Category: Cookies

Bite Size Desserts
In the Big Apple, Dim Sum & Then Some…Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the Big Apple, Dim Sum & Then Some…Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Yay. Back to my second favorite city in the world…New York.  In the immoral words of Tony Bennett, I left my heart in San Francisco and it will always be first.  But wow, New York, I love you.  Every time I return to this amazing city I am in awe of its energy.  The number of people that converge to live, work and play in Manhattan, all at the same time, is intimidating but oh so amazing.  Blaring horns, wailing sirens, screeching tires, rumbling subways trains, people yelling, music playing, dogs barking, the sounds of vibrant, urban life.

Home Away From Home

We are staying in LES (Lower Eastside) which exemplifies NYC.  We are within walking distance of neighborhoods that represent every economic strata.  Much like San Francisco, it is not unusual to walk a couple of blocks in any direction and see, homeless folks on the streets, millennials with their backpacks or totes making their way to the FiDi, the down and out struggling with addiction, to folks decked out in designer wear enjoying a latte and 8 dollar croissant.

We walk Moose to Chinatown to pick up breakfast, rice roll noodles filled with bbq pork and veggies, slathered with chili oil, peanut sauce and hoisin.  Sitting on a stoop we wash it down with Milk Tea.  The next morning a walk down Ludlow finds us at my favorite spot, BBF. I pick up a coffee and an onigiri (a generous, warm ball of rice topped with pork belly or mushrooms). Our daily walks, navigating the streets through the LES, Chinatown, Ukranian Village, and Little Italy, all reminiscent of growing up in San Francisco.

Left top corner BBQ Pork Pineapple & Siu Mai Bun Mei Lai Wah 🥟🥟 🥟 🥟 Clockwise dim sum assortment from Royal Seafood, Big Chicken Bun Royal again 🥟🥟 🥟

I LOVE it.  Faced daily with the spectrum of life, good and bad, keeps me somewhat grounded.  I am keenly aware of how lucky I am to enjoy a life built by the hard work and struggles of those who came before me.  Dad, a Paper Son, came to this country at 16.  Gung Gung left his family in China looking for a way to support them.  Mom, the eldest of 6 kids, started her own hair salon at 17, but continued to study to become a businesswoman and real estate broker.  All their hard work focused on the future and a better life.

In Search Of…

We headed to midtown today, in search of shoes.  In particular, Hokas. I have developed plantar fasciitis, so to keep doing what I love best in Manhattan, WALK, I am in search of new shoes. Plus I can hardly shirk my Moose-walking duties since that is my “excuse” for spending time in the Big Apple.  Mission accomplished, my foot feels infinitely better in my new shoes.  Calls for a celebration…so we head to the nearest Levain Bakery for one of their scrumdidilyumptious chocolate chip cookies.

Our last visit we sampled CCCookies in NYC, so you wouldn’t have to (tough job, somebody’s got to do it).  Our winners included Levain’s, best described as a ginormous chocolate filled, scone-like warm cookie and Jacques Torres’s, a classic CCC, and oh so delicious. Not surprisingly, the chocolate in his cookies is amazing.

Levain Blueberry Muffin 🥟🥟 🥟 🥟 Chocolate Chip Cookie 🥟🥟 🥟 🥟 +

The hubs tried their popular Blueberry Muffin to compare it to Hummingbird’s version, which we make at home, and honestly it’s just as good if not better.  This got me thinking, is there a recipe out there for Levain’s CCC to try so I could avoid spending 5 dollars for a cookie, lol.

Pancake Princess to the Rescue

I turned to a favorite site, Princess Princess in search of a Levain knock-off.  Not familiar with Pancake Princess?  Best described as a one woman version of America’s Test Kitchen.  She will test a variety of recipes, in this case Levain CCC knock-offs, and invite tasters to help her select the best of the bunch.  Her top two included Stella Parks’s for Serious Eats and one from Hijabs and Aprons.  I perused both and decided to try Hijabs and Aprons as it looked easier and did not require resting the dough for 12 hours before baking (total dealbreaker).

Good thing I picked the simpler recipe…rummaging through our home away from home kitchen, I found a gorgeous red ceramic bowl, one big spoon and rubber spatula, a small cookie sheet, and a tiny (almost worthless) whisk.  I get the feeling little baking goes on here.

Tips for Baking in a Tiny, No Baking Tools Here Kitchen

Here we go, I made sure my butter was room temp soft but not melty since I only have a spoon. Then, ran downstairs for Guittard chocolate chips (ya gotta have decent chips), a tiny bag of Gold Medal AP Flour (4 dollars!), vanilla extract and dove in.

Muscle through beating the butter and sugars (unless you are lucky enough to have a mixer handy in which case, don’t overbeat),  Add eggs and vanilla, then sift the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt over the creamed mixture.  Fold the dry ingredients in and add chocolate chips and nuts last.  Voila’ that’s it. It did take significantly longer than if I had a mixer but I got an arm workout, yay. Use classic chocolate chips, not chunks, and don’t bother cutting up a chocolate bar.  These cookies depend on a nice, even distribution of chips throughout the cookie.

The OG cookies call for walnuts, but feel free to use pecans or another nut.  If you like that tannic bite from walnuts, don’t substitute.  Best to make these cookies as directed, BIG, 5-6 ounces of dough.  The cookies will be crisp with browned edges on the outside but moist and buttery on the inside.  You can make them smaller but the contrast between the exterior and interior won’t be as pronounced.

When scooping out dough, don’t smooth the dough into a ball.  the craggy edges give the cookie character so just plop the dough on the sheet, keep the overall shape round.

Bake until the edges are a nice deep golden brown.  Serve WARM, really, so much better warm and gooey.  I zap cookies in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up to eat.

