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

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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

 

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

 

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.

 

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 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

 

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

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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

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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
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

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.

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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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

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
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

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

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 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.

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.

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

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

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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:
  • 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

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

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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.

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

Cherry Nut Delights

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Cherry Nut Delights
This is one of my daughter Jessica’s favorite Christmas cookies. They are easy to make, and very festive. Use either red or green cherries, or a combination of both.
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: 325° 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
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
  • 2 large egg whites, slightly beaten
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • About 4 dozen red or green candied cherries
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup; 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 yolks; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour; stir until mixed.
  2. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
  4. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. Dip the top of each ball into beaten egg whites, and then dip the top into the chopped nuts.
  2. Bake: Place balls, nut side up, 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Press a candied cherry into the center of each cookie. 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.

Cherry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

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Cherry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
These are easy cookies to make, and the color from the green pistachios and red cherry preserves will jazz up your holiday cookie platter. By filling the cookies with preserves before baking, the preserves will heat and bubble-up while the cookies are baking, making less of a “jelly mess” when you bite into the cookie.
Recipe type: Dessert | Thumbprint Cookies | 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: 3½ 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 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (If using salted pistachios, omit salt)
  • 1 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped
  • About ½ cup cherry preserves
Tip: if the fruit chunks in the preserves are large, it will be hard to fill the cookies. Spoon the preserves out of the jar and onto a cutting board; use a knife to chop the fruit chunks smaller. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.
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, add butter and sugar; mix together on medium speed until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour, salt (if using), and pistachios, mixing just until combined.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. 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.
  3. Fill the center of each cookie with about ½ teaspoon cherry preserves. Do not overfill or the preserves will run over while baking. Tip: to fill the cookies neatly, use a teaspoon, point the tip of the spoon down into the indentation and slide the preserves off with another spoon or your fingertip.
  4. Bake: Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Using a thin metal spatula, remove cookies from baking sheets and place on wire cooling racks to let cool.

Brandy Snaps

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Brandy Snaps
Crisp lacy rolled cookies that are rich with spice and brandy and a luscious brandy-flavored whipped cream filling. The cookies are rolled into cylinders by wrapping around a wooden dowel or wooden spoon handle while still warm; as the cookies cool they become crisp yet chewy. I’ve added an optional sprinkling of toasted chopped pistachios on the ends.

Lyle’s Golden Syrup, imported from Britain, is pure cane sugar syrup with a mild caramel flavor. It is available in grocery stores and online at the Kitchen and Baking Store.
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: 350° Yield: 3½ Dozen Storage: Unfilled: Airtight Container. Filled: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or use dark corn syrup or light molasses)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons brandy
Whipped Cream Filling:
  • 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • ¼ cup confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons brandy
Garnish (optional:)
  • About 2 tablespoons lightly toasted, finely chopped pistachios
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger, and orange zest; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, combine butter, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, and sugar; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Add the flour mixture; stir until the mixture is blended and smooth.
  3. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until the dough is chilled and firm.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat. Have ready a wooden dowel, wooden pencil, or round wooden spoon handle ¼ to ½ inch in diameter, and at least 2 layers of paper towels to use after the cookies are baked.
  5. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape the dough into small balls, using 1 teaspoon of dough for each ball. Keep remainder of the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  6. Place the balls on one of the prepared cookie sheets spacing them at least 4 inches apart because they spread to about 3 inches during baking, and making only 3 to 4 cookies at a time. Flatten the top of each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or a damp finger. Tip: Bake only 1 or 2 cookies at a time to practice baking and shaping into a cylinder before baking up to 4 at a time.
  7. Bake: Bake one pan of cookies at a time. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and the surface is bubbly, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 1½ minutes, or until the cookies have cooled just enough to be lifted and handled without tearing but are still warm enough to be pliable.
  8. Working quickly with one cookie at a time, slide a thin flexible metal spatula under the cookie and transfer it to the paper towels, turning the cookie upside down. Place the wooden dowel at the edge of the cookie and roll the cookie around the dowel, pressing the edge to seal, and then slide the cookie off the dowel and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies. Tip: The first cookies will be pliable but the remaining baked cookies may begin to set. If the remaining cookies are too firm to roll, return the cookies to the oven briefly to warm.
  9. Wipe the parchment paper with a paper towel to remove any melted butter before baking the next batch. Continue baking and shaping cookies until all the batter is used.
Whipped Cream Filling:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer beat the whipping cream until soft mounds form; add the powdered sugar and brandy and continue beating until thick and stiff. Tip: the cream will whip easier if the mixing bowl and beaters are first chilled; place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to whip the cream.
  2. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a small star or plain decorating tip. Pipe filling about 1 inch deep into both ends of the brandy snaps.
Garnish (optional:)
  1. Sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios onto the whipped cream ends.
Storing: Unfilled brandy snaps can be stored in an airtight container layered between strips of wax paper in a cool dry place for a few days. Filled brandy snaps should be served immediately or refrigerated until ready to serve.

Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies

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Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies
You will love these cookies! A sweet almond glaze tops these delicate almond cookies. They have a slightly crisp, yet chewy texture. Add a few sliced almonds to decorate the top and they make a pretty cookie to serve.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Glazed Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Cookie Sheets Pan Prep: Ungreased or Parchment Lined Oven Temp: 400° 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, plus additional for shaping
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus additional for shaping
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Glaze and Topping:
  • 1½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 4 to 5 teaspoons water
  • About ¼ cup sliced almonds
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, sugar, almond extract, flour, and salt; beat together until mixture is smooth and creamy, dough will be thick. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  2. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  3. Flatten the cookie balls to ¼ inch with the bottom of a glass that has been buttered and then dipped in sugar (so the dough does not stick to the glass.)
  4. Bake:
  5. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are set and the 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 finish cooling.
Glaze and Topping:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, almond extract, and enough water to make an easily spreadable glaze.
  2. Spread a small amount of glaze on the top of each cooled cookie, decorate with sliced almonds. Tip: Glaze and decorate just a few cookies at a time since the glaze sets up quickly. If the unused glaze becomes too thick to spread, stir in a few more drops of water.
Adapted from: LandOLakes.com

 

Chocolate Macarons

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Chocolate Macarons
A chocolate version of the popular French cookie that is crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy center. Macarons are made primarily of almond flour or ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites. I have added cocoa to the meringue batter to create a rich, deep chocolate flavor. When filled with a velvety smooth ganache filling these tempting bite-sized sandwiches make a perfect chocolaty bite.

When making macarons, the folding and air drying are important steps to achieve the cookie’s characteristic smooth top and crinkly “foot.”
Recipe type: Dessert | Piped Cookies | Meringue Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Starting Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature or Refrigerate

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types, Making Meringue, 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
Meringue:
  • 4 ounces blanched almonds (about 1 cup)
  • 1¼ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons superfine sugar
Ganache Filling:
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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.
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.
Meringue:
  1. Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the almonds are very finely ground. Add the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder to the processor, and continue to pulse until the mixture is fine and powdery. 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 firm peaks form. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat. Beat about 2 minutes longer until stiff, shiny peaks form.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Place the ground almond mixture in a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle over the meringue in five or six additions, folding each addition in with a large rubber spatula. Discard any remaining large pieces that don’t sprinkle easily through the sieve. Tip: While folding in the almond mixture, expect the meringue to deflate. Fold the mixture 50 to 65 times until the mixture is smooth and there are no streaks of egg white. You can test for the correct consistency by placing a small spoonful of the meringue on a plate, and if a small peak remains, fold the meringue a few times more. If the meringue forms a round cap but doesn’t run, it is ready.
  4. Spoon the meringue into the prepared pastry bag. Tip: the perfect meringue should just ooze out of the tip once the bag is full. If the meringue stays stiff inside the bag it is too thick, if it drips out too fast the meringue is too runny.
  5. Twist the top of the bag, and pipe 1 inch or 1½ inch circles onto the parchment lined baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Tip: Place the tip directly on the parchment paper, gently squeeze the bag and let the meringue billow up around the tip, then as you release sweep the tip to the side of the meringue mound rather than lifting straight up and forming a peak.
  6. Rap the bottom of the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to help flatten the meringues and release trapped air. Smooth any pointed tips with barely moistened fingertips.
  7. Let the meringues sit and air dry at least 45 minutes or up to 1 or 2 hours, or until the meringues are no longer shiny but look dull. Letting the meringues sit also forms a thin skin over the tops so that during baking the meringues puff up beneath the skin and form a “foot” at the bottom.
  8. While meringues are air drying, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  9. Bake: Bake the meringues one sheet at a time. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the meringues are crisp and firm, 10 to 12 minutes. After baking the first batch, reheat the oven temperature to 375 degrees before baking the second batch.
  10. When done baking, remove baking sheet from oven and let meringues cool on the sheet for 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment one end at a time; use a spray bottle and spray a small amount of water underneath the parchment and onto the hot pan. The steam will help release the meringues. Be careful that the steam does not burn you and that water does not splash on the meringues.
  11. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the meringues from the parchment and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  12. At this point, the meringues can be stacked between layers of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 2 days before filling.
Ganache Filling:
  1. Place the chopped 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. Add the butter, corn syrup, and vanilla, stirring until completely mixed.
  3. Let the ganache sit and cool 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it is like a thick frosting. Spoon Ganache filling into a pastry bag with a ¼ inch round tip and pipe a small amount onto a flat side of one of the meringue cookies, top with another cookie to make a ganache filled macaron sandwich.
Source: Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies Magazine, 2010
Stewart, Martha, Baking Handbook, Clarkson Potter, New York, 2005
Usher, Julia, Cookie Swap, Gibbs Smith, Utah, 2009
Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003
Williams Sonoma, Essentials of Baking, Welden Owen Inc, California, 2003

