Category: 12 Days of Cookies

My annual 12 days of Cookies for the Holidays!
Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies-Eric Does It Again

Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies-Eric Does It Again

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After I recover from the Thanksgiving turkey-stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie extravaganza, I crank up the Christmas music, which I play until New Year’s Day (yes, I am that obnoxious person who LOVES Christmas music).  I watch The Holiday, in place of Santa Clause (the kids are all grown up now), and patiently wait for…

COOKIE WEEK

Yep, a week’s worth of holiday cookies created by NYTcooking culinary stars like Melissa Clark, Sue Li, Yewande Komolafe, Claire Saffitz, Sue Li, Sohla El-Waylly, and my two favorites, Vaughn Vreeland and Eric Kim.  I peruse the cookies quickly and note which ones I want to try.  Top of the list is usually Eric’s holiday cookie.  For a guy who did not start as a baker, he has a knack for creating the perfect holiday cookie every year.  My favorites, which I have rave about all the time include:

Eric’s Grocery Store Cookie – The supermarket, sprinkle-laden, tooth-achingly sweet Lofthouse Cookie revamped.  Imagine a tender, buttery, not-too-sweet cookie slathered with a buttercream frosting flavored with freeze-dried berries and sprinkles.  The LOFTIER  version of that supermarket cookie.

See that bad boi with the hot pink frosting? Yep, Eric’s Grocery Store Cookie

Gochujang Caramel Cookies – A crisp-edged, chewy-center sugar cookie swirled with sweet & spicy Gochujang (a Korean staple). So damn good.

Matcha Latte Cookie – Make a matcha latte, snap your fingers like Mary Poppins, and turn it into a cookie, that’s this delightful bite. The milk-based frosting is icing on the proverbial cookie, amazing.

And this year, he does it again with his

Lemon-Tumeric Crinkle Cookies

Are you scratching your head?  Thinking what?  The combination of lemon and turmeric works so well.  Eric describes it as “it tastes kinda like Fruit Loops” and I would agree.  The turmeric adds a floral twist to the lemon.  It also adds a vibrant rosy orange hue to the cookie which is simply gorgeous. It is such a pretty cookie with the rosy orange cookie peeking out from under the coat of powdered sugar characteristic of crinkle cookies. Makes me happy.

Let’s Get to the Good Part:  The Cookie

Ok, this is a cakey cookie.  After letting the cookies cool on a rack, I took my first bite…yep, cakey cookie.  In full transparency…not my favorite kind of cookie, give me a good shortbread cookie and I am a happy camper.  But I brought the cookies to a holiday party and they were GOBBLED up.  Folks loved the cookie’s festive color and nuanced flavor.

Meanwhile, a few days later, I grabbed one of the cookies to go with a cuppa tea and immediately remarked to the hubs, “This cookie is better today than the first day”.  The cookies were less cakey, moister, and still very flavorful.  The texture was much more to my liking.  So, note to self.  Make these cookies and squirrel away a couple to munch on a few days later.  Genius.

Pro Tip for Eric’s Cookies

Optimally, make these cookies by hand.  I’ve learned that my Kitchen Aide stand mixer can be a detriment. It’s much too easy to overbeat cookies and cakes when using one.  At the same time, hand-whisking for one minute, isn’t all that easy, lol. SOLUTION: If you don’t want to mix by hand, get a hand mixer!  I did,  it’s a Christmas present from my kids and hubby (although they don’t know yet, shhh).  Make sure to bring the cream cheese to room temp, much easier to beat by hand.

Turmeric

If you aren’t familiar with turmeric, it is a spice in the ginger family. It is widely used and can be found at most grocery stores, especially in Indian and Middle Eastern stores.  Bonus, we are looking at a win-win, turmeric is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.  It may help with arthritis and other joint disorders, colitis, allergies, and infections.  So this is guilt-free cookie consumption if you ask me.

Word of warning, the downside of turmeric’s brilliant color is that it stains.  Avoid getting it on your clothes or counters!

If you have NYTCooking, a video of Eric making these cookies is on their site on YouTube.

Instead of butter, the cookie is made with cream cheese and olive oil.  I love the use of olive oil in baked goods which is saying a lot, I am a BUTTERvangelical, lol.  I made the dough and refrigerated it overnight.  It was still fairly soft and easy to scoop.  Use a #40 or #50 scoop to portion out the dough.  Roll dough balls in powdered sugar,  you want a generous coat of sugar on each one.  During the bake, start checking the cookies at 12 minutes, especially if using a #50 scoop (less dough).  Allow cookies to cool on a rack, store in an airtight container, and place wax paper in between each layer of cookies.

If you are looking for something different but delicious, include the Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies on your holiday cookie list.