These easy to make cookies will satisfy your Levain CCC craving anytime!

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Levain Style Chocolate Chip Coookies with Walnuts

From Hijabs & Aprons, a delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie that comes oh so close to Levain's famous Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts.
Course cookies, desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chips, Levain Bakery
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Servings 8 cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, slightly softened 112g
  • 1 cup light brown sugar 200g
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
  • 2 eggs cold
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted 300g. (Gold Medal works)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped 250g , if omitting walnuts, you can add roughly 50g extra AP flour
  • 2 cups dark chocolate chips 325g Use a dark or semi-sweet that you like, I like Guittard’s chips

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy smooth (about 3 minutes).
  • Add the first egg and beat on low-medium speed until fully incorporated. Repeat with the second egg. Add vanilla. MIxture will be soft and creamy
  • Add flour mixture to the mixing bowl. On low speed, pulse a few times to blend flour into creamed mixture. Low speed to prevent flour from exploding in your face.
  • Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
  • Form and place eight 6-ounce rough/messy balls of cookie dough into your lined baking sheet. If you have a scale, weigh the dough then divide into 8-12 cookies. Each one will be approximately 4-6 ounces, as a general goal/guideline. Also, if the edges of the cookie dough ball are rough/not smooth, that’s better. I use 2 tablespoons In my experience, if you like craggly crispy tops, it’s best if you barely mush it together and smack it onto the pan.
  • At this point, if your dough seems like it has softened due to your kitchen's temperature or too much handling with hands, refrigerate the dough-balls for about half an hour before baking. Because of the relatively high flour content in this recipe, the dough tends to be pretty stiff and doesn’t require chilling.
  • Pop the pan(s) into the oven for 12-16 minutes. This time variation depends on your oven (I’m using conventional top and bottom heat, not convection) as well as whether or not you chilled your dough (and for how long). I recommend checking (look, don’t touch) the cookies every minute after hitting the 11 minute mark. Ideally, you want patches of deep golden brown and lighter golden brown.
  • No matter what, you need to let these cookies set! Similar to steak, you’ve gotta take the cookies out while they’re technically a bit undercooked, and let them finish cooking in the still-hot pan in order to achieve the cooked-but-gooey center. The amount of walnuts/chocolate chips will make it hard to really check the inside without just breaking a cookie in half.
  • If you need to reuse your baking sheet for the second batch of 4-cookies, you can do so. Just make sure the pan is clean of grease and has cooled down before you place the dough-balls on it.

Notes

FREEZING DOUGH: If you’d like to freeze the dough for later use, go right ahead! To be completely honest, I don’t know how long the dough stays good in the freezer (at least a month for sure from my own experience). Wrap the dough balls individually in plastic wrap and freeze them. You can thaw them for about 20-30 minutes prior to placing on a parchment lined sheet and baking them.
SMALLER COOKIES: The only alternative size I’ve tried for these cookies is 3oz (half of my original). I would bake them at 375ºF for 10-12 minutes. Again, the time will depend on the oven. When baking a single chilled dough ball in my toaster oven, 375ºF for 11 minutes is perfect. Any more time and the center is overbaked.
Jam Caves, Scandinavian Thumbprints

Jam Caves, Scandinavian Thumbprints

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The first time I visited Kantine in SF  it was raining cats and dogs (where does that saying come from?).  I made the mad dash from my car into their very cute and inviting space.  I ended up with a Semlor-a cardamon-flavored bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream,  and a terbike, similar to an almond croissant.  Finally, I couldn’t resist grabbing the last Jam Cave left on the platter.

Located on Market Street in San Francisco, in between Downtown and the Castro. It’s a lovely stop for Scandinavian treats.

Think Thumbprints

After perusing their pastry case and saying “I’ll take one of those, and one of those, and…” I sat down with a cup of coffee and pulled out the Jam Cave. Are you thinking, what’s a jam cave?  Think thumbprint, a buttery, tender, rich, thumbprint filled with a sweet-tart jam.  I took a bite of my Jam Cave and returned to the counter, grabbed a copy of her Scandinavian from Scratch, scanned it for the Jam Cave recipe, and bingo, found it. I left with a box of pastries and a signed cookbook. The little voice in my head whispering make these cookies soon.

My favorite treats by Kantine are Cardamon Morning Buns, Caramel Slices, (notes here), and Jam Caves.

It didn’t take me long to pull out the book and make her delicious Jam Caves.

The dough is shaped into logs and cut into eight pieces.  I found it easier to roll the pieces into balls, slightly flattening each and creating the depression for the jam.  Instead of my thumb, I used my heart-shaped stamp made by the hubster.

You can use your thumb to make a circular jam indentation or your pointer finger pressed in a V to make a heart shape. I have a heart-shaped stamp courtesy of the hubster.

Sprinkle raw sugar or Demerara Sugar before baking and filling with jam.  Transfer the jam to a squeeze bottle with a large nozzle.  The recipe calls for black currant jam, feel free to use your favorite jam.  I like raspberry jam. A squeeze bottle makes quick work of filling the cookies.

The weight and volume of the powdered sugar in the recipe looked a little off.  I made a command decision to go by weights.  It was a good decision as the cookies turned out pretty darn yummy.  But, just to be sure, I visited Kantine to try one of their Jam Caves and compare.  Lucky for me, Nicole was there so I asked her about the recipe.  Yep, use the weight measurement.  No scale?  Use 1/2 cup of powdered sugar not 1/3 cup as stated in the book.

Scandinavian Whoppers

Feel free to roll the dough into a longer log and cut 10-12 pieces for slightly smaller cookies.  Reduce baking time accordingly.  These are bakery-sized cookies almost 2 inches in diameter.  Roll the dough into a longer log and cut into 10-12 pieces for smaller cookies.  Reduce baking time accordingly. The cookie is softer, and less short than a classic thumbprint. My guess is that egg yolks contribute to the lighter, cakier, texture.

