Contents

INTRODUCTION

GETTING STARTED

THE ESSENTIALS

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

SUGAR COOKIES

OATMEAL COOKIES

MOLASSES COOKIES

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

SHORTBREAD

BISCOTTI

BROWNIES

DECORATED COOKIES

BARS & SQUARES

DROP COOKIES

ROLL-OUT COOKIES

SHAPED COOKIES
BATTER COOKIES

NO-BAKE COOKIES

THE FINISHING TOUCH

INGREDIENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX
Introduction

Cookies are some of the most familiar—and beloved—of baked

goods. Most of us shell out money in the supermarket for
cookies, at least occasionally. Americans buy 10 billion Oreo
cookies a year, and nearly everyone who bakes at home bakes
cookies. In the universe of recipes to try at home, cookies top
the list of most comforting and most approachable.
This attraction is one that starts very young. When you first
toddled across the kitchen and plopped down on the floor next
to your mother’s feet, did she reach down and lovingly hand
you a piece of pie or a cookie? In elementary school, when you
opened your lunch box, did you find a slice of angel food cake
tucked alongside your sandwich or a cookie? Cookies are the
staple of holiday parties, of bake sales, of picnic baskets, and
more. They’re a constant companion throughout our lives, and
for good reason: they’re simple to make, easily transported, and
they fit a dessert-lover’s notion of the perfect comfort food.
There are plenty of cookies—good cookies, cookies you’d
eagerly pair with a glass of milk and enjoy—that you can buy.
But there are even more—many, many, many more—available
to you when you bake at home. The American cookie recipe
tradition stretches back to the original Dutch and English
settlers. By the 1800s, cookie recipes were being published in
cookbooks—usually at the end of the cake chapter, as they were
considered small cakes, rather than an entity in their own right.
Cookies show up in the cooking and baking history of so many
cultures, from French palmiers to German springerle. This rich
and varied past has yielded hundreds of thousands of recipes,
making the decision of which ones to include in this book
challenging. But we’ve met the challenge, and we offer you
here a selection of some of the best cookie recipes we’ve loved
over the years, from the simple snickerdoodle to the lovely
lemon snap.
The heart of this book is the Essentials chapter. It covers
nine cookies, from chocolate chip to sugar to oatmeal, that have
enjoyed enduring popularity over the years. Each of these
cookies can come in so many forms, with hundreds of
variations in taste, texture, and ingredients, and we felt each
deserves more than just one simple recipe. So we covered it all!
We did extensive research and testing to develop brownies that
are dense and fudgy; brownies that are light and cakey; and
brownies that straddle the fence between those two extremes.
Why do some brownies have a crisp, shiny top—and how do
you achieve it? And what about those brownies with the layer
of mint in the middle, or the ones with the cheese-cake swirl?
This chapter takes you through a range of brownie recipes
beyond the basic, so you can enjoy the brownie texture you
want with the flavor, filling, or add-in of your choice.
Likewise, sugar cookies come in all shapes, from cakey-
soft, palm-sized vanilla rounds to snapping-crisp, buttery
diamonds. Some sugar cookies are soft in the middle and brittle
around the edges, others are bendy-chewy, and some are just
one solid delightful crunch. Once you choose your favorite
texture, join us as we add cherries, dress them up with extract
or lemon oil, stuff them with pecans, or ice them with thick
chocolate ganache. Cookie bakers are clearly an imaginative
lot, and we’ve tracked down plenty of variations (plus created
many of our own) that are sure to make it onto your list of
favorite recipes.
Beyond these essential recipes are hundreds of others,
ranging from delicate macarons and tart-sweet lemon bars to
crackly-topped chocolate crinkles and crisp butterscotch thins.
We’ve divided them into categories based on how they’re
made, from quick no-bake and drop cookies, to those that are
shaped or molded, and even filled.
 We invite you now to settle into a comfortable chair,
wander through this book, and then go into the kitchen and
bake. You’ll be a part of a baking tradition that’s as old as
shortbread and as new as the cookies your budding 8-year-old
baker invents on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Create, enjoy, and,
most of all, share: both the cookies and the recipes they’re
made from. Because that’s what baking—especially cookie
baking—is all about.

—P.J. HAMEL, SUSAN REID, AND THE EMPLOYEE-

OWNERS AT KING ARTHUR BAKING COMPANY
Getting Started

While baking is art as well as science, the science isn’t

something science-phobes (you?) can simply ignore. Measuring
accurately is important. And the ingredients you use—
specifically, using what’s called for in the recipe—are also
critical. When following recipes in this book, please use the
ingredients called for, in the amount indicated. Straying from
these indicated ingredients can yield results quite different
from what was intended.
That said, let us specify some of the common ingredients
you will find in this book:

Eggs = large eggs

Butter = unsalted butter, 80% butterfat
Salt = table salt
Unbleached all-purpose flour = protein level: 11.7%
Sugar = cane sugar
Brown sugar = light or dark, your choice, unless specified
Vegetable oil = vegetable, canola, safflower, or sunflower oil
Shortening = hydrogenated all-vegetable shortening, plain or
butter-flavored
Chocolate chips = semisweet chocolate chips, unless otherwise
indicated
Coconut = shredded sweetened coconut
Raisins = Thompson or golden, your choice
Baking powder = double-acting baking powder
Extracts and flavors = extra-strong flavors, less-strong extracts,
as indicated
 Spices = ground spices
Cocoa = unsweetened natural or Dutch-process, as indicated
Milk = 1%
Yogurt = low-fat or full-fat (not nonfat)
Cream cheese = reduced fat (Neufchâtel) or full-fat
Molasses = unsulfured golden or dark (not blackstrap)
Rolled oats = old-fashioned (not quick-cooking) rolled oats

A Note on Measuring
We take measuring pretty seriously. We know lots of bakers
who “throw things together” and never measure, often with
spectacular results. Trouble is, those results can’t be repeated
with any regularity. So we make every effort to measure
correctly and write down the results. That’s because we run a
test kitchen that is expected to turn out consistent results time
and again. We also think that’s a good way to learn what works
and what doesn’t, and we’re passionate about teaching bakers—
experienced or not—how to take their baking to a more
satisfying level.
There are two principal ways to measure ingredients in
baking: by weight (ounces, grams) and by volume (teaspoons,
cups). Small amounts of ingredients, such as baking soda,
vanilla extract, or salt, are usually measured in volume
amounts. For these you need a set (or two) of measuring
spoons, ranging from ⅛ or ¼ teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (see
page xxxviii). Larger ingredient amounts can be measured by
either weight or volume, with weight being the more accurate
of the two choices. For that reason we encourage you to buy a
kitchen scale, preferably an electronic one, which calibrates
best. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, here are some basic
rules to keep in mind when measuring; these will ensure your
recipes turn out well.
 Use the proper type of measuring cup for the ingredient
you’re working with. Liquid measuring cups are designed for
wet ingredients. They’re usually clear, with markings on the
side so you can see when the amount you need has been
reached, and have a pour spout. Some angled liquid measuring
cups allow you to read amounts from above.
Dry measuring cups are designed with a flat rim so the
ingredients being measured can be leveled off with a straight
edge.

THINK BEFORE YOU MEASURE!

First step: Make sure, before you measure, that you know what you’re supposed to be
measuring, for example, 1 cup of pecans, chopped, or 1 cup of chopped pecans. The
former is pecan halves weighed first, then chopped; the latter is pecans that have been
chopped first, then weighed. Yes, it does make a difference!

CURING THE STICKIES

Honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, and molasses are easier to measure if you coat the
inside of your measuring cup with nonstick spray before filling.

USING A METRIC SCALE?

Most scales shift easily between American (ounce) and metric (gram) measurements.
However, if you’re doing the mental conversions yourself, 1 ounce = 28.35 grams.

Measuring by Volume

Flour is perhaps the most important ingredient in a baking

recipe, and the easiest to measure incorrectly. Flour can absorb
moisture from the air, as well as compact during shipping. Add
to these factors the common practice of digging into a
compacted container of flour and pressing it down to make a
level cup, and it’s very easy to use too much flour in your
recipe. Too much flour means dry, crumbly, disappointing
results. A properly measured cup of flour should weigh close to
120 grams per 1 cup of volume.

MEASURING FLOUR 1. Stir the flour to fluff it up. 2. Sprinkle it into the
measuring cup. 3. Sweep off the excess with the straight edge of the scoop.

OTHER DRY INGREDIENTS: For dry ingredients such as granulated

sugar or cornstarch, fill the measuring container above its rim
and sweep off the excess with a straight edge drawn across the
rim.
LIQUID INGREDIENTS: To read the amount in a liquid measure, set
it on a flat surface with the markings at eye level, either by
crouching down or by placing the cup on an eye-level shelf.
Pour liquid into the cup until the level reaches the measurement
you need.
BROWN SUGAR: Measure brown sugar by firmly packing it into
a dry measuring cup until it’s level with the top edge.
SOLID FATS: To measure a solid fat (butter or vegetable
shortening) or peanut butter, try the displacement method. Use
a measuring cup that is significantly larger than the amount you
want to measure (for instance, a 2-cup measure, to measure ½
cup of vegetable shortening). Fill the 2-cup measure up to the 1
cup mark with cold water. To measure ½ cup of shortening,
scoop shortening into the water, allowing it to float freely until
the water reaches the 1½ cup mark. You now have ½ cup of
 shortening. Drain the water and use the shortening in your
recipe.

Measuring by Weight

Weighing ingredients is a more accurate way of determining

amounts than measuring by volume. When it comes to volume
measurements, there are many variables that can affect actual
amounts. Measuring cups and spoons can vary significantly
(we’ve discovered this over and over in our test kitchen). Cooks
everywhere use varying techniques, and one person’s idea of
“full” or “packed” is usually different from the next person’s.
Ingredient weights also can vary, depending on storage and
weather conditions. The following chart gives average weights
for amounts commonly given in recipes. It can help you plan
your shopping, and it’s handy if you want to convert recipes to
larger or smaller amounts.

Ingredient Weight Chart

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

All-Purpose Flour 1 cup 120 4¼

Almond Flour 1 cup 96 3⅜

Almond Meal 1 cup 84 3

Almond Paste (packed) 1 cup 259 9⅛

Almonds (sliced) ½ cup 43 1½

Almonds (slivered) ½ cup 57 2

Almonds, whole (unblanched) 1 cup 142 5

Apples (dried, diced) 1 cup 85 3

Apples (peeled, sliced) 1 cup 113 4

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Applesauce 1 cup 255 9

Apricots (dried, diced) ½ cup 64 2¼

Baker’s Fruit Blend 1 cup 128 4½

Baker’s Special Sugar (superfine

1 cup 190 6¾
sugar, castor sugar)

Baking Powder 1 teaspoon 4

Baking Soda ½ teaspoon 3

Bananas (mashed) 1 cup 227 8

Berries (frozen) 1 cup 142 5

Blueberries (dried) 1 cup 156 5½

Blueberries (fresh) 1 cup 170 6

Blueberry Juice 1 cup 241 8½

Boiled Cider ¼ cup 85 3

Bran Cereal 1 cup 60 2⅛

Bread Crumbs (dried) ¼ cup 28 1

Bread Crumbs (fresh) ¼ cup 21 ¾

Bread Crumbs (Panko) ¼ cup 50 1¾

Bread Flour 1 cup 120 4¼

Brown Rice Flour 1 cup 128 4½

Brown Sugar (dark or light,

1 cup 213 7½
packed)

8 tablespoons
Butter 113 4
(½ cup)
INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Buttermilk 1 cup 227 8

Candied Peel ½ cup 85 3

Caramel (14 to 16 individual

½ cup 142 5
pieces, 1″ squares)

Caramel Bits (chopped Heath or

1 cup 156 5½
toffee)

Caraway Seeds 2 tablespoons 18 ⅝

Carrots (cooked and puréed) ½ cup 128 4½

Carrots (diced) 1 cup 142 5

Carrots (grated) 1 cup 99 3½

Cashews (chopped) 1 cup 113 4

Cashews (whole) 1 cup 113 4

Cherries (candied) ¼ cup 50 1¾

Cherries (dried) ½ cup 71 2½

Cherries (frozen) 1 cup 113 4

Chocolate (chopped) 1 cup 170 6

Chocolate Chips 1 cup 170 6

Cinnamon Sugar ¼ cup 50 1¾

Cocoa (unsweetened) ½ cup 42 1½

Coconut (sweetened, shredded) 1 cup 85 3

Coconut (unsweetened, large

1 cup 60 2⅛
flakes)

Coconut (unsweetened, shredded) 1 cup 113 4

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Coconut Flour 1 cup 128 4½

Coconut Milk Powder ½ cup 57 2

Coconut Oil ½ cup 113 4

Confectioners’ Sugar (unsifted) 2 cups 227 8

Cookie Crumbs 1 cup 85 3

Corn Syrup 1 cup 312 11

Cornmeal (whole) 1 cup 138 4⅞

Cornmeal (yellow, Quaker) 1 cup 156 5½

Cornstarch ¼ cup 28 1

Cranberries (dried) ½ cup 57 2

Cranberries (fresh or frozen) 1 cup 99 3½

Cream (heavy cream, light cream,

1 cup 227 8
or half-and-half)

Cream Cheese 1 cup 227 8

Crystallized Ginger ½ cup 92 3¼

Currants 1 cup 142 5

Dates (chopped) 1 cup 149 5¼

Demerara Sugar 1 cup 220 7¾

Dried Blueberry Powder ¼ cup 28 1

Dried Buttermilk Powder 2 tablespoons 25 ⅞

Dried Milk (Baker’s Special Dried

¼ cup 35 1¼
Milk)

Dried Nonfat Milk (powdered) ¼ cup 21 ¾

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Dried Whole Milk (powdered) ½ cup 50 1¾

Egg (fresh) 1 large 50 1¾

Egg White (fresh) 1 large 35 1¼

Egg Whites (dried) 2 tablespoons 11 ⅜

Egg Yolk (fresh) 1 large 14 ½

Espresso Powder 1 tablespoon 7 ¼

Figs (dried, chopped) 1 cup 149 5¼

Flax Meal ½ cup 50 1¾

Flaxseed ¼ cup 35 1¼

Ginger (fresh, sliced) ¼ cup 57 2

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking

1 cup 120 4¼
Mix

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour 1 cup 156 5½

Graham Cracker Crumbs (boxed) 1 cup 99 3½

Graham Crackers (crushed) 1 cup 142 5

Granola 1 cup 113 4

Grape-Nuts ½ cup 57 2

Hazelnut Flour 1 cup 89 3⅛

Hazelnut Praline Paste ½ cup 156 5½

Hazelnut Spread ½ cup 160 5⅝

Hazelnuts (whole) 1 cup 142 5

Honey 1 tablespoon 21 ¾
INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Instant ClearJel 1 tablespoon 11 ⅜

Jam or Preserves ¼ cup 85 3

Jammy Bits 1 cup 184 6½

Key Lime Juice 1 cup 227 8

Lard ½ cup 113 4

Lemon Juice Powder 2 tablespoons 18 ⅝

Lime Juice Powder 2 tablespoons 18 ⅝

Macadamia Nuts (whole) 1 cup 149 5¼

Malted Milk Powder ¼ cup 35 1¼

Maple Sugar ½ cup 78 2¾

Maple Syrup ½ cup 156 5½

Marshmallow Fluff 1 cup 128 4½

Marshmallows (mini) 1 cup 43 1½

Marzipan 1 cup 290 10⅛

Meringue Powder ¼ cup 43 1½

Milk (evaporated) ½ cup 113 4

Milk (fresh) 1 cup 227 8

Mini Chocolate Chips 1 cup 177 6¼

Molasses ¼ cup 85 3

Oat Flour 1 cup 92 3¼

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats 1 cup 99 3½

Olive Oil ¼ cup 50 1¾

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Pastry Flour 1 cup 106 3¾

Peaches (peeled and diced) 1 cup 170 6

Peanut Butter ½ cup 135 4¾

Peanuts (whole, shelled) 1 cup 142 5

Pears (peeled and diced) 1 cup 163 5¾

Pecan Meal 1 cup 80 2¾

Pecans (diced) ½ cup 57 2

Pine Nuts ½ cup 71 2½

Pineapple (dried) ½ cup 71 2½

Pineapple (fresh or canned, diced) 1 cup 170 6

Pistachios (shelled) ½ cup 60 2⅛

Pistachio Paste ¼ cup 78 2¾

Poppy Seeds 2 tablespoons 18 ⅝

Potato Starch 1 cup 152 5⅜

Pumpkin (canned) 1 cup 227 8

Raisins (loose) 1 cup 149 5¼

Raisins (packed) ½ cup 85 3

Raspberries (fresh) 1 cup 120 4¼

Rhubarb (sliced, ½″ slices) 1 cup 120 4¼

Rice Flour (white) 1 cup 142 5

Rice Krispies 1 cup 28 1

Rye Flour 1 cup 103 3⅝

INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Rye Flour Blend 1 cup 106 3¾

Salt (kosher, Diamond Crystal) 1 tablespoon 8

Salt (kosher, Morton’s) 1 tablespoon 16

Salt (table) 1 tablespoon 18

Self-Rising Flour 1 cup 113 4

Semolina Flour 1 cup 163 5¾

Sesame Seeds ½ cup 71 2½

Sour Cream 1 cup 227 8

Steel Cut Oats (cooked) 1 cup 255 9

Steel Cut Oats (raw) ½ cup 99 2⅞

Strawberries (fresh sliced) 1 cup 167 5⅞

Sugar (granulated white) 1 cup 198 7

Sunflower Seeds ¼ cup 35 1¼

Sweetened Condensed Milk ¼ cup 78 2¾

Tahini Paste ½ cup 128 4½

Tapioca (quick cooking) 2 tablespoons 21 ¾

Tapioca Starch or Flour 1 cup 113 4

Toasted Almond Flour 1 cup 96 3⅜

Toffee Chunks 1 cup 156 5½

Tubinado Sugar (raw) 1 cup 180 6⅜

Unbleached Cake Flour 1 cup 120 4¼

Vanilla Extract 1 tablespoon 14 ½

 INGREDIENT VOLUME GRAMS OUNCES

Vegetable Oil 1 cup 198 7

Vegetable Shortening ¼ cup 46 1⅝

Vermont Cheese Powder ½ cup 57 2

Walnuts (chopped) 1 cup 113 4

Walnuts (whole) ½ cup 64 2¼

Water 1 cup 227 8

Wheat Berries (red) 1 cup 184 6½

Wheat Bran ½ cup 32 1⅛

Wheat Germ ¼ cup 28 1

White Chocolate Chips 1 cup 170 6

White Rye Flour 1 cup 106 3¾

White Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup 113 4

Whole Wheat Flour (premium

1 cup 113 4
100%)

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour /

1 cup 96 3⅜
Graham Flour

Yeast (instant) 2¼ teaspoons 7 ¼

Yogurt 1 cup 227 8

142 to
Zucchini (shredded) 1 cup 5 to 6
170

Tips on Techniques
Many bakers who are just getting started have questions about
phrases commonly used in recipes. If you weren’t lucky enough
to grow up with Grandma in the kitchen, where these things
were lovingly explained, you may have questions about what
we mean when we say, “cream butter and sugar,” “scrape down
the bowl,” or “cut fat into the flour mixture.” Even if you’re
familiar with this baking vocabulary, it can be helpful to know
why these techniques are important. What follows is a guide to
common baking terms and phrases, arranged alphabetically, for
bakers of all skill levels to use as a reference.
ADDING EGGS, ONE AT A TIME: After creaming together butter and
sugar (see page xix), the next ingredient in many cookie recipes
is eggs. They should be added one at a time, each one
thoroughly beaten in before the next is added, to allow the
creamed butter / sugar mixture to retain its trapped air most
effectively. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl so all of the
butter / sugar mixture is incorporated.

