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CLASSICS WITH A TWIST
Just when you think a tried-and-true cookie couldn’t possibly be more perfect, it is: green-tea shortbread, a carrot-cake thumbprint, spiced-chocolate biscotti, and more. We’ve reimagined our best-loved favorites by channeling those familiar flavors and shapes into new, even more delicious iterations.
Potato Chip Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 18
Everybody’s favorite salty snack takes a walk on the sweet side, turning a traditional rolled cookie into a crunchy, chewy, addictive treat. We kept it simple, but no doubt adding chocolate chips would make someone’s day. Prepare the dough just before you plan to bake the cookies, as refrigerating it may cause the potato chips to get soggy.
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 cups coarsely crushed salted potato chips (about 10 ounces)
1 cup pecans, toasted (see this page) and coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium until just combined. Gradually add flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Stir in 2 cups potato chips and the nuts.
2. Place remaining potato chips in a shallow bowl. Scoop 2-inch tablespoons of dough and roll into balls; then roll in potato chips to coat. Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.)
TIP
For chocolate-chip-cookie fans, stir in 2 cups chocolate chips when adding the potato chips and nuts in step 1.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
Sugar and spice aren’t the only things nice in this version of the beloved snickerdoodle: Pumpkin puree infuses the cookies with seasonal flavor and helps to create a moist, cakey center. Starting the dough with melted (rather than softened) butter gives them a delightful chew. And rolling them in spiced sanding sugar just before baking lends sparkle and shine.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup fine sanding sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, granulated sugar, and pumpkin until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and whisk to combine. Gradually add flour mixture and stir to combine, about 2 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together sanding sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into 1½-inch balls; roll in sugar mixture. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each about 3 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten balls to just under ½ inch thick. Sprinkle with more sugar mixture.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until light golden and firm to touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Carrot-Cake Thumbprint Cookies
MAKES 18
Carrot cake gets reinvented as dreamy bites: Grated carrots, chopped pecans, plump golden raisins, and rolled oats form a textured base for these cakey thumbprints. To make the creamy filling, we substituted the usual cream cheese with goat cheese, then swirled in apricot jam.
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons, room temperature, for filling
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup packed finely grated carrots (about 3 medium)
¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
¾ cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
1½ teaspoons apricot jam
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown and granulated sugars, and egg yolk. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture to combine. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Scoop dough and roll 1½-inch balls; then roll balls in pecans to coat. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and press an indentation into center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon. Continue to bake until golden brown on bottom, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
4. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat remaining 4 tablespoons butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in goat cheese until just combined. Swirl in jam. Pipe or spoon goat-cheese mixture into center. (Cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days.)
Linzer Flower Cookies
MAKES 1 DOZEN
The classic Linzer torte, with its mouthwatering combination of buttery hazelnuts and fruity jam, has been reimagined in these mini blooming versions. Black currant jelly is traditionally used, but we love the bright flavors and hues of berry jams and orange marmalade. Petal-shaped cookie cutters let those colors shine through.
1 cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted (see this page)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
¼ cup berry jam, such as raspberry
¼ cup orange marmalade
1. Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add to butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. Divide dough in half, shape each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured parchment, roll out one disk of dough ¼ inch thick. Using a 3½-inch flower-shaped cutter, cut out cookies. (If dough is too soft, freeze 10 minutes.) Using a large spatula, transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Using a ¾-inch petal-shaped cutter, cut out centers of petals from half the cookies. Repeat process with remaining disk of dough. Gather scraps from both disks, reroll, and cut.
5. Place cookie tops (with cutouts) on one baking sheet and bottoms (solid cookies) on the other. The thinner, more fragile tops will bake more quickly, and may need to be removed from the oven before the bottoms are finished baking. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until edges are slightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
6. Lightly sift confectioners’ sugar over cookies with cutout petals. Spread a heaping teaspoon of jam on each solid cookie and carefully sandwich with sugared cookies. (Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Fill with preserves just before serving.)