This would make a great addition to any holiday cookie box.

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Jam Caves

Jam Caves, the Scandinavian version of thumbprints are buttery, tender, filled with jam, perfect with tea or coffee. Adapted from Scandinavian from Scratch
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine scandinavian
Keyword cookies, jam, jam caves, Kantine
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

Cream mixture:

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 256 grams
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66 grams
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 62 grams
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 384 grams
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to finish

To Finish Cookies:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
  • ¾ cup black currant jam or jam of choice 150 grams

Instructions

  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Line 13 by 18-inch (33 by 46 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium until soft and creamy, pausing halfway through to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The dough will be fairly thick. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
  • Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then roll each ball of dough into a log about 12-16 inches (30 cm) long. Cut each log into 8-12 cookies at 1½-inch (3.5 cm) intervals and arrange them on the prepared baking trays, spaced 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart.
  • Use your thumb to make a careful depression in the top of each cookie. Your thumb should come about ¼ inch shy of the baking tray. Be careful not to push all the way through the dough. As you press down, the cookie will expand into a rounded shape. Don’t worry if the edges of the dough crack a little.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each cookie with the egg wash, focusing on the edges. Sprinkle the tops with the demerara sugar.
  • Drop a heaping teaspoon of the jam into the center of each cookie.
  • Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking trays halfway through from top to bottom and front to back, until golden at the edges and the jam is set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container, where they will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

Notes

Makes 16-24 cookies. 
Kolasnittar-Caramel Slices from Kantine

Kolasnittar-Caramel Slices from Kantine

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Okay, I cannot tell a lie, my geography knowledge sucks.  I sat down to write this post on one of my favorite bakeries in San Francisco, Kantine, and on the cookbook, Scandinavian From Scratch, by owner, Nichole Accettola.  Tap, tap, tap on my keyboard, “Heavenly Scandinavian pastries inspired by her time in Copenhagen”, WAIT.  Isn’t Copenhagen in Denmark? Didn’t she live in Scandinavia?  Is that a country?  But her Jam Caves are Swedish.  I quickly Googled Scandinavia. Holey Moley, Scandinavia refers to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.  Nordic refers to the Scandinavian countries PLUS Finland and Iceland.  Uh, where does Switzerland fit in, all those ⛰️ and 🏞️?  My bad, it doesn’t.  🤦🏻‍♀️  It took a cookbook and delicious pastries for me to learn my geography..sheesh.

I DIGRESS

I stopped by Kantine to get coffee and a treat. Lucky for me, Nichole was there (I’m a cookbook groupie) for a couple of questions, a photo-op, and a quick conversation.  She recommended the Kolasnittar, a simple, unassuming flat, rhombus-shaped cookie.  One bite and I knew I was going home and baking those bad boys. They’re buttery, caramel-forward, with crispy edges, and a slightly chewy center. What a cookie.

Get this Cookie Party Started

I gathered the ingredients for Kolasnittar or Caramel Slices and realized I didn’t have corn syrup.  So I rummaged through my pantry and pulled out the Golden Syrup.  Golden Syrup is made from sugar cane and has caramel undertones due to the manufacturing process.  It worked like a charm.

The process for making these cookies is “kinda” like making biscotti without twice baking.  The dough is shaped into logs and then flattened into a strip.  If you have a scale, weigh the dough and divide it into 4 equal portions or just eyeball it.  Roll each piece into a 12-inch log and transfer the log to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Place two rolls on each cookie sheet, be sure to space them out (min. 2.5 inches in between).  Flatten each log into a 1/2-inch thick, 1.5-inches wide strip, keeping each around 12-inch length.  The dough will spread quite a bit while baking.

Take the cookies out when the edges are darker brown and the middle golden brown. Remove from oven and slide cookies and parchment onto a cutting board.  While the cookies are still warm, slice each loaf diagonally into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.

Let them cool completely.

Enjoy!

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KOLASNITTAR (Caramel Slice Cookie)

A delightful, buttery, crispy-edge, chewy-middle, caramel-flavored cookie from Scandinavian bakery, Kantine. The recipe is also in their book, Scandinavian from Scratch by author-owner Nichole Accettola
Course cookies, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, European, scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword cookies, Kantine, scandinavian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

Butter Mixture

  • 7 ounces 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 200g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup. 100g Substitute Golden Syrup 1:1
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300g King Arthur preferred
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt I use Diamond Kosher, for table salt, use 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions

  • Line two baking sheets (approximately 13x17 inches, 33x46cm) with parchment paper. Preferably sheets without a lip.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla on medium speed, beating until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer midway to scrape down the sides.
  • With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until it’s well combined. Do not overbeat.
  • Lightly flour the countertop and scrape the dough onto the counter, kneading it gently until it’s smooth. Divide the dough into four equal parts. A scale really helps here.
  • Roll each portion into a log that’s 12 inches (30cm) long. If the dough cracks lengthwise while you’re rolling it, roll the dough a little toward you and use your thumbs to coerce the dough into the crack, then finish rolling the log, easing dough back into the crack as you go. Don’t worry if the logs are not perfectly smooth. They’re going to spread quite a bit when baked.
  • Place each dough log, evenly spaced on the baking sheet, (2 logs per sheet) then press the logs down to flatten them so they’re about 1/2-inch (1cm) thick and 1 1/2 inches (3,5cm) wide. Make sure there’s at least 2 inches (5cm) of space between each log and at least an inch (2,5cm) away from the edges of the pan.
  • Refrigerate the dough on the baking sheets for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and adjust the racks in the oven to the top and bottom third of the oven. Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets and switching them on the racks, from top to bottom, midway during baking.
  • I usually bake one sheet at a time. Halfway through rotate the sheet. (If you want to bake them later, cover them with kitchen towels and keep them in the refrigerator.) Bake until the dough is golden brown across the top with browned edges, 16 to 18 minutes.
  • Slide parchment paper with cookie logs onto a cutting board.
  • Cut the flat, former cookie logs diagonally and crosswise each cookie should be 1.5 inches in width. Transfer the cookies from the baking sheets to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Mrs. Singer’s Eggnog, The Real Deal

Mrs. Singer’s Eggnog, The Real Deal

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How many of you have had REAL eggnog?  Not the ultra-pasteurized, homogenized version of eggnog found in every supermarket during the holidays.  Who drinks that stuff?