Macarons

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Macarons
A popular Parisian cookie that is crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy center. Macarons are immensely appealing both in appearance and texture and may be made with a variety of fillings. Macarons are made primarily of almond flour or ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites. While on a trip my husband and I stopped at a patisserie that had rows of almond macaron cookies in different flavors and colors beautifully lined up on trays. Needless to say I fell in love and had to make my own. I offer you three fillings to choose from: raspberry, Swiss meringue Buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache.

When making macarons, the folding and air drying are important steps to achieve the cookie’s characteristic smooth top and crinkly “foot.”
Recipe type: Dessert | Piped Cookies | Meringue Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Starting Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2 Dozen Sandwiches Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature or Refrigerate

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Buttercream Tips, Melting Chocolate, Chocolate Types, Making Meringue, 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
Meringue:
  • 4 ounces blanched almonds (about 1 cup)
  • 1¼ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup superfine sugar
  • Few drops red or pink food coloring (optional)
Raspberry Filling:
  • About ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Or
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling:
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Or
Ganache Filling:
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ cup whipping (heavy) cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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.
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.
Meringue:
  1. Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the almonds are very finely ground. Add the confectioner’s sugar to the processor, and continue to pulse until the mixture is fine and powdery. 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 firm peaks form. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat. Beat about 2 minutes longer until stiff, shiny peaks form. Optional: Add drops of food coloring to reach the desired shade and mix at low speed until evenly combined.
  3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Place the ground almond mixture in a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle over the meringue in five or six additions, folding each addition in with a large rubber spatula. Discard any remaining large pieces that don’t sprinkle easily through the sieve. Tip: While folding in the almond mixture, expect the meringue to deflate. Fold the mixture 50 to 65 times until the mixture is smooth and there are no streaks of egg white. You can test for the correct consistency by placing a small spoonful of the meringue on a plate, and if a small peak remains, fold the meringue a few times more. If the meringue forms a round cap but doesn’t run, it is ready.
  4. Spoon the meringue into the prepared pastry bag. Tip: the perfect meringue should just ooze out of the tip once the bag is full. If the meringue stays stiff inside the bag it is too thick, if it drips out too fast the meringue is too runny.
  5. Twist the top of the bag, and pipe 1 inch or 1½ inch circles onto the parchment lined baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Tip: Place the tip directly on the parchment paper, gently squeeze the bag and let the meringue billow up around the tip, then as you release sweep the tip to the side of the meringue mound rather than lifting straight up and forming a peak.
  6. Rap the bottom of the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to help flatten the meringues and release trapped air. Smooth any pointed tips with barely moistened fingertips.
  7. Let the meringues sit and air dry at least 45 minutes or up to 1 or 2 hours, or until the meringues are no longer shiny but look dull. Letting the meringues sit also forms a thin skin over the tops so that during baking the meringues puff up beneath the skin and form a “foot” at the bottom.
  8. While meringues are air drying, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  9. Bake: Bake the meringues one sheet at a time. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the meringues are crisp and firm, 10 to 12 minutes. After baking the first batch, reheat the oven temperature to 375 degrees before baking the second batch.
  10. When done baking, remove baking sheet from oven and let meringues cool on the sheet for 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment one end at a time; use a spray bottle and spray a small amount of water underneath the parchment and onto the hot pan. The steam will help release the meringues. Be careful that the steam does not burn you and that water does not splash on the meringues.
  11. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the meringues from the parchment and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
At this point, the meringues can be stacked between layers of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 2 days before filling.
Raspberry Filling:
  1. Use a small offset spatula to spread about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam onto the flat side of one of the meringue cookies. Top with another cookie (choose one of equal size) and press gently together making a macaron sandwich.
Or
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar, 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 using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature, or feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips. Remove from heat.
  2. Attach the bowl to the electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mixture forms a thick fluffy meringue and is 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.
  3. Stop the mixer, remove the whisk and attach the paddle. With the mixer on medium speed add the butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time and mixing 20 to 30 seconds after each addition. While adding the butter, stop the mixer occasionally 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 vanilla and continue beating until the Buttercream is thick and smooth, about another 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Spoon Buttercream filling into a pastry bag with a ¼ inch round tip and pipe a small amount onto a flat side of one of the meringue cookies, top with another cookie to make a Buttercream filled macaron sandwich. Buttercream should be used immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until needed.
Or
Ganache Filling:
  1. Place the chopped 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. Add the butter, corn syrup, and vanilla, stirring until completely mixed.
  3. Let the ganache sit and cool 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it is like a thick frosting. Spoon Ganache filling into a pastry bag with a ¼ inch round tip and pipe a small amount onto a flat side of one of the meringue cookies, top with another cookie to make a ganache filled macaron sandwich.
Source: Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies Magazine, 2010
Stewart, Martha, Baking Handbook, Clarkson Potter, New York, 2005
Usher, Julia, Cookie Swap, Gibbs Smith, Utah, 2009
Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003
Williams Sonoma, Essentials of Baking, Welden Owen Inc, California, 2003

