use fresh parchment paper for each pan of cookies, or clean off the parchment paper between uses, otherwise any filling that has leaked out will burn when put back into the oven.
Source: Baking Illustrated, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated, 2004
Greenspan, Dorie, Baking, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 2006
Martha Stewart Holiday Sweets Magazine, 2009
Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003

Rosewater Meringue Cookies

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Rosewater Meringue Cookies
These delicate cookies are fittingly pink for Valentine’s Day or to serve with afternoon teas. Ground pistachio nuts are added to the cookie batter to give a little crunch, along with a bit of rosewater. Raspberry jam spread over the cooled cookies is a hidden surprise when you bite into the cookie covered with a fluffy mound of rosewater flavored meringue.

Rosewater is a sweet, fragrant liquid distilled from rose petals, used as a unique flavoring in desserts, pastries, and confections. Rose water is very concentrated and only a small amount is needed to impart the flavor. These cookies are very lightly flavored with rosewater; however a nice alternative is almond flavoring if you prefer.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Raspberry
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Making Meringue

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Pistachio Dough:
  • ¼ cups pistachio nuts, preferably salted, shelled, lightly toasted and skins removed
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1½ tablespoons warm water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon pure rosewater (or substitute pure almond extract)
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
Raspberry Filling:
  • About ¼ cup seedless red raspberry jam
Rosewater Italian Meringue:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon pure rosewater (or substitute pure almond extract)
  • 1 drop pink food coloring
Garnish (optional):
  • About 1 tablespoon confectioners’ (powdered) sugar for dusting
  • Sugar Hearts
Instructions
Pistachio Dough:
  1. In a food processor or small food grinder, process the pistachios and ½ cup flour until the nuts are finely ground, but not pasty. Add the remaining flour and salt and process just until combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg yolks, water, and sugar; using an electric mixer beat on low speed about 1 minute or until blended, and then increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and drops in ribbons when the beater is lifted. Lower the speed to low and beat in the rose water until mixed, and then increase the mixer to high and beat another 30 seconds or until it thickens again. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until well blended. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix just until thoroughly incorporated.
  3. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a 6 inch disk and wrap with the plastic. Refrigerate until well chilled and firm enough to roll, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds using a 1½ inch round cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 11 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Retain the parchment paper lined pan for the meringue topping step.
Raspberry Filling:
  1. Leaving a ¼ inch border uncovered, spread about ¼ teaspoon of the raspberry jam over each cookie. Place cookies back on the parchment lined baking sheets. Set aside.
Rosewater Italian Meringue:
  1. In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting on a gas stove or remove from the heat on an electric stove to stop the cooking while egg whites are prepared.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  3. Raise the heat to medium-high on the sugar mixture, and continue to cook the sugar mixture, without stirring, until it reaches a temperature of 236 degrees, a soft ball stage, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove from the heat. Immediately start pouring the hot sugar mixture, in a thin steady stream, into the beaten egg whites, while beating with an electric mixer at high speed. Be careful, the sugar is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it. Continue beating until egg whites are cool, about 2 minutes. Add rosewater and food coloring, beat another minute until thoroughly combined. Tip: add a very small amount of food coloring to achieve a pale shade of pink.
  4. Use a pastry bag with small ¼ inch round decorating tip to pipe the meringue in circles on top of the raspberry filling.
  5. Bake: Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until the meringue is firm and dry but minimally discolored, watching carefully to prevent the meringue from burning. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Tip: pipe extra meringue onto parchment paper or nonstick baking mat to bake and serve separately.
Garnish (optional):
  1. Just before serving, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the cookies with powdered sugar and sprinkle with sugar hearts.
Adapted From: Usher, Julia, Cookie Swap, Gibbs Smith, Utah, 2009

Rocky Road S’mores

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Rocky Road S'mores
Graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows and nuts create a combination Rocky Road cookie and S’mores treat that will WOW everyone. S'mores don't have to be limited to a campfire, they can be made year round right in the oven. This Rocky Road cookie was shared with me by my sister Linda Stradley from her website What’s Cooking America.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie | Chocolate | Marshmallow
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9"x9"x2" Square Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare one 9x9x2 inch square pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until well blended. Add flour and graham cracker crumbs; stir until well blended.
  2. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
  3. Bake: Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are a golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire cooling rack. Cut into bars. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.