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5 from 1 vote

Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookie

Another winner from Eric Kim for this year's Cookie Week from NYTCooking. Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookie. Made with cream cheese abd olive oil, spiced with turmeric and lemon, it's tender, cakey and delicious.
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword cookie week, cookies, ERic KIm, holiday baking, holiday cookies, lemon-turmeric crinkle cookie, NYT Cooking
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Creamed Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt

Dry Ingredient

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour 192 grams

Coating

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar 92 grams

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together oil and turmeric until combined. Let sit for about 30 seconds to let turmeric dissolve. Add sugar, lemon zest, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Vigorously whisk to combine and aerate the mixture, about 1 minute.
  • Whisk in baking soda and salt. Add flour, then switch to a rubber spatula and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate dough until hard enough to scoop, about 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons) and working one at a time, scoop out 1½-inch/29-gram rounds and coat them in powdered sugar. Place them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets and bake until crinkled and no longer wet-looking on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan before eating.

Notes

To make ahead, prepare cookies then scoop out 1½-tablespoon rounds and set them in a single layer in a resealable container. Freeze the dough, covered, for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, coat frozen dough balls in powdered sugar and bake, adding 1 to 2 minutes as needed.
I prefer weights when baking but without a scale, I would use the scoop and sweep method. Don't pack down your flour.
I’m Gonna Shoyu a New Chocolate Chip Cookie

I’m Gonna Shoyu a New Chocolate Chip Cookie

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I know you all know I am a city girl at heart.  Give me skyscrapers, bridges, cars, museums, and bright lights any day.  Not that I don’t appreciate mountains, forests, and nature, but I prefer the urban jungle.  Whenever we get the chance, we head into The City for the day, Chinatown, the Ferry Building, and Hayes Valley are my favorite areas to wander around.  There is always something going on.  Last weekend we headed to the City for the Hallyu exhibit at the Asian Art Museum.  A look at Korean culture & K-Pop that has taken the world by storm. (Check out my video on IG, for a glimpse at the exhibit).

Lucky for us, the Asian Art Museum also hosted its annual Artisan Fair that weekend.  They had a variety of vendors including crafters, cosmetics, books, and food.  I rarely leave empty-handed.  One of my favorites is the Taiwanese soy sauce from Liv Cook Eat.  Brewed with black soybeans, these soy sauces are sweeter with a nice rounded flavor.  We are hooked on both their Finishing Soy and Delicate Soy.  They’re a bit pricy but we are worth the splurge. LOL.  Next to the soy sauce sat a row of  Soy Sauce Infused Chocolate Chip Cookies by Eating with Edmund.  You know I had to try one.  The cookies were delightful, crispy-edged, buttery, and chocolatey. The flavor was nuanced and subtle.  It leaves you wondering, what is that mellowness in this cookie?  I think it’s the soy sauce.

Soy Sauce Me Up

Soy Sauce:  This is a classic chocolate chip cookie with a tweak, the soy sauce.  Although any soy sauce would work there are distinct differences between soy sauces.  Liv Eat Cook is Taiwanese and is made with black soybeans. It has a richer, rounder flavor than soy sauce made in China or Hong Kong.  It usually has sugar which makes it a touch sweeter.  Chinese Soy Sauces generally have more sodium, so a bit saltier.  Use Dark Chinese Soy Sauce (Lao Chou) which is less salty than the light soy sauce and has a touch of molasses as a sub.  Japanese soy sauces are generally lighter, and a touch sweeter.  I assume that would be fine. Tamari would work also.

Flour:  The OG Cookie from Eating with Edmund was soft and delicate.  I increased the flour by 10% (330 grams) for a sturdier cookie.  If I browned the butter, I would use his original 300gms of flour since moisture is lost when browning butter.  Browned butter would give the cookies a nice toasty flavor, worth a try.  I used King Arthur flour AP which has a higher protein content than Gold Medal. If using GM flour I would increase the amount of flour by 5-10%.

Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.  I used light brown sugar.

Chocolate:  Chocolate chips can be used but I prefer chopping up a bar.  Mainly for presentation, different-sized & shaped pieces seem to look better. Reserve enough pieces to be pressed into the surface of each dough ball right before baking.  Puddles of chocolate on the surface of each cookie, a nice look.

Toffee:  Toffee and soy sauce complement each other.  I used TJ’s Toffee Bars, chopped into pieces for 1/2 of the chocolate.  Delish.

Bang-a-Pan;   A couple of minutes before the cookies finish baking, rap the pan to deflate the cookies to create ridges. Optional.

The Swirl:  Chocolate pieces, toffee, and marshmallows tend to melt and ooze creating funny-shaped cookies.  No worries, invest in a 3-4 inch round cookie cutter (or a glass will work too).  As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place your round cutter over those cookies and swirl, voila’ perfectly round cookies. Of course, if you don’t mind them not being perfectly round…skip this step!

The Finish:  I love finishing these cookies with a sprinkle of flaked salt like Maldon.

Enjoy!

