Category: Shaped Cookies
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.
NCOTB #3 Almond Crescents Old School New

NCOTB #3 Almond Crescents Old School New

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A couple of months ago I reviewed Rose Levy Beranbaum’s new book, The Cookie Bible for Net Gallery.  Long a fan of hers I was excited to take a peek at her latest work, it did not disappoint.  My favorite book is Rose’s Christmas Cookie Book, the bible of Christmas Cookies.  Her attention to detail and explanation of ingredients and techniques guarantee success for even the most novice baker.

The Cookie Leap

Rose’s Christmas Cookies expanded my cookie-verse.  I went from baking chocolate chip cookies (a damn good one though) to making spritz, cut-outs, and crescent cookies-fancy-schmancy festive cookies.  Every Christmas, Rose’s Christmas Cookies is front and center on my kitchen counter.

One of my favorites from this book is Rose’s Crescents.  The fact that there are so many variants is indicative of their deliciousness and universal appeal.  Austrian Viennese Crescents, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Greek Kourabiedes, and Snowballs-all start with ground nuts, flour, sugar, and butter mixed together and baked into a buttery, blissful bite. Rose tweaked hers, instead of rolling the cookies in powdered sugar, they are rolled in a mixture of superfine sugar and cinnamon.  Sublime.

Here’s the Good Part

She includes directions on how to make certain recipes in a food processor.  Not all cookies can be made in a processor but the ones you can, simplify the process and shorten the time.  No more waiting for the butter to come to room temp.  It is essentially a one-bowl recipe, how great is that?

The Food Process

Place almonds and sugar in a food processor bowl and process until almonds are very finely ground.  Cut butter into pieces and with the motor running, add butter and process until smooth and creamy.  Scrape down the sides and add flour and salt and pulse to incorporate the flour.  Remove the dough from the processor and gather it into a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.

I use a #50 or #60 ice cream scoop (1 tablespoon plus of dough). Roll dough into a cylinder about 2.5-3 inches long.  The dough softens quickly so work fast, use your fingers to roll as your palm has more heat.  As you roll the dough into cylinders, put a bit more pressure on the ends to taper them.  Pinch the ends to fine-tune the shape into points.

I have also made these smaller using a #70 scoop when I want dainty little tea cookies.

I love these cookies.  Don’t wait until the holidays to make them!

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Rose's Crescents

Buttery, tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, Almond Crescents from Rose's Christmas Cookies.
Course cookies, desserts, holiday dish
Cuisine American
Keyword almond, cinnamon sugar, holiday cookies, Rose's Crescents
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

The Creamed Mixture

  • 1 c. Unsalted Butter 8 ounces or 227 grams
  • ⅓ c. Sugar 2.25 ounces or 66 grams
  • ⅔ c. Sliced Blanched Almonds 2 ounces or 56 grams

The Dry Ingredients

  • 1⅔ c. All Purpose Flour (prefer Gold Medal or Pillsbury AP flour) 8.25 ounces or 235 grams See notes regarding flour
  • ¼ tsp. Salt

Topping:

  • ½ c. Sugar 100 grams
  • ½ tsp. Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 325º.
  • Place almonds and sugar in food processor or blender and process until nuts are finely ground; set aside. See notes in post for making in food processor.
  • Cream butter in large mixing bowl. Add almond mixture; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in flour and salt until well blended.
  • Shape dough into a large flat disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
  • For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
  • Work with one-fourth of the dough at a time; refrigerate remaining dough. Shape dough into ¾ inch balls; roll each into a 3-inch log. Place on unbuttered cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Shape into crescents.
  • Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. While still warm, remove cookies from cookie sheets. Dip into cinnamon sugar turning gently to coat. Finish cooling on wire racks.

Notes

So, why did I specify Gold Medal Flour.  Rose's Christmas Cookies was first published in 1990.  At the time, King Arthur Flour and other Small Company Mills were not widely known.  The standard, easy to get flour was Gold Medal or Pillsbury Flour, bleached all-purpose flour.  The protein content of which is slightly lower than King Arthur or Central Milling.  This can impact your cookies in terms of tenderness and spread.
For cookie recipes I have that date back quite a few years, I use Gold Medal Flour.  If you have Rose's newest book, she will specify the flour to use.  Recipes these days, I check to see what the author has specified first.  More than likely I'll use King Arthur (that's what I normally have in my kitchen) but during the holidays I always have a stash of Gold Medal too!
The Cookie Bible from Rose Levy Beranbaum!