ADDING EGGS 1. After adding the egg, the mixture in the bowl will look curdled
and shiny. 2. Keep mixing, and the mixture will smooth out.

BAKING IN BATCHES: After you’ve removed a cookie sheet from

the oven and transferred the baked cookies to a cooling rack, be
sure the pan has cooled to room temperature before putting
more cookie dough on it. Putting dough on hot pans will cause
it to spread or lose its shape before it gets into the oven,
increasing the risk of burned edges and flat cookies. If you
want to continue scooping or shaping while your first pan of
cookies is baking, deposit the rest of the dough on sheets of
parchment, then lift the parchment onto the cooled sheets when
they’re ready.
BEATING EGG WHITES: Beating egg whites properly is the key to
creating certain extra-light cookies, such as meringues or
ladyfingers. Three things to remember: the bowl and beaters
must be clean and grease-free. Use a stainless steel, ceramic, or
glass bowl, not plastic. Egg whites will whip more fully if
they’re at room temperature before beating.
When beating egg whites, at first you’ll have a puddle of
clear liquid with some large bubbles in it.
Continue beating, and soon the whisk will begin to leave
tracks in the bowl. To test the character of your whites, pull
your whisk or beaters straight up out of the foam.
It’s extremely easy to go too far. When you start to see
grainy white clumps, you’re beyond stiff peaks, and every
stroke of the whisk or beater is tearing apart the network of air,
water, and protein you’ve worked so hard to create. You’ll also
see a pool of clear liquid under the foam. The good news is that
the foam still on top of the liquid essentially will still work.
The bad news is that you can’t really fix what’s happened, other
than to start over with new egg whites.
BEATING EGG WHITES 1. As you beat the egg whites, the liquid will become
opaque, forming many more, smaller bubbles. 2. If a point forms and then falls
over immediately, the egg whites are at a soft peak. 3. From here, several more
seconds will bring you to a medium peak, and another several seconds to stiff
peaks.

BOILING: When bringing liquid to a boil over a burner, the first

sign of that impending boil is very small bubbles atop the
liquid at the edge of the pan; if you’re heating milk, this is
called scalding the milk. Next, bubbles will begin to rise from
the interior of the pan, popping on the surface. These bubbles
are small and spaced apart; this is called a simmer. If directed
by your recipe to simmer the liquid in the pan, adjust the heat
so that these bubbles continue to form and break at intervals,
not constantly. To bring liquid to a boil, keep heat high until so
many bubbles are erupting across the surface that you can’t
distinguish one from another. This is called a full, or rolling,
boil.
CHILLING: After mixing cookie dough, chilling firms up the fat
and gives the flour time to absorb liquid evenly. This allows
dough to roll out more evenly, without sticking as much, and to
hold its shape while being cut and transferred to a baking sheet.

CHILLING DOUGH Place dough to be chilled inside a plastic bag and flatten it a
bit with a rolling pin. This will allow dough to chill quickly and give you a head
start on rolling it out later.

COOLING COOKIES: When baking drop cookies, especially if you

like chewy ones, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5
minutes after you take the pan out of the oven. This gives the
cookies a chance to firm up a bit before you slide a spatula
underneath them. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a
cooling rack to finish cooling. We prefer a cooling rack that has
a grid pattern with ½″ holes, to give fragile cookies support
while they’re cooling.
COOLING COOKIES Use a spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Bar cookies should cool in their baking pans on a rack.

Don’t cut them while they’re warm; you’ll make bars with very
ragged edges, and they’re much more likely to fall apart when
you’re taking them out of the pan.
Batter cookies that need to be shaped after baking should be
transferred while still warm to whatever shaping device you’re
using: a dowel, custard cup, cone, etc. Some cookies may be
shaped while warm by simply rolling them into a tube shape
around the handle of a wooden spoon.
Whatever type of cookies you’re making, be sure they’re
entirely cool before you wrap them up to store. Wrapping a
still-warm cookie will cause it to steam inside its container,
which could yield soggy, stuck-together results.
CREAMING: Creaming is responsible for creating the texture of
cookies, particularly crisp ones. It’s the process that begins
many cookie recipes; where sugar and fat are beaten together to
form and capture air bubbles, bubbles that form when the edges
of sugar crystals cut into fat molecules to make an air pocket.
When you first start beating sugar and fat together, the mixture
is thick and somewhat lumpy. As you continue to beat, the
mixture becomes creamier in texture, more uniform, and
lighter in color as air is beaten in.
CREAMING The fat and sugar mixture has a fluffy texture when creamed
properly, as shown.

CUTTING IN: This technique combines fat and flour in a way that
preserves shards of fat in the mixture. These shards create a
flaky, tender texture in the baked cookie by getting between the
layers of flour / liquid in the dough and keeping them separate
as they bake. Cutting in can be accomplished with your fingers,
a pastry fork, two knives, a pastry blender, a mixer, or a food
processor, pulsed gently.

CUTTING IN Flattened chunks of fat the size of your thumbnail will yield the
flakiest results.
CUTTING INTO BARS 1. Bars in 9" square pans are cut four across and four
down to yield 16 squares. 2. Bars in 7" × 11" pans are cut three down and eight
across to yield 24 rectangles. 3. Bars in 9" × 13" pans are cut four down and six
across, to yield 24 squares. 4. A 10" × 15" jellyroll pan yields 35 squares, when
cut five down and seven across. 5. Bars baked in 18" × 13" (half-sheet) pans
can be cut four down and six across, to yield 24 large squares; or eight down
and six across to make 48 rectangles. For small squares, cut eight down and
12 across, for a total of 96 squares.

CUTTING INTO BARS: Most bar cookies are baked in a square or

rectangular pan. The simplest way to divide these cookies
evenly is by cutting the sheet of baked dough in half, then
cutting the halves in half again. When using uncoated metal
pans, we’ve found a bench knife (see page xxxiv) is a
wonderful cutting implement for bar cookies. The handle on
top allows you to cut right to the edge of the pan, an awkward
proposition when you’re using a regular knife. For pans with
nonstick coating, plastic cutting implements are a better choice.
Or use your nylon spatula (see page xlii).
DOCKING: Pricking holes in a short dough (one that’s high in fat
and has a flaky or crisp texture after baking, such as shortbread
or the crust of some bar cookies), helps to vent the steam
created in the oven while baking. You can use a fork or a dough
docker (see page xxxvi) to prick small holes all over the
surface of the dough. By venting the steam, docking keeps the
dough from billowing or heaving as it bakes. It’s an important
step for crisp cookies or those that are baked in a single sheet
and not cut up until they come out of the oven.

DOCKING Vent holes for steam can be made with a fork or a dough docker.

DONENESS: How do you know when your drop or shaped

cookies are done? Cookies will continue to set from the heat of
the pan after being removed from the oven, so how do you
know when to take them out? Open the oven door and insert the
edge of a turner or spatula under the edge of one cookie. Lift
gently. If the cookie stays flat across the bottom and doesn’t
bend or break in the middle, it’s ready to come out of the oven,
as shown below.
When ready to take out of the oven, bar cookies will pull
away from the edge of the pan just slightly, and batter cookies
will be golden brown at their edges.
DONENESS 1. This cookie doesn’t hold together when lifted off the baking
sheet, a sign that it needs more baking time. 2. This cookie holds its shape
when lifted off the baking sheet. It’s ready to come out of the oven.

DROP THE DOUGH BY THE TABLESPOONFUL: A typical drop cookie

recipe directs you to drop the dough by either the teaspoonful
or the tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets. What does
this really mean? Do you have to measure out an exact
teaspoon or tablespoon of dough? No. These measurements are
idiomatic, and date back to the time bakers used a soup spoon
(tablespoon) or regular spoon (teaspoon) to scoop out and
deposit their cookie dough. In order to make cookies the same
size as the original recipes intended, the modern baker can rely
on a cookie scoop (see page xxxvi). The tablespoon cookie
scoop, which mimics the original soup spoon, holds a level,
scant 2 tablespoons (5 teaspoons) of dough; the teaspoon scoop
holds a level 2 teaspoons of dough. So, when the recipes in this
book call for “dropping dough by the tablespoonful,” it’s
expected you’ll make a ball of dough, either with a cookie
scoop or a spoon, that measures about 2 tablespoons (about the
size of a table tennis ball). To “drop dough by the teaspoonful,”
make a ball of dough that measures about 2 teaspoons (about
the size of a large gumball). This will yield the size cookies,
and thus the yield, the recipe intends.
FILLING COOKIES: Soft fillings, such as marshmallow or
sandwich cookie fillings, can be scooped onto the flat side of a
cookie with a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop. Firmer fillings can
be spread with an offset spatula or a table knife.
FILLING A PASTRY BAG: Most people wish they had three hands
when it comes to filling a pastry bag. Here are some hints to
make it easier:
A tall, narrow container with a heavy base (such as a flower
vase) is a great holder to steady and support the bag as you fill
it, so your hands are free to put frosting or batter into the bag.
Be sure to fill the bag no more than three quarters full.
Overfilling the bag makes it hard to close and hard to control. It
should fit comfortably in your hands.
A twist tie is a big help to keep the top of the bag closed, so
icing doesn’t back up onto your hand when you squeeze the
bag. See page 148 for more information.
FOLDING: Ingredients with air beaten in, such as beaten egg
whites or whipped cream, are combined with the rest of a
recipe’s ingredients in a way that preserves as many of the air
bubbles as possible. We like to use a whisk for this, because the
many wires of the whisk combine the two mixtures effectively
in just a few strokes. This results in a light texture in the
finished product.

FOLDING Sifted dry ingredients are being folded into beaten egg whites with a
whisk. Draw the whisk down through the bowl and back up in a circular motion.

FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH AND BAKED COOKIES: This is one of

our favorite hints: Cookie dough can be made in advance of
baking and frozen for up to 3 months. An effective way to do
this is to form it into logs for slice-and-bake cookies (see page
xxix). Freeze the logs in a large zip-top plastic bag, and don’t
thaw the cookie dough before baking. Simply use a bench knife
or sharp knife to cut as few or as many slices as you like, place
them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and let
them thaw while the oven is heating.
Drop cookie dough can be scooped, or rolled into balls, and
frozen on a lightly greased baking sheet. Once the unbaked
cookies are frozen, they can be stored in a zip-top storage bag
in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, thaw as few or as
many as you like while your oven heats.
Most baked cookies are good candidates for up to 3 months
of freezer storage (with the exception of cookies filled with
freshly whipped cream, which should be enjoyed immediately).
Place completely cooled cookies in a zip-top bag, remove as
much air as possible, and freeze.

FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH Rolled cookie dough keeps well when stored
inside a zip-top freezer bag. Use a drinking straw to suck the air out of the bag
before closing.
GLUTEN-FREE BAKING: Virtually every recipe in this book can be
made gluten-free with some simple substitutions. For cookies
—as well as quick breads, pancakes, cakes, and other non-
yeasted recipes—King Arthur’s Measure for Measure
seamlessly replaces the flour in your favorite recipes. A blend
of rice flours, sorghum flour, tapioca and potato starches, and
xanthan gum, Measure for Measure substantially eases the
transition to gluten-free baking.
GREASING A PAN: Preparing your baking pan properly before
filling it can save a lot of heartbreak (and cookie-break). We
recommend using a nonstick pan spray for quick, effective
coverage, but a thin coat of vegetable shortening also does the
trick.

GREASING A PAN 1. When using pan spray, hold the can upright and the pan
parallel to it; you’ll get more even coverage that way, and less sputtering from
the can. 2. When using shortening, spread it evenly with a pastry brush or a
piece of waxed paper.

LEVELING (SMOOTHING) THE CRUST: When baking layered or bar

cookies, it is very important to have the crust, filling, or batter
level before the pan goes into the oven. Uneven batter will bake
unevenly; one section may be burned, while the other is
underdone.
LEVELING The top pan of brownies was properly smoothed out; the bottom pan
was unevenly filled.

LINING A PAN: Lining with parchment is by far our favorite

technique for cookie baking. Parchment is coated with silicone,
so cookies don’t stick to it; it can be reused again and again.
Simply line the pan with parchment that stretches as close to
the edge of the pan as possible.
Silicone mats are another popular option. They’re more
durable than parchment and can be used thousands of times. Be
careful not to cut anything on a silicone baking mat, as the mat
can be damaged. For baking cookies, a thin silicone mat is
preferable to a thick mat (often sold as a “kneading mat”).
MELTING CHOCOLATE: Chocolate scorches easily and can seize
(become hard and unmixable) if it comes in contact with water
when melting. We recommend melting chocolate at medium
power in the microwave, in a heat-proof container. One cup of
chocolate chips melted at half power should be heated for 1½ to
2 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.
MELTING CHOCOLATE It’s preferable to melt the chocolate three-quarters of
the way, then let carryover heat finish the melting process while you stir the
chocolate to smooth it out.

Chocolate can also be melted in a double boiler set over

simmering water, tightly covered so steam doesn’t come in
contact with it.
PIPING: Piping is a basic technique that can add a lot of polish to
the look of your baked goods. See pages xxii and 148 for hints
on getting set up. Stop squeezing before lifting the bag as you
pipe, to make a cleaner separation point.

PIPING Squeeze from the top of the bag toward the tip as you go, gathering the
slack in the palm of your hand to maintain pressure.

ROLLING INTO A BALL: Some cookies, like Snickerdoodles (see

page 22), are shaped into balls before being rolled in sugar to
coat them evenly. This process is made easier with a cookie
scoop (see page xxxvi), which portions roughly spherical
amounts to start with.

ROLLING INTO A BALL After scooping dough, roll it between your hands to
finish rounding it.

ROLLING OUT: This process involves using a rolling pin to

flatten chilled dough to an even thickness, to be cut into shapes
before baking. Dusting the work surface and your rolling pin
with flour is an important first step. It’s a good idea to have a
large, thin spatula (See page xlii) and a ruler or tape measure
on hand before you begin. The spatula helps you pick up the
dough frequently, to keep it from sticking, and the measuring
tools help you keep track of the dough’s dimensions and
thickness as you work. Roll from the center of the dough to the
edges, not back and forth, which tends to toughen the dough’s
gluten. If the dough is soft or sticky, it’s helpful to place a layer
of plastic wrap between the dough and your rolling pin, and to
place the dough on parchment before rolling.
SCOOPING COOKIE DOUGH: There are two widely used methods
to do this: using two spoons or a cookie scoop (also known as a
disher). The cookie scoop (see page xxxvi) results are more
consistent, and it’s a quicker way to get the job done.
 SCOOPING COOKIE DOUGH 1. Fill a spoon halfway with stiff dough. Using
another spoon of the same size, scrape the dough off the first spoon onto the
baking sheet. 2. Scoop the dough against the side of the bowl, using the lip of
the bowl to level off the bottom, then squeeze the scoop’s handle to release the
dough onto a baking sheet. When dough begins to stick in the scoop, rinse
scoop with water.

HIGH-ALTITUDE BAKING
Because cookies bake for a shorter amount of time than breads or cakes, and are
relatively low in water and high in fat content, they’re much less susceptible to the
vagaries of high-altitude baking. The principal adjustments recommended for cookies
baked at higher altitudes (generally considered to be above 3,500 feet) are to increase
the water slightly to help the dough come together, and to decrease the amount of
chemical leaveners (baking powder, baking soda) used. Experienced high-altitude
bakers know to bake at a slightly higher temperature, with a shortened baking time.
The tables below give guidelines for baking cookies at high altitude.

WHAT TO
CHANGE HOW TO CHANGE IT WHY

OVEN Increase 15 to 20°F; use the Since leavening and

TEMPERATURE smaller increase when making a evaporation proceed
recipe that’s largely chocolate, like more quickly, the idea is
brownies or chocolate crinkles. to use a higher
temperature to “set” the
structure of baked
goods before they over-
expand, spread too
much, or dry out.
WHAT TO
CHANGE HOW TO CHANGE IT WHY

BAKING TIME Decrease by 1½ to 2 minutes per Baking at a higher

10 minutes of baking time. temperature means
cookies are done
sooner.

LIQUID Increase by 1 to 2 tablespoons at Extra liquid helps high-

3,500 feet. Increase by an additional fat doughs come
1½ teaspoons for each additional together, and keeps
1,000 feet over 3,500. You can also cookies from drying out
use extra eggs as part of this liquid at higher baking
in recipes with a tender crumb, like temperatures and
bar cookies or batter cookies (such accelerated evaporation
as madeleines). rates.