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Soy Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Eating with Edmund, Soy Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookies. Buttery, crisp, delicious chocolate chip cookies with a soy sauce twist.
Course cookies, desserts
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword chocolate chip cookie, soy sauce, soy sauce chocolate chip cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Creamed Mixture

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 165 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons Liv Cook Eat Finishing Dark Soy Sauce or your favorite dark soy sauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract optional

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Flour) 300 grams
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Adds

  • 1 cup bittersweet dark chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Toffee bar, I use TJ chocolate toffee chopped, sustitute for 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips (optional)
  • Sea salt flakes like Maldon for sprinkling on cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheet with parchment paper
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside
  • In a separate bowl cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, soy sauce, and (optional) almond extract
  • Add eggs one at a time to the wet mixture and cream together
  • Add 1/3 of the dry mix into the wet at a time and fold together. With the last third of the dry mix, add in the chocolate & toffee if using. Tip: Careful not to overmix or you’ll end up with tough cookies. You can be a tough cookie, but don't want to eat one.
  • Use a medium cookie scoop (#40) or ~roll 2 tablespoons of cookie dough into balls with spoons and place on a lined baking sheet, min of 2 inches apart
  • Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with flaked salt and swirl with cookie cutters to bring them into round.

Notes

Suggestions for best results with more complex flavors and textures:
Chop bars of baking chocolate into chunks
The varying sizes of the chocolate chunks and flakes incorporated into the cookie make every bite unique
Brown the butter ahead of time! Melt the butter in a small pot until it turns a deep amber color. Stir and scrape the bottom/sides constantly to incorporate the milk solids. Let cool and solidify to room temp
The browned butter makes for a nuttier, more complex flavor profile
Chewy Brownie Cookies CTT-Cookie Testing Time

Chewy Brownie Cookies CTT-Cookie Testing Time

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The weather has taken a definite turn so I am pivoting from stress cooking to cookie baking.   It’s windy, cold, and wet, it’s time to crank up the oven and test a few cookie recipes.  Which new cookie will reign supreme and star in this year’s holiday cookie box?  I usually don’t start this early, generally opting to wait for NYTcooking to publish their holiday cookie spread, but a couple of recipes caught my eye, a Chewy Brownie Cookie and a Soy Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookie.  I thought to myself, I might as well start now.

Let the Cookie Games Begin

The first one that caught my eye is from New York Times Cooking, Vaughan Vreeland’s Chewy Brownie Cookies.  Before I sing the praises of this cookie, have you all watched any of Vaughan’s videos? They’re not only instructive but entertaining and downright hilarious.  Check out his wedding cake video, a classic.

The Cookie Lowdown

The cookie batter comes together quickly and is baked right after it is made to achieve the shiny tops.  It’s best to have everything ready before you start combining and mixing the ingredients.  Mise en place pays here.

Measure and pour flour into a small bowl. Set aside.

Chocolate:  Use your favorite chocolate.  I like Guittard’s Semi-sweet chocolate.  For serious chocolate folks, bittersweet would give a more intense, less sweet cookie.

Cocoa Powder:  I don’t think it matters what cocoa powder dutch-processed or natural will work.  King Arthur’s Triple Cocoa Powder combines Dutch-process, natural, and black cocoa and can be used in recipes that call for either.  My default.

Espresso Powder:  

For the first batch, I used King Arthur’s espresso powder and you could taste the coffee.  I used Medaglia d’Oro for a second batch and could not taste any coffee.  Although the intent is for the espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor, I liked the flavor the King Arthur espresso powder added to the cookie.

Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate, espresso, and cocoa powder into the saucepan.  Let it sit a couple of minutes to melt the chocolate then stir until smooth.

Eggs:  Bring the eggs to room temperature to maximize the air bubbles.  There aren’t any leavening agents so it’s the eggs that provide lift.  Whisk the eggs and sugars together, increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat for 3-5 minutes until light and ribbony.  Whisk in the vanilla, then reduce the mixer speed to low  and slowly add the chocolate mixture.  Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Beat until well blended.  Add flour and mix until only a few streaks of flour are showing.  Finish folding the flour into the batter by hand to avoid over beating.

Working quickly, plop batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a #40 scoop.  Leave 2 inches between each cookie.  Bake at 350 degrees.  At the 8-minute mark take the sheet out and rap on the counter to create the crackle pattern on the cookies.  Sprinkle flaky salt, like Maldon, on each cookie and return the sheet to the oven for an additional 2- 3 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

With crisp edges, a gooey center, and chocolate flavor throughout, this Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookie is a winner and so deserves a spot on the holiday cookie list. 🎄🎄🎄

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Chewy Brownie Cookies

Chewy Brownie CookiesBy Vaughn Vreeland, NYTCooking
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword chewy, chocolate brownies, chocolate cookies, NYTcooking
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate MIxture

  • ¾ cup finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (113 grams)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (42 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams)