Context

I did a bit of sleuthing on the origins of eggnog.  It has been around since medieval England (1300s), that’s a LONG time.  Its lineage starts as a posset, a milky, warm ale-like drink.   Fast forward to the 1700s, eggnog came along for the ride to the new colonies in America. Farmland was plentiful for cows and chickens which in turn provided lots of milk and eggs.  Rum, the inexpensive alcohol of the time, rounded out the nog.  Thus, eggnog became the festive drink of choice for the everyday man.

Unlucky for us,  the advent of supermarkets and technology led to the eggnog so many of us know.  As soon as pumpkin lattes disappear after Thanksgiving,  red and green cartons of super sweet, weirdly thick (like slime) non-alcoholic eggnog pop up in its place on supermarket shelves.  Whenever I volunteer to make eggnog for a holiday soiree’ I am invariably met with a chorus of yucks and eewwws.

The Eggnog Caper

To which I launch into my oratory, on the much-maligned REAL eggnog.  It starts with the story of Mrs. Ethel Singer.

When my brother and I were babies we were taken care of by a family out in the Sunset, the Singer Family.  Mrs Ethel Singer was the sweetest, most amazing woman, who ran a nursery for babies.  A friendship was born from our stay there and it became a tradition for us to visit them every Christmas. As I admired their gorgeous Christmas tree with an entire miniature town around the base, she brought out her homemade cookies and eggnog.

Not Your Mama’s Eggnog

We would sit sipping our eggnog merrily chatting away. Much to my chagrin, I often found myself getting very sleepy while listening to the conversation. I fought hard to keep my eyes open. How could I be so rude?!  Finally, during a visit I happened to ask for her eggnog recipe. She went over the recipe step by step,  “A quart of milk, 12 eggs (my arteries spasmed), sugar, heavy whipped cream, milk, and make sure to use a CUP of GOOD brandy, like Christian Brothers, lol.   My dear Dr. Watson, the mystery is solved regarding my annual, ill-timed bouts of narcolepsy.  Blame it on the alcohol, the alcohol…

Yes, roughly 15% alcohol, masked by sugar, milk, heavy whipping cream, and eggs. A smooth, creamy, sweet, calorie-laden, festive, delicious, diabolical drink.

Our Annual Cookie Swap

So, for our annual preschool holiday cookie swap, I pulled out Mrs. Singer’s Eggnog recipe.  Martini glasses filled with eggnog seemed a fitting way to toast 25 years of cookie swaps that began with toddlers in tow. Back then we were new moms who could not imagine those toddlers becoming adults making their way in the world.  It seems like in the blink of an eye we have arrived at that point.

Remember When…

2000

2001

2002

2015

2023

Happy Holidays!

Feel free to HALF this recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Ethel Singer's Eggnog

(from an add for Yellowstone Whiskey in SF Chronicle, circa 1952)   Note: You should prepare at least 12 hours before serving
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, English
Keyword brandy, Eggnog, eggs, holiday drink, whipped cream
Prep Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 12 hours

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 3 large bowls, 1 should be your serving bowl, like a punch bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 dozen eggs 12 eggs
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 cups
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brandy / bourbon/rum
  • 1 quart milk 4 cups
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Nutmeg for garnish

Instructions

  • Need 3 mixing bowls (2 chilled), and one punchbowl
  • Separate egg whites into 1 chilled bowl, and yolks into room-temp bowl (make sure no yolk is in the egg whites or they won’t beat).
  • Using a stand or hand mixer, beat egg whites until they are firm and peaked.
  • Add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brandy/bourbon to egg yolks, use mixer to blend completely
  • Pour 1 pint of heavy cream into 2nd chilled mixing bowl, beat until firm – add 1 tsp vanilla
  • Combine beaten egg whites, yolks/sugar/brandy mixture, and beaten cream into a punchbowl, and then add 1-quart milk – mix thoroughly, garnish with nutmeg, and chill overnight.
  • Step 6 Enjoy

Notes

1/2 recipe
6 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup (100gm) sugar                   
1/2 cup brandy, or rum, or Bourbon
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
Nutmeg for garnish
Nubby Granola Shortbread…More Than Cookies

Nubby Granola Shortbread…More Than Cookies

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Me.  The cookbook addict missed a book signing at Omnivore Books.  Literally, took my eye off the book and completely missed Natasha Pickowicz’s More Than Cake book signing event.

In my effort to curtail my cookbook acquisitions, I have limited my cookbook buying to books by POC authors.  There are exceptions of course, anything by Dorie Greenspan and if you own a restaurant in the middle of nowhere, Maine, and pub a new book, iykyk 😉, I’m all in.

Here is my weak defense.  Pickowicz, at first glance, is not an Asian last name, so the fact that she is part Chinese escaped me.  The title, More Than Cake also threw me off.  I’m not a big cake person, more of a cookies and pies gal.  As soon as I saw the word Cake…I tuned out, the MORE THAN got by me.