ADJUSTING CHEMICAL LEAVENERS

BAKING POWDER, SODA, OR OTHER

3,000 TO 5,000 TO ABOVE
LEAVENER IN ORIGINAL RECIPE
5,000 FEET 6,500 FEET 6,500 FEET
1 teaspoon ⅞ ¾ ½
teaspoon teaspoon teaspoon

1½ teaspoons 1¼ 1 ¾
teaspoons teaspoon teaspoon

2 teaspoons 1½ 1¼ 1
teaspoons teaspoons teaspoon

2½ teaspoons 1¾ 1½ 1¼
teaspoons teaspoons teaspoons

3 teaspoons 2 1½ 1¼
teaspoons teaspoons teaspoons

3½ teaspoons 2½ 2 1½
teaspoons teaspoons teaspoons

4 teaspoons 2½ 2 1½
teaspoons teaspoons teaspoons
 SCRAPING THE BOWL: Recipes that combine creamed fat and
liquids can be difficult to mix thoroughly, because the
butter/sugar mixture sticks to the sides of the bowl. The only
sure remedy for this is to stop mixing partway through and
scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.

SCRAPING THE BOWL It’s important to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl during
mixing, to ensure the ingredients are evenly combined.
SEPARATING EGGS Crack the shell and use it to pass the yolk from one side to the other as
the white drips down into a bowl. An egg separator (bottom) does the same thing.

SEPARATING EGGS: It’s easier to separate the whites from the

yolks when eggs are cold. If you need help, try one of the many
types of egg separators found in any kitchen store.
SHAPING BATTER COOKIES: When batter cookies are still warm,
they can be shaped using any number of kitchen items. Tuiles
can be draped over the handle of a rolling pin, or over the back
of a custard cup to make a small, edible bowl to hold ice cream,
pudding, or berries. Krumkake are traditionally rolled around a
cannoli form (a hollow tube), and lace cookies wrap nicely
around the handle of a wooden spoon. See the Batter Cookies
chapter (pages 381–413) for illustrations of these shapes being
created.
SHIPPING COOKIES: There are two types of cookies that ship
well: bar cookies and crisp cookies. Bar cookies are fairly
moist; they can be cut into convenient squares or rectangles,
and they stay fresh longer than other types of cookies, so long
as they’re wrapped well. Crisp cookies have a low water
content and should be well wrapped to keep them from
absorbing moisture. See page xxvii for some hints for sending
your creations to someone you care about.
SIFTING FLOUR: Sifted flour has been passed through a strainer
or screen to aerate it, sometimes in concert with other dry
ingredients. Sifted flour is usually folded in with wet
ingredients, in recipes where the desired result is a light,
spongy texture.
CREATING PACKAGES OF COOKIES WITH CARE 1. Choose a sturdy corrugated box or
large tin to ship your cookies. Line the bottom with soft, food-safe packing material, such as
plastic bubble wrap or unbuttered popped popcorn. 2. Small paper baking cups are an
attractive way to package individual cookies. They also protect the cookies. 3. Place heavy
cardboard in the bottom of a zip-top freezer bag. 4. Place cookies in a single layer, covering
the bottom of the bag completely. The more snugly the cookies fit, the less they’ll shift as they
travel. 5. Cushion each layer of cookies with a layer of packing material. 6. Fill the remaining
space in the box with more packing material to ensure a snug fit. 7. Place this box inside a
larger box, with packing material all around it. 8. Close the box, seal, label, and ship.
SLICE AND BAKE 1. Spoon drop cookie dough in a log in the center of a piece of parchment.
Fold over the piece of parchment. 2. Take a straight edge and place it on top of the parchment,
as shown. Hold the edge in place as you pull the bottom edge of the parchment toward you.
This will cause the dough to form a smooth, round shape. To keep cookies round as you slice
them, roll the log away from you as your knife goes through it.

SLICE AND BAKE: Shaped cookie doughs are often rolled into a
log shape and sliced before baking. Any stiff drop cookie dough
can be treated the same way; thick slices of dough will make a
chewier cookie, and thin slices will create crisper ones.
STIR:Many cookie doughs and batters need no more than a
bowl and spoon to prepare. Wetter batters, like brownies, are
good candidates for stirring, since overmixing with a machine
can make them tough.
STIR After whisking together the dry ingredients, add them to the wet ones, stirring until the
mixture is evenly combined.

STORING COOKIES: The first thing to keep in mind when storing

cookies is that they need to be completely cool before you put
them away, otherwise they’ll steam, soften up, and stick to each
other. Cookies usually can be stored at room temperature, in
airtight containers, for up to a week. Appropriate containers can
be cookie jars or tins, screw-top plastic jars or snap-top plastic
boxes, or tightly closed plastic bags. Bar cookies with lots of
fruit or dairy ingredients should be refrigerated, well wrapped.
If you plan to store cookies for more than a week, we advise
wrapping them so air can’t get to them and freezing for up to 3
months.
STRAINING UNSWEETENED COCOA: Unsweetened cocoa contains
cocoa butter, which can cause it to clump. To make sure it
combines evenly with the rest of the dry ingredients in your
recipe, it’s best to strain it.
STRAINING UNSWEETENED COCOA Push the cocoa powder through a strainer, after
measuring it and before adding it to your recipe.

TOASTING NUTS AND COCONUT: Toasting nuts enhances their

flavor. Since nuts are high in fat, they can scorch easily. Always
toast nuts in a shallow container in a single layer. A low to
moderate oven (300° to 325°F) is best. Check at 8 minutes for
smaller or sliced nuts. Larger nuts may take 10 to 15 minutes.
The nuts are done when you can smell their aroma and they’ve
become golden brown. Remove them from the oven when their
color is just a shade lighter than what you’re looking for, as
they’ll continue to cook a bit as they cool. Transfer the nuts to a
cool surface immediately, to minimize this carryover cooking.
If you’re toasting sweetened coconut, remove it from the oven
and stir it on the baking pan every 5 minutes to ensure even
browning.
TOASTING NUTS Nuts will take on a deeper color when toasted. On the left, untoasted pine
nuts. On the right, toasted pine nuts.

Tools to Make the Job Easier

For many people, cookies are their first baking adventure. As
with many skills, one starts with the basics and branches out
from there. For any baker, the quality of the tools you use can
mean the difference between a rewarding experience and
unnecessary frustration. But it can take time and some wrong
turns before you know what to avoid when choosing baking
equipment. That’s where we can help.
We put baking pans, tools, and gadgets of every description
through their paces every day in our test kitchen. We’ve already
encountered the awkward zesters, flimsy, warped cookie sheets,
and the sticks-no-matter-what pans out there. We’ve also found
plenty of utensils, pans, and tools that are a joy to work (and
play) with. What follows is an overview of cookie-baking
equipment. Here’s what to look for and how each item is used,
so you can choose tools that will become reliable partners in
your baking adventures to come.

Baking Pans
8″ ROUND CAKE PAN: We like to use 8″ or 9″ round cake pans for
shortbread recipes, since they hold the same amount of dough
as most embossed shortbread molds. If you want a quick way to
make nice, even shortbread wedges, just press the dough into
the pan, then decorate the top by docking it in a pretty pattern
with a fork. Bake the shortbread and cut it into wedges with a
serrated knife while still warm.

8″ SQUARE PAN: An 8″ square pan holds roughly half the volume

of a 9″ × 13″ pan. If you find a brownie recipe that calls for a 9″
× 13″ pan, and you want to make a smaller batch, cut the
ingredient amounts in half and use an 8″ square pan. You’ll
want to check on the brownies 10 minutes sooner than the
baking time calls for, just to be sure they don’t overbake.

9″ SQUARE PAN: Perfect for many bars and squares recipes, 9″

square pans are a pantry staple. Some 9″ square pans come with
removable bottoms, which can be a convenient feature. Choose
a light-colored metal pan with accurate dimensions (it’s a good
idea to measure any pan before buying, no matter what the
label says). Measure from the inside of one edge to the inside
of the opposite edge: your ruler should say 9″, not 8¼ or 9½.
7″ × 11″ BAR PAN:Measuring 7″ × 11″ and usually 1½″ deep, bar
or brownie pans are an old-fashioned size, but beloved by many
bakers. If you need a substitute for this pan, you can use a
different size pan by figuring out how much surface area the
recipe needs. Bar pans measure 77 square inches (7 times 11); a
9″ square pan is an acceptable substitute, at 81 square inches.
9″ × 13″ PAN:Commonly called for in larger bar cookie recipes, a
9″ × 13″ pan should be of light-colored metal, and be sturdy
enough to hold itself without flexing when you pick it up from
one end. This is a popular size for heatproof glass pans, but we
find they’re heavier to lift, take longer to heat, and retain heat
longer once they’re up to temperature. All of these character
istics can change the results you’re expecting from your bar
cookie recipes, so we save glass pans for casse-roles instead of
using them for bars.

10″ × 15″ PAN:This size is known as a jellyroll pan, but can also
be put to use for bar cookie recipes. In a pinch, a 10″ × 15″ pan
can do double duty as an extra cookie sheet.
COOKIE SHEETS: There’s an abundance of choices here: light,
dark, or nonstick finishes, textured or smooth, sides or no sides,
air cushioned or not. In general, we recommend light finishes
for baking cookies. Cookie doughs have a lot of fat, which can
mean very fast browning when baked on a dark surface. We
usually choose cookie sheets with raised sides, because they’re
easier to pick up, the cookies won’t slide off, and we can flip
them over and use the backs for things that are cut out with a
template, like construction gingerbread.
HALF-SHEET PAN: Made of sturdy aluminum with a steel band
that reinforces the rim, half-sheet pans measure 18″ × 13″.
Their sides are 1″ tall. Half-sheet pans are excellent for baking
cookies and bars; we use them more than any other pan in our
kitchen. Their light color encourages even browning, and their
sturdy construction stands up to all manner of abuse. The size
we’ve based our recipes on is a 18″ × 13″ half-sheet pan, which
comfortably holds a dozen 2″ cookies.
MADELEINE PAN: Madeleines are a cross between a sponge cake
and a cookie, and are baked in pans with indentations that are
reminiscent of seashells. Full-size madeleines are 3¼″ long,
2⅛″ wide, and take 2 tablespoons of batter in each form; small
madeleines are 1¼″ by 1″, using 1½ teaspoons of batter apiece.
Madeleine pans can be made of metal or silicone; look for one
with pronounced ridges in the wells.

SAUCEPAN: The ideal saucepan has a flat, heavy bottom and

sides, with no “hot spots” in the corners, and a securely
attached handle that stays cool. Look for pans with sturdy
 handles and good balance: they shouldn’t rock or tip when
empty. Stainless-steel-lined pans with aluminum cores give the
best combination of a nonreactive, durable surface next to the
food, backed up by the excellent conductivity and heat transfer
of aluminum. As a rule, you want to use the smallest sized
saucepan that will comfortably hold your ingredients, to lessen
the risk of scorching. Nonstick or not is largely a matter of
preference. Nonstick saucepans are easier to clean but require
more care when reaching for a utensil to stir with.

Bowls

MIXING BOWL: From Grandma’s heavy stoneware bowl to the

one that came with your mixer, there are hundreds of mixing
bowls available, in a complete range of sizes. Most stand
mixers come with their own stainless steel bowls. A handle on
these is a desirable feature. If you use a hand mixer in a large
bowl on the counter, your bowl should have a stable base and
walls that are high enough and steep enough to keep the
contents of the bowl moving back down toward the beaters as
you’re mixing. If you’re mixing a recipe by hand, rigid plastic
bowls with flat lips you can grab on to are a good choice, since
they’re sturdy without being too heavy. Some plastic mixing
bowls have a handle molded into the rim and a pour spout
opposite; these are very handy for mixing and pouring wet
ingredients or batter. Stainless steel bowls are useful, since
they’re nonreactive and can be placed over a water bath to melt
butter or chocolate. Avoid bowls that have ridges or seams
inside the bottom.
MELTING BOWL: We prefer heat-proof glass bowls to melt butter
or chocolate. They can be put in the microwave, you can see
from the side if everything is melted, and the glass holds
enough heat to keep melted ingredients liquid for a longer time.
Tools

BAKER’S BENCH KNIFE: A 6″ rectangle of stainless steel with a

handle on one side, a bench knife is indispensable for cutting
bar cookies, chunks of butter, scooping up piles of chopped
nuts, and scraping down countertops.

BOWL (DOUGH) SCRAPER: Usually made of somewhat flexible

plastic, bowl scrapers have a curved edge to follow the contour
of a mixing bowl. They can assist with mixing heavy doughs,
and are the most efficient tool to get all of a sticky or heavy
dough out of a bowl quickly. Their shape is comfortable in your
hand, and we also use them for portioning dough and patting it
into shapes, particularly if it’s a sticky one like biscotti.

CAKE TESTER: Checking for doneness used to be accomplished

with toothpicks, clean straws from a broom, or a paring knife.
If it came out clean, your baked good was done. Today we have
cake testers, which are made of wood or metal, and are used to
test the doneness of brownies or other thick bars or some soft
cookies. Choose one that’s about the same diameter as a piece
of raw spaghetti; you want it to be thick enough that you can
easily see if there’s moist batter sticking to it, and thin enough
so as not to leave a big hole in the brownie where it was
inserted.
CANDY THERMOMETER: Designed to clip on the side of a
saucepan and register temperatures from 100°F to 400°F, this
tool is useful not only for making candy, but for deep-frying,
and making dips, toppings, or fillings for cookies. Look for a
clip that doesn’t slide up and down the thermometer’s body too
easily, and numbers that can be easily read. Some candy
thermometers have flagged location indicators on their
temperature scale for various candymaking stages: soft ball,
hard ball, hard crack. Try to find a thermometer that will
submerge the bulb in liquid at least ½″ away from the edge of
the pan.
CANNOLI FORMS: These are stainless steel tubes, ½″ in diameter
and 4″ long. Cannoli dough is rolled, cut, and wrapped around
these tubes before deep-frying. Warm batter cookies can also be
wrapped around them after baking, so they cool into a tube
shape.
COOKIE CUTTERS: There are hundreds of shapes and silhouettes
to chose from with cookie cutters, but no kitchen is complete
without a good set of graduated round cutters. These should be
sturdy, with one rolled or wide edge for pressing down, and a
sharper edge for cutting. There are lots of small cutter shapes
that can be used in conjunction with round cutters, to make a
linzer-style sandwich cookie, or a windowpane cookie. When
choosing silhouette cutters, look for a smooth vertical seam
where the metal overlaps, and an easy gripping surface on the
top edge. It’s also best to look for cutters without closed backs
so you can see where you’re cutting.
COOKIE MOLDS, STAMPS, AND PLAQUES: Many traditional
European cookies get their distinctive shapes from beautifully
designed molds and stamps. Springerle and speculaas are two
types of cookies that are pressed into molds before baking. The
molds are carved in decorative relief patterns; the pattern is
transferred to the dough, and the mold removed before baking.
Stoneware plaques with raised patterns (such as shortbread
molds) can be filled with dough, which is then baked in the
plaque before being cut into individual cookies afterward.
Many people collect different cookie mold designs to display.
COOKIE PRESS: Ideal for making shaped cookies such as stars,
wreaths, and flowers, cookie presses come in manual and
electric versions. Both types use a screw press mechanism to
push cookie dough through a template to form shapes. Look for
one that’s easy to refill without undoing the die plate. A cookie
press should be lightweight without being flimsy, and fit your
hands comfortably while you’re operating it.
COOKIE SCOOPS: We don’t know how we’d get along without
our cookie scoops. We use two sizes most of the time, both of
which do a good job of consistently portioning the amounts that
in days past were dished out with the spoons from the kitchen
drawer: a teaspoon scoop (which actually holds about 2
teaspoons), and a tablespoon scoop (which actually holds a
scant 2 tablespoons). Cookie scoops are faster and more
accurate than using two flatware spoons. For oversized cookies,
we use a scoop that holds ¼ cup of dough or batter.
COOLING RACK: Made of sturdy wire mesh, look for a rack that
has at least four feet to keep it steady on the counter and holes
no bigger than ½″ across. Cooling racks come in nonstick
finishes, but we haven’t found them to behave significantly
better than a regular stainless steel rack. If a cookie will stick
to a standard rack, it will stick to a coated one. Larger capacity
is always a plus for the cookie baker. Cooling racks come in
expandable versions that telescope out for more cooling surface
area, then retract to take up less storage space. You can also
find tiered holders to put your racks on, to save on counter
space.
CRACKER CRISPER (MOISTURE ABSORBER): A perforated disk
with moisture-absorbing silica crystals inside, a crisper is
stored in a closed container with any baked good that you want
to keep crisp. When the silica has absorbed as much water as it
can, it changes color. To restore its absorbent qualities, the
crisper is baked in the oven to dry it out before being put back
to use.
DOUGH DOCKER: This mini rolling pin with spikes pricks dough
in an even pattern, making holes to release steam. This ensures
that the dough will stay flat as it bakes. This step is a must
when you’re making short-bread, graham crackers, or any other
cookie that begins life as one flat sheet of dough and is
intended to be crisp after baking.
FLOUR SIFTER: Essentially a cylinder with a screen on the
bottom, sifters have a mechanical device to push flour through
the screen and break up lumps in dry ingredients like baking
soda and confectioners’ sugar. Flour sifters come in electric,
hand crank, and squeeze-handle types. Smaller versions hold 2
cups of material at a time, larger ones can hold as much as 12.
Choose one that feels comfortable in your hand, with a screen
with medium-gauge mesh.
GRATERS: For a quick tablespoon of zest to add to a recipe, we
love these hand graters. The more traditional box-style grater is
handy for grating chocolate or frozen butter.
KNIVES: If you could have only three knives in the kitchen, they
should be a paring knife, a chef ’s knife, and a serrated knife
(see illustrations). The paring knife should fit your hand
comfortably, with a blade between 2½″ and 4″ long. You can
use it to peel, trim, cut around stencils, decorate, and slice.
A chef ’s knife is an all-around kitchen workhorse. The tip
is good for fine work, the middle of the blade slices and chops,
and the heel will do the heavy work. The side of the blade will
help you crush things, then scoop them up off the board. Look
for a chef ’s knife that’s well balanced (you should be able to
hold the knife behind the heel of the blade, balanced on one
finger like a teeter-totter). A quality knife will be made of
high-carbon stainless steel and will have a full tang (end of the
blade) visible through the end of a handle held together with
rivets. Look for a blade that’s the most comfortable fit for your
hands; chef ’s knives come with blades from 5″ to 12″ long.
 For cutting crisp cookies like short-bread or biscotti, a
serrated knife is the right tool. Some have offset blades, which
can keep your knuckles out of the way when making a straight,
vertical cut. The teeth of a serrated blade work like a saw, so
when using a serrated knife don’t push down as much as pull it
back and forth. That way the teeth on the knife do the work.
In addition to these three workhorses, the everyday table
knife plays many roles. It’s the right tool for loosening baked
goods from the edge of their pans while cooling, it’s handy for
leveling the top of dry ingredients in their measuring cups, and
it’s the first thing you reach for when you need to cut a few
tablespoons from a stick of butter.
Plastic knives are handy for slicing high-fat, moist, or
dense baked goods, like fudgy brownies or moist bar cookies.
They’re also a nice thing to have around if you like to bake in
nonstick pans, since they won’t mar the finish.
KRUMKAKE IRON: Krumkake are thin (less than a ¼″ thick),
waffle-like cookies that can be molded around a form or spoon
or cooled flat (see pages 405–6). The iron works like a waffle
iron, with a handle that clips together. This presses the stiff
dough into the forms evenly. Look for an iron that has a clip
that snaps closed with a reassuring click, but is simple to open
when the cookies are done.
MEASURING CUPS: Measuring cups come in two types: dry and
liquid. Dry measuring cups should have flat rims, sturdy
handles, and be accurate (we’ve found that the volume of
different manufacturers’ cups can vary significantly). Liquid
measuring cups should have lines you can read clearly either
through the side of the cup of from above. To test the accuracy
of either a dry or liquid 1 cup measure, place it on a scale you
trust, hit “tare” or zero, and pour in water until the scale reads 8
ounces. If the level of the water reaches the rim or line, your
cup is accurate. If the cup overflows or has room left in it, the
cup is inaccurate. Most sets of measuring cups come in ¼, ⅓, ½
and 1 cup increments. Odd-sized sets (2 tablespoons, ⅔, ¾, 1½
and 2 cups) are also available, and can be big time-savers.
MEASURING SPOONS: Available in plastic and stainless steel, we
rely on stainless measuring spoons, because they don’t hold on
to sticky liquids, and they stand up well to constant trips
through the dishwasher. When you’re baking a lot, it’s helpful
to use two sets of measuring spoons: one to measure wet
ingredients such as vanilla extract, one to measure dry
ingredients such as baking powder. Standard sets come in ¼, ½,
1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon amounts. Odd-sized sets may
include pinch, dash, ⅛ teaspoon, and ½ tablespoon amounts.
MIXERS: Hand mixers are good for batters, whipping cream and
egg whites, and for single batches of softer cookie doughs.
Hand mixers have limited power, since they need to be
lightweight enough to be easily maneuvered. Stand mixers are
the baker’s true workhorse, with the advantages of more power,
more capacity, and the ability to leave your hands free to
measure and add ingredients while the mixer is running. In
either case, look for sturdy construction, the most powerful
motor you can afford, and ease of cleaning. Many stand mixers
have a variety of attachments or extra mixing bowls that can be
added to the base unit.
PARCHMENT: Available in precut sheets or on a roll, parchment
is treated with silicone to make it nonstick. We find it
indispensable for rolling out cookies, then removing excess
trimmed dough and transferring the cookies, parchment and all,
to a baking sheet. It’s also perfect for lining a baking sheet,
providing both nonstick release of the cookies, and easy
cleanup. Parchment can be reused repeatedly, until it becomes
brittle, burned, or gets overly sticky or greasy.
PASTRY BAGS: These cone-shaped bags are the first step to
making piped cookies look their best. Pastry bags come in a
variety of sizes, from 12″ to 18″ tall or more. They can be made
of canvas, coated synthetic fabric, or disposable plastic. For
most cookie-making purposes, the smaller end of the range is
best, and heavyweight disposable plastic bags are our test
kitchen favorite. Choose a bag that fits in your hands
comfortably, and don’t fill it more than three quarters full.
PASTRY BLENDER OR FORK: These tools have tines or blades
used to “cut in” shortening or other fat. By placing the fat on
top of a recipe’s dry ingredients and pressing down, the tines
break up the fat into flat pieces. These pieces create a flaky
texture when baked. Look for a pastry blender that is sturdy
enough to press down on firmly without its wires or blades
bending or shifting. A pastry fork should be stainless steel,
have ¼″ of space between the tines, and have tines that are at
least 1½″ long.
PASTRY BRUSHES: For spreading an even coat of egg white over
a crust, greasing a pan with shortening, or putting a thin film of
frosting on a batch of bar cookies, a pastry brush is the
appropriate tool. Look for bristles that are firmly mounted to
the handle; silicone bristle brushes are dishwasher safe.