The Cookie Bible from Rose Levy Beranbaum!

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I have been a big fan of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s books for a very long time. I went to my bookshelf to see just how many of her books I have, I counted six. Of these six, my absolute favorite is Rose’s Christmas Cookies. I can’t recall a Holiday Cookie Tin that has not featured at least one of her cookies.  I was eager to take a sneak peek at her newest book coming out, The Cookie Bible.

See below for the recipe for Lemon Madeleines.

 The Layout

  • Intro – brief description and a memory or an anecdotal story for the cookie.
    Temperature, baking time, and equipment – organized into a table.
    Ingredients – listed in volume and weight measurements also organized in a table, easy to see and follow.
    Directions
  • Mise en place-steps that need to be done before making the dough ie. taking out butter to soften or bringing eggs to room temp.
  • Making the dough-If a particular cookie can be made in either a food processor or stand mixer, both methods are listed. I love this.  Followed by:
  • Forming cookies
  • Baking cookies
  • Cooling cookies

All her cookbooks are organized this way, meticulous and thorough. It’s like getting a Master Baking class in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Each recipe finishes with Baking Gems, MORE valuable tips, and tweaks!

The Recipes

I flipped through the book to earmark recipes I wanted to try. This is where I felt like the book came up a bit short. The selection of cookies seemed just a bit dated. Today’s cookies include new flavors and spices and eye-catching colors created by using freeze-dried fruits.

Few recipes in this book jumped out at me and shouted MAKE ME!  Quite a few recipes in the book are also in Rose’s Christmas Cookies. Recipes I already make and love like Cloud Cookies, Meltaways, Lion Paws, and Spritz Cookies.  If I didn’t have Rose’s Christmas Cookies I might have been putting Post-Its on those very pages.  Recipes have been scaled back in the new book to yield smaller batches of cookies, a good thing, as it limits how many cookies I can eat.

 

Read through the recipe before making it.  I found this book even more detailed than her older books.  Explicit directions like when to take the butter and eggs out before making the dough or what type of flour to use for each recipe.

If only I had taken my own advice and read the recipe first

I plowed through the first recipe, Dream Chocolate Chip Cookies, only to be stumped when I found I hadn’t added the egg. Turns out that twenty minutes before making the dough, I was supposed to crack the egg into the mixer bowl, add the vanilla, and cover it so it can come to room temp first. The egg should have been in the mixer when I creamed the butter and sugar.

Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines were next up.  Once again, detailed instructions produced a tender sweet-tart Madeleine.  Next time, I would reduce the poppyseeds, a bit too much crunch.  I actually liked them more the next day as the syrup had time to absorb so the cookies weren’t sticky to touch and the tartness had mellowed.

The Verdict

With all that being said. Here is my take. If you do not own a Rose Levy Berenbaum Cookbook, this would absolutely be a lovely addition to your kitchen.  This book will make you a better baker.  Filled with invaluable tips and technique information, it takes that extra step of explaining why specific ingredients and techniques work in a recipe.  Although there isn’t a photo for every cookie in the book, the photos included are gorgeous.

Happy baking!

I reviewed The Cookie Bible via NetGalley

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Lemon Madeleines

From Rose Levy Beranbaum's upcoming book, The Cookie Bible
Course cookies
Cuisine American, French
Keyword easy recipe, leomn poppy seed madeleines, madeleine, rose levy beranbaum
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 24 servings

Ingredients

Oven Temp 350f/175c. Baking Time: 14-15 min for large madeleines Special Equipment: Madeleine molds-lightly coat with baking spray with flour. Disposable pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-1/2 inch pastry tube. 2 baking sheets lined with plastic wrap and lightly coated with nonstick spray.

    Batter

    • 8.5 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons, unsalted butter 120 grams
    • 2 large eggs 100 grams 1/3 cup plus 1 T, (94ml)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla 5ml
    • 2 tablespoons milk 30 grams (30ml)
    • 1 cup bleached cake flour, sifted into the cup and leveled off 100 grams
    • 1/2 cup sugar, preferably superfine 100 grams
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
    • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 3/4 cup sugar 5.25 ounces = 150 grams
    • 2 teaspoons loosely packed grated lemon zest 4 grams (from about 2 lemons)
    • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, optional 19 grams I would use a little less

    Lemon Syrup

    • 1/4 cup sugar 50 grams
    • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained 47 grams

    Instructions

    Preheat Oven

    • 20 minutes or longer before baking, set oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Set oven to 350°F.

