thecookieblogger.com

thanksgiving always makes me think of family and friends, especially since most live 3000 miles from my thanksgiving table…and as i give thanks for each of them, i want to especially thank the very special lady who always inspired my love of cookie-baking…

this amazing cookie mentor is a very dear friend of our family, rosary. for as far back as my memory will take me, i remember the cookie trays arriving at our home every year a week or two before christmas. i remember my mom scouring the tray for her favorite bow ties, and removing them immediately so she could save them all for herself! but even with the bow ties gone, the tray was filled to the brim with every kind of cookie imaginable. it was a delightful view – and they tasted every bit as good as they looked.

when i started baking as a young girl, rosary was kind enough to share her recipes, her secrets, her love of baking and her expertise with me, and for this i am eternally grateful. one of her most delicious cookies each year were these tassies. they are always a part of my holiday repertoire, both for thanksgiving and christmas holidays, as the walnuts are perfect for autumn into winter seasonals, and they are perfect for dessert tables, as they can be served on a platter with a bit of powdered sugar sprinkled atop – an easy-to-serve, yet lovely-to-present dessert treat!

happy thanksgiving everyone!

rosary’s tassies
ingredients:
pie shell
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour

filling
3 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 ozs. walnuts, chopped, but not too small

instructions:
for pie shells
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly grease mini muffin pans.
2. soften cream cheese and butter until smooth.
3. slowly add flour until completely mixed.
4. fill each tart with filling (recipe below)
5. bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes.
6. remove from oven. remove from mini muffin tin and let cool on wire rack
7. sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar atop – enjoy!

for filling:
1. mix eggs, brown sugar and vanilla, then stir in walnuts. fill each tart with this filling, prior to baking!

it has not escaped me that a truffle is, indeed, not a cookie. but again, i am going to take some liberties here, because they are bite-sized, they are chocolate, and man, they are good. and did i mention they are perfect for a celebration?

why are we celebrating today? well, let’s just say that my parents are celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary — way to go, punky and poppy! and since these truffles are true delicacies, i thought they would be a fitting celebratory snack! and most importantly, since it’s the day before thanksgiving, i needed something quick and easy today — and these fit the bill, no matter how rich and delicious they are!

don’t skip the refrigerator step — it is vital to making the chocolate easier to handle. and don’t eat too many of these — they are seriously rich!

dark chocolate truffles
ingredients:
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups bittersweet chocolate (2 bars (8 ozs. ghiradelli bittersweet works really well)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa – or – 3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans

instructions:
1. bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan.
2. add butter and stir until melted.
3. add chocolate to saucepan. stir continuously until completely melted and smooth
4. remove from heat and pour the chocolate mixture into a shallow bowl.
5. cool, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours
6. roll mixture into 1″ ball, and roll each ball in coating.
enjoy!
yield: about 30 truffles.

well, as we are all prepping for the thanksgiving feast, i am getting ready to bake some cookies that work very well for both the thanksgiving and christmas holidays! and again, it uses one of my most favorite autumnal and winter spices – ginger. but these aren’t just any ginger cookies. no sir-ree! this dough is absolutely perfect to be rolled and cut out into any shape you wish — and are especially good to use for your annual gingerbread men and ladies! the dough is easy to work with and very forgiving, even with re-rolling scraps. the one main thing to remember, don’t skip the ‘overnight in the fridge’ step. if you plan to use them as ginger men and ladies, you can keep the dough a little thicker, but in my opinion, the thinner you roll the dough, the tastier and more delicate the cookie. they are totally scrumptious!

ginger shortbread stars
ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup golden brown sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/2 tablespoon orange peel, ground fine
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
1 cup cold butter, cut into 1″ pieces

instructions:
1. mix flour, sugar, corn starch, orange peel, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.
2. whisk molasses, water and egg in small bowl, set aside.
3. cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. pour molasses mixture over flour and beat with mixer until dough forms a ball. knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 12 hours up to 24 hours. (don’t skip this ‘overnight in the fridge’ step.)
5. roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4″ thickness. cut with star-shaped cookie cutter and place on baking sheets.
6. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. bake for 11-13 minutes. cool on wire racks.
yield: approximately 36 cookies.

a bunch of years ago, i was looking for an easy refrigerator cookie that would work like those slice-n-bake cookies. but of course i wanted a home-baked cookie. i think i found this recipe in some now-long-gone newspaper column, and thought it would fit the bill. i was right – it was perfect. they are delicious, they are very easy to make, and they store well (in unbaked log form) in both the refrigerator (for up to two weeks) or freezer (up to one month).

