thecookieblogger.com

red velvet cake doesn’t seem to be as popular a cake nowadays as when i was young. i remember having non-italian friends who always requested it for their birthday cakes (seriously, us italian kids loved rum-soaked sponge layer cakes with whipped buttercream and sprinkles or toasted almonds around the outside!)

a few years ago, i spotted this spritz cookie recipe and couldn’t resist. the color was perfect, and though this photo looks darker and more like chocolate cookies, they really are a deep red with hints of cocoa in the color. their texture is traditional spritz and their flavor is gentle – not too sugary, just enough buttery flavor to make them rich, yet light.

the nonpareils on top add a little crunch along with a festive look. and though it’s a bit late tonight, in the morning i may dip the bottom of these cookies in a melted rich dark chocolate glaze. i’ll let you know if i do (and i’ll upload a photo, because we all know it didn’t happen unless there’s a photo to go along with it, right?) (**editor’s note: i did dip and the cookies are even more perfect now! see the photo on the right for dipped versions!)

give these a try and let me know what you think. frankly, they’re easy to bake and i think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

red velvet spritzies

  

ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature (use the full-fat cream cheese)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, separated yolk from whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red paste food coloring
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
1 tablespoon water
white nonpareils

instructions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. do not grease or add parchment paper to your baking sheets. spritz cookies bake better on plain baking sheets.
2. cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. add egg yolk, vanilla, and food coloring to the buttery mixture. beat until completely combined.
4. add flour and cocoa, adding slowly into the butter mixture at low to medium speed on your mixer.
5. using a cookie press fitted with a flower disk (or whichever disk you wish!), press dough approximately 1″ apart onto the baking sheets. (these cookies don’t spread, so they can be fairly close together)
6. in a small bowl, combine the egg white and the water, and using a pastry brush, lightly brush over each cookies. be careful not to place too much egg white mixture on the cookies, and don’t let it drip down onto your baking sheet, as that may cause the cookies to stick to the sheet.
7. sprinkle the nonpareils lightly atop each cookie.
8. bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are just set, but not brown.
9. remove from oven. cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove cookies from pan and cool completely on wire racks.
10. enjoy!

are you looking for a traditional sugar cookie that’s easy to make with the kids? these cookies are easy to bake, and the perfect palette for your decorating magic!

yesterday, i visited a nearby sur la table store, which thankfully for my pocketbook, isn’t too nearby! i love everything this store sells, but i am especially drawn to their regularly-scheduled cooking and baking classes. if you have one of these stores nearby, i urge you to take a look at their class schedule and sign up for one. you will not be disappointed.

well, yesterday’s workshop was all about decorating holiday cookies. chef marianna was a whiz at giving us all the ins-and-outs of royal icing, which, up til yesterday, truly evaded me. my baking skills are pretty darn good, but my decorating skills? they leave a bit to be desired. but after three speedy hours in the kitchen with chef marianna and my fellow bakers, i am feeling optimistic about this year’s decorated sugar cookies!

for today, let’s bake up some sugar cookies. and then break out the royal icing (or the store-bought stuff) – this is all about having some fun!

and special thanks to chef marianna and sur la table for this great recipe – and for an awesome class!

classic sugar cookies

ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for rolling

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

instructions:

1. in the bowl of your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
2. add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add vanilla bean paste and mix for 30 seconds.
4. turn machine off and add the flour, baking powder and salt. on very low speed, beat the dough, continuing to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. divide dough into two circles and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerating until chilled and firm, at least one hour.
6. when you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. the dough should be approximately 1/4″ thick. cut out shapes with your cookie cutters. carefully transfer the cookies onto your baking sheets, leaving about 1″ between each cookie (i will sometimes use an offset spatula to help me move the cookies from cutting surface to baking sheet.)
8. bake approximately 8-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway through. remove the baking sheets from the oven when the cookies are pale, but set. transfer cookies to a wire rack for cooling.
9. cool completely before decorating. (cookies can be stored in airtight containers for up to one week.)
10. enjoy!

<yield: approximately 36 cookies>

oh, i’ve been thinking of making these cookies for awhile. the dough is light and tender, the filling rich and delicious. making rugelach sometimes seems daunting, but don’t let the few extra steps deter you from making these. the cutting and shaping really isn’t more complex than cutting a pizza pie, and doing a quick roll-up of the filled dough really is quick and painless. they are worth the tiny bit of extra effort!

hoping to be a bit more helpful than usual, i’ve added some additional photos today to show you the steps. you’ll see i used a metal ruler – that’s my kitchen ruler! it cleans up well and doesn’t get damaged when i run a knife along its’ edge when cutting the rugelach dough.

walnut and brown sugar rugelach

ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

8 oz. (1 large package) cream cheese, softened to room temperature (be sure to use full-fat and not reduced-fat cream cheese)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 – 1 cup of all-purpose flour (for rolling out dough)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon water

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

instructions:

1. in a food processor, blend the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and salt until very well combined.