PASTRY TIPS AND COUPLERS: Pastry tips are metal cones that
come with an infinite variety of openings, each creating a
distinctive shape. The most commonly used are the star tip and
simple round; both types come in various diameters. A large
star tip is good for piping whipped cream or fillings, a smaller
one for more detailed decorations like ruffled borders, stars,
and seashells. A simple round opening is equally versatile: A
smaller round is used for piping letters or making dots, a larger
one shapes blobs of meringue or makes rectangular ladyfingers.
Plastic couplers allow you to change the pastry tip from one
shape to another quickly and easily.
PASTRY WHEEL: This device looks like a wavy pizza wheel. The
fluted edge of a pastry wheel gives a distinctive look to cutout
cookies.

PIZZA WHEEL: Pizza wheels make short work of cutting strips of

dough for a lattice, diamonds, squares, sticks, or any
rectangular shape. Look for one with a comfortable handle,
whose blade doesn’t wobble back and forth when it spins.
PIZZELLE MAKER: This looks like a half-sized waffle iron, but
with much shallower indentations. The batter is put on the
embossed section, then the top is put down and clipped tight to
spread out the batter. Most pizzelle makers have combinations
of ready lights and thermostat controls; none of these
enhancements is particularly effective. If you want to know
when the pizzelle is done, check the first one periodically to
establish a baking time; then time the remainder.
PLASTIC BAGS: This may seem like an odd item to mention in a
collection of baking tools, but we use plastic bags to make all
kinds of jobs easier. Zip-top styles are the perfect impromptu
pastry bag—just fill, close, and snip off one corner. Larger
plastic bags are perfect for holding roll-out cookie dough. You
can flatten the dough right inside the bag with a rolling pin,
which gives you a head start on rolling out the dough later. A
plastic bag makes a great improvised mitten, for patting sticky
dough into place. (We use them to store things, too.)
PLASTIC WRAP: This humble pantry staple can help your baking
more often than you might realize. The most frequent use for
plastic wrap in our test kitchen is to cover sticky or soft roll-out
doughs before rolling, so they won’t stick to the rolling pin.
You can see through the plastic while you’re working, and it’s
easy to pick up and reposition the plastic as the dough gets
bigger.
POTHOLDERS: Potholders can be made of cloth, silicone,
leather, or wool. It’s important to keep in mind that cloth
potholders are very dangerous if used when wet: the heat from
the pan can create enough steam inside a wet potholder to scald
you, and you won’t know you’re in trouble until you already
have a hot, heavy object in midair. Whatever potholder you
choose, make sure it’s thick enough to protect your hands yet
flexible enough to give you a good grip. Some bakers like the
protection of an oven mitt, which covers the back of the hand as
well as the wrist.

ROLLING PINS: Rolling pins can be made of wood, marble,

stainless steel (a favorite of ours), even glass. Most pins have a
barrel that’s about 10″ wide, with ball bearings that allow the
barrel to spin freely while you hold on to the handles. A good
pin has some heft to it, so the weight of the pin does most of
the work. The handles should be able to sustain some
downward force without bending, and the pin should roll easily
without any grinding sensation.
There are lots of variations with rolling pins. Some are
embossed so they can transfer a pattern or design to the dough,
for springerle and some Scandinavian cookies. There are pastry
pins, with tapered ends, that are good for rolling round pieces
of dough with thinner edges. There are even specialty rolling
pins, like the plastic ones designed for rolling out fondant
without sticking.
ROSETTE IRON: Available in any number of decorative shapes,
these irons are placed in hot oil to preheat, dipped into batter,
then returned to the oil to fry the cookie. The rosette heads can
be made of aluminum or cast iron and are screwed onto a
handle before being dipped. Rosette irons should have a secure,
screw-on connection to a handle that’s at least 12″ long. Newer
versions of rosette irons come with nonstick coatings, to make
releasing the finished cookie easier.

RULER: We measure the dimensions of pans, doughs, and cookie

shapes with our rulers. Choose rulers with smooth, food-safe
surfaces, such as stainless steel or plastic, so they can be
cleaned after being used. We recommend keeping one 12″ and
one 30″ ruler on hand (for larger projects).
SCALE: A good kitchen scale should have clear readouts, be
easy to clean, and able to register in grams or ounces (in ⅛-
ounce increments). Look for a scale that has a long shutoff
time, you don’t want to start all over if you have to take 30
seconds to let the dog out. A 2-minute shutoff time is a good
benchmark to look for. The platform on the scale should be big
enough to hold a large bowl without obscuring the readout, and
be stable enough so whatever you place on it doesn’t wobble.
Most home kitchen scales have a capacity between 4 and 11
pounds.
SHORTBREAD MOLD: Circular or square in shape and roughly 8″
in diameter, shortbread molds are deeply embossed to transfer
a decorative pattern to the cookie dough. Most shortbread
molds are made of ceramic or stoneware, so the dough can be
baked in the form.

SILICONE PAN LINERS (MATS): These nonstick pan liners are

reusable, sturdy, and save a lot of time on cleanup. They’re
particularly helpful for sticky batters like lace cookies, and can
do double duty as a nonstick kneading surface. An extra-thick
silicone liner may not be appropriate for cookies, as it actually
provides too much insulation and the cookie bottoms won’t
brown; choose thinner silicone, or silicone-coated, flexible
fiberglass instead.
SLOTTED SPOON: A larger spoon with holes in it, slotted spoons
are handy for scooping fried cookies out of hot fat. They’ll also
do a quick job of evenly mixing dry ingredients before adding
them to a recipe.
SPATULAS: Flexible spatulas have thin blades, which are good
for getting under things. Flexible metal spatulas (turners) are
useful for removing thin cookies such as tuiles from a sheet
pan. Flexible nylon spatulas are particularly effective for
scraping sticky ingredients off the sides of a mixing bowl. Look
for sturdy joints between blades and handles. Giant spatulas
are used to move large, rolled-out pieces of dough or crusts.
They also can collect many cookies at a time for transfer to a
cooling rack. Icing spatulas have a straight blade that can be
rounded or tapered at the end, to create different effects in the
finished texture of icing. Offset spatulas come in sizes ranging
from 3″ to 14″ blades. The angle of the blade near the handle
allows you to smooth frosting or batter to a level surface from
above, without dragging your hand through it.

Combining the scraping abilities of a spatula with the

scooping abilities of a spoon, spoonulas are handy for
transferring lots of batter or dough from one place to another.
They’re also helpful when trying to get stiff icing into a pastry
bag.
STRAINER: It’s helpful to have two strainers on hand: one with a
fine mesh for catching tiny seeds, and one with larger spaces
between the wires, to make quicker work of straining the lumps
out of confectioners’ sugar and cocoa.
SUGAR SOFTENER: Made of terra cotta, these disks (or other
shapes) are soaked in water, then drained and placed in a
container with brown sugar. The slow release of water from the
disk helps to keep the sugar soft.
THERMOMETERS: For taking the guesswork out of baking,
thermometers are indispensable. If you want to know if your
custard is fully cooked (165°F), or your oil for fried cookies is
hot enough (375°F), you need a thermometer. Instant-read types
are preferable for baking, since it’s not very comfortable to
stand in front of an open oven waiting for a thermometer to
register, and it’s not very good for what you’re baking, either.
 Instant-read thermometers come in both digital and
mechanical versions. Digital is generally easier to read, but
requires a battery. Mechanical thermometers are less
expensive. Be sure to find out where the thermometer’s sensor
is; mechanical stem thermometers have a dimple on the shaft
that has to be inside whatever is being measured to get an
accurate number. More expensive instant-read thermometers
have the sensor at the end of the probe.
We recommend an oven thermometer, too. Look for one
that can hang from an oven rack or stand on top of it. Many
ovens have “hot spots,” and the temperature probe for your
oven’s thermostat reads only one place inside your oven.
TIMERS: Like scales and thermometers, timers come in both
mechanical and battery-powered digital versions. We prefer
digital timers, not just because they’re more accurate, but
because we’ve never found a mechanical timer with a ring
longer than about 8 seconds, and that’s not long enough for the
busy baker who might have stepped out of the kitchen for 10
seconds.
Depending on how many things you’re trying to accomplish
at once, you may want a timer that hangs around your neck,
clips to your apron, or fits in your pocket. Most digital timers
have magnets on the back so they can attach to your oven or
refrigerator; if you like that style, be sure the magnet is strong
enough to withstand a few door openings and closings without
flying off. Look for a large readout, long ringing time (1
minute is good), and a range that goes from 1 second to 99
minutes.
TONGS: For reaching into hot oil or over a hot surface, tongs are
indispensable. We use them to turn cookies over when frying,
and for lifting them out of the hot oil.
WHISK: A whisk consists of a number of wires attached to a
handle, forming a collection of loops that draw air through egg
whites or combine dry ingredients swiftly. The wires of your
whisk should be sturdy yet flexible, and mounted securely to
the handle. Whisks are an excellent tool for folding egg whites
into other ingredients.
ZESTER: Consisting of several small circular cutting edges
mounted to a handle, zesters are designed to cut thin strips of
citrus rind, leaving the bitter pith behind.
 — CHAPTER ONE —

The Essentials

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

SUGAR COOKIES

OATMEAL COOKIES

MOLASSES COOKIES

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

SHORTBREAD

BISCOTTI

BROWNIES

DECORATED COOKIES
 Chocolate Chip Cookies

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. What joy those three little words bring to the
baker’s heart! When you think of the quintessential cookie, you think
chocolate chip, and for good reason: the chocolate chip cookie is so
popular because it tastes so good. A buttery, sweet, mild-flavored cookie
brimming with bits of assertive (semisweet, not milk) chocolate, tender
and crunchy or soft and chewy (take your pick), studded with toasty-
tasting pecans or walnuts (or macadamias)—what’s not to like? And, like
chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies are the perfect complement to ice-
cold milk, the ideal drink of childhood. We’re talking cookie as a cultural
icon here.
By some statistics, 80% of the cookies baked in American homes are
chocolate chip cookies. We’re not surprised; there have probably been
more words written and read on the chocolate chip cookie than any other
confection you could name. When Ruth Wakefield added chopped
chocolate to her butter cookie recipe at The Toll House restaurant in
Whitman, Massachusetts, back in the 1930s, little did she know she was
creating American culinary history. The 1948 edition of Wakefield’s Toll
House Recipes Tried and True includes a range of Toll House specialties,
with Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies (nestled securely between Toll
House Biscuits and Toll House Chocolate Icebox Cake) holding no
particular place of honor. No asterisk, no bold type in the index denotes
that this is the paradigm of cookie recipes, the future focal point of a
campaign standoff between American presidents’ wives, the model on
which books will be written, lawsuits filed, and backyard fence battles
fought.
Our families and friends think we have the best job in the world—
creating and testing chocolate chip cookie recipes. Then testing more
recipes, and then more, until THE perfect chocolate chip cookie is born. It
isn’t as easy as it seems. There are some pretty good chocolate chip cookie
recipes out there, and improving on some of the classics proved to be a
challenge. When you add in the element of personal taste—crunchy, crisp,
chewy—our testers had to be quite discerning. But we were up to the task,
and we’ve created two Essential Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes—one light
and crunchy, one soft and chewy—from which you’ll be able to take many
paths, one of which is bound to lead to your own personal chocolate chip
cookie paradise. Break out the cold milk!

