Holiday cookies! (to be made with the new kitchenaid mixer)
orange-chocolate cookies
Makes about 3 dozen.
Note: Troxel spotted this recipe in Traditional Home magazine and it quickly became the centerpiece of her December baking routine. "After many years of experimentation, I now limit my holiday baking to about six cookies that I consider to be the best," she wrote. "They are displayed and served on a vintage French tiered cooling rack that stands among German papier-mche Santas and is constantly replenished for my family and our friends all throughout the holiday season."
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for chocolate dipping sauce
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 2 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1/4 c. orange marmalade, divided
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and orange zest. Reduce speed to low and add flour until just combined.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 11/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, re-rolling and re-cutting until all is used. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets.
Using your thumb, make a slight indentation in center of cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon orange marmalade. Bake approximately 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate, whisking in enough butter (1 tablespoon at a time, up to about 4 tablespoons) to make a good dipping consistency. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate and place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.
Lime coolers
Makes about 2 dozen.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. "I usually try at least a couple new [cookie] recipes every year," wrote McNabb. "I found this recipe about eight years ago and from the first time I made the cookie, it was everybody's favorite. I think it is because it has an uncommon holiday flavor -- lime -- yet still contains the best ingredients -- sugar and butter."
For cookies:
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for press
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. finely grated lime zest
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Granulated sugar for press
For lime glaze:
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 4 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Directions
To make cookies: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour, cornstarch, lime zest and vanilla extract and mix until well-blended. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Grease bottom of a large flat glass with butter, press into granulated sugar and gently press glass on dough until dough is about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat, pressing glass into sugar each time, until all cookies are flattened.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make lime glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lime zest and lime juice until a light glaze forms. Using a knife, spread glaze across cookies.
Almond sandwiches
Makes about 2 dozen.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. We substituted 1 tablespoon milk for the egg yolk in the icing recipe. If you use an egg yolk, be sure to use a pasteurized egg. Sanford said that this recipe has been passed down the generations from her great-grandmother, who died in the late 1800s. "Because the dough is so gentle and flaky, these little delights literally melt in your mouth," she wrote. "We always give them a place of honor on the cookie platter, which is an important part of any holiday gathering in our home."
For cookies:
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 c. heavy cream
• 2 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
For icing:
• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 pasteurized egg yolk (see Note)
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• Food coloring, optional
Directions
To make cookies: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add cream and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Reduce speed to low and add flour until just combined. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
Using a 1- to 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds, re-rolling and re-cutting until all is used. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make icing: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add powdered sugar, egg yolk (or milk) and almond extract and beat until light and fluffy (beat in food coloring, 1 drop at a time, if desired). Using a knife, spread icing across flat side of 1 cookie and place flat side of another cookie on top of spread, as if making a sandwich, repeating until all cookies form sandwiches.
Chai crescents
Makes about 2 dozen.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. "Since I was a little girl, my mom made these delicious, buttery cookies," Osacho wrote. "Now whenever I bake them I get requests from friends and family to wrap them up some cookies to take home with them."
For cookies:
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. flour, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 c. finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
For chai spice blend:
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2/3 c. superfine sugar
Directions
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract and salt and pulse until combined. Transfer dough to a large bowl and stir in chopped nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together cloves, cardamom, ginger, white pepper, cinnamon and superfine sugar and reserve. Remove dough from refrigerator and soften 20 to 30 minutes. Form dough into 1-inch balls.
On a lightly floured board, roll dough balls until dough is shaped into finger-size sticks. Shape sticks into crescents, place on prepared baking sheets and bake 10 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. While cookies are still warm, carefully dip cookies in chai spice blend and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Raspberry truffle tartlets
Makes about 4 dozen.
Note: "When I pondered ideas for a unique holiday cookie, I thought about chocolate and raspberry," wrote Tricia Hall of Minneapolis. "It seems to be a missing combination from the traditional holiday cookie platter."
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. (2 sticks) plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 2/3 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 tbsp. raspberry liqueur
• 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz. raspberry preserves
• 2/3 c. white chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat mini-muffin tins with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, and reserve.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and raspberry liqueur and beat until well-blended. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, until just blended. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Spoon dough by heaping tablespoonsful and roll into balls. Place balls into prepared mini-muffin tins and bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven and, using back of a spoon, immediately (and gently) flatten tops of tartlets. Transfer mini-muffin tins on a wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes.
Using a thinly bladed knife, carefully separate tartlets from tin and remove. Transfer tartlets to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, stir preserves. Place 1/2 teaspoon dollop of preserves on top of each tartlet and carefully spread.
In a double boiler over simmering heat, melt white chocolate chips, whisking occasionally. Using a spoon, drizzle white chocolate over tartlets.