Whisked Mixture

  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar (107 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90 grams)
  • Flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Melt butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbly but not browned, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and add chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and espresso over the chocolate mixture. Without stirring, let the mixture sit so the residual heat can melt the chocolate thoroughly while you whip the eggs and sugar. Stir and set aside.
  • Put the eggs, both sugars and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. (If using a hand mixer, a large bowl will do.) Whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is pillowy and the sugars have begun to dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir the chocolate mixture until glossy and smooth. (If any solid pieces of chocolate remain, you can microwave the mixture in 10-second bursts until everything is melted.)
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla extract and then the chocolate mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the chocolate is evenly distributed, then add the flour and mix on low speed until only a few streaks of flour remain. To avoid overmixing, use a spatula to finish folding in the flour. The dough should be glossy and resemble a very thick brownie batter.
  • Using a 2-tablespoon/1-ounce scoop, scoop a heaping amount of the dough into mounds directly onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, with each portion at least 2 inches apart, yielding about 18 cookies. Work quickly to ensure the cookies stay shiny once baked.
  • Bake for 8 minutes until the cookies have started to spread and take on a shiny outer surface, then remove the pans from the oven and whack them on the countertop a couple times to create a cragged top. (This also helps create a fudgier consistency.) Top with flaky sea salt and return to the oven to finish baking, for another 2 minutes until shiny and slightly puffed. Cool for a couple minutes directly on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to 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 started nodding off while listening to the conversation. I fought hard to keep my eyes open. How could I be so rude?!  Finally, during one visit, I asked for her eggnog recipe.  Not only did she gift me her recipe, but 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 generous 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 ad 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 original recipe has 1-2 cups lol
  • 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 mixer with wire whisk attachment (infinitely easier) or hand mixer, beat egg whites until they are firm and peaked. Do not overbeat. Set aside (or put in fridge).
  • Start whisking egg yolks and gradually add 1 cup sugar. Whisk until light and frothy, slightly thickened. Add 1 cup brandy/bourbon to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk to blend completely.
  • Pour 1 pint (2 cups) of heavy cream into 2nd chilled mixing bowl, using whisk attachment, start at medium and gradually increase speed to beat cream. When it starts to thicken, add vanilla. Continue to beat until cream is thick and has firmed peaks when stirred with a spatula.
  • Pour egg yolk mixture into a serving bowl or punch bowl, add milk stirring to blend. Add egg whites and whipped cream and mix thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon (fold egg mixture over cream and egg whites. Garnish with nutmeg, and chill overnight.
  • Enjoy! Ladle eggnog into martini glasses or small bistro glasses. Garnish with nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Notes

1/2 recipe
6 eggs.                                                        3 eggs
1 cup whipping cream.                            1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 cup (100gm) sugar                            1/4 c sugar      
1/2 cup brandy, or rum, or Bourbon    1/4 c brandy
2 cups whole milk                                       1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract                                 1//4 tsp vanilla
Nutmeg for garnish
Gochujang Caramel Cookies Sweet & Spicy-Winner, Winner from Eric Kim-mer

Gochujang Caramel Cookies Sweet & Spicy-Winner, Winner from Eric Kim-mer

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My favorite cookie this past holiday season was Eric Kim’s Gochujang Caramel Cookie.   I worked my way to writing about it by posting my two other favorite new cookies for the season first, Sue Li’s Orange, Pistachio, and Chocolate Shortbread and Rose’s Almond Crescents. Yep, just like the ones your Grandma, Abuela, Oma, or Nonna probably made.

Back to Eric’s holiday cookie for the New York Times.  His first holiday cookie, a couple of years ago was a homemade version of the Lofthouse Grocery Store Cookie.  A cakey, vanilla-forward cookie topped with real buttercream flavored with freeze-dried berries and finished with a generous amount of sprinkles.  So damn good.  Last year’s M&M Cookie, a kid favorite, is a buttery, chewy cookie, dotted with M&M’s, a precursor to this year’s cookie.

Sweet & Spicy

His Gochujang Caramel Cookie is a bold stroke of genius and gumption.  Gochujang is a fermented spicy chili paste with a touch of sweetness, a mainstay of Korean cooking.  But in a cookie?  It works! Ribbons of Gochujang enveloped in a buttery, chewy, vanilla-forward cookie. Butter and brown sugar are mixed into the Gochujang paste to mellow the chili which helps caramelize it while baking.   The trickiest part when making these is to not overmix the Gochujang butter into the cookie dough so you see the orange-colored swirls of Gochujang in the cookie. Not only do they taste fabulous, but they are visually stunning.

Easy Peasy

The key to making these is having soft butter.  Leave the butter at room temperature for at least an hour before. The butter should be soft but not melty.  Although he recommends making these by hand you can use a mixer.  Remember the golden rule-don’t overmix!  If you use a mixer,  stick to the stir and the low-speed setting.

Watch Eric make these cookies for NYTcooking HERE.

Spicy Pearls of Wisdom- Gochujang Paste is made of chili flakes for heat, glutinous rice for sweetness, and fermented soybeans for flavor.  It is a cornerstone of Korean cooking.  I use the mild paste for the cookies as it does come in various heat levels.  You can find it in most Asian grocery stores or TJ has small tubs of Gochujang made in Korea (full transparency, I haven’t tried it).