Raspberry Truffle Brownies

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Raspberry Truffle Brownies
Layers of chocolate and raspberry decadence made with a chocolate cookie crust, a rich chocolate raspberry middle, and a chocolate raspberry truffle ganache topping. The slightly crunchy cookie layer combined with smooth rich filling and ganache provide nice texture differences. The classic chocolate and raspberry flavor duo is intensified with Chambord or Framboise raspberry liqueur along with a thin layer of raspberry jam.
Recipe type: Dessert | Brownies | Chocolate | Raspberry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Square Pan Prep: Foil lined, Buttered Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Layer:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk
Chocolate Raspberry Layer:
  • 6 ounces (about 1 cup) semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 4½ tablespoons Chambord or Framboise raspberry liqueur
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam
Raspberry Ganache Layer:
  • 8 ounces (about 1¼ cups) semi sweet chocolate
  • ¾ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Chambord or Framboise raspberry liqueur
  • 2 ounces (about ⅓ cup) milk chocolate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; line with heavy duty aluminum foil, allowing extra foil to overhang the edge to make easy to remove after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush softened butter over bottom and sides of the foil.
Chocolate Cookie Layer:
  1. In a medium size mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Use a fork or pastry blender to blend in the butter and egg yolk until mixture is combined. Tip: The dough may seem crumbly but should hold together when pinched with your fingers. Use a food processor if desired to blend the ingredients.
  2. Gently knead the mixture just until a smooth dough is formed. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake: Bake 15 minutes or until the top has lost the sheen and is dull on top and the cookie is slightly puffy but still soft. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack while preparing chocolate raspberry layer.
Chocolate Raspberry Layer:
  1. In top of a double boiler, combine semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Place pan over simmering water (the upper pan should not touch the water.) Heat and stir the chocolate and butter together until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; add sugar, eggs, raspberry liqueur, and vanilla. Stir by hand, or beat with a hand mixer 2 to 3 minutes until mixture is thick and smooth. Add the flour; stir until mixed. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and heat to simmering. Place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
  2. Pour the Chocolate Raspberry Filling over the still partially warm crust and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon or small offset spatula.
  3. In a small saucepan, heat the raspberry jam over low heat until slightly warmed. Or, heat the raspberry jam about 30 seconds in the microwave. Spoon the raspberry jam over the Chocolate Raspberry filling and spread evenly with a small offset spatula.
  4. Bake: Bake the brownie about 30 minutes or until the brownie is slightly puffy or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with damp crumbs on it. Do not overbake. Leave brownie in pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to completely cool before adding Ganache.
Raspberry Ganache Layer:
  1. Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a small heavy saucepan over medium low heat, heat the cream until it is hot and just beginning to steam. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add corn syrup and raspberry liqueur, stirring until completely mixed. Set aside while preparing the milk chocolate. Set pan over another pan of hot water if necessary to keep warm and liquidy.
  3. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the milk chocolate. Or, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, use 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as chocolate will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Spoon the melted milk chocolate into a small plastic freezer bag. Roll over top of bag to keep neater. Twist the top of the bag to create some pressure to make easier to squeeze out. Cut a tiny corner off the tip of the bag when ready to use.
  5. Pour the raspberry ganache mixture evenly over the cooled brownie. Use a small offset spatula to smooth the ganache. With the milk chocolate, pipe thin lines about ½ inch apart, from one short edge to the other, over the top of the ganache. Working quickly before the chocolate sets, use a wooden toothpick or skewer and drag the tip of the toothpick through the milk chocolate lines and ganache, from one long edge to the other. Continue over the entire top spacing the lines about ½ inch apart, and alternating the direction of each line to make a feather design.
  6. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the ganache is firm enough to cleanly cut.
  7. Use the foil overhang to lift bar from the pan, and cut into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut bars is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the bar for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut into squares.
Source: Usher, Julia, Cookie Swap, Gibbs Smith, Utah, 2009