Chocolate Crackles

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Chocolate Crackles
Rich, chewy, and Chocolaty, with a white coating of powdered sugar, these are the very best. When they bake, the tops crack open revealing the dark chocolate under the sugar coating.
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: 4 Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds, Chocolate Types
Ingredients
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, lightly beaten to break up
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, semi-coarsely chopped, optional
Topping:
  • About ½ cup confectioners (powdered) 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. Add nuts if using, stir to mix.
  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.
Topping:
  1. Roll the balls in powdered 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.

Republish 10-6-18 to update recipe instructions

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

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Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Biscotti are a crisp, not too sweet, twice-baked cookie. They are wonderful to eat with a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, or just to enjoy as an anytime snack. This biscotti is rich with dried cranberries, almond flavoring, and sliced almonds.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Twice Baked Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 2½ Dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease the sheets with shortening and dust with flour.
Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir the eggs, egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture; stir just until mixed. Add cranberries and almonds; stir until mixed.
  3. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into two logs, each about 14 inches long, 1½ inches wide, and 1 inch thick. The log should be slightly rounded in the center.
  4. First Bake: Bake for 25 minutes or until 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 small 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. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on wire cooling racks to cool.

Chocolate Nut Biscotti

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Chocolate Nut Biscotti
This great recipe is from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. The small amount of coffee in this recipe provides a subtle mocha flavor that enhances the chocolate. Using bittersweet chocolate provides a rich chocolate taste. After the twice-baked cookies are cooled, either leave plain or dip the cookie ends in bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Twice Baked Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Lightly Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 325° Yield: 2½ Dozen 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:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 bar (4 ounces) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate, melted
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Topping:
  • 1 bar (4 ounces) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate, melted, or ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease the sheets with shortening and dust with flour.
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, instant coffee, and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; stir until well mixed. Add melted chocolate and nuts, stir until mixed.
  2. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into two logs, each 14 inches long, 1½ inches wide, and 1 inch thick. The log should be slightly rounded in the center.
  3. First Bake: Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; leave cookies on the baking sheets, place on a wire cooling rack to cool slightly.
  4. 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 small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
  5. 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. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on wire cooling racks to cool.
Topping:
  1. Melt chocolate in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat; stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted so chocolate does not burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. 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. Dip the end of each biscotti halfway into the melted chocolate, then place on wax paper until chocolate is set and firm.

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.