Here’s the Hard Part

The tricky part is combining the gochujang butter with the cookie dough.  Eric calls for chilling the cookie dough for a couple of minutes so it is denser than the paste.  The goal is to have streaks of the orange-red paste running through the lighter vanilla dough.  Bites vary in spiciness and sweetness if you don’t blend too much (upping the interest factor).  Spread plops of the paste on the dough and run a small spatula through it to drag the paste into the dough.  NOT TOO MUCH since when you scoop out the dough this will further blend it.  Use a cookie scoop to form balls of dough.  A #40 scoop will give you approximately 18 cookies about 3 inches in diameter with crisp edges and a chewy center.  Reduce baking time to 9-11 minutes.  These are a bit smaller than Eric’s cookie cause I don’t need to eat a 5+ inch cookie and trust me I would, lol.

Cookie Hack

The cookies spread quite a bit so allow lots of space on your cookie sheet for each cute dough ball.  This also allows room around the cookie to use my jar hack/cookie cutter to shape the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.  The chili paste will spread more than the cookie itself creating a funny-shaped cookie.  Take a cup or a bowl just a little bit bigger than the cookie, place it over the cookie and swirl the cup and cookie.  This “rounds” the cookie out.

Spicy Tip Number 2? Or is it 3?

Have friends and fam that are spice-adverse?  Tell them to pick the cookie that has the least amount of orange!

I adore this cookie for its flavor, texture, and uniqueness!

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Gochujang Caramel Cookies

From Eric Kim and NYTcooking, my favorite cookie this past year! Gochujang Caramel Cookies
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American, Korean-American
Keyword gochujang, Gochujang Caramel Cookie, holiday cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes

Ingredients

Gochujang Butter

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter very soft
  • 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang paste heaping

Creamed Mixture

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (Morton's) or ¾ teaspoon if using Diamond Crystal
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Stuff

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour 185 grams

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon butter, the brown sugar and gochujang until smooth. Set aside for later, at room temperature.
  • In a large bowl, by hand, whisk together the remaining 7 tablespoons butter, the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the baking soda. Add the flour and gently stir to combine. Place this large bowl in the refrigerator until the dough is less sticky but still soft and pliable, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • While the dough is chilling, heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment.
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator. In 3 to 4 separately spaced out blobs, spoon the gochujang mixture over the cookie dough. Moving in long circular strokes, swirl the gochujang mixture into the cookie dough so you have streaks of orange-red rippled throughout the beige. Be sure not to overmix at this stage, as you want wide, distinct strips of gochujang.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to plop out ¼-cup rounds spaced at least 3 inches apart on the sheet pans. (You should get 4 to 5 cookies per pan.) Bake until lightly golden at the edges and dry and set in the center, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool completely on the sheet pan; the cookies will flatten slightly and continue cooking as they cool. *See post for making smaller cookies. I used a #40 scoop which is just shy of an ounce. 1/4 cup is 2 ounces for comparison.
  • The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

Mixing this dough by hand is highly recommended for the most defined crinkles and the chewiest texture.
NCOTB #2 Orange, Pistachio and Chocolate Shortbread (New Cookies on the Block)

NCOTB #2 Orange, Pistachio and Chocolate Shortbread (New Cookies on the Block)

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Yay, the Twelve Seven Eight Days of Christmas Cookies!

The best-laid plans of mice and me…sometimes need a tweak.  Actually, not to pat myself on the back or anything, I think I did pretty “good”.  In between holiday baking we took a quick trip to Seattle. Four days of eating, walking, visiting the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass, and watching the Forty-Niners beat the Seahawks!  I still managed to bake 8 days of Christmas cookies!

Our holiday cookie box is a mix of old and new cookies.  The tried and true include Scottish Shortbread, Jan Hagel’s (my mom’s favorite), Pecan Tartlets, and the mandatory jam-filled cookie, Dorie’s Jammers (the perfect choice).

The NCOTB (new cookies on the block, a nod to all you boy band fans) include a couple from this year’s New York Times Holiday Cookies.  My favorite of the bunch is Eric Kim’s Gochujang Caramel Cookies (I’ve made three batches already).  Crispy edges, chewy center, buttery with a sweet kick from the Gochujang paste, it’s different and delightful. My other favorite (can you have two favorites?) is Sue Li’s Orange, Pistachio, and Chocolate Shortbread.  Buttery shortbread studded with candied orange peel, green pistachios, and dark chocolate for a visually fun and tasty cookie.

Cookie Caveat

But, the first time I read through the recipe and NOTES (ALWAYS read the notes, foodies are not shy about sharing their opinion of a dish) it became clear that there were a couple of hitches in the recipe.  My OCD-Sherlockian-Watson persona took over.  I poured over the comments and scrutinized the measurements and directions (occupatinal hazard, I’m a pediatric pharmacist).