Raspberry Sandwich Hearts

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Raspberry Sandwich Hearts
These cookies are absolutely delicious, and Valentines Day is a perfect time for these cookies. However you can make these in any shape for any season or holiday. The raspberry jam pairs wonderfully with the buttery cookie. The small 1 inch cutouts can be baked and dusted with confectioners sugar and are pretty served with the sandwich hearts.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Sandwich Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, plus additional for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Filling:
  • ½ cup seedless raspberry jam or raspberry preserves
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and confectioner sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add vanilla extract and almond extract; stir until blended. Add flour mixture; stir to mix.
  3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into hearts or other desired shapes using a 2½ inch cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Using a 1 inch heart shaped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour, cut out the center of half of the 2½ inch cookies. Re-roll the scraps, or bake the 1 inch heart shapes separately.
  7. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Filling and Assembly:
  1. Leaving a ¼ inch border uncovered, spread about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry jam over each cookie without the middle cutout.
  2. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops of the cookies that have the middle cutout with confectioner’s sugar. Place the cutout cookies on top of the jam-covered cookies.
Adapted from: Williams Sonoma, Essentials of Baking, Welden Owen Inc, California, 2003

Raspberry Almond Cookies

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Raspberry Almond Cookies
These Raspberry Almond cookies are tender and delightful, combining a shortbread cookie, sandwiched with raspberry jam, and rolled in sugar.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sandwich Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1¼ cups (6 ounces) slivered, or blanched whole almonds
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
Filling:
  • About ½ cup granulated sugar
  • About ½ cup raspberry jam
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a food processor, pulse the almonds and flour until nuts are finely ground. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add vanilla extract and almond extract; stir until blended. Add nut mixture; stir to mix.
  3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds using a 2 inch round or scalloped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool slightly.
Filling:
  1. Place sugar in a small bowl. While cookies are still warm, spread 1 teaspoon of the raspberry jam over bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Roll cookie sandwich in sugar to coat all sides. Place on wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Ranger Cookies

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Ranger Cookies
The oatmeal and cereal add a nice crunch, while the coconut adds a wonderful sweetness.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Cereal Cookies | Coconut
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375o Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup Wheaties cereal or another similar cereal
  • ½ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl, combine butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until well mixed. Add oats, cereal and coconut; stir until mixed.
  2. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Raisin Spice Cookies

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Raisin Spice Cookies
These cookies are full of plump raisins, with a hint of warm spices.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 8 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water and raisins; bring to a gentle boil, boiling about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Do not drain excess water. Tip: Place saucepan in another larger pan or bowl filled with cold water to cool raisin-water mixture faster.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and cooled raisin-water mixture; stir until mixed. Add sifted flour mixture, stir until mixed.
  4. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Witches Fingers

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Witches Fingers
Wickedly witchy, and a little creepy. Halloween is the time to let your imagination go wild, and these cookies can be made not-too scary, or as gory as you want. These Halloween cookies are actually a delicious almond shortbread-like cookie, with a blanched almond for the 'fingernail' and a bit of red decorating gel for the ‘blood.'
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup blanched almonds, finely ground
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Decoration:
  • ½ cup whole blanched almonds
  • Red Decorating Gel
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine ground almonds, flour, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and confectioners’ sugar together until well mixed. Add eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond; beat until well mixed. Add the flour mixture, beat just until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Divide dough in half; place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into two 6 inch flattened disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets, lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. Remove one of the dough halves from the refrigerator, keeping remainder refrigerated. Roll heaping teaspoons of dough into a finger shape. Place one blanched almond into one end of cookie to form a nail and squeeze in the center of the dough to create a knuckle shape. Use a small knife to cut a few small ridges in the knuckles. Return unused dough to the refrigerator. Tip: Because the dough puffs while baking, make the fingers skinnier than you want the final cookie to be. The fingers and placement of the almonds don't have to be perfect, the more imperfect and crooked ones will often look the creepiest.
  6. Bake: Bake for about 8 minutes, and then check on them. If the fingers have spread too much you can pull them out of the oven and press and reshape the partially baked cookie. Use the end of a wooden spoon, or a rubber spatula, to push the cookie dough back into a ‘finger’ shape. Careful though, the cookie dough is hot! Return to the oven to finish baking another 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
  7. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes. Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel around the edge of the nail bed, (also a drop of gel on the nail bed to ‘glue’ the almond back) and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from around the edges. When they seem firm enough, remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. The cookies will be fragile until cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