DOES IT MATTER HOW HEAVILY I GREASE MY BAKING

SHEETS?
In the case of cookies—yes! Cookies, with their high ratio of both fat and sugar, tend to
spread as they bake. A heavily greased pan exacerbates this spreading; instead of
picking up resistance from the pan as the cookie bakes and spreads, it glides right
over that grease and spreads too far. The result? Thin edges, with a tendency to burn.
So when the directions say to grease the pan lightly, use an easy hand with the
vegetable shortening or nonstick vegetable oil spray. And remember, the best solution
of all is parchment. It doesn’t add any more fat to your cookies, helps protect their
bottoms from burning, and allows them to slide right off the pan onto the cooling rack.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CHEWY CHOCOLATE

CHIP COOKIE
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Golden brown, craggy from a surfeit of chips, these moist

cookies bend, then reluctantly break to reveal a lava flow of
melted chocolate. Truly—if you’re a chewy chocolate chip
cookie lover, it just doesn’t get any better than this. The
surprise ingredient? Vinegar. The small amount of vinegar
accomplishes two things: it tempers the sweetness of the sugar
just a bit, allowing the flavors of the chocolate and butter to
shine through, and it reacts with the sodium bicarbonate in the
leavener, giving the cookies a little extra lift in the oven. Try it,
you’ll like it.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups (510g) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter,

sugars, corn syrup, and vinegar, then beat in the eggs. Beat in
the vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in the
flour and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re just set;
the centers may still look a bit underdone. Remove them from
the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

CLASSIC CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE

CHIP COOKIES
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO
14 MINUTES

Ah, heaven! This light, golden cookie, heady with the taste and aroma of
brown sugar and chocolate, has a crisp-crunchy texture that makes even
the most jaded chocolate chip cookie diehards roll their eyes in blissful
satisfaction. Look no further: this is the quintessential crunchy (as
opposed to chewy) chocolate chip cookie.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups (510g) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening,

sugars, vanilla, salt, and vinegar. Beat in the egg, then the
baking soda and flour. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until they’re
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
MEGA-CHIPPERS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES

This cookie is sized to impress—wrap these individually to sell at a bake

sale, or pack them for a hike.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice. Drop the dough by ¼-

cupfuls onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them.
Bake the chewy cookies for 14 minutes, the crunchy cookies for
18 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them
to cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a rack to
cool completely.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH
NUTS
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Some like ’em, some think they’re excess baggage: “Why would anyone
ever think of taking away chocolate chips to add nuts?!” If you’re in the
former camp, and savor the interplay between the toasty, rich flavor of
nuts and chocolate’s dark sweetness, you’ll enjoy these.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
1½ cups (170g) chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the nuts

for 1½ cups of the chocolate chips in the recipe. Bake the
cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
BUTTERSCOTCH-GRANOLA
CHIPPERS
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Some of us gravitate to butterscotch just as avidly as we do to chocolate. If

you’re a butterscotch fan, you’ll enjoy these oat-enriched, buttery cookies.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
1 cup (113g) granola
1½ cups (255g) butterscotch chips

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, reducing the flour in

the recipe by ¼ cup and adding the granola. Substitute the
butterscotch chips for 1½ cups of the chocolate chips. Bake the
cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
DELUXE WHITE CHOCOLATE–
MACADAMIA COOKIES
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

White chocolate and light-colored macadamia nuts give a different,

blonder look to these luxurious cookies. If you’re not a fan of white
chocolate, feel free to leave it out and go with all semisweet or bittersweet
chocolate chips or chunks.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup (135g) chopped salted macadamia nuts

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the white

chocolate or chunks and the macadamia nuts for 2 cups of the
semisweet chips. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe
you’ve chosen.
ORANGE-PISTACHIO MILK
CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Those among us whose taste runs to milk chocolate rather than semisweet
love these cookies. The pistachios and hint of orange strike just the right
balance with milk chocolate’s sweeter, milder flavor.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
2 teaspoons almond extract
4 teaspoons orange zest
1½ cups (255g) milk chocolate chips
1½ cups (180g) whole pistachios, salted or unsalted

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the

almond extract for the vanilla, and adding the orange zest at the
same time. Substitute the milk chocolate chips and pistachios
for the 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips in the recipe. Bake the
cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
GIANDUJA DELIGHTS
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Gianduja is an ultrasmooth blend of hazelnuts and chocolate, used widely

in Italian candies and pastries. We took the liberty of naming these
hazelnut-studded cookies after that classic specialty chocolate of
Piedmont.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
2 to 3 teaspoons hazelnut extract, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon strong hazelnut
flavor, to taste
1 cup (113g) chopped hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the

hazelnut extract for the vanilla. Substitute the hazelnuts for 1
cup of the semisweet chips. If desired, substitute the white
chocolate chips for another cup of the semisweet chips in the
recipe. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve
chosen.
CANDY BAR COOKIES
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Nuts, caramel, and chocolate are the main ingredients in our favorite
candy bar, Snickers. Replicating those flavors in a cookie was easy and
delicious.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
1 cup (142g) chopped lightly salted peanuts
1 cup (156g) toffee bits

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the

peanuts and toffee bits for 1½ cups of the semisweet chips.
Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
CHERRY-ALMOND CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIES
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Cherry and almond are a match made in heaven; cherry and chocolate are
similarly divine. Put them all together and what have you got? Your ticket
to chocolate chip cookie paradise. Note that adding white chocolate makes
this a very sweet cookie. If you don’t love white chocolate, leave it out and
retain 1 cup of the semisweet chips.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (114g) slivered almonds, toasted (see page xxx)
1 cup (142g) dried cherries
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chunks or chips (optional)

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the

almond extract for the vanilla. Substitute the almonds, dried
cherries, and white chocolate for the semisweet chips. Bake the
cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
BUTTER-NUT CHOCOLATE CHIP
COOKIES
YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Butterscotch + chocolate + pecans … bring on the vanilla ice cream!

While this combination may sound like your favorite sundae, it translates
equally well to a warm-from-the-oven cookie.

1 recipe Essential Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, page 4; or Crunchy,

page 5)
2 to 3 drops butterscotch flavor or butter-rum flavor (optional)
1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

Prepare the cookie dough of your choice, substituting the

butterscotch flavor for the vanilla, and the butterscotch chips,
white or semisweet chocolate chips, and nuts for the semisweet
chips. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

THE CHOCOLATE GRATING CHALLENGE

While the recipe on the following page calls for 8 ounces of chocolate to be grated, we
were finding it a challenge to actually grate the chocolate. Trying to grind it in the food
processor produced a soft, oily mush; the chocolate also melted when we tried grating
it by hand on a box grater. Using a small rotary grater worked, but was very slow. The
solution? Grind the chocolate and oats together. The oats keep the chocolate from
becoming oily, and the chocolate disperses nicely through the oats, making it easier to
mix evenly into the cookie dough. We suggest processing the oats very briefly, then
adding the chocolate and processing briefly again. The oats should be finely ground,
and the chocolate should appear as finely diced chunks within the oats. Note that this
step will make the cookies a bit dark and chocolaty looking. Would we trade taste for
appearance? Never. But if you’re set on baking a cookie that has the typical golden-
brown, chocolate chip cookie look, leave out the grated chocolate.
GOOD-AS-STORE-BOUGHT COOKIES
YIELD: 6½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

If you’re an aficionado of those big, soft chocolate chip cookies you find
at the mall, or being sold from a kiosk at the airline terminal, give these a
try. Loaded with chocolate and nuts, with the mild, nutty flavor of oatmeal,
these cookies are also similar to those sold in fancy department stores
(which is why we often refer to them as “those fancy department store
cookies.”) One taste-tester proclaimed these “better than any store-bought
cookie I’ve ever had—the perfect bake-at-home cookie!”

2½ cups (223g) rolled oats

8 ounces (227g), semisweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon espresso powder
2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups (170g) chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Grind the oats and the chocolate together in a food processor
(see sidebar, opposite page). Set the mixture aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs,

and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt,
baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and the reserved
oat / chocolate mixture. Add the dry ingredients and stir to
combine. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Use a tablespoon cookie scoop (see page xxxvi) to drop the

dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2″
between them so they can spread. Bake for 12 minutes; don’t
overbake, or they’ll be hard. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

For real mall-sized cookies, drop the batter by the ¼-cupful

onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 15 to 18
minutes (the shorter time for a soft cookie, the longer time for
a crunchy cookie). Yield: 27 large 3½″ cookies.
CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT SNAPS
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES

Though dissimilar in appearance, on the first bite of this cookie you’ll

think Girl Scout Thin Mints! And that’s just what they taste like. For a
special treat, make a sandwich out of these with mint chocolate chip ice
cream.

24 tablespoons (3 sticks, 339g) unsalted butter

1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons peppermint extract, or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon peppermint oil, to
taste
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the
eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the
vanilla and peppermint extract.

Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, beating to combine.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
 Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re
slightly darker around the edges. Remove them from the oven,
and transfer to a rack to cool.

STICK-FREE SCOOPING
If you’re using a cookie scoop and the dough starts to stick in the scoop, simply rinse
the scoop in cold water, wiping off any dough. A clean, wet scoop will deposit cookies
onto the baking sheet absolutely stick-free.
RYE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 11 TO 12
MINUTES

There are regular chocolate chip cookies and then there’s this elevated
version made with rye flour. Once you bake and taste this variation on the
classic, you may never go back. Soft and mildly chewy with a complex
nuttiness that’s almost malt-like, this is one irresistibly alluring and
delicious cookie. We guarantee that you’ll quickly realize one batch just
isn’t enough.

⅔ cup (142g) light brown sugar, packed

⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
3 cups (318g) medium rye flour
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips, a blend or single variety

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, salt, vanilla, and

baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy.

Add the egg, again beating until smooth. Scrape the bottom and
sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is
thoroughly combined.
Mix in the flour, then the chocolate chips.

Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1¼″ balls

of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between
them on all sides; they’ll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their edges are

chestnut brown and their tops are light golden brown, almost
blonde.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool on the pan until
they’ve set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the
remaining dough.

Store cookies, well wrapped, at room temperature for several

days; freeze for longer storage.
 Sugar Cookies

ARE YOU AN AFICIONADO of nuance, of the haunting aroma that’s barely

there, of the compelling flavor you can’t quite identify? Do you embrace a
cookie that’s pure and simple, rather than one that’s complex and fussy?
Then the sugar cookie—light and crunchy, thick and chewy, thin and crisp,
or any of its myriad incarnations—is for you.
Sugar cookies are always high on the list of America’s most popular
cookies. And for good reason: there’s simply nothing in a sugar cookie not
to like. Think about it: sugar, butter, and flour, maybe an egg, some salt,
vanilla, perhaps a touch of nutmeg or lemon, a little bit of leavening for
texture … these are the basic elements of cookie baking, uncluttered by
any other assertive ingredients.
The clean profile of a sugar cookie makes it the ideal palette for a
colorful world of dips, decorations, and fillings. Alternatively, a plain
sugar cookie served with fresh berries or the first ripe peaches of summer
is a delicious dessert that’s striking in its simplicity. Whichever direction
you take it, classic or fancy, the sugar cookie will be right at home.
The three Essential Sugar Cookie recipes in this chapter—chewy,
crunchy, and crisp—are followed by a number of recipes that start life as
sugar cookie dough, then morph into everything from big, soft,
Pennsylvania Dutch-style sugar “cakes,” to crunchy sugar diamonds, thin
and crisp as a cracker. Most sugar cookies are drop cookies; you make
them simply by beating cookie dough and dropping it from a spoon onto a
baking sheet. Some sugar cookies, the ones you shape into stars and angels
at Christmas, or hearts for Valentine’s Day, are made from dough that’s
rolled out before being cut. But all sugar cookies have one key element in
common: they feature and celebrate the simple and beloved taste of sugar.

BEATING THE SPREAD

Why do some cookies flatten out as they bake (indeed, turn to molten puddles on the
cookie sheet), while others stand firm, and leave the oven looking exactly as they did
going in? In large part, it’s the liquid in cookies that makes them flatten out as they
bake. Liquid in the dough ingredients—in the egg, the butter, the milk, or any other
liquid—is “freed” by the oven’s heat, and causes cookies to “flow”—i.e., flatten. In
addition, some dry ingredients (such as sugar) become liquid at high heat, adding to
the spread. Cookies made with a liquid sweetener, such as corn syrup, honey, maple
syrup, or molasses, tend to spread more than cookies made with a dry sweetener, as
these sweeteners are already a liquid.
There are a number of other reasons why cookies may flatten more than you like
as they bake. Here are a few tips for avoiding this “cookie collapse.”
First, be sure to use shortening in recipes that call for it. Substituting butter,
margarine or oil will result in cookies that spread, because these fats have a lower
melting point than shortening does. If a recipe calls for butter, and the spreading is
excessive, try using shortening instead. Butter-flavored shortening is a good
substitute.
Other reasons cookies may spread:
• A cool oven. Baking cookies in a too-cool oven allows the fat to melt before the rest
of the cookie “sets up.”
• An overgreased cookie sheet. Most cookies need but a touch of oil to keep them
from sticking, so don’t overdo it.
• A hot cookie sheet. This allows the shortening to melt before the cookies are even
in the oven.
• Too much sugar. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means it attracts water. Water
molecules in your cookie dough, rather than be absorbed by the flour, are attracted
by the sugar (which doesn’t absorb the water, but simply attracts it; kind of like
flirting, with no marriage). The dough remains soft and “liquid,” and spreads as it
bakes. By cutting back on the sugar, you’re increasing the amount of water that will
be absorbed by the flour, thus stiffening the dough and preventing spread. Try
cutting the sugar in your recipe back by ¼, and see what happens.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CHEWY SUGAR

COOKIE
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Some like ’em crisp. Some like ’em crunchy. But for those of you who
think a chewy cookie beats a crisp or crunchy one hands down, this recipe
is a winner. The cookie’s crackly surface, glittering with coarse sugar,
lends panache to its appearance.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil (optional, your choice)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) coarse or granulated sugar, for coating

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, granulated and

brown sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, baking powder,
baking soda, salt, and egg. Stir in the flour.
 Place the coarse sugar in a shallow dish. Drop the dough by the
tablespoonful (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here, see
page xxxvi) into the sugar, rolling the balls to coat them. Place
them on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until the edges are just barely
beginning to brown, they’ll look soft. If you bake these cookies
too long, they’ll be crunchy, not chewy. Remove them from the
oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer
them to a rack to cool completely.

THE FANCY FACTOR

If you just can’t resist gussying up your favorite crunchy or chewy sugar cookie, here
are some ideas for add-ins. Add 2 cups of any of the following to the cookie dough just
before shaping:
• M&M’s or other small candies
• Pistachio nuts (or the chopped nuts of your choice)
• Diced apricots or other diced dried fruits
• Diced crystallized ginger
• Butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, or the flavored chips of your choice
• A combination of shredded coconut (unsweetened preferred) and diced dried
pineapple
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CRUNCHY SUGAR

COOKIE
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

Like many old-time New England favorites, these sturdy, crunchy, golden-
hued cookies are plain and simple. We theorize that frugal Yankee
housewives saw no sense in using more sugar than was absolutely
necessary, to say nothing of adding “fancy” ingredients, like butter, when
lard would do. However, being New Englanders but not old-time New
Englanders, we “fancied” these up just a bit with the addition of vanilla
and nutmeg, a combination that simply sings “sugar cookie.” And lard
isn’t in our cookie repertoire; shortening and butter have taken its place.
We like the degree of sweetness in these cookies: less sweet than a
normal cookie, but still plenty sweet enough to plainly say “cookie.” We
tried making them with even less sugar—½ cup, instead of ⅔ cup—but
found their appearance started to suffer. Instead of being nicely rounded
and very lightly cracked on top, they became gnarly looking, spreading
unevenly and developing deep cracks. This is an example of what a
difference sugar makes in cookie spread and texture. Our original recipe
called for a cup of sugar, and those cookies spread to become very flat,
and their texture was chewy. When we reduced the amount of sugar to ⅔
cup, they spread less, the texture was more substantial, and they were
crunchy-crumbly rather than chewy.

¼ cup (46g) vegetable shortening

4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
¼ cup (57g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 teaspoon white vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter,

and sugar until smooth. In a liquid measuring cup, stir together
the milk, vinegar, and vanilla; add this to the butter mixture,
beating until well combined. The mixture will look curdled,
which is okay.

Add the nutmeg, flour, baking soda, and salt and beat until the
mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here, see page
xxxvi). Using the the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in
sugar, flatten the balls to ¼″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, or until they’re a light gold

color and just beginning to brown around the bottom edges.
Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. As
they cool, they’ll become crisp. If you want them to remain
crisp, store in an airtight container when they’re totally cool. If
you want them to get a bit chewy, store in a bag with a slice of
apple or a sugar softener.

VARIATION

To make big, bake sale–sized 4″ cookies, drop the dough by ¼-

cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them and bake
as directed above. Yield: About ten 4″ cookies.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CRISP SUGAR

COOKIE
YIELD: 8½ DOZEN 2″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

These cookies remind us of the bakery-case frosted cookies we used to ooh

and aah over as children. (Or, if your point of reference is more European,
they’re very close to a French sablé.) There was something about being on
eye level with the gorgeous creations in the glass case that gave them
enormous cachet. These golden cookies are very crisp, very light (yet still
sturdy enough to decorate), and not too sweet, which makes them the ideal
candidate for a flavored icing or glaze; check out our favorites on pages
429–36. Our thanks to Amy Persons, the baker behind this recipe.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, beating

until fluffy. Beat in the egg until smooth, then add the vanilla
and almond extracts.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add
to the butter mixture, mixing until the dough is smooth.
Refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 hours (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two or three baking sheets.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll it ¼″

thick. This dough is fairly soft, so put a piece of plastic wrap
over it while you roll it out. Cut out shapes with your favorite
cutters and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, until set and just slightly
colored around the edges. Remove the cookies from the oven,
let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm up, then
transfer to a rack to cool completely.
KING ARTHUR’S SPECIAL ROLL-OUT
SUGAR COOKIES
YIELD: 42 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

Often sugar cookies are fat and soft, the cumulus clouds of cookiedom.
But when you roll out the dough, rather than drop it from a spoon, you
reach the other extreme: thin and snapping-crisp. Make them just a bit
thicker, and you’ve got crunchy. These golden cookies, with their
comforting vanilla flavor, pair nicely with ice cream or fresh fruit. The
dough is also sturdy enough to be cut into fanciful shapes and decorated
(see Decorated Cookies, pages 139–55).

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 large egg
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream or sour cream
3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, baking

powder, vanilla, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Add
the egg and beat well. Add half the cream, all of the cornstarch,
and half the flour; beat well. Add the remaining cream and
flour, mixing just until all of the ingredients are well
incorporated.
 Divide the dough in half, flatten into rounds, and wrap well.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or more, to facilitate rolling.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured work surface and

place a piece of plastic wrap over it while you roll it out to keep
it from sticking to the rolling pin. Roll the dough to ⅛″ to ¼″
thick. Cut it into the shapes of your choice and transfer to the
prepared baking sheets.

Flattening the dough into thick rounds before wrapping it in plastic wrap allows it
to chill more quickly. When you’re ready to roll, it’s already partly flattened and
will become pliable quickly and evenly.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re set but not
browned. Remove them from the oven and let cool for 5
minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to
cool completely. Use a metal spatula to pick up one cookie; if it
seems fragile or breaks, let the cookies continue to cool until
you can handle them easily.