    Mise En Place

    • 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead, cut butter into tablespoon-size pieces. Set on the counter to soften.
    • 30 minutes ahead, into a 1 cup/237 ml glass measure with a spout, weigh or measure the eggs. Whisk in vanilla. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set on counter.
    • Wash lemons with dishwashing liquid, rinse, and dry before zesting. Finey grate lemon zest. Freeze any extra for future use.

    Make the Batter

    • Add the milk to the egg mixture and whisk it in.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and optional poppy seeds on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and half the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides.
    • With the mixer off between additions, add the remaining egg mixture in two parts. Beat after each addition, starting on medium-low speed and gradually raising the speed to medium, then beating on med speed for 30 seconds, to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down sides of bowl.

    Pipe the Batter into the Molds

    • Fill the prepared pastry bag about 3/4 full with batter. Pipe the batter into the molds. filling them about 3/4 full (4gms for each mini-mold, 16 gms for large cavity). No need to smooth the batter. Refill the bag as needed.
    • Ok, I didn't pipe I just used two spoons and scooped the batter into the molds.

    Bake the Madeleines

    • Bake the mini-madeleines for 10-12 minutes, large ones for 14-15 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centers comes out completely clean and the madeleines spring back when pressed lightly in the centers. While they are baking, make the lemon syrup.

    Make Lemon Syrup (1/3 cup/95gms/79ml)

    • In 1 cup/237ml glass measure with a spout, stir together the sugar and lemon juice. Heat in the microwave just until the sugar is dissolved. (Or use a small sauce pan over medium heat.)

    Brush the Medeleines with Syrup, Unmold, and Cool

    • As soon as the madeleines come out of the oven, place the pans on a rack, poke the madeleines all over with a wire tester, and brush it with 1/3 of the syrup.
    • Metal molds, use a toothpick or pin to carefully dislodge them from molds and then invert them onto the prepared cookie sheets (this prevents sticking)
    • Brush madeleines with remaining syrup and allow to cool completely. Let sit for 2 hours for syrup to distribute.
    • STORE: Airtight one layer; room temp, 3 days; refrigerated, 5 days; frozen, 3 months.

    Baking Gems

    • Use superfine sugar for the best texture
    • After coating with baking spray with flour, brush molds with pastry brush to remove excess spray to prevent air bubbles from forming in the fluted tops of the madeleines.
    • If you do not have enough molds to bake all at once, chill batter in fridge until ready to use.
    • When done, madeleines will spring back when pressed lightly in the center even before they are done.
    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.
    Almond Cookies-TOC (Tournament of Cookies) Day 1

    Almond Cookies-TOC (Tournament of Cookies) Day 1

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    Here we go, Twelve Days of Cookies to kick off the holiday season!.  From one of my favorite cookbooks this year, Kristina Cho’s Mooncakes and Milk Bread, her Grandfather’s Almond Cookies.  If you are looking for a great holiday gift, her book is amazing.  Literally, recipes of your favorite Chinese Bakery goods, Pineapple Buns, Cocktail Buns, Cha Siu Baos, Egg Tarts.  I was over the “moon” when her book came out.

    Hoping for a return to a bit of normalcy (thankful for vaccines), I headed to my favorite bookstore, Omnivore Books in the City, for an in-person meet and greet with Kristina. She came with a batch of Almond Cookies to share.  My first bite, buttery, crispy edges, almond-ny, absolutely delicious, I made a mental note to put this cookie on my bucket list.

    These cookies can be made entirely by hand.  Classic cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Don’t overmix.  Add egg and almond extract and then dry ingredients. Chill the dough as these cookies tend to really spread.  Paint them liberally with the egg wash.   I bake them on parchment.