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White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
Brownie perfection! These brownies are buttery and chewy with a rich chocolate flavor. White chocolate chips adorn the top of these festive brownies; just spread them over the top of the still hot baked brownies to melt, then spread the white chocolate for an instant frosting. Finish with a sprinkling of soft peppermint candies for a wintery and holiday treat.
Recipe type: Dessert | Brownies | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Foil Lined and Buttered Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Batter:
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 5 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping:
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • ¾ to 1 cup soft peppermint candies, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; line with heavy duty aluminum foil, allowing extra foil to overhang the edge to make easy to remove after baking. Use a pastry brush to brush softened butter over bottom and sides of the foil.
Batter:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine butter and chocolate; stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted so mixture does not burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Or, place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave at 50% power and stir frequently just until the chocolate is melted; do not overheat as mixture will burn easily. Set aside to cool slightly. Or, place butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. When the butter is almost melted add the chocolate. After one minute remove the bowl from the heat and let sit until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a wire whisk to break them up. Add the sugar and continue whisking to mix together. Add the warm butter and chocolate mixture and vanilla and stir with the whisk until blended. Don’t over-whisk, you are not trying to add air into the mixture.
  4. Add the flour in 3 additions, blending with the whisk or wooden spoon just until blended.
  5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs that cling to the toothpick. Do not overbake.
Topping:
  1. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle white chocolate chips onto the hot baked brownie and let sit until the chips are melted, about 5 minutes. Using an offset spatula, smooth the chocolate evenly over the top of the brownie. Sprinkle chopped peppermint candies evenly over warm chocolate.
  2. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, from 2 to 4 hours, before cutting. When cool, use the foil overhang to lift brownie from the pan, and cut into 2 inch squares. Tip: My favorite tool to cut brownies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the brownie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the brownie into squares.

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

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Vanilla Sugar Cookies
The extra vanilla make these cookies the best ever sugar cookie. Use any shape cookie cutter, or even a drinking glass for a perfect round shape. These cookies will look fun and festive on your Christmas cookie platter, or make them for your special valentine, or any time of year.
Recipe type: /dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
  • 3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Colored Sugar (optional)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir to mix.
  3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes using a cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Frosting:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth, adding enough milk to make a good spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
  2. Frost cooled cookies, sprinkle with sugar sprinkles if desired. Set aside until frosting is set.

Vanilla Nut Refrigerator Cookies

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Vanilla Nut Refrigerator Cookies
This recipe, originally called Ice Box Cookies, is from Grandma Myers recipe box. It has been modified a bit by substituting unsalted butter for the shortening, and toasting the nuts. This century old recipe is still delicious.

I often keep the unbaked cookie logs in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. The logs are easier to slice and they can be stored for long periods of time if well wrapped.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies | Icebox Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 10 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar; beat together until mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until mixed. Add nuts; stir until mixed.
  2. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round or square log, about 10 inches long. Wrap each log in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Tip: keep the unbaked logs in the freezer instead of the refrigerator if you prefer. The logs are easier to slice and they can be stored for long periods of time if well wrapped.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  5. Bake: Bake 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Tip: if the unbaked cookie logs are stored in the freezer instead of the refrigerator the baking time will normally be longer, about 14 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Sugar Cookies

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Sugar Cookies
generations; you may remember your own grandmother or mother baking sugar cookies in her kitchen. Rolling out and cutting sugar cookies takes a little more effort than drop or bar cookies, but you will find this dough very easy to work with, making the whole process fun and easy.

I have included a basic recipe for confectioners sugar icing along with recipes for Royal Icing. Royal Icing made with egg whites is generally not consumed but is great for non-edible decorations such as gingerbread houses or tree ornaments. Since the egg whites are not cooked there is a greater risk of salmonella. Royal Icing made with meringue powder is safe to eat.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Frosted Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375o Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Colored Sugar, Royal Icing