MAKING CUTOUT COOKIES

Here are a few easy steps to make your cutout cookies a success:
• Once the dough is thoroughly chilled, lightly dust both sides with flour. If you’ve just
taken it out of the refrigerator, let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
When you pinch a piece of dough, it should feel pliable, not break off in a chunk.
Trying to roll ice-cold dough is like trying to flatten an ice-cold stick of butter; it’s
more likely to crack and break into pieces than to roll flat and smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured, clean work surface. Try to use as little flour
as possible; the more you use, the more the cookie dough will absorb, and the
tougher and harder the cookies will be. Starting in the middle and rolling out toward
the edges, roll the dough into a circle ⅛″ to ¼″ thick. Thinner cookies will be crisper,
thicker cookies will be sturdier (and appropriate for sandwiching around a scoop of
ice cream).
• Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes, spacing them as close together
as possible. Using a metal turner, pick up individual cookies and place them on the
prepared baking sheets. Here’s how: edge the turner under the cookie, lift slightly,
pull away the scraps around the edge, then give your hand a gentle jerk to slip the
cookie onto the baking sheet. This is the same motion you’d use for sliding a
pancake onto a plate or a hamburger onto a bun.
• Gather all the dough scraps into a ball and reroll and cut them. You’ll find that by the
third go-around, the dough may be getting pretty rubbery and hard to roll. Just
refrigerate it for 15 minutes, and it should behave again.
SNICKERDOODLES
YIELD: 7 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

Think crunchy sugar cookie. Think cinnamon, everyone’s favorite baking

spice. Put them together and what have you got? A snickerdoodle, that
whimsically named, crisp-crunchy cinnamon sugar cookie that’s one of the
absolute stalwarts of the genre. Around the turn of the century, when
snickerdoodle recipes first appeared in print, they included dried fruit and
nuts. Over the years they’ve gradually become simpler, and now rely
solely on their wonderful texture and cinnamon topping for character.

DOUGH
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (297g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
¾ teaspoon salt
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour

COATING
½ cup (99g) sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream

together the shortening, butter, sugar, vanilla, and baking
 powder, beating until smooth. Add the eggs, again beating until
smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl once. Add the salt and
flour, mixing slowly until combined.

TO MAKE THE COATING: Mix the sugar and cinnamon

together in a shallow bowl (or in a large plastic bag).

Using a cookie scoop or your fingers, dip out 1 level tablespoon

of dough (a teaspoon cookie scoop, generously filled, works
well here) and roll it into a ball. Place the ball in the bowl or
bag of cinnamon sugar. When you’ve got five or six dough balls
in the sugar, gently shake them until they’re completely coated.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 1½″ apart.
Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about ½″
thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.

SNICKERDOODLES, JOLLY BOYS, AND TANGLE

BREECHES
Around the turn of the twentieth century, New England cookbooks began to feature
cookies with names that were … whimsical? Silly? Despite the best efforts of food
historians, none has been able to pin down exactly why, where, or how Jumbles, Cry
Babies, or Kinkawoodles (to say nothing of Snickerdoodles) were born. Our favorite
theory, of the many espoused? These words are just plain fun to say. After all, why not
wrap your tongue around a charming combination of vowels and consonants before
wrapping it around the cookie itself?

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, or until they’re golden brown

around the edges. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
VANILLA DREAMS
YIELD: 34 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 25 TO 30
MINUTES

The texture of these cookies—ultratender, ethereally light, melt-in-your-

mouth—is unlike anything you can get using baking powder or baking
soda. The secret? Baker’s ammonia, a.k.a. ammonium carbonate (see page
462), possibly available at your local pharmacy, and certainly available
online. Note that you may smell a strong ammonia odor while these
cookies are baking, but never fear—by the time they come out of the oven
the odor will be gone. Can these cookies be made without baker’s
ammonia? Sure, substitute 1½ teaspoons baking powder for the baker’s
ammonia. Just be aware their texture won’t even come close to what we’ve
just described.

1¼ cups (248g) granulated sugar

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baker’s ammonia (see page 462)
coarse or granulated sugar, for coating

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, salt,

and vanilla. Add the flour and baker’s ammonia and beat until
the dough almost comes together, scraping the bowl once. The
dough will seem quite dry at first, but keep beating, eventually
it will clump up and become cohesive. This could take up to 5
minutes.

Squeeze the dough together, gather it into a ball, and break off
pieces about the size of a large gumball (about ¾ ounce). Roll
the pieces into balls, and then roll them in the coarse sugar.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets and use the bottom of
a glass, dipped in sugar if necessary to prevent sticking, to
flatten the balls to about ¼″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re a very light

golden brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven
and transfer to a rack to cool.
BROWN-EDGE COOKIES
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

The name describes these sugar cookies quite aptly. Golden yellow with a
deeper brown edge, they’re delicate and elegant. A plate of these cookies
is a good-looking (and good-tasting) addition to any tea table.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
heaping ½ cup (71g) pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and

vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and beat it
gradually into the butter mixture. Drop the dough by the
teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Nestle a pecan
half atop each cookie.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until their outside

edges are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.
SUGAR PUFFS
YIELD: 20 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 25 MINUTES

This featherlight cookie has the buttery taste of shortbread, but its texture
will remind you of a puff of cotton candy—once the first light-and-
crunchy bite passes your lips, the cookie practically dissolves in your
mouth.

½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt (extra-fine preferred)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup (56g) cornstarch
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar,

butter, salt, and vanilla. Add the cornstarch and flour, stirring
to make a cohesive dough. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful
onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden

brown. Remove them from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes on
the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool.

PASS THE (EXTRA-FINE) SALT, PLEASE

In cookies with only a few ingredients, such as shortbread and certain sugar cookies,
occasionally the salt in the recipe won’t dissolve fully; you may actually taste individual
grains of salt. Extra-fine salt blends with the rest of the ingredients much more easily
than regular table salt. You can find national brands of extra-fine salt (such as Diamond
Crystal) in the salt section of your supermarket.
LIGHT-AS-AIR SUGAR COOKIES
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Light, airy, and crunchy are the three adjectives that spring to mind when
you first bite into these tender cookies. The combination of vanilla and
almond extracts gives them a subtle, sophisticated flavor. Note that ¼
teaspoon almond extract lends the merest hint of almond to these cookies.
If you’re someone who just can’t get enough of that almond flavor,
increase it to ½ (or even ¾) teaspoon.

½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar

½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (99g) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ to ½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugars, butter, and oil until
smooth and light-colored. Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond
extracts, salt, and baking powder, then mix in the flour.

Roll the dough into 1″ balls and place them on the prepared
baking sheets. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in
granulated sugar, flatten the balls to ¼″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re a very light

brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.
CRYSTAL DIAMONDS
YIELD: ABOUT 5 DOZEN 2″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 275°F | BAKING TIME:
45 TO 50 MINUTES

The inspiration for this recipe came from cookbook author John Thorne.
We’ve made some slight changes, and think it’s just about the most
delicious roll-out sugar cookie we’ve ever enjoyed. These crisp, buttery,
caramelized sugar wafers are, surprisingly, made with yeast, an interesting
twist for a cookie. If you don’t have coarse sugar, use regular granulated;
the cookies won’t be quite as crunchy but will be just as tasty.
Pair these cookies with a dish of blueberries or blackberries (or the
fresh local berry of your choice) for a simple end to a summer meal or
picnic.

1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (128g) whole milk
1 drop lemon oil*
1 teaspoon instant yeast
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1½ cups (330g) coarse sugar, for rolling

Using an electric mixer, beat together the flour, milk, lemon

oil, yeast, and salt until well combined. Beat in the pieces of
butter one at a time, beating for 1 full minute after each piece is
added. The dough will be very smooth and elastic. Remove the
dough from the mixer, place it in a small bowl, cover, and
refrigerate it for 2 hours, or as long as overnight.

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Sprinkle your work surface heavily

with coarse sugar (white or Demerara, see page 452).
Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time (and
keeping the other half refrigerated), roll out the dough on the
sugar-covered surface as thin as possible, adding additional
sugar to the work surface and sprinkling it atop the dough as
necessary. Halfway through the rolling process, turn the dough
over and sprinkle the work surface with more sugar, so that
both top and bottom surfaces end up heavily coated with sugar.
The dough should be about thick, almost translucent in
spots.

Using a rolling pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into
diamonds. Try to cut pieces about 2½″ in size. They’ll shrink a
bit, and by the time they’re finished baking, they’ll be about 2″,
a nice size for this cookie. (If you make them too large, the
edges brown way before the middle; the goal is an evenly
browned cookie.) Transfer the diamonds to ungreased, unlined
baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 45 to 50 minutes. They should be a deep

golden brown, but not burned. The closer you get to deep
brown, the better they’ll taste. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack immediately to cool, otherwise they may stick
to the pan.

Make sure the dough is heavily sugared on both sides. Sugar is doing the work
of flour here, keeping the dough from sticking to the work surface or your rolling
pin. Use a rolling pizza wheel to cut the dough into diamond shapes.
SOFT SUGAR CAKES
YIELD: 24 LARGE COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

These soft, moist cookies, scented with both nutmeg and vanilla, are a
specialty of the farmers’ markets in Pennsylvania Dutch country. They’re
very light and soft in texture, quite cakelike, and are wonderful served
with fresh fruit, particularly berries. Freshly grated nutmeg will produce a
tastier and more authentic cookie, but if you don’t have a nutmeg grater,
you can use ground nutmeg.

½ cup (114) sour cream (regular or low fat; not nonfat)

½ teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 large egg
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
coarse sugar, colored sugar, or sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream and

baking soda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together
the butter, sugar, egg, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and baking powder.
Add the sour cream mixture and blend well. Add the flour,
blending until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate
overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful (a tablespoon cookie

scoop works well here, see page xxxvi) onto the prepared
baking sheets, at least 2″ apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar,
colored sugar, or sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate any
remaining dough while the first batch of cookies bakes.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes. They should look barely done
—still very pale, almost white. (if they’re golden brown,
they’ve baked too long). Remove the cookies from the oven and
leave them on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes to finish baking.
Using a thin, flexible spatula, carefully remove the cookies
from the baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

These cookies keep well in airtight containers, or wrapped

individually and frozen in a tin. However, don’t try to stack
them without wax (or parchment) paper in between the layers,
as they’ll stick together.
LEMON DROPS
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18
MINUTES

These very light, soft cookies are pleasantly lemony. The lemon doesn’t
knock your socks off because these are, after all, sugar cookies; but it does
assert itself in a gentle, happy way.

DOUGH
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1¼ cups (248g) sugar
1 cup (227g) sour cream (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
½ cup (114g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

TOPPING
½ cup (99g) sugar
1 drop Fiori di Sicilia (see page 256), 1 to 2 drops lemon oil, or ½ teaspoon
lemon extract
yellow food coloring (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the butter

and sugar. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon
juice, and zest, then stir this into the butter mixture. Mix in the
flour, baking soda, and salt, beating to make a smooth, soft
dough.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, until they’re a very
light gold around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a small food processor or blender,

process together the sugar, lemon, and a few drops of food
coloring. Add additional food coloring until the sugar is the tint
you want. Sift this sugar over the cooled cookies just before
serving.
TEA SANDWICHES
YIELD: 27 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

If you’re a fool for creamy filling, or chocolate or nuts—or all three!—

then you’ll want to bookmark this recipe. Crisp, flat sugar cookies
sandwich the filling, and a rolled edge of chocolate and nuts makes the
whole rather impressive-looking. Still, they really aren’t fussy to make,
especially if you bake the cookies one day and then make the filling and
decorate the next.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (14g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

FROSTING
⅓ cup (57g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
½ cup (57g) finely crushed almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and
flour to make a cohesive dough. Cover the bowl with plastic
wrap and chill the dough for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break off 1″ pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Flatten
the balls to ¼″ with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake
the cookies for 15 minutes, until their edges are slightly brown
all around. Don’t overbake. Remove the cookies from the oven
and transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, cream together the

confectioners’ sugar and butter. Beat in the vanilla and milk;
add additional milk if necessary to make a spreadable filling.
Spread the filling very thin on half the cookies, using a scant
teaspoon for each. Place the remaining cookies on top of the
filling to make sandwiches.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In the microwave, or the top of a

double boiler, heat the chocolate chips and butter just until
melted. Transfer the frosting to a shallow dish.

Roll the edges of each sandwich first through the chocolate

mixture, then through the nuts. Transfer the sandwiches to
racks for the chocolate to set.
OLD-FASHIONED RAISIN SUGAR
COOKIES
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 9 MINUTES

Raisin lovers, unite! There are those who are merely lukewarm about
raisins (or, worse, even turn up their noses), but if you love this sweet,
chewy fruit with its distinctive flavor, you’ll appreciate these cookies. The
nicely assertive hint of vanilla in the finish is an added plus. Bake these
cookies so they’re crisp outside, soft and chewy at the center; or crisp all
the way through—it’s just a matter of juggling the baking temperature and
time.†

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (298g) raisins or currants

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking

powder, and salt. When smooth, beat in the egg. Add the flour
and raisins, stirring until well combined.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, flatten the
dough to a scant ½″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until they’re barely set and just
starting to brown around the edges. Remove them from the
oven, let them rest on the pan until you can move them without
them breaking, then transfer to a rack to cool.
BROWN SUGAR COOKIES
YIELD: 55 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

Maybe some of us have the enormous patience required to decorate

cookies in painstaking detail, but there are probably many more who
would rather just get the job done and move on to the next project. That’s
where these cookies come in. First of all, the silky-smooth shortbread-like
dough, made with brown sugar for extra flavor, is a joy to work with;
there’s no tedious rolling. Then there’s the easy decorating. The result is a
beautiful batch of buttery, sugary, chocolaty cookies, gussied up with as
little or as much garnish as you see fit—all created without working up a
sweat!

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
⅔ cup (142g) light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (24og) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (59g) light corn syrup
colored sprinkles, colored nonpareils, finely chopped nuts, or other sugar
decorations

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, beat together the butter,

egg yolk, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined.
 Mix in the flour. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break off teaspoonfuls of dough and form them into balls.

Place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten to ¼″ thick with
the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a small bowl in the microwave, or in a

small saucepan set over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips
and butter together, stirring until smooth. Stir in the corn syrup.

When the cookies are cool, use a flat butter knife or small icing
spatula to cover half of each cookie with the topping, so you’re
looking at a cookie that’s half iced, half bare. Then make small
piles of whatever garnishes you use—it’s fun to mix and match
—and dip the chocolate-coated side into the decorations.
Nonpareils and colored sprinkles are fun. Toasted, finely
chopped nuts are tasty. Refrigerate the cookies in a single layer
on a baking sheet until the chocolate sets, about 1 hour.

* Yes, a drop of lemon oil. You want just the merest hint of citrus here; it should be almost
unidentifiable, just enough to make people wonder what they’re tasting.

† For crisp cookies, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until the cookies
are starting to brown around the edges.
 Oatmeal Cookies

WERE WE TO CHOOSE just one cookie to represent America—the All-

American Cookie—it would be chocolate chip. But the humble oatmeal
cookie would finish a strong second. When you think comfort food
cookies, and you can get your mind beyond the allure of the chocolate
chip, it’s oatmeal cookies—warm and chewy, studded with raisins and nuts
—that come to mind.
Oats have a long and storied history in cooking and baking,
particularly in Scotland, where bannocks—flat oatcakes—are noted as
early as the fourteenth century. But the oatmeal cookie got a big push at
the turn of the last century, when the Quaker Oats Company was formed in
Chicago, from three smaller, regional companies. Quaker Oats, in the
familiar red and blue canister we still see today, kicked oats into the
American mainstream. Legend has it that Quaker Oats was the first mass-
marketed product in America. Cooks everywhere began to think of oats as
more than a breakfast porridge, adding them to favorite dishes like
meatloaf, making them into muffins and bread, and, of course, baking
oatmeal cookies.
Today, we celebrate National Oatmeal Month (January), and even
National Oatmeal Cookie Day (April 30). But we hardly need a designated
month, or even a day, to remind us how satisfying these cookies are. The
nutty flavor and “nubby” texture oatmeal gives cookies is as distinctive as
the crumbly-crunchy “bite” of a peanut butter cookie. The Essential
Oatmeal Cookie is crunchy or crisp, soft or chewy; whatever your
preference, you’ll find it here. And if ever you were to add raisins to a
cookie, this is the place; raisins and oats truly are a marriage made in
heaven.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CHEWY OATMEAL

COOKIE
YIELD: 45 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 11 MINUTES

This flat cookie has a lovely crisp edge, but bends before it breaks—unlike
crunchy cookies, which snap cleanly in two. Raisins both enhance the
cookie’s flavor, and add additional moistness, and nuts lend their own
distinct, toasty taste.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
6 tablespoons (117g) light corn syrup
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
3 cups (267g) quick-cooking oats (or rolled oats pulsed in a food
processor, to make smaller, thinner flakes)
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (149g) raisins
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, sugars,

extracts, spices, salt, and baking soda, beating until fairly
smooth. Beat in the egg, scraping the bowl, then beat in the
corn syrup and milk. Stir in the oats, flour, raisins, and nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 11 minutes, until they’re a light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CRUNCHY OATMEAL

COOKIE
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 20
MINUTES

This oatmeal cookie is crumbly-crunchy, the lightest textured of all the

oatmeal cookies we tested. If you’re not a raisin lover, leave them out, but
we feel both raisins and nuts give a plain oatmeal cookie pizzazz.

¾ cup (160g) brown sugar

¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups (267g) rolled oats
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) raisins, packed (optional)
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugars, butter,
shortening, salt, baking powder, spices, and vanilla, beating
until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the oats and flour, then
the raisins and nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Using the flat bottom of a drinking glass dipped in
sugar, flatten each ball of dough to about ¼″.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until they’re golden

brown; these are supposed to be crunchy, so don’t underbake
them. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL CRISP OATMEAL

COOKIE
YIELD: 45 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14 MINUTES

A bit darker in color than most due to its dark brown sugar, this cookie
retains its crisp texture even when raisins are added. Solid and sturdy, it’s a
good traveler, whether in your backpack going up a mountain trail or at the
bottom of your brown-bag lunch.