2. add 2 cups flour and pulse just until ingredients come together and dough forms.

3. divide dough in half. flatten into disks and wrap each disc in plastic wrap.

4. refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days in fridge; 2 months in freezer)

5. preheat oven to 350 degrees. prep baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. in a small bowl, combine the egg and water to create a simple egg wash.

7. on a lightly floured board (or lightly floured parchment paper), roll out one disc of dough into an 11 inch circle. it’s easy to do if you just use a dinner plate as your template. once the dough is rolled out, place the dinner plate on top of the dough, and with a sharp knife, cut a circle, using the dinner plate as your guide. trim scraps (you can use them later to make a smaller circle and some mini rugelach!)

8. brush the circle with the egg wash, then sprinkle walnuts and brown sugar over the egg wash.

9. using a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut, and using a metal ruler to guide you, cut your circle into 16 equal triangles. start

ing from the wide end, roll up the triangle, placing the seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.

10. brush each rolled triangle with the egg wash.

11. bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.

12. transfer rugelach to wire rack. cool completely.

13. enjoy!

<yield: 40 cookies>

sometimes, my cookie baking goes in a slightly different direction! today we’re talking savory, and there’s nothing yummier than these savory pinwheels. easy to make, and even easier to eat! four simple ingredients, a little bit of fridge time, a little bit of oven time, and these little slices of heaven are ready to pop in your mouth.

what four ingredients, you may ask? puff pastry, genoa salami, dijon mustard and grated parmegiano reggiano cheese come together to create a simple, yet tasty delight!

okay, so maybe i’m stretching it a bit, saying it’s a cookie. but it’s baked, it’s got pastry dough, and it’s yummy. i’m calling it a cookie! that’s my story, and i’m sticking to it!

let me know what you think? savory appetizer or savory cookie? whichever way you choose, i do hope you’ll enjoy it!

savory pinwheels

ingredients:

2 sheets of puff pastry (you can make your own, or use the ready-to-bake ones from pepperidge farm)

1 lb. genoa salami, very thinly sliced at your deli counter

2 tablespoons country dijon mustard

3 tablespoons grated parmegiano reggiano cheese

flour to dust rolling surface

small bowl of warm water to ‘seal’ dough

instructions:

1. on a lightly floured board, roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry to approximately 12 x 9 rectangle.
2. spread a thin layer of dijon mustard to cover the pastry.
3. add the salami, overlapping the slices so no portion of the pastry is showing.
4. sprinkle the grated parmegiano reggiano lightly over the entire surface.
5. working with the longer edge, roll tightly until the entire pastry sheet is rolled up into a log. using a pastry brush, lightly work the warm water along the ‘finished’ portion of the roll, basically using the water as a ‘glue’ to seal the edge of the pastry to itself.
6. repeat steps 1-5 with second sheet of puff pastry.
7. roll tightly in aluminum foil, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the pastry ‘seal’ set and make the dough more manageable to slice.
8. preheat your oven to 400 degrees. line baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. remove logs from fridge, and on cutting board, lightly sprinkled with flour, slice into 1/8″ to 1/4″ slices. place the slices onto your prepared baking sheet.
10. bake for 14-17 minutes, depending on your preference (lighter/chewier or a bit darker/crunchier)
11. remove from oven, placing pinwheels on wire rack for cooling.
12. can be eaten warm out of the oven, or at room temperature.
13. enjoy!

<yield: about 75 pinwheels>

oh, the combination of raspberry jam, buttery biscuits and dark chocolate drizzle. linzer cookies look like they’re difficult to make, but really, they’re simple. you’ll use the same dough for both the top and bottom cookies, with the only difference being the ‘hole’ in the top cookie so you can see that luscious jam oozing through it! i use linzer cookie cutters, but you can easily use a large cookie cutter for the basic cookie, and either a smaller cookie cutter or even a straw, to cut out the ‘centers’ of the top cookies. and if you just choose to make a sandwich cookie, you can skip cutting out the hole in the top cookie!

i made these especially for my hubby, who loves a good cookie, is very partial to raspberry flavor and loves his chocolate. i’ll report back on if he thinks these cookies are keepers. check back in the next day or so for ‘the hubby report’!

raspberry chocolate linzer cookies

ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

confectioner’s sugar for dusting
1/2 cup raspberry jam/preserves
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

instructions:

1. with your electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. add eggs and almond extract, mixing until well blended.
3. on low speed, add 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. mix just until blended (do not overmix.)
4. turn dough out onto a lightly floured board, and knead in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, creating a firm dough. wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. preheat oven to 350 degrees. prepare your cookie sheets, lining them with parchment paper.
6. roll dough on lightly floured board to 1/8-inch thick. using a cookie cutter (approximately 2″), cut dough into chosen shape (circle, star, etc.) using a 1/2 cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of the original cookies so you have an even number of tops (with holes) and bottoms (without holes). place cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
7. bake for 9-10 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown.
8. remove cookies from the oven and let cool on cookie sheets for about 2 minutes. transfer cookies to wire rack to continue cooling. cool completely before the next step!
9. it’s cookie assembly time! pair cookies of similar size tops and bottoms. dust the bottom layers with a light coating of confectioner’s sugar. using an offset spatula or your butter knife, spread a small amount of jam/preserves onto the bottom cookie. place a top over the jam/preserves and press gently. dust top of cookie very lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
10. melt dark chocolate chips in microwave until smooth. either fill decorating bag with the smallest tip you have, or dip a fork into the melted chocolate, and lightly create thin lines atop your cookies.
11. let the jam and chocolate set for a few hours.
12. enjoy!

<yield: approximately 32 cookies>

helpful equipment for this recipe:   linzer cookie cutters

a silly name, for sure! but these little morsels are a yummy peanut butter spritz cookie, fancied up with a dip of dark chocolate and some crushed peanuts. they’re light and tasty, and the peanuty flavor shines through with each bite.

you may be tempted to use a chunky peanut butter, but the chunks will make it a bit difficult to go through your cookie press, so opt for the creamy peanut butter. and though they look much prettier and bake more evenly when shaped by the cookie press, you can certainly roll them by hand, cut them, and use a fork to ‘draw’ a decorative texture on them.

the other very helpful tool when making this tool is a nut chopper. king arthur flour sells the one i swear by here: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/nut-chopper.  again, if you don’t have this tool, don’t let that stop you from baking these cookies! place them in a bag or between some parchment paper and smash them with the back of your chef’s knife or a rolling pin! you’ll need a bit more ‘elbow grease’, but the nuts will be just as crushed!

if you give this recipe a try, please let me know what you think. happy baking!

peanut butter squiggles

ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed well

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 oz. melted dark chocolate (i use ghiradelli dark chocolate chips)

1 cup finely chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts

instructions:

1. in a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, about 4 minutes, until they are well-combined and light and fluffy.
2. beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.
3. add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. on very low speed, begin to mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. as dry ingredients get incorporated into the butter mixture, raise the speed to medium on your mixer. be sure your ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. cover dough and refrigerate overnight.
5. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
6. using your cookie press fitted with the star attachment, press dough 2″ apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. cut each strip into 2″ pieces. (as you can see, mine were a bit varied, and no matter the size, they all cooked the same and tasted just as good!)
7. bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown. remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
8. once cooled, prepared to dip! melt your chocolate in the microwave, stirring until smooth. have your crushed peanuts in a separate bowl nearby.
9. dip one end of each cookie into the melted chocolate. immediately dip the chocolate-covered end into the bowl of crushed nuts. place the dipped cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, allowing the chocolate and nuts to set/cool.
10. enjoy!

<yield: about 60 cookies>

today’s cookie is a perfect addition for the holiday cookie platter. but beware: there are people who just loathe the scent or taste of anise, so be mighty careful who you share this with! yes, i’ll admit, it’s a strong flavor, but in many italian households, the flavor and scent of anisette liquor is as welcome as the fresh smell of espresso brewing or the sunday gravy bubbling away on the stovetop.

these anise squares go great with a nice, strong cup of espresso. they also work well as an accompaniment to a bowl of coffee ice cream. or any flavor of ice cream, for that matter.

they are easy to make, a cinch to bake, and will fly out of the cookie jar. i cut these out with a wavy square cookie cutter, but don’t hesitate to use whatever cookie cutter you have on hand. or just roll and cut by hand. they’ll taste just as good! i promise!

sparkly anise squares

ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons anise extract (or 3/4 teaspoon anise oil)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

sparkly sugar for decorating

instructions:

1. combine butter, sugar, egg, anise and vanilla extracts in a large mixing bowl.

2. beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. be sure to scrape the bowl down often.

3. divide dough in half, shaping each into a ball, then flatten to about 1/2″. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours, or overnight.)

4. preheat oven to 375 degrees. add parchment paper to cookie sheet.

5. roll out dough on lightly floured surface to approximately 1/8″ thickness. use your cookie cutter to cut out desired shape.

6. place cut cookie shape onto your prepared pan. sprinkle liberally with decorative sugar, pressing the sugar into the cookie dough so it will be sure to stick.

7. bake for approximately 6-7 minutes, until cookies are set and edges are lightly browned.

8. remove from oven, and let cookie sheet cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. remove cookies directly to wire rack. store in covered container.

9. enjoy!!!