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Confectioners Sugar Icing:
  • 3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Colored Sugars (optional)
Or
Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder (edible):
  • 4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • ¼ to ½ cup warm water (or more if needed)
  • Flavoring (optional)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Colored Sugars (optional)
Tip: If using an extract for flavoring, use one that is clear so it does not add unwanted color to the finished icing, such as orange, lemon, mint, almond, and clear vanilla. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites (non-edible):
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 2 or 3 teaspoons warm water (or more if needed)
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Colored Sugars (optional)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt; stir to mix.
  2. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Cut dough into desired shapes using a cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.) Re-roll and cut out the scraps of dough.
  5. Bake: Use a metal spatula to place the cutout cookies on the baking sheets, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned or just beginning to brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets 2 to 3 minutes. When they seem firm enough, move the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make icing of your choice to frost and decorate cookies. Choose from either the Confectioners Sugar Icing, or the Royal Icing made with Meringue Powder (edible), or the Royal Icing made with egg whites (non-edible.)
Confectioners Sugar Icing:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until mixture is smooth, adding enough milk to make a good spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
  2. Frost cooled cookies, sprinkle with sugar sprinkles if desired. Set aside until frosting is set.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder (edible):
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine meringue powder and powdered sugar. Add water in small quantities, start with tablespoons of water, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add water in teaspoonfuls or just drops of water at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add flavoring and food coloring (optional.)
  2. Use immediately. Keep unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until the water is thoroughly combined.
  3. Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Or
Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites (non-edible):
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each cup until smooth. Add water, a few drops at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping and outlining, the icing should be like a thick sour cream. Add food coloring (optional.)
  2. Use icing immediately, keeping unused portions covered with plastic wrap, as exposed icing will start to thicken and harden. If the icing starts to become too thick, add a few drops of water and beat until water is thoroughly combined.
  3. Place unused icing in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

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Date Pinwheel Cookies
A brown sugar dough surrounding a date nut filling make these cookies absolutely delicious. They are time-consuming to prepare, but well worth the effort. The date filling is cooked beforehand, spread on the rolled out dough, then the dough is rolled up. When chilled, sliced, and baked they become a rich date-filled pinwheel delight.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies
Serves: About 9 dozen cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 9 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
  • 1½ cups finely chopped, pitted dates, preferably Medjool dates
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, very finely chopped Tip: Chop the nuts in a small food food grinder
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until well mixed, creamy, and any lumps in the brown sugar are dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed.
  3. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Tip: you want the pieces of dough as equal in size as possible. If you have a food scale weigh the pieces to ensure they are all the same size and weight.
Filling:
  1. In a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, combine chopped dates, sugar, and water, stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbling. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and vanilla. Let cool, then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Assembly:
  1. Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a 7 inch by 9 inch rectangle.
  2. Place one fourth of the date filling (about ½ cups) on the dough. Use a small offset spatula or kitchen knife that is lightly dampened to gently spread the filling over the dough right up to the dough edges.
  3. Roll-up dough jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Brush off any excess flour from the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Tip: the dough logs may also be frozen for longer storage until ready to use. Freezing the logs also makes them easier to slice when ready to bake.
  4. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Bake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  2. Remove one dough log from the refrigerator or freezer and slice into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  3. Bake: Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until cookies are a medium golden brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet one minute. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Crumbly Almond Hearts

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Crumbly Almond Hearts
A shortbread type cookie that is not too sweet, with the added flavor of ground almonds. The dough is a bit crumbly, however it is still easy to work with to roll and cut out. The egg yolk brushed on top gives these cookies a beautiful golden color.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup ground almonds
Topping:
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • About 6 dozen blanched almonds
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, confectioner sugar, and egg yolk; beat together until mixture appears pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add ground almonds and flour mixture; stir until blended, the dough will be stiff.
  3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into hearts or other desired shapes using a 2½ inch cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Place cutout dough 1 inch apart on baking sheets (cookies may be placed close together as they do not spread.)
Topping:
  1. Beat one egg yolk. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each cookie with the egg yolk. Gently press 2 blanched almonds into the top of each cookie. Tip: To blanch almonds, place shelled almonds in boiling water for 1 minute. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. While almonds are still warm, press each almond between your thumb and forefinger and slide the skin off the almond from the wide end. Drain on paper towels.
  2. Bake: Bake 11 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Cranberry Orange Delights

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Cranberry Orange Delights
Each cookie has a sweet cranberry treasure inside and a drizzle of white chocolate or vanilla glaze on top. These cookies are very easy to assemble and will make a pretty presentation on your cookie tray. The sweetened dough is enriched with cream cheese and orange zest, and then rolled out and cut into rounds with a fluted cookie cutter. The cranberry filling is sweetened with a little minced orange along with a pinch of cinnamon and clove. In case you can’t decide between the white chocolate or vanilla drizzle for the finishing touch, I’ve included a recipe for both.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types, Melting Chocolate