Molasses-Ginger Crisps
MAKES 8 DOZEN
A ginger-lover’s treat, if ever there was one, and a favorite of Martha’s, this crisp includes a trio of gingers—fresh, ground, and crystallized (cooked in syrup and dried)—for a full-spectrum sampler of the spicy root. While baking, these cookies will fill your kitchen with an incredible fragrance, and when it comes time for eating, their bright snap will leave you wanting more.
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
⅓ cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup coarse sanding sugar
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and egg yolk, crystallized ginger, and grated ginger. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with molasses; mix on low until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a 1-teaspoon measuring spoon or cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls, then coat with sanding sugar. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
3. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are flat and edges are dark golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or frozen up to a month.)
TIP
The easiest way to peel fresh ginger is to reach for a spoon. It removes the thin skin easily, even from the knotty areas. Hold the spoon, concave side facing you, and draw it toward you. Maneuver the spoon and ginger as necessary to get into all the crevices.
Tahini Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 20
When you’re craving a nutty sweet in a stylish package, consider sesame instead of the usual peanut butter. This one gets a double dose of flavor: Tahini—the creamy paste made from ground toasted sesame seeds—contributes to a full-flavored dough, which is then rolled in sesame seeds to give the cookies a satisfying crunch.
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup tahini, well stirred
½ cup white sesame seeds, or a combination of black and white, lightly toasted
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in tahini until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll in sesame seeds until thoroughly coated, then transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 3 inches apart.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.)
TIP
Sesame seeds can quickly turn rancid, so buy only small batches. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or freeze.
Cornmeal Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
MAKES 3 DOZEN
Inspired by the celebrated semolina loaf with golden raisins and fennel seeds at Amy’s Bread in New York, our test kitchen developed this cookie (adding chopped milk chocolate for good measure). It’s an extraordinary combination of flavors and textures: Cornmeal makes the cookies crisp on the outside, while the raisins yield a chewy bite.
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
¾ cup golden raisins
5 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1. Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes, shaking pan occasionally; let cool. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, finely grind fennel seeds.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter with sugar and ground fennel until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, and beat until just combined. Stir in raisins and chocolate.
3. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough (or use a 1½-inch ice cream scoop) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature. (Cooled completely, cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
TIP
Use a serrated knife to cut the chocolate into chunks. We used milk chocolate here, but dark chocolate would also work nicely.
Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies
MAKES 3 DOZEN
These little cookies have a nutty undercurrent of brown butter. Their artfully crinkled surfaces are the result of rolling the dough in two kinds of sugar before baking. Granulated sugar helps the confectioners’ sugar cling to the surface. As the cookies bake and spread, their surface cracks, creating a zigzag of sugar and dough.
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high. When it boils, reduce heat to medium; simmer until foamy. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan, until foam subsides, butter turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, and milk solids separate into brown specks that sink to bottom, 2 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir ½ cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar into brown butter until combined, then stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place confectioners’ sugar and remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in 2 separate bowls. Scoop 1 tablespoon dough and roll into a ball; roll in granulated sugar, then coat with confectioners’ sugar (do not shake off excess). Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough and sugars.
4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies spread slightly, crackle, and are set at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to racks; let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a single layer up to 2 days.)
Oat-and-Spelt Shortbread
MAKES 16
There’s a nuttiness and a lightness to spelt flour that plain wheat flour lacks. Coupled with rolled oats, it makes for a fiber-rich shortbread that’s surprisingly tender. We gave our batch a dunk in bittersweet chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt for a pretty geometric look and an extra dimension of sweetness.
1¼ cups spelt flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup natural cane sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (see this page)
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, and coarse salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
2. Gather dough in plastic wrap; form into a rectangle and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Roll out dough between lightly floured parchment to a scant ½-inch thickness; cut into 2-inch squares. Transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm to the touch and golden around edges, 24 to 26 minutes. Let cool completely.
4. Dip each cookie diagonally in chocolate; sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Transfer to parchment-lined sheets and refrigerate until just set. (Cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.)
TIP
Spelt four can be substituted one-to-one for all-purpose or whole-wheat flour in recipes that don’t require yeast.