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    Gung Gung’s Almond Cookies

    From Kristina Cho’s Mooncakes and MIlk Bread, delightful, crisp, buttery almond cookies.
    Course cookies
    Cuisine Asian-American
    Keyword Almond Cookies, Kristina Cho
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 125 g 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 113 g 1/2 cup; 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
    • 130 g 2/3 cup sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 15 sliced almonds
    • Flaky salt for topping

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    • In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar with a spatula or wooden spoon until smooth. Add the egg and almond extract and continue to mix until fully incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a thick dough is formed (it will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until slightly firm but scoopable, about 1 hour.
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Using a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop, measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and place on the prepared sheet. (Or use a spoon to
    • scoop and roll the dough into a smooth ball, wetting your hands if the dough is still sticky.)
    • Repeat with remaining dough, spacing them 3 inches apart. Wet your fingers with water to prevent dough from sticking and gently press down on the dough balls with your fingers until they are 1/2 inch thick.
    • In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and use to lightly brush the tops of the cookies. Place an almond slice on each cookie.
    • Bake until cookies are golden brown and crisp around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack, sprinkle with flaky salt, and allow cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to the rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    Directions to make cookies with a mixer.  The key is to not overbeat!  
    As easy as these are to make by hand, some of us just love our mixers.  Combine butter and sugar in mixer bowl.  On medium speed, beat mixture until smooth and creamy.  It should not reach the light and fluffy stage! Add egg and almond extract and beat on medium until combined.  Add dry ingredients, combine on stir or lowest speed until the flour mixture is incorporated and you don’t see any dry spots.  You can always stir in the flour by hand.  
    The cookies spread quite a bit so don’t crowd them on a baking sheet.  Use an ice cream scoope to portion out your dough.
     

     

    So, let the TOC begin!
    Pineapple Pockets to the Rescue-Pining for a Cookie

    Pineapple Pockets to the Rescue-Pining for a Cookie

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    There are a couple of baking books that are my go-tos for cookies, especially during the holidays, like Rose Levy Berenbaum’s Christmas Cookies, Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies and Flo Bracker’s Sweet Miniatures.  I find myself reaching for Sweet Miniatures when I want an elegant, fancy cookie. Yes it will probably require a bit more effort than drop cookies, but it’s Christmas, when else are you going to pull out all the stops?

    Pineapple Cakes from Taiwan inspired me to make the Pineapple Pockets from Sweet Miniatures.  Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes are little bite-sized squares of pineapple jam cloaked in a sweet, buttery pastry crust.  I’m obsessed with these little cake-like cookies.  My introduction to these treats came years ago when a friend returning from a trip to Taipei brought back Te Chia Pineapple Cakes. It was love at first bite.  The sweetness from the pineapple offset by the buttery shortbread crust…needless to say, I was smitten.  I casually mention pineapple cakes to every friend that goes back to Taiwan while giving them my best wistful look.

    While these Pineapple Pockets are more complicated than your average drop cookie, the resemblance to Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes put these on my must-bake holiday cookie list. The process begins with  making a caramelized pineapple jam then a pastry dough. The dough is rolled and cut into circles, dotted with the jam, and then shaped into cones.  Labor-intensive, but in the end, you are rewarded with a meltingly tender cookie highlighted by the dollop of golden, caramelized pineapple preserves. They are absolutely delicious and well worth the effort.  But most importantly, they are delicious enough to satisfy my Pineapple Cake craving. Now I don’t have to wait for friends to take pity on me and bring them back from Taiwan!

    The jam is made first and set aside to cool. I added 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the jam and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.   Make the dough, chill it, then roll it into a circle. The dough should be about 1/8-3/16 inch thickness. Use a 2 inch round cutter for the circles.  Your best friend is your refrigerator.  If the dough gets soft or sticky during the process, put it back in the fridge to chill. This will make it easier to handle.

    Position the jam off-center.  Using a butter knife or thin blade spatula, flip the edge closest to you over the jam.  Angle your spatula on the opposite side and flip towards you, overlapping with the first.

    Ta-da, ready to bake!  Sprinkle powdered sugar on the finished cookies for a festive look.  In a pinch, you could use jarred preserves, make sure whatever you use is not too runny or thin.