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Filling:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ½ fresh orange, peeled, all white membranes removed, finely minced
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
Tip: Zest the whole orange for the dough ingredients before cutting the orange for the filling. Use a citrus zester for fresh zest.
Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest (about 1 orange)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Egg Wash:
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
White Chocolate Drizzle:
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (optional)
  • Or
Vanilla Glaze Drizzle:
  • 3 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons warm milk
Instructions
Cranberry Orange Filling:
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water; bring to a boil. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely to room temperature.
  2. When filling is cooled, add finely minced fresh orange, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to thoroughly mix. Set aside. If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand mixer, combine butter, cream cheese and orange zest; beat together on medium speed until mixture is creamy. Add sugar; continue to beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add orange extract and vanilla extract, beat until thoroughly mixed. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
  3. Form dough into two 6-inch flattened disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, 1 to 2 hours, or up to 3 days if making in advance.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one dough disc to a ⅛ inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds using a 3-inch round cookie cutter with fluted edges that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.) Place rounds on a baking sheet in single layers separated by wax paper and refrigerate. Repeat with the remaining dough, cutting out all the rounds until ready to assemble. Tip: a fluted cookie cutter makes a pretty edge. You can also use an un-fluted cutter or drinking glass or bowl that measures 3”.
Egg Wash:
  1. In a small bowl, combine egg white with sugar, lightly beat with a fork. Set aside.
Assembly:
  1. Remove enough dough rounds from the refrigerator to bake one pan of cookies (about 12 rounds) and place on a pastry or wooden board. Keep remainder of dough rounds in the refrigerator until ready to use. Have a small bowl with water nearby.
  2. Place 1 teaspoon of cranberry filling in the center of each round. From the small bowl of water, lightly moisten the outside edge of each round with your finger to help edges stick together. Gently bring three edges together over the filling, letting a small amount of the filling show. Gently pinch the edges together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over the dough.
  3. Bake: Place cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets 2 to 3 minutes. When they seem firm enough, remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
White Chocolate Drizzle:
  1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, Melt white chocolate and shortening; stir to combine. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass bowl on top of the simmering water, the upper pan should not touch the water.
Or
Vanilla Glaze Drizzle:
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla. Add warm milk in small quantities, start with 2 tablespoons of milk, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add milk in teaspoonfuls or just drops of milk at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for drizzling, the icing should be like a thick sour cream.
  2. Spoon the melted chocolate or vanilla Glaze into a small plastic freezer bag. Put a little piece of tape on corner to reinforce the tip, and then roll over top of bag to keep neater. (You could also use a plastic squeeze bottle with a tip available in decorating stores or a pastry bag with a small decorating tip), Twist the top of the bag to create some pressure to make easier to squeeze out. Cut a tiny corner off the tip of the bag.
  3. Drizzle over cookies. Let sit until drizzle is hardened before serving. Tip: When adding drizzle, place cookies on a wire rack with wax paper, parchment paper or paper towels underneath to catch the drips and make cleanup easier.
Recipe Adapted from Taste of the South Magazine, Christmas Cooking Southern Style, 2007

Cranberry Chip Cookies

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Cranberry Chip Cookies
Bursting with tangy cranberries, crunchy toasted pecans, and pieces of sweet chocolate, these cookies are easy to make and look festive for your holiday cookie tray.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Cranberry | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about ½ of an orange)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 2½ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and orange zest. With the mixer on medium speed beat the butter and orange zest about 1 minute until it is smooth and lightened in color. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the brown sugar and beat another 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Add the egg, beating about 1 minute to thoroughly mix.
  3. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the orange juice, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and orange juice, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips, just until mixed. Don’t over mix as the cranberries will smear.
  5. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized Scookies.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

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Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Enjoy the rich flavor of a chocolate pecan pie in a bar cookie. The brown sugar cookie crust is covered with a rich chocolate and pecan filling, then baked to a golden brown.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 13"x9"x2" Oblong Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 3 Dozen Bars Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling:
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup light corn syrup
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 13x9x2 inch oblong pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Crust:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together until mixture is crumbly.
  2. Bake: Press mixture evenly into the baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from oven.
Filling:
  1. Prepare filling while crust is baking. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla; using a wire whisk, whisk together until thoroughly mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
  2. Bake: Pour filling into the still hot baked crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Leave cookie in the pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool. Cut into 2 inch bars.
Tip: My favorite tool to cut bar cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the cookie into bars.