My dear NYTCooking – Something is afoot, there are discrepancies in the volumes and weights for this recipe, where are your editors? LOL. 3 cups of flour is not 419 grams.  3/4 cup of granulated sugar is not 175 grams.  So, I set about to modify the recipe as best I could:

  • I used 375 grams of King Arthur AP Flour aligning with std measurements for a cup since there were quite a few comments that the dough was too dry & crumbly.
  • Sue Li commented once to use 175 grams of sugar, so that’s what I used.  If there is wiggle room it would be with the sugar, use 150 grams for a not-as-sweet cookie.
  • The butter is also off, I opted to go by weight not volume.
  • I added 1 tsp vanilla, which couldn’t hurt plus added a bit more moisture.

The dough came together nicely.  Do not overmix, once it starts to clump, stop and gather together.

The 8-hour chilling time in the original recipe allows the flour to absorb moisture and hold together.  The modifications result in a nice, moist dough.  You may not need an 8-hour chill time.  The dough needs to be solid enough to slice and still hold its shape.

See how “purdy” the orange, green, and brown specks are?!

The finished cookie was buttery, with a fine crumb texture, with the candied orange, pistachios, and chocolate taking it over the holiday top.  Luckily I squirreled away some dough in the freezer (the beauty of slice-and-bake cookies) that will be lovely on New Year’s Eve with a glass of bubbly!

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5 from 1 vote

Orange, Pistachio and Chocolate Shortbread

From NYTcooking, a buttery shortbread studded with candied orange, pistachios, and chocolate perfect for the holidays!
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Dark chocolate, orange, pistachios, Shortbread
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 8 hours

Ingredients

Flour Mixture

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal or 1/2 t table salt

Butter Mixture

  • 1-1/4 cups unsalted butter (284 grams) at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (175gms) 175gms =
  • 1 large egg yolk

Add-Ins

  • 1/2 cup candied orange peel (76 grams) roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (76 grams) roughly chopped
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is pale in color, about 2 minutes, periodically scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula (don't skip this, it makes a difference). Add egg yolk and blend until combined.
  • Add flour mixture and mix on low until combined. If there are dried bits of flour left around the bowl, use a rubber spatula to smoosh them in with the dough. Add orange peel, pistachios and chopped chocolate, fold in with a rubber spatula. (The dough will be crumbly (although with the modifications, less so). If necessary, use the electric mixer to add the mix-ins, or work them in with your hands until fully incorporated.)
  • To form the cookies, line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap and leave a generous amount of overhang on all sides. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press firmly to flatten in an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill dough for 8 hours or overnight before baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Using the plastic wrap overhang, remove the dough from the pan and cut the square into three equal rectangles. It's going to be tough to get out of the pan but just be patient and pull gently on the plastic to gradually remove from pan.
  • Cut each rectangle crosswise into roughly 1⁄3-inch-thick slices and lay them flat on the prepared baking sheets, about 3⁄4-inch apart. (If the dough crumbles when slicing, simply push the mixture together to reform the cookie.) Bake until lightly golden on the bottom but still blonde on the edges, 15 to 17 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, allow cookies to cool on the sheets. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Apricot Oat Bars Delicious and Easy, Bar None

Apricot Oat Bars Delicious and Easy, Bar None

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Finally, after months of being a COVID couch potato, I got off my duff and headed up to the reservoir to row again.  I had forgotten how nice it was to be on the water in the early morning, to get in a shell, grip the oars, press with my legs, and propel the boat through the water.  Gliding through the water I would catch glimpses of the resident bald eagles soaring then diving toward the water.  I live for these moments…


Who Am I Kidding?

What I really look forward to is COFFEE after the row, lol.  After every row, we head to our favorite spot for coffee and something to nosh on.  Lately, that nosh has been a tasty apricot bar. It reminds me of an Apricot Oatmeal Bar I used to make when the kids were little…

The recipe is from the Williams-Sonoma Kids Cookbook, that bar was a family favorite once upon a time.  I decided to find it, dust it off, and make it again.

This is a naughty granola bar.  The bars are buttery, sweet, tart, dense, and chewy with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla.  Just packed full of yummy stuff and calories (intentionally made in smaller font, lol).  Incredibly easy to make, all you need is a bowl and a spoon.  Toss old-fashioned oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour into a large bowl. stir to combine, then add melted butter, vanilla, and chopped apricots. Add nuts too if you like.

Bake, cool, and cut.  How easy is that?  These bars are great after a hard workout, a long hike, or anytime!

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Apricot Oatmeal Bars

Course bar cookies, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apricots, bar cookies, oatmeal
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up
  • 1 cup firmly packed dried apricots
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped nuts of your choice like almonds pecans or pistachios (optional)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • soft butter for greasing pan

Instructions

  • Melt 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter in the microwave. Cut butter into pieces and place in microwave-safe bowl. ?Cover with a small plate or paper towel ( I use the paper the butter comes in) and set power to 50%. Set time to 30 seconds. If butter is not completely melted, continue at 50% power and 15-20 second increments. Or place butter in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
  • Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with a large piece of aluminum foil (some foil hanging over the edges is fine). Lightly grease the foil with the soft butter. YOu could also use parchment paper.
  • Cut apricots into about 1/2-inch pieces. (Use kitchen shears to snip apricots works like a charm)
  • In a bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a spoon or spatula until well blended and no lumps of sugar remain.
  • Add apricots, nuts if using, melted butter and vanilla to the bowl. Stir until well blended. The dough will be moist and crumbly. Dump the dough into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough into the pan with your fingers.
  • Bake until the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven, set on a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
  • Lift the foil and the oatmeal bars from the pan and place on a work surface. Peel away the foil from the sides and bottom. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the big square into 1 1/2-by-3-inch rectangles. Store in an airtight container. Makes 18 bar cookies.