When I realized she was Asian and that her book contained WAY more than just cake, her book landed on my radar.  Then I found out she organizes amazing BAKE Sales for Planned Parenthood and Brigid Alliance and has raised thousands of dollars (lots of thousands), so I ordered a copy immediately.  It now has a spot on my cookbook shelf.

Holiday Traditions

Thanksgiving is in the books (no pun intended) which means a couple of things in our house.  First, I play Patrick Stewart’s version of A Christmas Carol which also kicks off 24-7 holiday music in our house, I am so stoked.  Second, time to plan those holiday cookie boxes!  I pulled out More Than Cake and found her recipe for Nubby Granola Shortbread.  Shortbread, y’all know I LOVE shortbread.  Time for a test run.

These crispy, buttery bites are made in a food processor.  A little pulse magic and the dough is done. How easy is that?  Plus, shortbread cookies travel well and keep longer than most cookies. These are delicious, lighter, and crunchier than traditional shortbread, perfect with a cuppa coffee or tea.  I made a batch of Jule’s Granola which worked perfectly in these cookies.  Flecks of dried fruit from the granola added a bit of color and sweetness to the shortbread, an unanticipated bonus.

PLUS, I’ll fill cute canning jars with the remaining granola to give away.  Oh this cookie is definitely going in the holiday cookie box.

Tips

  • Use your favorite granola, store-bought or homemade. You don’t have to make your own.  I love making granola so NBD.
  • Using a food processor makes quick work of the dough.  It starts with chilled butter (yay no waiting for butter to soften).

  • Rice flour makes for a fine texture, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth-cookie. Bob’s Red Mill has rice flour and can be found at larger supermarkets, Whole Foods, and online.
  • No rolling out dough, the dough is pressed into the pan.  The recipe can be cut in half and baked in an 8×8 pan.

  • The tricky part of this recipe is the baking time.  Rice flour produces a drier cookie than AP flour therefore try not to overbake these cookies.  After removing the pan from the oven, lightly score the dough and allow to cool.  Once cooled, cut through the score marks.  Sprinkle with flaky salt and dust generously with powdered sugar to finish cookies.

A buttery, crunchy, gluten-free shortbread cookie that keeps and travels well.  This is a keeper.

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Nubby Granola Shortbread

This breakfast-inspired shortbread is a great way to use your favorite granola. It adds a nice crunch to the buttery cookie. Sandy ultrafine rice flour makes a melt-in-your-mouth fine texture. It's delicious!
Course cookies, granola, shortbread
Cuisine American, Asian-American
Keyword granola, Shortbread
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups your favorite granola
  • 3/4 cup walnut pieces pecans or almonds would work but lack that characteristic tannic edge of walnuts
  • 2 cups white rice flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into 1/2-inch cubes, well chilled

Finish

  • flaky sea salt
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Fit a sheet of parchment paper into a quarter-sheet pan (9 by 13 inches). Lightly mist the parchment with cooking spray.
  • In a food processor, combine the granola, nut pieces, white rice flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt, and pulse until the mixture is pebbly and fine.
  • Add the butter and pulse another 8 to 10 times, until the mixture feels like damp, coarse breadcrumbs. The butter should almost disappear into the dry ingredients but not be taken so far that the dough is clumping and gathering around the blade.
  • Scatter the dough evenly in the prepared sheet pan. Use your knuckles to lightly press the crumb into an even layer. It should be about 1/2 inch thick. Do not apply too much pressure, as this would make the shortbread dense and gummy.
  • Bake until the edges of the shortbread are lightly browned, and the center feels soft but cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes (see tip).
  • Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the surface with flaky sea salt. While the shortbread is still hot, use a small knife to score it into 24 squares.
  • Let cool completely, then cut the cookies, still in the pan, along the scored lines and dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

The pan of shortbread can be held in the freezer for up to 1 month and baked from frozen.
The shortbread can be stored, tightly wrapped at room temperature, for up to 1 week.
TECHNIQUE TIP: It's tricky to tell when an unfamiliar recipe is done in your oven. Never throw away a seemingly botched batch of anything — there's always another purpose for it. If the baked shortbread tastes undercooked or feels gummy, invert the shortbread onto a clean sheet pan, so the crumbs spill out. Break it up with your fingers and bake again at 325 F for 10 minutes. Now you have instant streusel. Is the shortbread overbaked and dry? Tip the crumbs into a food processor and blend until fine and add big handfuls to your next layer cake.
Marbled Ube Cookies (Star Powered)

Marbled Ube Cookies (Star Powered)

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I wanted to include an ube dessert or cookie in my “Maui Strong” box for Lahaina.  Since I had made Ube Mochi Muffins for the Ukraine Cookie Box I opted for Constellation Inspiration’s Marbled Ube Cookie.  I have been eyeing her recipe for quite a while, and here was my chance to try it.  I baked the first sheet of cookies, and waited patiently (not really) for the cookies to cool.  With that first bite, I knew this cookie was going in the box. Not only are they delicious but they are so eye-catching.  A great addition to the cookie box.  In fact, I think…

Prince Would Love This COOKIE

Adding Ube extract and powder creates this gorgeous purple color that just POPS.  Ube, or purple yam or potato is popular in Southeast Asia, in particular the Philippines.  It has a vanilla, kind of nutty flavor, and “coconutty” aroma that lends itself well to desserts, bread, and pastries.  It’s definitely having a moment right now with the rising popularity of Filipino food.

Making the Cookie

The cookie dough is essentially a vanilla sugar cookie.  Start by creaming softened butter and sugar until smooth, not fluffy (to avoid a cakey cookie).  Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat to combine, and stir in the flour mixture.