Chocolate Nut Cobweb Cookies

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Chocolate Nut Cobweb Cookies
Vanilla icing cobwebs cover these chewy Chocolate Nut cookies, making them chocolaty, nutty, and spidery creepy all in one delicious bite.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Glazed Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
Vanilla Glaze:
  • 1 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons warm milk (preferably whole milk)
Topping:
  • About ½ cup granulated sugar for pressing and sprinkling
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and salt, sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. Add sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts.
  4. Cover dough and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  6. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape all the dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Use enough balls to bake one pan of cookies (about 12) and keep remainder of balls in the refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: A small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  7. Flatten the balls into rounds from 2¼ to 2½ inches in diameter. Tip: the easiest way to flatten the balls is to use a drinking glass with the bottom of the glass lightly moistened and dipped in granulated sugar. Re-dip the glass in sugar for each cookie.
  8. Bake: Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the top is dry and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 2 to 3 minutes, then remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Vanilla Glaze:
  1. In a medium bowl, and using an electric mixer or hand mixer, combine powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla. Add warm milk in small quantities, start with 2 teaspoons of milk, then when it’s getting close to the right consistency add milk in teaspoonfuls or just drops of milk at a time, until it is the desired consistency; for piping, the icing should be like a thick sour cream.
  2. When the glaze is the right consistency, spoon into a small plastic freezer bag. Put a little piece of tape on corner to reinforce the tip, and then roll over top of bag to keep neater. (You could also use a plastic squeeze bottle with a tip available in decorating stores or a pastry bag and decorating tip), Twist the top of the bag to create some pressure to make easier to squeeze out. Cut a tiny corner off the tip of the bag.
Topping:
  1. Pipe a cobweb design on the top of each cookie, and then sprinkle granulated sugar over the top. Shake off the excess sugar into a bowl to reuse the excess sugar on the other cookies. Let the glaze dry 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Adapted from: Usher, Julia, Cookie Swap, Gibbs Smith, Utah, 2009

Chocolate Mint Wafers

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Chocolate Mint Wafers
Dutch cocoa creates a delicious dark chocolate cookie which can be eaten alone, or sandwiched between a layer of creamy mint filling.
Recipe type: Dessert | Sandwich Cookies | Rolled and Cutout Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Refrigerated

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
Filling:
  • 2¾ cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
  • ¼ cup half and half cream
  • ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; beat together until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg and milk; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture; stir until well mixed.
  3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅛ inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes using a cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  6. Bake: Place cutout dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 6 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Filling:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine confectioners sugar, half and half, peppermint extract, and salt. Add food coloring if desired.
  2. Spread a small amount of filling on a cookie. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Set aside until filling is set.
Adapted from: The Taste Of Home Baking Book, Reiman Media Group, Wisconsin, 2007

Chocolate Espresso Butter Cookies

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Chocolate Espresso Butter Cookies
Just a small amount of espresso powder helps enhance the rich chocolate flavor of these cookies. Enjoy them plain, dust with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar, or drizzle with a white chocolate icing.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee (espresso powder)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
Icing (optional):
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons milk (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, melt ¼ cup butter. Add cocoa powder and espresso coffee; stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture forms a smooth paste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1 cup butter, cooled chocolate mixture, sugar, and salt; beat until mixture is smooth. Add egg yolks and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour; stir until mixed.
  3. Shape dough into a 12 inch roll, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap roll in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  5. Slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use. Tip: My favorite tool to cut refrigerator cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  6. Bake: Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet one minute. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Icing (optional):
  1. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine white chocolate chips, confectioners sugar, and enough milk to make a good drizzling consistency; stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until chocolate is melted and mixture forms a smooth paste. Remove from heat.
  2. Spoon icing into a small plastic bag. Snip off one corner of the bag, drizzle icing onto cooled cookies.
Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated, Holiday 2007

Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies

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Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies
These cookies are perfect for St Patricks Day since they have just a hint of green, and they are full of chocolate chips to satisfy the chocolate lover. The pistachio pudding mix provides the green color and delightful taste.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Pudding Mix Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small package (3.4 ounces) pistachio flavored instant pudding mix
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets: lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pudding mix; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and butter; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs; beat until thoroughly mixed. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add sifted flour mixture; stir until mixed. Add walnuts and chocolate chips; stir to mix.
  3. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until cookies are set and edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
These cookies are loaded with toasted pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Toasting the pecans before adding to the dough helps bring out their best flavor.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 5 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2½ cups toasted pecans, coarsely chopped.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; stir until mixed. Add chocolate chips and pecans; stir to mix.
  2. Bake: Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.