6 tablespoons (69g) vegetable shortening

5 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup (57g) water
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (267g) rolled oats
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (149g) raisins (optional)
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, sugars,

egg, water, extracts, spices, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the
oats, then the flour. Add the raisins and nuts last, and stir to
combine.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, or until they’re a light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL SOFT OATMEAL

COOKIE
YIELD: 45 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

Shaped in a soft mound rather than a flattened round, this cookie not only
has great flavor, but it’s also wonderfully soft and tender. If your taste runs
to melt-in-your-mouth crumbly—rather than chewy, crisp, or crunchy—
this one’s for you.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (25g) vegetable oil
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
6 tablespoons (85g) sour cream or yogurt (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (149g) currants or raisins (optional)
2 cups (178g) rolled oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil, and sugar. Add
the egg, beating until fluffy, then beat in the sour cream and
vanilla. Stir in the currants and the oats.
In a separate bowl, mix together the baking soda, cinnamon,
salt, and flour. Add this mixture, a cup at a time, to the oat
mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the nuts. Let
the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop (see page xxxvi), drop the

dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12
minutes, or until they’re light brown. Remove them from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

VARIATIONS

CHOCOLATE CHIP–OATMEAL COOKIES: Add 1 cup (170g)

semisweet chocolate chips to the Essential Oatmeal Cookie
recipe of your choice.
VERY VANILLA OATMEAL COOKIES: Add 1 vanilla bean, finely
ground, to the Essential Oatmeal Cookie recipe of your choice.
This will add an assertive hit of pure vanilla to your cookies.
TRAILMIX JUMBLES: Prepare the Essential Oatmeal Cookie recipe
of your choice, substituting 1 cup (114g) dried cranberries for
the raisins, and adding ⅔ cup (113g) chocolate chips or candy-
coated chocolates and ⅓ cup (20g) flaked coconut, unsweetened
preferred.
CRANBERRY CHEWS: Prepare the Essential Oatmeal Cookie
recipe of your choice, substituting 1½ cups (171g) dried
cranberries and ½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts for the raisins
and nuts. Add ¼ teaspoon orange oil, or 1 tablespoon grated
orange rind.
OAT SCOTCHIES: Prepare the Essential Oatmeal Cookie recipe of
your choice, substituting 1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips for
the raisins, and using chopped pecans. Add a few drops of
strong butterscotch or butter-rum flavor, if desired.
MOCHA CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES: Prepare the Essential Oatmeal
Cookie recipe of your choice, adding ½ teaspoon espresso
powder to the dough, and substituting 1 cup (170g) semisweet
or bittersweet chocolate chips for the raisins and 1 cup (135g)
macadamia nuts for the pecans or walnuts.
COCONUTTIES: Prepare the Essential Oatmeal Cookie recipe of
your choice, adding a few drops of strong coconut flavor to the
dough, and substituting 2 cups (106g) shredded unsweetened
coconut for the raisins and nuts. If you use sweetened coconut,
reduce the sugar (either brown or granulated) in the recipe by 2
tablespoons.
PIÑA COLADA COOKIES: Prepare the Essential Chewy Oatmeal
Cookie recipe or the Essential Soft Oatmeal Cookie recipe. If
you’re making the Chewy Oatmeal Cookies, omit the milk; if
you’re making the Soft Oatmeal Cookies, omit 2 tablespoons of
the sour cream. Substitute one 8-ounce can crushed pineapple,
thoroughly drained, and 1 cup (85g) shredded sweetened
coconut for the raisins and nuts. Add a few drops of strong
pineapple flavor and / or strong coconut flavor to the dough, if
desired.
DATE-STUFFED OATMEAL
SANDWICHES
Like raisins, dates are a natural in oatmeal cookies. In this recipe, we
sandwich cookies around a smooth filling of cooked dates.

FILLING
1½ cups (224g) chopped dates
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
½ cup (114g) water
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice

DOUGH
1 recipe Essential Oatmeal Cookies (Choose Chewy, page 35; Crunchy,
page 36; or Crisp, page 37; not Soft)

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan set over medium

heat, gently cook the dates, sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice
for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens.

Preheat the oven as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

Prepare the cookie dough recipe of your choice, omitting the

raisins and nuts. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe
you’ve chosen.

When the cookies are cool, spread half the cookies generously
with the filling. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing down
to compact the filling.
OATMEAL IS OATMEAL, ISN’T IT?
Au contraire! Oats come in a number of different grinds, and not all are suitable for
cookies.
The coarsest grind of oats is steel-cut, which means the actual oat grains have
been cut into several pieces. These extremely hard oat nuggets are great for porridge,
but don’t use them in your cookies.
If the oat berries are steamed and then rolled flat, they become rolled oats, often
called old-fashioned oats. If the berries are first cut into several pieces before being
steamed and rolled, the result is a smaller-particle rolled oat, called quick-cooking oats.
Rolled (old-fashioned) oats and quick-cooking oats can be used in any of these
recipes; be aware that quick-cooking oats will give you a cookie with a more uniform
texture, while rolled oats produce a craggier cookie.
Instant oatmeal, the kind you buy in individual packets, has been precooked and
isn’t suitable for any of these recipes. Using it will produce a sticky-textured cookie
with little character. Save it for a quick breakfast.
OLD-FASHIONED OATMEAL COOKIES
YIELD: 16 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 18 MINUTES

These big, dark brown, lusty rounds bear little resemblance to the light
tan, chunky-looking cookies anyone would immediately identify as
oatmeal. Grinding the oats makes these cookies smoother in appearance;
grinding the raisins also evens out their texture and adds wonderful
moistness and flavor. And molasses lends that old-fashioned taste. We like
to make these cookies bigger than normal, using ¼ cup batter for each.
The result: a big 3½″ “dunkable” cookie, somewhere in between crisp and
chewy, and perfect with coffee or milk.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¼ cup (46g) vegetable shortening
1¼ cups (266g) brown sugar
¼ cup (85g) molasses
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (267g) rolled oats
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (224g) raisins
1¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, brown

sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla. Beat until light-colored and
smooth.
In a food processor or blender, process the oats, flour, raisins,
salt, and baking powder for about 30 seconds, or until both the
oats and raisins are chopped, yet still in recognizable pieces.

Beat the oat mixture into the butter mixture until smooth.
Using a ¼-cup measure or large cookie or muffin scoop, drop
the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 3″ between
cookies; they’ll spread as they bake. Moisten your fingers and
gently flatten each cookie into a 2½″ round that is ½″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, or until they’re a medium

golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let rest on the
baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely. The cookies will be soft and delicate when they
come out of the oven, but will get firmer as they cool.
FLOURLESS OATMEAL DROPS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Chewy, sticky, almost candylike, these golden, shiny cookies are all oats,
all the time.

5 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter

⅞ cup (186g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons white vinegar or cider vinegar
2 large eggs
2½ cups (223g) rolled oats

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt,

spices, baking powder, vanilla, and vinegar until light and
fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Stir in the oats. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the
dough for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and drop it by the

tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Moisten your
fingers and flatten the cookies to ¼″ thick.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until their edges are lightly
browned; they won’t look completely done in the center, but
that’s okay. Remove them from the oven and let rest on the
baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool
completely.
SALTY OATMEAL COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

Salt and sweet is a flavor combination that’s quite appealing: think honey-
roasted peanuts, or white chocolate–covered pretzels. These cookies add
the nuttiness of oats to that salt / sweet combo to make a delightful, rather
eccentric cookie. Note that this is a grownup kind of cookie: no raisins, no
butterscotch chips, just a tender round packed with the comforting, tweedy
texture of oats. While the salty surprise at first bite is an eye-opener, it’s
practically impossible to eat just one.

½ cup (99g) vegetable shortening

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
1 large egg
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (267g) rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter,

and sugar until light. Beat in the egg. In another bowl, whisk
together the flour, salt, and baking soda and stir into the
sugar/shortening mixture. Mix in the vanilla and oats. Cover
the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it ¼″ thick on
a lightly floured work surface. Cut it into shapes with your
favorite cutter, or simply cut it into squares or diamonds, using
a pizza wheel or a sharp knife. Lightly sprinkle the surface of
the dough with salt.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re just lightly

colored at the edges. Remove them from the oven, let rest on
the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
ANZAC BISCUITS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 20
MINUTES

These crunchy cookies, redolent of both oats and coconut, are perhaps the
all-Australian cookie. During World War II, Australian women baked these
cookies and sent them off to the “Anzacs”—soldiers—in care packages.
As they keep well for a very long time and contain no eggs, which were in
short supply back then, Anzacs were the perfect cookie for the job. Anzacs
could be compared to America’s Oreo cookies in popularity, and they go
just as well with a long, cold glass of milk.

1 cup (89g) rolled oats

1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¾ cup (64g) shredded sweetened coconut
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (39g) golden syrup*
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons (28g) boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, sugar, and

coconut. Place the butter and syrup in a small saucepan and
cook over medium heat until the butter has melted and the
syrup is bubbling.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and water and stir
this into the butter mixture. The mixture will foam up as you
 stir it. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until
well combined.

Drop the dough by the heaping teaspoonful onto the prepared

baking sheets, allowing room for spreading. Bake the cookies
for 15 to 20 minutes; they should be a rich golden brown in
color. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool; they’ll become crunchy as they cool.

VARIATION

Add ½ to ¾ cup (64g to 96g) chopped dried apricots and / or ½

cup (92g) crystallized ginger.

* Australian golden syrup has rich caramel flavor with a hint of burnt sugar. The English
variety is somewhat more like a corn syrup in taste, and quite a bit lighter in color. It’s an
acceptable substitute, and can be purchased in many specialty food shops. If you’re unable to
obtain either, try a dark table syrup with a high percentage of cane sugar, such as King’s table
syrup. Or, if all else fails, use dark corn syrup.
 Molasses Cookies

MOLASSES, one of the world’s ancient foods, has long been a staple of
American cooking and baking. Its history stretches back to at least 600
BC, with proof that it was produced in Persia and India. It has also played
a huge part in a dark chapter of American history—the infamous trade
triangle of molasses, rum, and slaves was a major part of the American
economy in the seventeenth century. And in the eighteenth century, the
Molasses Act of 1733 helped precipitate the American Revolution. In the
twentieth century, one of the strangest disasters of all time occurred in
Boston, when a vat of molasses exploded and flooded streets along the
waterfront with over two million gallons of sticky syrup, killing 21 people.
Gingerbread, baked beans, doughnuts, shoofly pie, taffy, cakes, and
cookies all took their sweetness and flavor from molasses, which until the
1920s was America’s most popular sweetener. The drop in sugar prices
after World War I made white sugar affordable to all, and the use of
molasses waned. But a certain nostalgia for America’s earliest baked
goods, paired with molasses’ rich, complex taste, means it has never
disappeared entirely from the culinary scene. Today, most of us experience
molasses in connection with cookies.
Molasses cookies, mentioned in print as early as 1830, are surely the
most ubiquitous cookie in any New England cookbook. More venerable
than those newcomers, Toll House (chocolate chip) cookies (which, after
all, are only about 90 years old), molasses cookies come in two basic
varieties: soft and crisp. We give a recipe for each (as well as one in the
middle, for you fence-sitters), and you can do your own taste test and
come down on one side or the other of a debate that’s been raging here in
New England for centuries, namely, which molasses cookie is better—hard
or soft?

MEASURING MOLASSES
This messy task can be made easier by first lightly spraying the inside of your
measuring cup with a vegetable oil spray. This works with other sticky sweeteners or
peanut butter as well. Here in our test kitchen, we measure molasses in a dry
measuring cup instead of in a liquid measuring cup; if you spray the inside of the cup
with oil, it flows out pretty easily.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES

YIELD: 44 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

That is a great soft molasses cookie like? Rich with spices, piquant and
sweet at the same time, and wonderfully chewy. These are perfect with a
cold glass of milk or a hot cup of tea.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar, plus more for coating the dough
½ cup (170g) molasses
2¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons cinnamon
1¼ teaspoons ground cloves
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar

until light and fluffy. Add the molasses while mixing at slow
speed, then the baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the eggs one
at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the
sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Stir
in the flour. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1
hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Shape or scoop the dough into 1½″ balls; a tablespoon cookie
scoop (see page xxxvi) works well here. Roll them in
granulated sugar and put them on the prepared baking sheets,
leaving about 2″ between them.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. The centers will look soft and
puffy, which is okay. As long as the bottoms are set enough to
lift partway off the cookie sheet without bending or breaking,
they’re ready to come out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the
pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool
completely.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

CRISP MOLASSES COOKIES

YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13
MINUTES

Sometimes known as molasses crinkles, in the oven these sugar-dusted

cookies puff up, crack across the top, then fall, and become thin and
ultracrisp as they cool. With its sugary, crackly crust, the resulting cookie
is both attractive and delicious. The spices and molasses combine for a
cookie that’s snapping-crisp and light (rather than hard), the perfect
accompaniment to afternoon coffee or tea.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar, plus more for coating the dough
¼ cup (85g) molasses
1 large egg
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and

sugar until well combined, then add the molasses and egg,
beating until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt,

and spices. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients, beating
until smooth. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or
until it’s stiff enough to roll into balls.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Shape the dough into 1″ balls (or use a teaspoon cookie scoop
to scoop off 1″ balls of dough) and roll them in granulated
sugar. This is most easily accomplished by placing some sugar
in a bag and adding the balls of dough, six or eight at a time,
then shaking gently to cover them with sugar. Transfer the balls
to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes, or until they crack on

top and flatten out. Remove the cookies from the oven and
transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

ON-THE-FENCE MOLASSES COOKIES

YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13
MINUTES

These thin, crisp-chewy cookies pack some punch with the addition of
black pepper and allspice. Their texture isn’t crisp, neither is it soft; it’s
more what we call “bendy,” thus their “on-the-fence” moniker. They’re
very gingery and hot-spicy, so be sure to have a tall pitcher of something
cold handy when serving these.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

⅓ cup (113g) molasses
2¼ cups (446g) sugar, plus more for coating the dough
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg

Heat the butter, molasses, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over

low heat, or in a bowl in the microwave, stirring until the butter
melts and the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat
and stir in the spices. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing
bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

Beat half the flour mixture into the melted butter mixture, then
beat in the egg. Stir in the remaining flour. Cover and
refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or until it’s firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Shape or scoop the dough into 1½″ balls; a tablespoon cookie

scoop (see page xxxvi) works well here. Roll the dough balls in
granulated or coarse sugar to coat. Transfer the balls to the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 13 minutes; they will still look soft and
won’t have changed color much. Remove them from the oven
and let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring them
to a rack to cool completely. They’ll become crisper as they
cool.
JOE FROGGERS
YIELD: 16 LARGE 3½″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 11
MINUTES

A splash of rum helps these spicy cookies stand out almost as much as
their unusual name. The story traces back to Black Joe’s Tavern in
Marblehead, Massachusetts. The gingerbread-like cookies, known for
being as large as lily pads, take their name from Joseph Brown, a freed
slave who bought the tavern after fighting in the Revolutionary War. But it
was his wife, Lucretia, who created the recipe with rum and no eggs,
allowing the cookies to last during journeys at sea. You can still visit the
tavern and nearby frog pond just off Gingerbread Hill Lane in Marblehead
—a lasting reminder of the family who brought this rum-laced cookie to
life.
These cookies are chewy, with a beautiful, smooth, dark brown crust,
and a craggy inner crumb. Their strong molasses flavor is perfect for those
who are fans of this particular sweetener. To keep Joe Froggers soft, we
recommend storing them in an airtight container (a plastic bag is fine) as
soon as they’re just barely warm. Add a couple of slices of cut apple if you
plan on keeping them around long (an unlikely scenario).

2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
⅔ cup (227g) molasses
3 tablespoons (43g) dark rum (or use apple juice or water)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour,

spices, salt, and baking soda.

In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt

together the butter, sugar, molasses, and rum. Stir the molasses
mixture into the flour mixture; the dough will be wet and
sticky. Cover and refrigerate the dough, for 30 minutes or
longer; it will become quite firm.

Using an overstuffed tablespoon cookie scoop (see page xxxvi),

scoop out 2″ balls of dough, somewhere in size between a table
tennis ball and a golf ball. Place the balls on the prepared
baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them. Flatten them slightly.

Bake the cookies for 11 minutes, until they appear set (but not
dark brown) around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

Add 1 cup (85g) sweetened flaked coconut to the dough.

EXTRA-SPICY DATE-GINGER
COOKIES
YIELD: 16 LARGE 3½″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

It’s easy to take the basic Joe Frogger recipe and soften it up even further
with moist candied ginger and dates. This cookie is for those of you who
believe “the softer and moister, the better.”

1 recipe Joe Froggers (see opposite page)

¼ cup (46g) diced crystallized or soft ginger
¾ cup (112g) chopped dates

Follow the Joe Frogger recipe, combining the flour, spices, salt,
and baking soda in the work bowl of a food processor. Add the
ginger and dates and process until both are finely and
uniformly chopped. Add the flour mixture to the molasses
mixture and shape the cookies as directed in the recipe.

Increase the baking time by 1 minute (to 12 minutes), and bake

as directed in the recipe.

WHICH KIND OF MOLASSES SHOULD I USE?

When sugar cane or sugar beets are refined and their sugar crystals extracted, the
remaining dark, sweet liquid is molasses. Light molasses is liquid from the first boil of
the syrup; dark molasses is from the second boil. In England, the syrup from either of
these boils is referred to as light treacle. Light molasses is lighter colored, sweeter, and
not as assertively flavored as dark molasses. Use either light or dark molasses in
these cookie recipes, depending on your fondness for molasses’ distinctive taste.
Blackstrap molasses comes from the syrup’s third boiling, and it’s heavy, thick, and
much less sweet than either light or dark molasses. In England, blackstrap molasses
is called dark treacle. It’s unsuitable for cookie baking.
And what about sulfured vs. unsulfured molasses? In days gone by, sulfur dioxide
was used in the sugar refining process and the resulting molasses was said to be
sulfured. These days sulfur is seldom used, and nearly all molasses is labeled
unsulfured.
SUGAR & SPICE DROPS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

A deep, rich brown color, and marked with a crisscross on top, these
cookies offer the best of both worlds: they’re crisp on the outside but soft
in the middle. They have a wonderful, assertive spice flavor, and lots of
molasses “bang for the buck.”