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    Pineapple Pockets

    Flo Bracker's delicious Pineapple Pockets. Caramelized Pineapple Jam encased in a buttery, tender pastry and shaped into a cone.
    Course cookies
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cookies, flo bracker, holiday cookies, Pineapple cakes, Pineapple Pockets
    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 14 minutes

    Ingredients

    Dough

    • 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temp 1-1/2 sticks
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50gms
    • 1/2 cup unsifted powdered sugar 50gms
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1-2/3 cup unsifted all-purpose flour 235gms

    Pineapple Filling

    • 2 tbsp water
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 65gms
    • 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in natural juice
    • 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

    Instructions

    • In bowl of mixer, cream butter at medium low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in sugars at medium speed until creamy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, then vanilla, beating until well combined and slightly fluffy. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Lower mixer speed, and gradually add flour and mix just until it is combined.
    • Gather dough into a disc and chill 15-30 minutes. Divide dough in half and on parchment or wax paper, roll each piece into a circle. approximately 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet, cover top with parchment and refrigerate until firm about 2 hours.

    Pineapple filling

    • In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar over low heat. Swirl occasionally and wash down any sugar crystals that form on the side with a brush dipped in cold water to dissolve them. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring until sugar thickens and turns amber in color about 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and add crushed pineapple and juice all at once. Careful as mixture will bubble up. Stir to combine and return the pan to stove and cook over med-high heat until mixture is golden and syrupy. Remove from stove and stir in butter. Place in bowl and set it aside to cool.

    Putting It All Together

    • Preheat oven to 325
    • Remove one piece of dough, peel off parchment. Put parchment back on dough and flip dough over and peel off bottom parchment.
    • Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter cut out circles and place on lined baking sheets. Place 1/2 teaspoon of cooled jam off-centered on circle. Fold over one edge of dough over jam, then overlap the opposite edge at an angle to form a cone. See pics.
    • Bake one sheet at a time, for 12-14 minutes until edges ar light golden.
    • Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Lift cookies off and place directly on cooling rack.
    • Sprinkle with powdered sugar. optional)
    • Store at room temp for up to 10 days.

    The 2020 Holiday Cookie Tin
    Jest Jammin’ (Christmas Cookies)

    Jest Jammin’ (Christmas Cookies)

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    I remarked to hubby the other day, “I ‘ve been pretty bad about baking holiday treats the last few years, huh”.  It was a rhetorical question as I pulled out more than a few jars of expired jams.  I love filled cookies-Thumbprints, Linzer bars, Raspberry Oaties so I have a penchant for stocking up on “stuff” like preserves, sprinkles, holiday cupcake liners…in preparation for the holiday season.

    Somehow I curtailed my cookie baking tradition a “few” years ago.  Homemade granola and Candied Spiced Pecans were so much easier.  I finally resurrected the cookie baking last year.  I eased my way back with an assortment of slice and bake cookies (check out my index for slice and bakes!) but this year, as I guiltily tossed several jars of raspberry preserves, I exclaimed…

    JAM IT, I’m baking filled cookies this year!

    So without further ado, here is the line-up for this year’s holiday cookie jam-stravaganza.

    Cranberry Cherry Ribbon Cookies– Sweet-tart cranberry cherry jam sandwiched between buttery shortbread.  I hope Nancy Baggett doesn’t mind, I construct these cookies differently than in her All American Cookie Book- this one is for you, Joe B. (Recipe link soon!)

    Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprints– Good, but I’d make my Thumbprints instead if you like walnuts, or Emeril’s Thumbprints that have a hint of citrus. Yummers.

    Dorie’s Jammers – filled with recently bought jams (strawberry, peach and cherry) from Sunblest Orchards. Dorie, my baking hero.

    Pineapple Pockets – Flo Bracker’s Sweet Miniatures.  Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie with a little scoop of caramelized pineapple jam.  Mele Kalikimaka!

    Not jam-filled but a holiday imperative I make these

    Eric Kim’s Grocery Store Cookie– These cookies make me happy!  I don’t even like the supermarket ones, but these?  Make them now, you’ll thank me.   A soft, tender cake-like vanilla cookie with hot pink raspberry frosting-SO DELICIOUS. Here is his video on making these little smiles. Recipe with my notes posted thru link.  Shhh, don’t tell NYT cooking.  I subscribe-it’s all good.

    Traditional Scottish Shortbread-because it’s my favorite and if I’m making cookies, I’m making these.  Looks are deceiving, they are scrumptious.

    Pecan Tartlets-not a jam but it is a filled cookie and oh so good. Hubby would disavow me if I didn’t make them.