Candy Corn Cookies

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Candy Corn Cookies
For those with a candy corn addiction at Halloween, these Candy Corn Cookies will fit right in with your other Halloween goodies. The cookies have a hint of orange flavor and are made sparkly with a sprinkling of turbinado sugar before baking.
Recipe type: Dessert | Refrigerator Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 7 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ¼ teaspoon pure orange extract
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest (about ½ orange)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • Orange Food Coloring
  • Yellow Food Coloring
  • About ½ cup Turbinado Sugar
Instructions
Prepare one 9x5x2¾ inch loaf pan or one 8x4x2¼ inch loaf pan; lightly grease with shortening and then line with parchment paper or wax paper. Tip: Greasing the pan before lining with paper helps the paper adhere to the side of the pan better. Cut a large enough piece of parchment or wax paper so there is overhang, making it easier to remove from the pan. Use either the larger pan which will make smaller sized cookies, or the smaller pan which will make larger sized cookies.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt together, sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the orange juice and orange extract together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and orange zest on medium speed about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. Add sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg; beat until thoroughly mixed.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add ½ of the orange juice mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and remaining orange juice mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
  5. Divide the dough into thirds. Place one-third or the white dough in the bottom of the loaf pan, packing it down evenly.
  6. Add orange food color to make the desired shade of orange to one of the remaining one-third portions of dough. Place the orange dough over the white dough in the pan, packing it evenly over the white dough.
  7. Add yellow food color to make the desired shade of yellow to the remaining one-third portion of dough. Place the yellow dough over the orange dough in the pan, packing it evenly over the orange dough.
  8. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  10. Grabbing the top edges of the parchment or wax paper, lift dough from loaf pan, remove paper and discard. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut dough crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Cut each slice into 5 or 6 triangle shaped wedges, trimming edges to make even if necessary.
  11. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with turbinado sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Return remaining dough to refrigerator until ready to use.
  12. Bake: Bake 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are just barely browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Cherry Hearts

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Cherry Hearts
Bake these pretty hearts for your special valentine. Start with Traditional Rolled Sugar Cookie dough, and then add a delicious red maraschino cherry filling. The extra time it takes to make these cookies is worthwhile when you taste the wonderful flavor the cherry adds. Substitute the cherry filling with a seedless fruit jam if you prefer. Use a 2½ inch cookie cutter and a 1 inch cookie cutter for these hearts.
Recipe type: Dessert | Rolled and Cutout Cookies | Filled Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
  • 12 red maraschino cherries, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup red maraschino cherry juice
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt; stir to mix.
  2. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
Filling:
  1. In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, cherry juice, orange juice, sugar, cornstarch, and butter; bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula so the mixture does not burn. Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat. Cool, and then refrigerate to chill.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
Assembly:
  1. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅛ inch thickness. Cut dough into hearts or other desired shapes using a 2½ inch cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
  2. Place one half of the cutout dough shapes 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the chilled cherry filling in the center of each cookie.
  3. Using a 1 inch heart shaped cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour, cut out the center of the remaining 2½ inch cutouts. Place over the filled cookies and gently press the edges together. Fill the centers with additional filling if needed. Re-roll the scraps, or bake the 1 inch heart shapes separately.
  4. Bake: Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are set and the edges are very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Adapted from: The Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies & Bars Fall 2007

Cherry Macadamia Oatmeal Cookies

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Cherry Macadamia Oatmeal Cookies
There’s an abundance of flavors in this chewy oatmeal cookie. Chocolate chips, candied cherries and macadamia nuts combine with old fashioned oats for a flavorful cookie.
Recipe type: Dessert | Drop Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined or Lightly Greased Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 6 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3½ cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped candied cherries or maraschino cherries.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar and sugar; cream together until mixture appears lig