Notes

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Kid's Cookbook, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Time-Life Books, 2000).
Chew On This! Toasted Sesame Cookies

Chew On This! Toasted Sesame Cookies

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How’s the New Year’s Resolution thing going?  I’ve gotten strategic, I only make new year’s resolutions that are fun.  That way I stand a chance of actually following through on them.  One of my perpetual resolutions is to make a concerted effort to actually use the many cookbooks I have collected.  Don’t laugh, it may not sound like a resolution but it is.

Olympic Medal goes to….these cookies!

Last night, sitting on the couch, watching Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen do their thing, and flipping through a cookbook (I can multi-task) I wondered (out loud, unfortunately) how many cookbooks I have that I haven’t ever used.  The hubs laughed and said TOO MANY.

The laugh was pure motivation.  I got up, went to the kitchen, pulled out Jesse Szewczyk’s Cookies: The New Classics, and picked his recipe for Chewy Toasted Sesame Cookies.  Sooo making these now, before my resolve fades or I get distracted by Nathan Chen’s final routine.

So glad I did.  These cookies are delectable!  As much as I love SHORTBREAD type cookies, it was time to go back to fam-fav chewy cookies.  These did the trick. Chewy centers, a bit of crispness on the edges….yum, yum.

Not to say I wasn’t happy.  My current OBSESSION is sesame.  Jesse uses toasted sesame oil in these cookies, which ups the flavor game. Sesame oil, sesame seeds…win, win.

These cookies are pretty easy to make…think Snickerdoodle method. Make the dough, chill it, roll it into balls. Roll said balls in black and white toasted sesames, hit it with some sugar, bake and EAT or in my case, inhale.  Really, that good.

If this cookie is any indication…I will be baking a lot out of his book!

Seeds of Sesame Tips

It may seem fussy, I am sure it was a texture chase, the recipe calls for not only butter, but cream cheese, and oil.  A balancing act to make a moist, chewy, soft cookie with a bit of crispness on the edges.

Sesame Oil, Sesame Seeds

You want TOASTED Sesame oil which can be found easily in Asian markets.  The French brand, La Tourangelle makes a tosted sesame oil that is very good.  It’s a little pricier but generally can be found in your larger grocery stores.  I buy toasted sesame seeds at the Asian markets because I go through the stuff in no time flat.  You can buy untoasted seeds and toast them yourself if roasted seeds are not available.

I was able to form the just-made dough into round balls even though it was pretty soft.  But if you chill the dough for 30-60 minutes, makes it easier to work with.

Best thing since sliced bread, ice cream scoops for cookie dough….just saying. I used a 1.6 tablespoon scoop (#40) and sprinkled each cookie with regular granulated sugar.  Raw or Demerara Sugar would work well too.  Baking time was 11 minutes.  The cookies will puff up but fall and create those neat fissures as they cool.

The hubs is not a fan of sesame seeds so I actually baked a couple that I rolled in chocolate sprinkles.  I nixed his request for raisins (Ewww).  The sprinkles were a hit.  Honestly, this dough is so tasty, it would be good rolled in anything…except raisins.

Put these on your bucket list…like now.

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5 from 1 vote

Chewy Toasted Sesame Cookies

A delicious, chewy, buttery, sesame cookie from Jesse Szewczyk's Cookies: The New Classics.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Chewy Toasted Sesame Cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 1 #40 ice cream scoop If you don't have one, spoon out 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into round balls.

Ingredients

Dry Stuff

  • 21/2 cups All purpose flour (320gms)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt reg table salt, use 1/8 teaspoon

Fat Stuff

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (85gms) leave the butter on your counter for a couple of hours approximate temp 68 degrees
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temp (57 gms)
  • 1 tablespoon TOASTED sesame oil see post for notes on oil
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (60ml)

The Sweet Stuff

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200gms)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100gms)

Wet Stuff

  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

The Finishing Touches

  • 1/3 cup toasted white sesame seeds
  • 1/3 cup toasted black sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I'm a stickler, I bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven. To bake two sheets at a time, set your oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions of your oven. Line sheets with parchment or Silpat. Preference is for parchment as silicon mats retain more heat.
  • In a medium bowl, combine dry stuff, set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, toss in the fats, (butter, cream cheese, sesame oil, canola oil), and sweet stuff granulated sugar, brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth and fully blended, about 2 minutes.
  • Turn mixer off and add the wet stuff. Beat on medium speed until light and ribbon-like, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Turn mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, mix until just blended, don't overmix. Rest dough for 10 minutes, it will firm up a bit. If it seems to soft still, chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Using a 1-3/4 inch ice cream scoop (~2 tablespoons), form dough balls, hand- roll each to create smooth round balls.
  • Combine sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Roll each dough ball in the sesame seeds and place them on parchment-lined sheets 2-1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes, turning sheet midway through baking. Bake until golden brown on the edges. Cool cookies on baking sheet for a couple of minutes before removing them to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store in an airtight container.
Old School Almond Cookies

Old School Almond Cookies

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Growing up in Chinatown the standard plate of cookies found on our table was not Chocolate Chip Cookies, but Almond Cookies.  Found in every Chinese Bakery, these were my favorite cookie, well except for the almond in the center, which I ate around, kids, what do you do.