Here comes the hard part, well, actually the hard part comes before making the dough.  Where to find ube powder and extract.  If you live in the Bay Area, you can find ube powder and extract by Butterfly or McCormick at most Asian grocery stores.  If not, there is always Amazon 🤷🏻‍♀️

Divide the dough in half (this is where a scale comes in handy).  Put half of the dough back in the mixing bowl and add ube extract and powder to it.  On the lowest speed of your mixer, blend the ube into the dough being careful not to overmix. You can do this by hand to avoid overworking the dough if you like.

.Using a tablespoon scoop, form dough balls with each dough and place them on a cookie sheet.  It is like having all your ducks in a row before the next step.

Smoosh together a dough ball of each color. Try to wrap one of the dough around the other to create the marble effect.  Then roll each in granulated sugar.  Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart, and bake 11-14 minutes, rotating the sheet at the halfway mark.  Remove when the edges are just golden.

If you like ridges on the edge (all the rage right now) tap the cookie sheet 2-3 minutes before they come out of the oven.  This causes the cookie to deflate and make a ripple effect.  Sometimes the cookies are wonky in shape, if so, place a cookie cutter or glass (slightly bigger) over the cookie and swirl it to shape them into circles.  Or don’t, they’ll be delicious either way.

These Marbled Ube Cookies are a showstopper.  A lovely ube-flavored vanilla cookie with crispy edges, a chewy center, with a nice crunch from the sugar.  I’ll be making these again, and again…and again.

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Marbled Ube Cookies

Ube Marbled Cookies, a gorgeous cookie that tastes as good as it looks.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword drop cookie, marbled ube cookie, sugar cookie, ube
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 270gm
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Creamed Mixture

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 227gm
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and more for rolling 250gm
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Additions to Dough

  • 2 tbsp ube purple yam powder, see note
  • 1 tsp ube extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and 1-1⁄4 cups (250 g) of the sugar on medium speed until they are smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined and no more streaks of the flour mixture remain, about 45 seconds.
  • Divide the dough into two equal portions (a scale comes in handy here) and leave one portion in the mixer. Add ube powder and extract to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined. The combination of ube powder and extract makes a nice purple color, no need for food coloring.
  • Take a heaping tablespoon of each dough and combine the dough by rolling between the palms of your hands to create a ball. I used a #40 ice cream scoop.
  • Toss the dough balls in a bowl of granulated sugar until each is coated.
  • Place dough balls on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each ball. Bake cookies for 11 to 14 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are light golden brown. Right before the cookies are ready to come out of the oven, tap the baking sheet on the oven rack a few times to create the ripple edges. Do not overbake.
  • Remove cookies from oven. If the cookies aren't round, place a circular cookie cutter or glass over the warm cookie and gently swirl the cookie to reshape. Then allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Ube powder and extract can be found in most Asian markets or online.
Nuts for Macadamia Shortbread (Cookies for Lahaina)

Nuts for Macadamia Shortbread (Cookies for Lahaina)

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It sucks to feel helpless which is exactly how I felt while watching the coverage of the wildfires in Maui.  In a twisted way, it brought back memories of a family trip to Maui right before COVID to celebrate hubby’s birthday and retirement.  We spent his b-day in Lahaina.  We grabbed shaved ice at Ululani, strolled down Front Street, and took in the majesty and beauty of the ancient Banyan Tree in the heart of town.  We finished the day with a scrumptious dinner at Lahaina Grill and a stroll on the beach.  The stark reality of the devastation in Lahaina jolted me out of my memories and morphed into a voice in my head, “How are you going to help, Deb”.

Today, amid the ruins, that Banyan Tree is struggling to survive.  Arborists are hopeful that the tree will survive, emblematic of the resiliency of the people of Maui.

I resorted to what I do when I am sad or stressed and feeling helpless, I baked.  For a box of homemade goodies, I asked friends and family to donate any amount to either Chef Hui Maui Relief to help feed folks displaced by the fire, and to Hawaii Community Foundation/Maui Strong to provide immediate and long-term resources for recovery.

A Big Mahalo

We raised over 1,500 dollars which was split between the two organizations ❤️❤️❤️.  Thank you for your generosity and for giving me a reason to bake!   👏👏👏.  It is greatly appreciated.

The Box

I wanted the box of cookies to feel connected to Maui.  I turned to cookbooks and blogs written by folks from Hawaii like Top Chef Sheldon Simeon and Alana Kysar. Sheldon has two restaurants on Maui, Tin Roof and Tiffany’s, and recently published his cookbook, Cook Real Hawai’i.  Alana is a blogger and the author of Aloha Kitchen Cookbook.  Her cookbook evokes the islands’ spirit and her Butter Mochi recipe is amazing.  Find these books at Bookshop.org which supports independent bookstores.  I also culled recipes that use my favorite tropical ingredients like pineapple, macadamia nuts, and coconut.  The baked goodies included in my Maui box are on 3Jamigos and can be found via the links below.

Starting at the top right:

Travel Bites

Shortbread is perfect for a box, they travel well, keep longer than drop cookies, and happen to be my favorite kind of cookie.  I found the perfect recipe in Nick Malgeri’s Modern Baker.  Using your food processor for these cookies makes it quick and easy.  This is one bowl (albeit, a food processor bowl) territory.

Process the nuts with the sugar until FINELY ground, add flour and baking powder, pulse to combine, add cold butter, and pulse until the dough is powdery then STOP.  Pour this mass into your prepared pan and press it down with a lightly floured flat glass or your hand.  Use a spray bottle to mist the dough with water which will help the nuts adhere to the dough.

Use either lightly salted or unsalted macadamia nuts.  I bought macadamias at Trader Joe’s, a bag of each, salted and unsalted. I used a 2:1 ratio of salted to unsalted nuts in the cookie and on the top.  Cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8×8 pan as I did…cause I would eat the whole damn pan if given the chance.