i also have added these to my christmas cookie tray, because they are light enough to be a good after-dinner cookie, while pretty enough to be part of the cookie tray festivities!

pecan icebox cookies
ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

instructions:
1. in a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars.
2. add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and gradually add to the creamed mixture.
4. gently stir in pecans.
5. shape into four 6 1/2″ rolls, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. when ready to bake, unwrap each roll and slice into 1/8″ thick slices.
7. place 1″ apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
8. bake at 375 degrees for 7 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
9. remove from oven. let cookies rest on baking sheets for 1-2 minutes, then remove to wire racks for complete cooling.
yield: about 9 dozen

when is a brownie not quite a brownie? why, when it’s in the form of a cookie, of course!

brownies in their traditional bar shapes are plentiful and welcome by most everyone, but sometimes a brownie posing as a cookie can be a good thing. think of it this way, no one needs to fight over who gets the corners. these cookies are a bit crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and if you really wanted to be decadent, why not drizzle some chocolate glaze over the top of them after they’ve cooled. they are definitely quite fabulous with or without glaze! and perfect with a nice tall glass of milk. yum.

chewy brownie cookies
ingredients:
2/3 cup (2/3 stick) unflavored crisco
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. combine crisco, brown sugar, water and vanilla in large mixing bowl. beat at medium speed until well-blended. beat eggs into creamed mixture.
3. combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended.
4. stir in chocolate chips
5. drop by rounded tablespoonfuls approximately 2″ apart on baking sheet.
6. bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies are set. do not overbake cookies will appear soft and moist.
7. remove from oven. cool 2-3 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to complete cooling.
8. enjoy!

a number of years ago, a co-worker brought these delectable bars into work — and thankfully i was able to snag one before the entire platter was gone in record time. a long-time favorite passed down from her mom to her, she was kind enough to share the recipe with me for these oh-so-moist pumpkin treats. though i’ve included her recipe for frosting, i love these naked — and of course you can always top individual bars with a bit of whipped cream and a very slight sprinkle of cinnamon. can you say ‘delicious?!”

extraordinary pumpkin bars
ingredients:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups baker’s sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. in mixer bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
3. add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda to mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. spread batter in ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan.
5. bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes.
6. remove from oven to wire cooling rack. when completely cool, cut into bars and enjoy!

frosting (optional):
ingredients:
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 3oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

instructions
1. cream together cream cheese and butter.
2. stir in vanilla.
3. add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating well until mixture is smooth.

take note: you can frost the bars while they are uncut and still in the pan – just be sure the pan and bars are completely cool. or you can just serve the bars naked (my favorite!) and just add a dollop of the cream cheese frosting to the top or side of the bar.

does everyone have a childhood memory of these after-school snacks? well, to be honest, not me. i had never ‘baked’ or even eaten one of these until i was married and started baking snacks for crew load-outs. one of the guys asked me if i would include them in the ‘load-out buffet’ and i started making them from that day forward. they are easy with no baking required (only stovetop necessary), and they seem to go over well with school bake sales, stagehand gatherings and visits by 6 year old neighbors!

rice krispie treats
ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 10 oz. package (about 40 large) regular marshmallows (or 4 cups of mini marshmallows)
6 cups rice krispies

directions
1. coat a 13 x 9 x 2 with cooking spray (or butter)
2. melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat.
3. add marshmallows and continuously stir until the marshmallows are completely melted. remove from heat.
4. stir in the rice krispies until all the krispies are well coated.
5. using buttered waxed paper, press the marshmallow krispies mixture into the pan. let cool in pan. once cool, cut into squares and serve.
6. enjoy!
yield: about 24 squares

take note: i find when pressing the mixture into the pan, you can wet your fingertips and press with wet fingertips, and it’s much easier to get it compacted in the pan! also, these treats taste best the day they’re made!

if you’re after a good fix of chocolate, well, cookie lover, this is the recipe for you! a cocoa dough, studded with mini chocolate chips and filled with a rich dark chocolate ganache in the center. some may say that’s too much chocolate in one cookie. okay, you are right! no one would say you could ever have too much chocolate in one cookie!

the best part of these cookies is that in addition to being absolutely delicious, they are beautiful in their presentation, so they work well on dessert buffet tables and cookie trays! make sure you let that ganache dry completely before you stack them! (sometimes a quick field trip to the refrigerator is just what that ganache filling needs to set!)