<yield: 58 cookies>

i didn’t think it was possible to like a snickerdoodle more than my original recipe, but boy, was i fooled! because these chocolate snickerdoodles elevate a good cookie to a positively great cookie! the cinnamon is still the star flavor attraction, but the deep chocolate flavor seems to provide the perfect upgrade!

as for texture, they’ve got a nice crunch, true to form of most snickerdoodles. and the signature crackle that appears atop each cookie really does make for a lovely-looking delectable.

lastly, i boxed them up and they made their way down to the pnb crew today, and by all reports, they disappeared in record time. now, i know you’re thinking ‘stagehands! they’ll eat any cookie you put in front of them!’ but that’s not true!! they are quite the cookie connoisseurs! so i’m guessing these will be keepers in my cookie repertoire for the foreseeable future.

chocolate snickerdoodles

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening (i use unflavored crisco)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for sugar and cinnamon mixture: in a separate small bowl, mix together:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon vietnamese cinnamon

instructions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. place parchment paper on cookie sheets.
2. cream 1 2/3 cups of sugar and the solid shortening until soft, fluffy and light, about two minutes.
3. beat in the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. be sure to scrape your mixer bowl often.
4. beat in the vanilla until well incorporated.
5. add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to your mixer bowl, blending on low speed just until the dough begins to form clumps and crumbles. using your hands, knead the dough just a bit more, finishing the dough to come together as a somewhat grainy, but cohesive ball of dough.
6. using your #40 scoop, or a piece of dough the size of a small walnut, roll it into a 1″ ball. then roll the ball in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
7. place the cinnamon/sugar coated balls onto your parchment-lined cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
8. bake for 13 minutes, then (and here’s the fun part!) remove the cookie sheet and give the cookie sheet a hard ‘rap’ against the oven rack. the continue baking for another 2-3 minutes. the cookies will be slightly cracked, and may feel dry, but will still be soft to the gentle touch.
9. cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
10. enjoy!

<yield: 46 cookies>

recipes for traditional spritz cookies are strewn all over the internet like confetti at a new year’s eve celebration. butter, sugar, flour – those three main ingredients make a delicate, tasty spritz cookie, a favorite among children and adults alike. they also look really awesome on your holiday dessert buffet, because though they are easy-peasy to bake, with an easy click-click from the handheld cookie press and a sprinkle of some colorful sugar, you’ve elevated your cookie to both look and taste better!

spritz cookies are my favorite. i especially love their buttery flavor, and these don’t disappoint at all!

spritz cookies

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
colored sugar or decorative sprinkles for decoration

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. in a large mixing bowl, thoroughly cream together the butter and sugar, for at least two minutes.
3. add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the creamed mixture. mix well.
4. sift together 3 1/2 cups flour and baking powder.
5. gradually add dry flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing to form a soft, but not sticky, dough. if your dough is sticky, slowly add flour in small amounts until the dough is the right consistency.
6. fill cookie press. press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet (don’t use parchment either. the cookies will adhere and cook better to the clean cookie sheet.)
7. bake in 400 degree oven for 9-11 minutes, until edges begin to lightly brown.
8. cool on wire rack. enjoy!!

i am such a fan of shortbread. it’s certainly easy to bake – a few quick steps and wa-la! cookies!

i am also a big fan of espresso. it was a staple in my grandparent’s home. my grandpa drank a demitasse cupful first thing in the morning to ‘get his motor running’. my grandma liked to indulge in an after-dinner espresso spiked with a bit of sambuca or anisette liqueur. and i find the little one-cup espresso pot quite a piece of nostalgia and comfort in my own seattle kitchen. and the aroma? there is really nothing quite like it.

so, it’s a natural instinct to join the heavenly scent and taste of espresso with the delicate crumb of a good shortbread. this recipe is not too sweet, not too heavy on the coffee flavor, and just the right amount of buttery java goodness to satisfy most adult cookie lovers. and i’ve added some mini semi-sweet chocolate pieces to add a little extra oomph! delicious and satisfying, these shortbread cookies will pair well with a fresh cup of coffee or even an after-dinner cordial. why not give them a try and let me know what you think!

espresso shortbread

ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or mini-chocolate chips)

instructions:
1. preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. mix all ingredients, except the chocolate pieces, in your mixer bowl on medium speed, until they are well-combined into a firm dough.
3. add the chocolate pieces and gently mix until they are incorporated into the dough.
4. pat the dough into an ungreased pan (either a 9″ square pan or a biscotti pan.)
5. smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
6. bake for 35 minutes, until the edges have begun to brown.
7. remove the pan from oven, placing the pan on a wire rack, and cut the shortbread into desired sizes. let them cool directly in the pan.
8. enjoy!

<yield: about 12 large cookies or 16 small cookies.>

helpful tools for this recipe:
Offset Spatula: This Ateco Offset Spatula will make it a cinch to spread the dough into your pan.