Grind nuts by pulsing in a food processor or chopping by hand.  You want the pieces fairly small, but not pulverized. The nuts provide both flavor and texture.  Line the pan with parchment.  The OG recipe calls for lifting the cookies out of the pan using the parchment but that’s pretty hard to do and not crack it.  I let them cool for a couple of minutes and then used a bench scraper to cut the still-warm shortbread into squares before removing them from the pan.  Easy-peasy.

The finished cookie should be crispy.  If they aren’t, return the shortbread to the oven set at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  I love these cookies, sweet, crispy, infused with macadamia nut flavor, and just delightful.

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5 from 1 vote

MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD

Adapted from Nick Malgeri Modern Baker, an easy, delicious Macadamia Shortbread. Buttery, nutty, crispy with a crunchy top of nuts and sugar. Simply divine.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword butter, Crispy, macadamian nuts, Shortbread
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 food processor
  • 1 9x13 pan
  • parchment paper to line pan

Ingredients

Shortbread Base

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100gm
  • 1-1/2 ounces unsalted or lightly salted macadamia nuts, chopped 42gm
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 270gm
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces 170gm

Topping

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 67gm
  • 3/4 cup unsalted or lightly salted macadamia nuts, finely chopped 111gm

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9″x 13″x 2″ baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving a couple of inches hanging over each short side. Butter the lining.
  • Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 & 1/2 ounces macadamias, (I use both salted and unsalted nuts in a 2:1 ratio) in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add the flour and baking powder. Pulse until mixed. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is combined and powdery.
  • Using a lightly floured, flat bottom glass or hands, press the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the dough with water. Sprinkle the finely chopped macadamias and then 1/3 cup sugar on top of the dough. Press firmly into the dough.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and firm.
  • While the cookies are still warm, use the overhanging lining to remove the cookies from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into squares, using a sharp knife.
  • Let the cookies cool completely. They should become crisp as they cool. If they aren’t crisp after cooling, place them back in the pan and bake for 10-15 minutes at 300°F.
Molasses Snickerdoodles: Walking for Cookies

Molasses Snickerdoodles: Walking for Cookies

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More rain, more gray…will it ever end?  Of course, it will but when?  Last week, the high winds took out our power at home so we escaped to San Francisco for the day.  Luckily, we had a brief, much-welcomed break in the weather and made the most of it.  It was too gorgeous not to take a walk and hit some of the scenic spots in The City.

Polk Gulch-Polk Street

There are a couple of streets that come to mind for me that define life in the city, and Polk Street is one of them. If you haven’t visited this area of the city, put it on your list.  Polk Street stretches from the  Civic Center area near City Hall, the gritty Tenderloin, all the way to the tony Russian Hill area, Aquatic Park, and Fisherman’s Wharf. To walk from Aquatic Park, the northern end of Polk to Civic Center, the southern tip, encapsulates San Francisco.

How can one street be home to Michelin-Starred Restaurants, trendy coffee kiosks, and French Bakeries, but also drug addicts and homeless sleeping in doorways or living in tents?  City life is uncensored and chaotic, where you see Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

We made a beeline for Polk Street which is only 2.5 blocks away…uphill.  The perfect way to start a walk since we’ll inevitably end up at one of the many bakeries on or near Polk.

We stopped at Batter Bakery for a cup of coffee and some cookies.  Known for their cookies, I had a tough time choosing what to try.  As much as I love shortbread, which they have so many permutations, we decided on their Sand Angel and a Sesame Cookie that looked scrumptious.  The Sand Angel had me at first bite.  A molasses cookie with a crispy edge and soft, slightly cakey center, best described as a cross between a Snickerdoodle and Molasses Cookie.  Yummy on the cookie meter, 🍪🍪🍪🍪

Grabbing our coffee and cookies we continued on our walk.  I pointed out spots of interest to the hubster.  Places that were part of my childhood-my elementary school, Victor’s Pizza (still there!), and the corner my favorite dessert cafe, Blum’s occupied (sadly not there).  We passed Bob’s Donuts and Swan’s Oyster Depot, SF icons that have been around for as long as I can remember.

On our walk back we stopped to take a peek at a new neighborhood park, Francisco Park. Built on top of an old reservoir, it’s a nice respite with gorgeous views.  With a community garden, playground, picnic tables and a doggy-run on street level, the park is worth a visit.  Just a note those two highrises, the Fontanas, led to the restrictions on building heights in the city. 😉

So, after a fun day in the city, I returned home with one thing on my mind, Molasses Snickerdoodles.  Adapted from Grandma’s Molasses, it isn’t quite the same as the Batter Bakery cookie, but it’s pretty darn good!

Key points: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  This will give this cookie a cakier texture in the middle. If you prefer a less cakey texture and a chewier center, two things, beat only until smooth and creamy, and during baking when the cookie puffs, pull the pan out and bang the sheet on the oven rack. Do this a couple of times.  More on this later.

If the dough seems too soft to work with, chill it for 10 minutes.  A #40 scoop (2 tablespoons) will yield a 2.5-3 inch cookie.  Perfect dunking size.  The dough balls are rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar.  Substitute turbinado or raw sugar for a crunchier finish.

Variations on a Cookie

One dough, two different bakes.  The cookies on the left received Sarah Kieffer’s pan-banging baking treatment.  This means about two-thirds of the way through baking, when the cookies are puffy, rap the pan on the oven rack to deflate the cookies. Repeat this a couple of times.  The result is flatter, chewier cookies with crisp edges.  The cookies on the right were allowed to bake undisturbed, they puffed and fell naturally creating cracks.  This results in cookies that are a little thicker and cakier than the pan-banging cookies.