    Yes, this is my holiday cookie run-down.  Any of these would make an awesome sweet treat to ring in the New Year, kick 2020 to the curb and usher in 2021.  But don’t just bake them during the holidays, make them for Ground Hog Day, Valentine’s Day, MY birthday, YOUR birthday, because it’s Tuesday. Anytime you want to make someone smile.  Jamie made Sally’s Baking Addiction Best Sugar Cookies for the delicious beauties below!

    Or For A Great Cause!

    Happy Holidays
    Sprinkles Instead of Sparklers (Vanilla Sprinkle Cookies)

    Sprinkles Instead of Sparklers (Vanilla Sprinkle Cookies)

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    Happy July Fourth

    Despite the current turmoil we pause to celebrate us, the United States of America.  A time to reflect on what this holiday means to each of us.  For me, this country offered a way out of chaos, opportunity and hope for my father and I am the direct recipient of his escape and struggles.  I am forever grateful and cognizant of that fact and if not for this country my family’s trajectory would have been far different.

    And yet it is painfully obvious we have much work to do in order to create a more perfect union where all men and women are created equal.  How do we ensure that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is along the same road for each and everyone of us.

    Proud to be an American

    Since Election Day November 2016 I have felt a sense of obligation to my family, my kids and my country.  I marched, attended rallies, canvassed, I needed to be more invested in our political process to effect change.  When you are comfortable living your life it is easy to become complacent about what is happening around you.  You wake up one morning and realize the crap has hit the fan while you were living your life.  If you dislike politics or no matter what side of the political divide you fall on-human decency, kindness, and compassion knows no party and we can all work towards a kinder, more inclusive nation.  Above all I would like the definition of being American to include compassion, empathy, decency, equality.

    I Still Want to Celebrate

    COVID-19 and the state of our nation means a much more subdued celebration of July 4th in our house.  We are grilling hot dogs and making a delicious white bean stew  (my twist on Frank and Beans) to mark the holiday.  Dessert will be colorful Vanilla Sprinkle Cookies, also known as Sugar Saucers.  I found the recipe on Serious Eats, a favorite go-to site for me.  Reminiscent of the cookies found in Italian-American bakeries, they are light, with a cakey center and crisp edges laced with vanilla flavor.  The sprinkles provide a nice crunch to the cookies.  I think of the sprinkles as edible sparklers and fireworks-yummy, safe ones.  I should have used red, white and blue sprinkles, but could not find any, maybe next year.

    Before flour is added

    The dough includes oil and butter creamed with a combination of sugar and powdered sugar.  The recipe states to beat until light and fluffy but it is pretty soft almost liquid in consistency, don’t worry too much about fluffy.  The dough will still be soft after adding the flour mixture. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

    After flour is added

    I used my handy dandy ice cream scoop to portion out the dough which I then shaped into balls.  Use a 2 tablespoon scoop for smaller cookies and drop the balls into the sprinkles.  The baking time was about 12 minutes for smaller cookies.

    The hot dogs are ready as is the white bean stew.  As we enjoy our 4th of July dinner we’ll be watching Hamilton.  A good way to celebrate our country and reflect on what it means to be an American.

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    Vanilla Sprinkle Cookies

    A vanilla flavored sugar cookie with crisp edges and a tender cake-like center. The perfect celebration cookie made festive with colorful sprinkles.
    Course cookies
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Vanilla Sprinkle Cookies
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups (10 ounces) all purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
    • 1/4 cup canola oil
    • 1 egg
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    • About 1 cup rainbow sprinkles can use pearl sugar, sparkling crystals, orchocolate sprinkles

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, oil, sugar, and confectioners sugar until light, about 3 minutes. The batter will be on the soft, wet side.
    • Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients and mix just until dough comes together. Dough will be very soft but wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Fill a shallow bowl with sprinkles of choice. Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop (or a rounded tablespoon) to form cookies into balls. Roll each ball in sprinkles to cover and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Bake until cookies are golden at the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Notes

    These cookies can be made larger, up to 4 ounces.  Adjust baking time accordingly, estimated 20 minutes to bake for larger cookies.
     
