| Holiday
Cookies Offer a Special Treat |
| The annual cookie column is probably one of my most requested
columns. I still get e-mails requesting my Ritz Cracker Cookie,
which was published about 10 years ago, and Chocolate Peanut
Butter Balls. Baking holiday cookies is an important tradition
for many Herndon and Reston cooks, and they will search to
the ends of the earth for a single cookie recipe. |
| After stocking up on butter, sugar, flour and flavorings,
many cooks are beginning their annual ritual of Christmas
baking. One word of caution from an older pastry cook—be sure
to purchase good flavorings. “When you are making recipes
with almonds or vanilla, the taste will greatly depend on
the quality of the flavorings. Never use any imitations.”
With the colder weather, sweet and spicy baking smells coming
from the kitchen are a sure sign that the holidays are finally
here. |
| Here are some of my favorite recipes for the holidays: |
| |
| Joyce
Sternitzke's Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies |
| 2/3 cup sugar |
| 1 cup butter, softened |
| 1/2 tsp. almond extract |
| 2 cups flour |
| 1/2 cup raspberry jam |
| Glaze: |
| 1 cup powdered sugar |
| 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract |
| 2 3 tsp. water |
| Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixer, combine sugar,
butter and almond extract. Beat at medium speed until creamy,
scraping bowl often. Reduce speed to low. Add flour. Continue
beating until well mixed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Shape dough
into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie. Fill
each indentation with 1/4 tsp. jam. Bake for 14 18 minutes,
or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand for one minute,
then remove from cookie sheets. |
| In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and almond extract.
Gradually stir in enough water to make a thin glaze. Drizzle
over warm cookies. Makes about three dozen cookies. These
cookies are fast and easy to make and always a hit. |
| |
| Karen's
Sugared Almond Sticks |
| 1/2 cup blanched almonds |
| 2 Tbsp. sugar |
| 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour |
| 1/3 cup sugar |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 1/2 cup butter or margarine |
| 1 egg yolk |
| 1/4 tsp. almond extract |
| 1 egg white, slightly beaten |
| Grind almonds in food mill or blender, but not too much
or it will turn into a paste. Mix 2 Tbsp. almonds with tablespoons
of sugar; set aside. Combine remaining almonds, flour, 1/3
cup sugar and salt. Cut in butter or margarine, until mixture
resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and extract. Divide
dough into 6 portions on lightly floured surface. With floured
hands, roll each into 12-inch rope. Brush tops with egg white.
Sprinkle with reserved almond-sugar mixture. Cut each into
2-inch pieces. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking
sheets. Bake at 350 degrees, for 14-15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes
before removing from baking sheet. |
| |
| Joyce's
Spice Molasses Cookies |
| 3/4 cup shortening |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1 egg |
| 1/4 cup molasses |
| 2 cups flour |
| 1 tsp. baking soda |
| 1 tsp. baking powder |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 1 tsp. ginger |
| 1 tsp. cinnamon |
| 1/2 tsp. nutmeg |
| 1/4 tsp. cloves |
| 1/4 tsp. allspice |
| 1/2 cup sugar, to coat cookies |
| Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, cream shortening,
gradually adding 1 cup of sugar. Beat well at medium speed.
Add egg and molasses, mixing well. Combine flour and next
8 ingredients, mixing well. Add about 1/4 of flour mixture
at a time to the creamed mixture, beating smooth after each
addition. Chill dough for 1 hour. Shape dough into 1-inch
balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased
cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes; tops will crack. Cool
on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen cookies. |
| |
| AnnaMarie's
Chocolate Coconut Bars |
| 1 stick butter (not margarine) |
| 1 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs |
| 7 oz. flaked coconut |
| 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk |
| 12 oz. chocolate chips |
| 1 1/2 cups peanut butter |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place stick of butter in 9x13
pan. Put pan in oven to warm and melt the butter; watch carefully.
Sprinkle Graham cracker crusts evenly over melted butter.
Sprinkle coconut evenly over crumbs. Pour sweetened condensed
milk evenly over coconut. Bake 25 minutes or until golden.
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together on low heat,
either in microwave oven or on stove. Spread on warm cookies.
Cool 30 minutes, then chill. Cut into bars. Store at room
temperature. |
| |
| Hazelnut
Shortbreads |
| 1 cup good quality butter (no substitutes) |
| 1/2 cup sugar |
| 2 Tbsp. real maple syrup or good honey |
| 2 tsp. vanilla |
| 2 cups flour |
| 1 1/4 cups finely chopped hazelnuts |
| 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips |
| In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add maple syrup
and vanilla. Add flour and mix just until combined. Fold in
nuts. Shape into 2, 1 1/2-inch rolls, wrap tightly in waxed
paper. Chill for 2 hours until firm. Cut into 1/4-inch slices
and place two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake
at 325 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edges just
begin to brown. Be careful not to overbake. Remove to wire
racks to cool. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over cookies.
Allow the chocolate to harden. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
|
| |
| Rhonda's
Toasted Almond Puffs |
| 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds |
| 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 1/2 cup powdered sugar |
| 2 tsp. almond extract |
| 1 cup flour |
| 1/3 cup powdered sugar |
| Position a rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Toast almonds, stirring
occasionally, in a baking pan until lightly browned, 5-8 minutes.
Set aside to cool completely. Grind until very finely chopped,
but not powdery or oily. |
| In electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed, until very
fluffy. Add salt, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and almond extract,
beating until well blended. Gradually add almonds to butter
mixture. Sift flour over the top, and stir until well blended.
Chill dough for 2-4 hours, or overnight. Pull off pieces of
dough and roll between your palms into generous 1-inch balls,
or use a 1 Tbsp. measuring spoon to scoop the dough. Space
about 1 1/4 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake, one
cookie sheet at a time, until edges are faintly brown, 12-15
minutes, turning the sheet halfway through baking for even
browning. Remove cookie sheet to a rack, and let stand until
cookies firm slightly. When cooled slightly, roll warm cookies
in 1/3 cup powdered sugar until completely coated. Transfer
cookies to racks to cool completely. Makes approximately 40
cookies. |
| |
| The
Best Sugar Cookie |
| 4 cups flour |
| 1 1/2 cups sugar |
| 1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg |
| 1 tsp. salt |
| 1 tsp. baking soda |
| 2 tsp. baking powder |
| 1 cup shortening |
| 2 eggs |
| 1/3 cup milk |
| 2 tsp. vanilla |
| Do not use a mixer for this recipe. Mix together flour,
sugar, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add shortening
to dry ingredients and mix. In another bowl, combine eggs,
milk and vanilla. Add to dry mix. Make 4 separate balls of
dough and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Take out of
refrigerator, roll out and cut. Bake at 400 degrees until
lightly browned. Baking on baker's parchment paper is the
best. Do not overbake. Cool and frost if you like. |