Golden Almond Amaretti

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Golden Almond Amaretti
My husband Jim loves these Italian macaroon cookies so much that I never have any leftover to share with family or friends. The cookies are loaded with ground almonds which produce a wonderfully chewy texture, and are both flour free and dairy free. They are double rolled in a mixture of eggs and Amaretto liqueur, along with a double coating of coarse almonds and sugar. Make sure you don’t overbake these cookies.
Recipe type: Dessert | Shaped Cookies | Almond
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: Two Large Baking Sheets Pan Prep: Greased Parchment Paper Oven Temp: 375° Yield: 2½ dozen Storage: Airtight Container, Room Temperature

Help: Cookie Hints and Tips, Toasting Nuts and Seeds
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups sliced unblanched almonds
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
Egg Coating:
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur (or substitute 3 tablespoons water plus 1 teaspoon pure almond extract)
Almond Coating:
  • 1 cup sliced unblanched almonds, lightly toasted and then crunched into small pieces with your hand
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. Place the almonds, ¼ cup sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor or small food grinder, or blender. Process until the mixture begins to clump together, 45 to 60 seconds. If using a blender, carefully pulse the mixture just until it begins to clump together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on medium high speed until they are thickened and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract; beat another minute until well mixed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the ground almond mixture in two additions, beating until well mixed.
  3. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, using a little less than 1 level tablespoon of dough for each (about ½ teaspoon less.) Place the dough balls in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes to firm them.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F while dough balls are chilling. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, and lightly grease the top of the parchment paper with butter, or grease lightly with vegetable shortening to keep dairy-free.
Egg Coating:
  1. In a low, flat dish, such as a pie plate, add the eggs and Amaretto liqueur; whisk together with a wire whisk or fork to blend. Set aside.
Almond Coating:
  1. In another low, flat dish, combine the crushed almonds and the sugar.
Assembly:
  1. Remove enough dough balls from the refrigerator to bake one pan of cookies (about 12 balls.) Keep remainder of dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. For the first coating, roll each ball in the egg coating, and then roll in the almond coating. For the second coating, roll each ball again in the egg coating and then roll again in the almond coating.
  3. Bake: Place the balls on the greased parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, or just until the bottoms are lightly browned. Do not over bake or the cookies will lose their chewiness when cooled.
  4. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet 4 to 5 minutes, then remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Source: Walter, Carole, Great Cookies, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York, 2003

Gingersnap Cookies

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Gingersnap Cookies
These spicy cookies have an old-fashioned taste with a sugary cracked top.
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: 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:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup light or dark molasses
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, 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, molasses and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; stir until mixed.
  2. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  3. 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.
  4. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
Topping:
  1. Dip the top of each ball into sugar.
  2. Bake: Place balls, sugar side up, 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 11 minutes or just until cookies are set. 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 cool.

Hazelberries

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Hazelberries
These buttery thumbprint cookies combine Oregon grown hazelnuts and Marionberries. Start with little balls of chilled dough, create a “thumbprint” indentation, dip in sugar and nuts, and then fill with jam. The taste of hazelnuts and sweet Marionberry jam is an absolutely perfect taste combination.

Hazelnuts are grown primarily in the state of Oregon in the USA, along with Turkey and Italy. Marionberries are named for Marion County, the Oregon County where they originated. Marionberries, a cross between Chehalem and Ollalie berries, were developed by Oregon State University's Agricultural Research and Development Program in Corvallis, Oregon, beginning in 1945, and finally introduced in 1956.
Recipe type: Dessert | Thumbprint Cookies | Shaped 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: 5 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:
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, skinned, and finely ground
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Tip: See Toasting Nuts and Seeds for toasting and skinning hazelnuts
Filling:
  • ¼ cup hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, skinned, and finely ground
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • About ⅔ cup Marionberry jam (or raspberry or blackberry jam)
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and ground hazelnuts; 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 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. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease with shortening, or line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stick baking mat.
Filling:
  1. In a small bowl, combine ground hazelnuts and sugar. Set aside.
  2. Shape chilled dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Dip tops of cookies in nut and sugar mixture. Tip: A small ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
  3. 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.
  4. Fill the center of each cookie with about ½ teaspoon Marionberry jam. Do not overfill or the jam will run over while baking. Tip: to fill the cookies neatly, use a teaspoon, point the tip of the spoon down into the indentation and slide the preserves off with another spoon or your fingertip.
  5. Bake: Bake 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.
Recipe adapted from Oregonian FOODday, December 2006