triple threat chocolate thumbprint cookies
ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup baker’s sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet mini-chocolate chips

directions
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. beat the butter and sugar in your stand mixer until smooth, creamy and a bit lighter in color.
3. add the egg and vanilla and beat until well-blended.
4. with mixer on low speed, add the flour, cocoa and salt just until blended. do not overmix.
5. stir in the mini chocolate chips (the dough will feel stiff)
6. using a zeroll 40 scoop (or generous tablespoon), scoop the dough and roll into a ball. place each cookie ball about 2 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheets. with your thumb, or with the tip of a large-handled wooden spoon, make an indent into the center of each cookie.
7. bake each sheet, one batch at a time, for 12-15 minutes. the cookies will be firm, but be careful not to overbake. remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes.
8. remove from baking sheet and let cool on wire cooling rack.

For the ganache filling:
ingredients:
8 ounces (8 squares) bittersweet chocolate
1 cup whipping cream

instructions:
1. over low heat, melt the chocolate in a heavy duty pan, stirring continually.
2. when the chocolate is just about melted, remove from the heat, and set aside to let cool a bit.
3. stir occasionally as the chocolate is cooling. when it is cool but still liquid consistency, add whipping cream and mix thoroughly. at first it will appear that the cream is resistant to mix with the chocolate, but with a good wooden spoon and a little elbow grease, it will blend well.
4. once blended, let it sit a few minutes to thicken up a bit, then spoon the ganache filling into each cookie. you can use a pastry bag, or simply spoon it in to the indentation.
5. let cookies sit on tray or rack until ganache has hardened. you can speed up this process by placing them in the refrigerator for a short time.
enjoy!
yield: approximately 45 – 50 cookies

well, dear cookie lovers, these oatmeal cookies are utter perfection. if you are a thin and crispy oatmeal cookie lover, these are for you! and if you are like me and prefer your cookies soft and chewy, well, these are still for you! i have never had a more delicious crunchy cookie overtake my desire for soft and chewy until now. why not try a batch to include with this year’s thanksgiving desserts — they really are quite something! and they travel well too, if they are well-wrapped! send off some to your favorite oatmeal cookie lover!

this cookie was featured in the january – february, 2008 issue of cook’s illustrated, which beyond a doubt is one of the best food-related magazines on the market today. that they do all the research for us is just one of their outstanding attributes — their true appeal is that they provide excellent recipes for food real people eat! if you haven’t read an issue recently, perhaps you should ask santa to bring you a subscription!

cook’s illustrated thin and crispy oatmeal cookies
ingredients:
1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons 1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, about 65 degrees
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar (I use baker’s sugar)
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (must be old-fashioned, not quick-cooking)

instructions:
1. adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. line 3 large (18- by 12- inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. in standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. scrape down bowl again. with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds. with mixer still running on low, gradually add oats and mix until well-incorporated, 20 seconds. give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons (or use a #30 cookie scoop), then roll between palms into balls. place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet. ssing fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness.
4. bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, edges are crisp, and centers yield to slight pressure when pressed, 13 – 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on sheet.
yield: 24 cookies.

well, when i looked out my kitchen window this morning, i could see that mountain in the distance, and noticed a new addition to that spectacular vista. is it latte foam steaming off the top of that mountain? um, no. but, in fact, that very peak is topped with a fresh coating of snow! with its proud white cap, the mountain is reminding me that winter can’t be too far along, and i’d best hunt down my car window scraper and my favorite l.l.bean gloves, because the chill is on its way!

…and there’s no better cookie to remind me of snow and winter — and the fact that there’s only about one month before the crazed holiday baking trays will be topped off with these snowy white peaks of delicate goodness. so, to get you in the mood, and to get you thinking about all that holiday baking coming your way, here’s an old family favorite — one that has graced our holiday table since i was born! my family knows them as almond snowballs, but you may remember them as mexican wedding cookies or russian teacakes. whatever the name, they truly are scrumptious!

almond snowballs
ingredients:
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsps. almond extract
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar for rolling

instructions
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. cream butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. add sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract.
4. sift in flour and salt.
5. shape into balls the size of walnuts.
6. place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
7. remove from cookie sheet and immediately roll in confectioner’s sugar. cool, then roll in confectioner’s sugar again.
8. enjoy!