Spicy Chocolate Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
With its deep cocoa flavor, smooth texture, and assertive kick of cayenne pepper and cinnamon, this cookie has all the best qualities of Mexican hot chocolate. When baked, the chopped semisweet chocolate melts, producing a velvety interior.
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup turbinado sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, cayenne, and baking soda.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate.
3. Scoop dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Gently roll in turbinado sugar to coat and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until surfaces crack slightly, 11 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
TIP
Dutch-process cocoa, which has been treated to neutralize its acidity, has a richer, darker color and mellower flavor than regular cocoa. Natural cocoa has a lighter reddish hue. It’s a good idea to have both cocoas on hand.
Green Tea Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 7 DOZEN
These cookies boast green tea in two forms: matcha, the green tea powder found in Japanese tea ceremonies, and finely ground tea leaves. We love the fragrant, floral note they bring to these shortbread-like cookies. Matcha—a superfood with a wealth of vitamins and antioxidants—has a flour-like texture that’s easily incorporated into baked goods, and it gently tints the shortbread a soft green.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely ground green tea leaves (from about 8 tea bags; see Tip)
1 tablespoon matcha
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, tea leaves, matcha, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low, gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined.
2. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs 1¼ inches in diameter and wrap in parchment (see Slice-and-Bake Cookies, this page). Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap frozen logs and slice ¼ inch thick. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each about 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)
TIP
You can grind tea leaves in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Streusel Jammies
MAKES 2 DOZEN
A ground-almond dough plays a dual role in these crisp jammies: Three-quarters of the dough is pressed into rounds, and the remainder is sprinkled around the jam centers like a streusel. They’re inspired by the crumble-topped tart called torta sbrisolona, a specialty of Mantua, Italy.
1½ cups blanched almonds
1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup assorted jams, such as apricot, cranberry, cherry, and blueberry, separately whisked until smooth
1. Finely grind almonds in a food processor. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, flour, sugar, salt, and almond extract. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 forks until completely incorporated.
2. Working directly on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, firmly press 2 tablespoons dough into the bottom of a 2½-inch round cookie cutter; then gently lift cutter to leave dough on parchment. Repeat, spacing cookies evenly on sheets, until you’ve made 24 rounds. Dollop 1 teaspoon jam into center of each round, alternating flavors. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of remaining dough around border of each cookie.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown at the edges, about 24 minutes. Transfer cookies on sheets to wire racks and let cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.)
TIP
Made from the oil of the bitter almond, pure almond extract is a great complement to baked goods. A little goes a long way, however, so use it judiciously.
Key Lime Sablés
MAKES ABOUT 80
Sablé, French for “sand,” is an accurate name for this shortbread cookie, with its appealingly crisp, sandy texture. We opted for the zest and juice of Florida Key limes to bring a bright shot of flavor to these classic butter cookies. The citrus is more aromatic and floral than the larger, commonly found Persian lime.
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons finely grated Key lime zest (from about 15 limes)
2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice (from about 5 limes)
Fine sanding sugar, for decorating (optional)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lime zest and juice. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
2. Roll out each portion of dough between lightly floured parchment to ¼ inch thick. Place dough and parchment on baking sheets, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a 2-inch fluted cutter, cut out cookies. Reroll scraps and repeat. Using a sharp knife, cut 6 slits into each cookie. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.
4. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until bottoms begin to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool slightly. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
TIP
You can use regular limes in this recipe (with the same amount of fresh juice), but increase the zest to 2½ tablespoons.
Pink-Lemonade Thumbprints
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
Thumbprints bear the signatures of their bakers, who traditionally press their thumbs into the dough to form a well (but use a wooden spoon if you like). These buttery, crumbly shortbread cookies also have a signature pink lemon glaze, thanks to a single crushed raspberry. To make the cookies extra tender, we used confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar, and made the glaze from it as well.