Phoenix Bakery

Last Roadtrip

One of my favorite Almond Cookies comes from Phoenix Bakery in Los Angeles Chinatown.  It’s been there a long time, three generations of the Chan family (hopefully there is a fourth generation) cranking out cookies and cakes.  Theirs is the quintessential Almond Cookie, crumbly not crisp, nutty, dense but not tough, and distinctly almond-flavored. Growing up, every family trip to Los Angeles included the prerequisite stop at Phoenix Bakery for those pink boxes filled with almond cookies and sweet, sticky butterfly cookies. Right before COVID hit, I drove down to LA for my favorite auntie’s birthday and of course, I stopped at Phoenix Bakery.

An Homage

Every Christmas my brother-in-law’s mother baked boxes and boxes (pink cake boxes of course) of cookies.  We were one of the lucky recipients.  My favorite, her almond cookie. With that first bite, I was transported back to the Chinatown of my childhood.

As a testament to how much I like Almond Cookies, I have multiple almond cookies on 3Jamigos.  The first time I wrote about Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies, I actually included the Almond Cookie recipe from B’s Patisserie in San Francisco.  It’s a luscious almond cookie, buttery, crispy, filled with almond flavor, delicious in its own right, but texturally different from the classic Chinatown Almond Cookie.

Finally, Mrs. F’s Almond Cookies

Why didn’t I make Mrs. F’s cookies from the get-go? Embarrassingly, I had misplaced her recipe.  After an all-out hunt, I finally found it (or did I ask my brother-in-law?).  Well, bottom line, I have it now my little duckies.

After the first batch, I tinkered with the recipe just a little.  The cookies texturally were spot on.   Here is the secret, the texture comes from using lard or shortening.  Yep, no butter in these bad boys.  Hmmm…butter-flavored shortening?  Why not.  This was my inaugural use of butter-flavored Crisco in place of regular shortening.  Judging by the response to these cookies, it worked!  If you have an aversion to butter-flavored shortening, use regular shortening.  If and when I try lard I will report back.  I have no problems using lard, it’s more of an access issue.  I prefer leaf lard which is less processed than the stuff in supermarkets.

Shortening is easy to work with and inherently a little softer than butter. I keep my shortening in the fridge. Beat the dough until light and fluffy 2-3 minutes before adding dry ingredients.

Let’s Go Nutty

The other tweak MORE almond flavor.  I upped the amount of almond extract cause in my book, you can never have too much almond flavor. JK, but I did think the cookies benefitted from a smidge more.

Year of the Tiger

Don’t think cookie season is over!  Chinese New Year is right around the corner and these would be purr-fect in an assortment of goodies to ring in the Year of the Tiger!

Part of the Holiday Cookie Parade
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Almond Cookies -like the ones in Chinatown!

This recipe was generously shared with me by my brother-in-law's family. Made with lard or shortening, these are the quintessential Chinese Almond Cookies found in Chinatown bakeries and restaurants. Crumbly, almond-forward, delicious
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Chinatown Almond Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 5 cups sifted flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Shortening, either reg or butter-flavored 40T (35 T will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1.5 tsp almond extract Use up to 2 tsp
  • 1/4 tsp potassium carbonate liquid or 1/4 t baking soda

Finishing Touches

  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • almond halves or sesame seeds garnish

Instructions

  • Combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  • Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Add almond extract and k+Co3 and blend well.
  • Gradually add flour and stir until well combined. Form round balls (size of small walnut, I use a 1 tablespoon+ ice cream scoop to portion out the dough. At this point, if the dough seems a little soft, chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
  • Using a flat bottom glass, dip in a little bit of flour and press dough flat on a cookie sheet to about 1/2 inch thickness. Leave about 1.5 inches between cookies. Brush each cookie with egg wash. Place almond or sesame seeds centered on top.
  • Bake 350 degrees 15 minutes or until slightly golden in color.

Notes

The recipe is easily halved.  A large beaten egg is approximately 3.25 tablespoons, use half for the dough and half for the egg wash.  You have some play with the amount of egg in the dough. I have used a whole large egg in a half recipe and it turns out fine, the cookie is just a bit more fragile. I'd use a small egg in a half recipe.
I like the butter-flavored Crisco in the cookie. Gives a bit more flavor without sacrificing the texture of the cookie.