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

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 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

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.

Bourbon Pecan Bars

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Bourbon Pecan Bars
A topping of brown sugar, pecans, bourbon and a hint of cinnamon covers a bourbon cookie base. Dust the baked cookie with powdered sugar to finish. These cookies are not overly sweet and the bourbon provides just a mild flavoring.
Recipe type: Dessert | Bar Cookie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9"x9"x2" Square Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: 2 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 cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, divided
  • 3 teaspoons bourbon, rum, or brandy, divided
Topping:
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups pecans, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon bourbon, rum, or brandy
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare one 9x9x2 inch square pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening.
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar; whisk together to mix. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons bourbon; stir until mixture forms a smooth dough.
  2. Bake: Press dough evenly into baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until firm but not browned.
Topping:
  1. Prepare topping while cookie is baking. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg whites, and cinnamon. Cook and stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until sugars are dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and bourbon.
  2. In a small bowl, add 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon bourbon, rum, or brandy; whisk with a fork to combine.
  3. Brush egg yolk mixture over baked cookie with a pastry brush, then spread topping evenly over top.
  4. Bake: Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave cookie in pan to cool; place baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool. Cut into 2 inch squares while cookie is still warm, and use a fine-mesh sieve to sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
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.

Cocoa Bourbon Balls

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Cocoa Bourbon Balls
Bourbon or rum or brandy can be used for these no-bake cookies. These little bite-sized morsels are quick and easy to make. After mixing the ingredients together, roll into balls, then roll in sugar.
Recipe type: Dessert | No-Bake Cookies | Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Type: Unbaked Yield: 3 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 1 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers)
  • 1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup bourbon, rum, or brandy
Topping:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, confectioner’s sugar, nuts, cocoa, corn syrup, and bourbon rum or brandy; mix well with a wooden spoon.
  2. With slightly wet hands, Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until completely coated. Store in an airtight container.