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
1 fresh raspberry
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup sugar, and the salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat butter with ¼ cup sugar, the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
2. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
3. Bake cookies 10 minutes. Remove sheets one at a time, and press your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon handle into the center of each ball to indent. Rotate sheets and continue to bake until golden on bottoms, 16 to 18 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1¼ cups sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice with raspberry, breaking up berry. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust cookies with sugar. Spoon glaze into indents and let set, about 10 minutes. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)
Masala Chai Tea Cakes
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
In this remix of the Russian tea cake, we let you drink your tea and eat it, too. Adding the elements of a fine Indian masala chai—black tea and a mix of sweet and savory spices—to the classic little sugar-dusted snowball gives it delightful complexity. As in the preparation of any good masala chai, the choice and intensity of spices can be tailored to your personal taste.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons best-quality black tea, such as Darjeeling, coarsely ground in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the tea, salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low just until a dough forms (see Tip).
2. Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing balls about 1 inch apart.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until set and golden on bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes.
4. Place some confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Roll cookies in sugar and transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Generously coat cookies in more sugar before serving or storing. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.)
TIP
You can make the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or keep it frozen up to 1 month.
PERFECTING
BISCOTTI
These Italian cookies are made without butter or oil and twice-baked to crisp perfection. They offer a wonderful palette for layering flavors and even more texture. In these three variations, we went for a balance of rich ingredients like rum, chocolate, raisins, and dates, with flashes of citrus, the heat of chiles, or the crunch of nuts to make each unique. Biscotti’s roots are Italian, but a baker’s invention results in a cookie of many cultures.
Rum Raisin Biscotti
MAKES ABOUT 40
1 cup raisins
⅓ cup dark rum
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
7½ ounces white chocolate, melted (see this page)
Sanding sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine raisins and rum. Microwave 2 minutes; let cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add raisin-rum mixture and orange zest and beat until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form each half into a 2½-inch-wide, ¾-inch-tall log. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool, 20 minutes.
4. With a serrated knife, cut logs into ¼-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through, until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool.
5. Dip ends of biscotti in melted chocolate. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and let set slightly, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days, or freeze, up to 3 months.)
Mexican Chocolate Biscotti
MAKES ABOUT 40
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more for dusting (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
7½ ounces milk chocolate, melted (see this page)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cayenne, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add chopped chocolate and beat until combined.
2. Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form each half into a 2½-inch-wide, ¾-inch-tall log. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool, 20 minutes.
3. With a serrated knife, cut logs into ¼-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through, until biscotti are crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool.
4. Dip ends of biscotti in melted chocolate. Transfer to parchment-lined sheets and let set slightly, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne, if desired. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days, or freeze, up to 3 months.)
Brown-Sugar and Date Biscotti
MAKES ABOUT 40
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pitted dates
¾ cup chopped toasted pecans (see this page)
7½ ounces dark chocolate, melted (see this page)
Pistachios, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add dates and pecans, and beat until combined.
2. Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form each half into a 2½-inch-wide, ¾-inch-tall log. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack, 20 minutes to cool.
3. With a serrated knife, cut logs into ¼-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through, until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool.
4. Dip ends of biscotti in melted chocolate. Transfer to parchment-lined sheets and let set slightly, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days, or freeze, up to 3 months.)
● Try not to bake on a humid day when biscotti (as well as many other cookies) spread more and are softer. If you have to, place the unbaked logs in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before placing in the oven.
● The dough can be sticky, so lightly flour your hands or coat them with cooking spray before shaping it into logs. Making the logs as uniform as possible promotes even baking.
● To make slicing the biscotti easier, let them cool and harden for at least 10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. But don’t cool too long (more than 20 minutes) or they will be more apt to crumble.
● If you have two wire racks, place them on the baking sheets and bake the “sliced” biscotti on top to allow air circulation. This will ensure the cookie has a nicely crisp top and bottom.
● Biscotti may be the ideal make-ahead cookie (and cookie to gift). Stored in an airtight container, many varieties last more than a week (and up to a month), and they hold up when sent by mail.
● Cool slices completely before storing. If they do get stored too early and soften, put them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to crisp again.