    Beta Testers (Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread, Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread, Pistachio Shortbread Cookies)

    Beta Testers (Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread, Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread, Pistachio Shortbread Cookies)

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    With the reprint of Claudia Fleming’s “The Last Course”, I reached into the archives for a post on a trio of shortbread I “tested” on friends and family.  A delectable triple play of cookies that would be lovely in a holiday cookie tin or a festive platter for the annual swap.  Fleming’s Lemon Poppy Seed cookies are buttery, tender, lemony with a crunch from the poppy seeds while Back in the Day’s  Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread are rich, chocolatey, and spicy.  Bake em’ TODAY.  I love pistachios for their color and flavor, both shine in Macrina Bakery’s Pistachio Shortbread.

    Without further ado, a trio of tasty cookie bites from “back in the day” that you should bake today!

    Human nature always prevails and I am no exception.  Every New Year’s Day I make a couple of resolutions…lose weight, get more sleep, test more cookie recipes for next year’s holiday box, one out of three ain’t bad!  If I were a major leaguer with a 333 batting average I’d be batting clean up.

    DSC01290

    So from my collection of cookbooks, I pulled out Back in the Day Bakery Book and made the Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread,  Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course (re-issued!) and Pistachio Shortbread from More From Macrina Bakery.  I don’t like to rely on my taste buds only, so my trusty crew friends, nieces, & family were my “beta testers”.  Consensus was there was no consensus!  Although I might have to give the edge to the Mexican Hot Chocolate shortbread, me and Joe Biden..here to cast the final vote.

    A successful beta test since these three recipes would all make the cut for the holiday cookie basket.

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    Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread

    These cookies taste like a mug of rich hot chocolate. The deep mocha-flavor is followed by a kick of cayenne pepper. Don't let the heat put you off; it only enhances the flavor.
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Author Back In the Day Bakery

    Ingredients

    Dry Ingredients #1

    • 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup almond flour

    Creamed Mixture

    • 1/2 pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

    Dry Ingredients #2

    • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder or finely ground coffee
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    The Finishers

    • 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for dusting

    Instructions

    • Line two cookie sheets with parchment.
    • Whisk the flours together in a medium bowl and set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream the butter, vanilla, and almond extract until the mixture is pale in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the speed down to low, add the brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, espresso, salt, and cayenne pepper, and continue to mix until the mixture is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in thirds until just combined. With the mixer running, sprinkle in the chocolate chips, mixing until just combined.
    • Transfer the dough to another bowl and finish mixing by hand to make sure no bits of flour or butter are hiding on the bottom of the bowl and the dough is thoroughly mixed.
    • Use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies, about 1 rounded tablespoon each, and place on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 1 inch between the cookies to allow for spreading.
    • Flatten each cookie with a cookie stamp dusted with granulated sugar, or gently flatten each cookie with the palm of your hand and then dust the tops with sugar. They will have little cracks in the top. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 1 hour, or up to 5 hours. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time for even doneness (see Tip). Cool the cookies completely on wire racks. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
    • Tip: It is really difficult to tell when dark chocolate cookies are done. Pull them out when they are firm to the touch on the edges and the sweet smell of chocolate has begun to fill your kitchen.
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    Lemon-Poppy Seed Shortbread (Claudia Fleming, The Last Course)

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth, about two minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and beat well.
    • In a bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Form the dough into a disk and, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
    • Preheat oven to 300° F. Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. return dough to refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes. Cut the shortbread into shapes with a two-inch cookie cutter, or use a knife, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Do not reroll scraps, if using cookie cutter. Prick shortbread with a fork and bake until pale golden all over, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
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    PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for the work surface
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 cup shelled raw or roasted pistachios
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 stick 4 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar sanding sugar, or raw sugar, for garnish

    Instructions

    • Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, salt, pistachios, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pistachios are finely ground. Scatter the butter pieces in the food processor and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour. Stop pulsing when the ingredients just come together and cling to one another. (Watch carefully, as food processors work very fast and can easily overmix the dough. At first the mixture will have a coarse, crumbly texture, but then if you’re not careful it will quickly turn into a paste.)
    • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter and 10 inches long. (If the dough is too sticky, toss it in the fridge for 10 or so minutes to make it easier to work with. Dampening your hands ever so slightly with cold water also helps.) Place the log on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Tightly roll the wrap around the log and twist the ends to seal them securely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. (This dough also freezes well for up to 3 weeks if wrapped tightly in plastic.)
    • Position 2 racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 325ºF (163ºC). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Cut the chilled cookie dough into 1⁄2-inch-thick coins and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly brush the top of each shortbread cookie with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on both top and bottom. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the pistachio shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.