Enjoy!

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Molasses Snickerdoodles

A rift on Snickerdoodles, adding molasses gives these cookies a nice earthy flavor. Crispy-edged, tender, slightly cakey, cookie.
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cookie recipe, cookies, Molasses Snickerdoodles
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Stuff

  • 1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Creamed Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C. unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 C. granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C. Light or mild Molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Dredge

  • 3 Tbsp. granulated, raw or turbinado sugar
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • In a bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add molasses and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until incorporated and no dry flour remains.
  • In a small dish, mix raw sugar together with cocoa powder and cinnamon until well blended.
  • Drop dough by the tablespoonful into sugar mixture, rolling until completely coated. (Dough will be sticky, but the sugar mixture should keep it from sticking to your hands.).
  • Arrange on non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between cookies. Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until cookies are just set on top and bottoms are lightly golden brown.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Heartfelt Thumbprint Cookies

Heartfelt Thumbprint Cookies

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day…2024!

Thumbprint cookies with a heart-shaped center.  Do I hear a collective “Awwwww, how cute”? Yes!  I came across these delectable morsels on a fab blog I follow by Catherine Zhang, Desserts with a Hint of Asian Inspiration.  After watching her on Netflix’s Zumbo, an Australian Baking Contest/Show, I went hunting for her blog.  Cute as a button (I can say that I’m a MOM), she looks like a teenybopper but can razzle-dazzle us with her mad “baking skillz” on both her blog and her cookbook, “Mochi, Cakes and Bakes”. Her skills are beyond her years.  Her book is available at all my favorite places.

Thumbs Up Thumbprints

These thumbprints are buttery, tender, and delicious.  She adds powdered sugar which sweetens and tenderizes the cookie and cornstarch which further lowers the protein content of the flour and ensures a tender and slightly crumbly cookie.  I  added a touch of salt to bring out the flavor.  For a hint of citrus, try adding lemon or orange zest to the dough.  Cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg yolk and vanilla (be generous), and finally, the flour and cornstarch.  Stir just until combined.  Don’t overmix.  Scrape the sides of the bowl after adding each ingredient.

Cookie Hacks

Kudos to the cookie baker, chef, or whomever who had that 💡 moment while scooping out cookie dough, THIS would be so much easier if I used an ice cream scoop.   My cookies will be round and all the same size!  For these thumbprints I used a #50 ice cream scoop (~0.68 ounce or 1.25 tablespoon) which made approximately 12-14 cookies about 2.5 inches in diameter.  Each scoop of dough weighed about 25-27 grams.

Catherine’s thumbprints call for making a cherry jam for the cookie centers.  I opted to use one of the many jams I have, a luscious strawberry jam from my favorite farmer’s market vendor, Live Earth Farm.  Depending on the consistency of your jam, you might have to heat and reduce the jam to thicken it.  This is what I did with their strawberry jam, worked like a charm.

To fill each cookie, use a squeeze bottle.  Put the jam in a squeeze bottle topped with a large bore cap.  I save the honey caps from Trader Joe’s, they work like a charm.

View these hacks on my IG reel under 3jamigos bakes.

Modern Old Inventions to Make it Simple

So, the tweak to this thumbprint cookie is using your thumb and pressing the center of your cookie dough TWICE, in the shape of a V to make the heart.  Two things, it’s a little cumbersome and she must have tiny thumbs, I had to use my pointer finger.

So there I was in my kitchen…

Enter Wes from the garage, his mancave, into the kitchen.

Wes: Whatcha doing?

Me: Making thumbprints with a heart in the middle, it’s a bit more work, but hey, it’s Valentine’s Day.

Wes:  Hmmm, I could make a heart shape stamp, would that make it easier?

Me: YES…back to the garage for you!

A few hours later…

Ooh, I LOVE my ❤️ shaped cookie stamp!  It does make it easier, but you can totally make these with your own little digits!  And, the cookies will be so cute.

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Heart Thumbprints

Customizing thumbprint cookies for Valentine’s Day! Use strawberry or raspberry jam and 2 thumbprints in the shape of a V. A delicious, very cute cookie !
Course cookies, desserts
Cuisine cookies
Keyword cookies, strawberry jam, thumbprints, valentine, valentine's day
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

CHERRY JAM: But feel free to substitute your favorite red jam, like strawberry or raspberry!

  • 150 g Whole cherries approx. 1 cup
  • 50 g 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice

COOKIE

Creamed Mixture

  • 115 g Unsalted butter (1/2 cup) room temperature 68 degrees, shuld not be soft and melty
  • 60 g powdered sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

The Dry Stuff

  • 140 g All purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • 15 g Cornstarch (2 tbsp)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Tsp lemon or orange zest, OPTIONAL finely grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F

CHERRY JAM

  • Finely chop cherries
  • Combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan
  • Heat over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Cool

COOKIE

  • Combine flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy
  • Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, beat until well mixed.
  • Add flour mixture and stir until combined.
  • Use a #50 scoop to form 12-14 balls. If dough is sticky, chill for 10 minutes before scooping. Remove from fridge and roll into smooth balls. This is essential, a smooth surface, or you will have cracks in your finsihed cookie. Create a heart shape in the center of each ball using two thumbprints (I used my pointer finger) pressed in a V shape. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
  • Fill the thumbprint with cooled cherry jam or jam of your choice*
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

Notes

Weigh dough and divide by 12.  Use this as your guide.  Each dough ball will weigh approximately 25 grams.  Each baked cookie will be approximately 2 inches in diameter.
*Use jam of choice.  I like raspberry or strawberry for Valentine's Day.  The jam should be fairly thick so it doesn't run too much.  If need be, heat jam and reduce to thicken it.
The recipe can be doubled