½ cup (99g) vegetable oil

½ cup (107g) brown sugar
½ cup (170g) molasses
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1⅔ cups (200g) unbleached all-purpose flour
granulated sugar, for coating the dough

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the oil, brown sugar,

molasses, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix in
the flour.
Shape or scoop the dough into 1½″ balls. A tablespoon cookie
scoop (see page xxxvi) can be used to portion the dough. Roll
the balls in granulated sugar and place them on the prepared
baking sheets. Use a fork to press a crisscross pattern into the
top of each.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re set. Remove

them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
MOLASSES SNAPS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

If you’ve ever had a brandy snap, you’ll recognize these parchment-thin,

ultracrisp cookies. Made with just enough flour and oats to give the sugar,
butter, and molasses some structure, these big 3½″ cookies pair well with
vanilla ice cream. The cookies are very deep brown in color, even before
they’re fully baked, so you may want to bake one test cookie to ascertain
the exact baking time. Bake it, remove it from the oven, and let it cool for
10 minutes. Does it taste good? Is it starting to become crisp? You’ve
nailed the baking time. Go ahead and bake the rest of the dough.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups (266g) brown sugar
¼ cup (85g) molasses
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil
1 tablespoon brandy or rum (or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract)
¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (46g) oat flour, or very finely ground rolled oats

In a large saucepan, gently melt the butter with the salt, brown
sugar, molasses, spices, and lemon zest over low heat. Remove
the mixture from the heat and stir in the brandy and the flours.
Let this mixture cool and thicken while you preheat the oven to
350°F and lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking
sheets.
Use a teaspoon cookie scoop (see page xxxvi) to deposit 1″
balls of dough (it will be quite thin); on the prepared baking
sheets, leaving about 3″ between them.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re a deep

mahogany brown, but not even close to being burned. Remove
the pan from the oven and place it on a rack. When the cookies
have solidified enough to move, transfer them to a rack to cool
and crisp completely.

VARIATION

For maple snaps, substitute ¼ cup (78g) maple syrup for the
molasses.
GINGER CRISPS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

Ginger cookies are found in most Scandinavian cultures, and you’ll see
them at Christmastime in all manner of shapes, often decorated with an
egg white and confectioners’ sugar piped icing. Gingerbread houses form a
backdrop for gingerbread men and women, gingerbread kids, farm
animals, hearts, stars, and other traditional Christmas shapes. This ginger
cookie is somewhat lighter in color, thinner, and more delicate than the
usual American ginger cookie. Flavored with orange as well as classic
gingerbread spices—cinnamon, ginger and cloves—it’s a great addition to
a cookie gift tin.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1½ cups (297g) sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons orange zest
¼ teaspoon orange oil (optional, for increased orange flavor)
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional, for “heat”)
2 tablespoons (43g) molasses
1 tablespoon (14g) water
3¼ cups (390g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
Beat in the egg, orange zest, orange oil, and pepper, then the
molasses and water.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Beat until
everything is well combined and the mixture has formed a stiff
dough. Divide the dough into two pieces, shape each piece into
a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours,
or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room
temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s soft enough to roll
easily. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a
circle ⅛″ thick. Use a 2″ to 3″ cookie cutter to cut shapes close
together, getting as many cookies from the first roll-out as you
can. Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, leaving 1″
between them. Gather the scraps together, reroll, and cut again,
continuing the procedure until you’ve used all the dough.
Rerolling toughens the dough a little and will make the cookies
a bit heavy, so try to be as economical as possible when you cut
your cookies. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re just

beginning to turn golden brown around the edges. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
RAISIN-FILLED GINGER CRISPS
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 11
MINUTES

These spicy ginger cookies surround a surprise in the middle—a sweet,

moist filling of golden raisins and ginger.

DOUGH
1 recipe Ginger Crisps (see opposite page)

FILLING
1 cup (149g) golden raisins
½ cup (92g) diced crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons (15g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup (99g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (227g) water
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Prepare the Ginger Crisps cookie dough as directed.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan set over medium heat

combine all the ingredients except the egg. Bring the mixture to
a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, until it has
thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator and roll it
into a round about ⅛″ thick. Cut the dough into 3″ circles using
a large cookie or biscuit cutter, or a clean, empty can. Transfer
the circles to the prepared baking sheets. Brush each circle with
some of the beaten egg, then top with 1 scant tablespoon of the
filling.

Remove the other piece of dough from the refrigerator and roll,
cut out, and brush with egg as directed above. Center these
circles atop the filled circles (egg-brushed side up), pressing
the edges together with the tines of a fork. Use the fork to prick
the top of each cookie, so steam can escape.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, until they’re set and

beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer
to a rack to cool.
SPICED RYE GINGER COOKIES
YIELD: 22 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES

With their bendy centers and slightly crunchy edges, these cookies are the
perfect combination of soft and crisp. Rye flour is their not-so-secret
ingredient, enhancing both the cookies’ texture and their complex and
alluringly spicy flavor.

DOUGH
2 cups (212g) medium rye flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
½ cup (99g) vegetable oil
1 large egg
¼ cup (85g) molasses

COATING
⅓ cup (76g) coarse sparkling sugar or ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two
baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using either a hand whisk, an electric mixer, or a
stand mixer, whisk the sugar and oil until combined. Add the egg and
whisk until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Add the dry ingredients to the
bowl and stir until well combined.

Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to portion 1¼″ balls of dough.
Roll the dough balls in granulated or sparkling sugar to coat before placing
onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave 2″ between them on all sides;
they’ll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re puffed and their edges
are set. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely right on
the pan. Store cookies, well wrapped, at room temperature for several
days; freeze for longer storage.
 Peanut Butter Cookies

IF PEANUT BUTTER WAS a welcome part of your diet growing up—PB&J

sandwiches, peanut butter and crackers, peanut-buttered toast—then for
nostalgic reasons, at least, you’ll carry a certain fondness for peanut butter
with you for the rest of your days. Enter the peanut butter cookie. That
familiar deep-tan cookie with the crisscross top is sure to elicit smiles
from your coworkers. And the smiles will grow wider if you’ve brought an
entire batch of cookies, to share.
While it may feel as if peanut butter cookies have been around forever,
their ascendancy to the level of Essential began only at the turn of the last
century, when George Washington Carver promoted peanuts as an insect-
resistant replacement for the American South’s cotton crop. Carver
published a book of recipes in 1916 that included crushed peanut cookies.
But it wasn’t until 1930—following the introduction of the first national
brand of peanut butter, Peter Pan, in 1928—that the inaugural peanut
butter cookie recipe, with its distinctive crisscross top, appeared in print.
Since then, peanut butter cookies have taken their place among the
royalty of the cookie world. Some versions are soft, rather than crunchy;
many pair peanut butter with chocolate, and some even go beyond the
bounds of simple drop cookie, to roll-out or shaped. But no other version
of peanut butter cookie can stand next to that original crisscross version:
the Essential Peanut Butter Cookie.
STORE-BOUGHT IS BETTER
All of the cookies in this chapter have been tested using regular store-bought peanut
butter—not low fat, not unsweetened, not all-natural or freshly ground or organic. Feel
free to experiment with alternate types of peanut butter, but be aware that they may not
give you the same results as we experienced.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL PEANUT BUTTER

COOKIE
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

An all-time favorite (a.k.a. Peanut Butter Crisscrosses), this cookie is

marked by its tic-tac-toe patterned top. These crunchy-tender cookies,
whose peanut butter taste is enhanced by the occasional melting nugget of
dark brown sugar, are best enjoyed with a glass of cold milk.

1 cup (184g) vegetable shortening

1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (270g) creamy or crunchy peanut butter*
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the shortening, sugars,

eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and peanut butter. Add the
flour, stirring to combine.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Press down each cookie with a fork to make a crisscross
design. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re lightly
 browned. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool.

THE ALL-IMPORTANT CRISSCROSS

Though many cookie recipes call for you to flatten each ball of dough with the bottom
of a drinking glass before baking, there are a select few that ask you to use the tines of
a fork; the well-loved crunchy peanut butter cookie is foremost among these.
When flattening peanut butter cookie dough, lay the fork across the middle of the
ball of dough and press down firmly, until it’s about ⅓″ thick. Remove the fork, rotate
your hand 90 degrees, and press down across the cookie again, to make a tic-tac-toe
pattern. If the fork starts to stick, just dip it in water. There are those who use a potato
masher for this task, but we prefer the original fork method; why monkey with a proven
good thing?
PEANUT BUTTER CHEWS
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

Nicely soft and chewy, with just the faintest crunch around the edges, these
cookies balance peanut butter flavor with the wonderful caramelized taste
of dark brown sugar.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (78g) dark corn syrup
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (540g) creamy peanut butter
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, corn

syrup, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Add the peanut butter,
beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until they’re a light
golden brown around the edges. Don’t overbake or they’ll be
 crisp, not soft. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.

CORN SYRUP: DARK VS. LIGHT

Did you know that corn syrup—the thick, sticky syrup used in some cookies to keep
them moist—is actually made from cornstarch? A multistep process converts
cornstarch into a series of liquid sugars, which are then processed further and blended
with other ingredients, including water and vanilla, to make the familiar light corn syrup.
Dark corn syrup is simply light corn syrup to which some refiner’s syrup or molasses
(or, in some cases, caramel color) has been added; it has a light molasses flavor.
Which should you use? Does it make a difference? In cookies, not really, dark corn
syrup will give your cookie a darker color. But seldom do you use enough of it in a
cookie to add any distinct flavor.
When you’re making chewy or soft cookies, and they’re just not quite as soft and
chewy as you’d like, try substituting 2 tablespoons corn syrup for 1½ tablespoons of
the sugar in the recipe. The corn syrup helps prevent crystallization of the sugar in the
cookie and also retains moisture, both of which will help keep cookies soft.
OLD-FASHIONED PEANUT COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

Made with peanuts, as well as peanut butter, these cookies don’t spread
very much. Instead, they bake into tall, gently crunchy mounds, nicely
flecked with the ground peanuts.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (135g) peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (142g) salted peanuts, ground

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, sugar,

baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat in the eggs, then stir in
the flour and peanuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they’re set and
lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
PEANUT BUTTER CUTOUTS
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

Peanut butter cookie dough, when dropped onto a baking sheet, becomes
fat and crunchy cookies. But when you roll out the dough, rather than drop
it from a spoon, you reach the other extreme: thin and crisp. Roll them out
just a bit thicker, and you’ve got crunchy again—but delicately crunchy,
not the big, thick crunch of a drop cookie.
This mildly flavored peanut butter cookie is wonderful sandwiched
around Chocolate Creme Filling (see page 443) or Peanut Butter Filling
(see page 438). Or make sandwiches with your favorite complementary
flavor of ice cream.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (135g) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream or sour cream (regular or low fat)
3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar,

salt, baking soda, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the egg
and beat well. Add half the cream, all of the cornstarch, and
half the flour; beat well. Add the remaining cream and flour,
mixing just until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Divide the dough in half, flatten each half slightly, and wrap
well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer to facilitate rolling.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Lightly dust both sides of the chilled dough with flour. If

you’ve just taken it out of the refrigerator, let it rest at room
temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll each

piece into a circle ⅛″ to ¼″ thick. Thinner cookies will be
crisper, thicker cookies will be sturdier. Cut the dough into
circles or shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking
sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re set but not
browned. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool for 5
minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
PEANUT BUTTER SPRITZ COOKIES
YIELD: 7 DOZEN SMALL COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 9
MINUTES

Peanut butter cookies don’t have to have a fork-tine crisscross on top. And
spritz cookies don’t have to be plain vanilla. These cookies are crisp and
crunchy when piped into small shapes, chewy when made larger.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

1 cup (270g) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
chocolate chips, nonpareils, and/or chocolate kisses, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 375°F. If desired, for easier cleanup line

two baking sheets with parchment (they don’t need to be
greased). If you’re using a cookie press, place your baking
sheets in the refrigerator or freezer while making the dough.
Your cookies will deposit more easily onto a cold surface.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, sugar,

salt, baking soda, and vanilla, scraping the bottom and sides of
the bowl. Beat in the egg, then the flour.

Place the dough in the barrel of a cookie press fitted with a

large or small flower disk, and pipe it onto the prepared baking
sheets. If you’re not using a cookie press, drop the dough by the
teaspoonful (a teaspoon cookie scoop works well here) onto the
prepared baking sheets, then flatten it slightly with your
fingers.

Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until they’re set. Remove them
from the oven and place your decoration of choice in the center
of each cookie. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes,
then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

VARIATION

For PB&J cookies, prepare the cookie dough and drop it by the
teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies
for 9 minutes, until they’re set. Remove them from the oven
and immediately use the top of an extract bottle (or other small,
round bottle top) to press an indentation into each cookie.
When cool, fill each indentation with a scant ½ teaspoon jelly
or jam.
PEANUT BLOSSOMS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Peanut butter and chocolate is definitely one of our favorite flavor

combinations. And not only do these cookies pair those flavors
delightfully, they also look great, with their perky chocolate candy “caps.”

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (203g) creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar, plus more for coating the dough
⅓ cup (71g) brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
48 chocolate kisses (7oz, 198g)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together until
well blended. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the egg, milk, baking soda, salt, and vanilla and beat well.
Gradually mix in the flour.

Shape the dough into 1″ balls and roll them in granulated sugar.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re a very light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and immediately
place one chocolate kiss atop each cookie, gently pressing it in.
Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
TRIPLE PLAY PEANUT BUTTER
COOKIES
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14
MINUTES

These cookies highlight the tempting flavor combination of salty peanuts

and sweet brown sugar. And with peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut butter
chips, we’ve got all the bases covered as far as America’s favorite
sandwich filling goes.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, very soft

1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1¼ cups (338g) peanut butter, creamy or chunky
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs
2⅔ cups (320g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ cups (178g) chopped dry-roasted, salted peanuts
1⅓ cups (227g) peanut butter chips or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, peanut

butter, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs one
at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour,
peanuts, and chips.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, until they’re set and
brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and cool
on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
SCOUT’S HONOR PB SANDWICHES
YIELD: 32 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

Seldom do you hear the words “Girl Scout” without “cookies” following
shortly thereafter. And for good reason: American Girl Scouts have been
selling their wonderful cookies since 1917. One of our favorites has
always been the peanut butter–oatmeal sandwich cookie; here’s our
homemade rendition.

DOUGH
5 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (180g) creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (89g) rolled oats

FILLING
1 cup (270g) creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
 TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the butter,
peanut butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and
vanilla. Add the egg, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the
flour and oats. Drop the dough by the heaping teaspoonful (a
teaspoon cookie scoop works well here) onto the prepared
baking sheets. Use the bottom of a drinking glass, lightly
greased, to press each cookie to about ¼″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, or until they’re a very light

golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, cream together the

peanut butter, honey, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES: When the cookies are cool, spread

half of them with the filling, or if you have a teaspoon cookie
scoop, use it to drop the filling into mounds atop half the
cookies. Top the filling with the remaining cookies, pressing
together gently.

HOW MUCH FILLING?

Okay, you’ve made these great cookies and think they’d be over the top if you
sandwiched them around, say, some chocolate ganache or vanilla cream filling. But
how do you know how much filling to make?
First, count your cookies, then divide by two; remember, it takes two to make a
sandwich. Then assess how much filling you want to use in each. A half-teaspoon of
filling, on a typical 2″ to 2½″ diameter cookie, is probably the minimum you want; 1
teaspoon is average, and more than that is overstuffed. (To help in deciding, try making
a sample sandwich cookie using peanut butter as filling, measuring the amount that
seems right to you.)
Next, multiply what you’ve decided on (half-teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons) by
the number of sandwiches you’re making. Finally, look at the yield for the filling recipe
and adjust it accordingly to match what you need.
Here’s an example: You’ve made 48 cookies. You want to create 24 sandwich
cookies, each stuffed with 1½ teaspoons filling. Multiply 24 times 1½ teaspoons to get
36 teaspoons. Divide 36 teaspoons by 3 to yield 12 tablespoons. Twelve tablespoons
= ¾ cup, and that’s how much filling you need (unless, of course, you need to make a
little extra for “sampling”).
PEANUT-CHOCOLATE HALF-MOONS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These tender, chewy-crunchy peanut butter cookies rise to new heights

when gilded with rich chocolate icing.

DOUGH
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
½ cup (135g) peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or chocolate chips,
or a combination

ICING
1 cup (170g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (59g) light corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking soda.
Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add the peanut
butter, beating until well blended. Stir in the flour and chips,
mixing slowly until the dough is cohesive.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets; then flatten it slightly with your fingers. Bake the
cookies for 8 to 10 minutes; they’ll be soft, but will become
crisp / chewy as they cool. Be careful not to overbake; they
burn easily. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE ICING: In a small bowl in the microwave, or in a

saucepan set over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter,
stirring until smooth. Stir in the corn syrup.

Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate (to make a half-
moon effect) and return the cookies to the cooling rack to set.
PEANUT BUTTER PICK-ME-UPS
YIELD: 34 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

Peanut butter and oats, dried fruit and nuts—these cookies pack a nice
amount of fiber into a tasty little package. Take them on your next hike;
they’ll help generate the energy you need to climb that daunting 4,000-
footer, or maybe even that 14,000-footer!

5 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
½ cup (135g) chunky peanut butter
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (226g) granola
½ cup (71g) dry-roasted salted peanuts, very coarsely crushed
½ cup (85g) raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries**

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, peanut

butter, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Add the egg,
beating the mixture until it’s smooth and fluffy. Stir in the
flour, then the granola, nuts, and dried fruit.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets, then flatten slightly with your fingers. Bake the cookies
for 12 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Remove them
from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
1-2-3-4 PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

As in 1-2-3-4 ingredients, and 1) mix, 2) scoop, 3) bake, and 4) enjoy!

These super-simple, super-fast cookies pack a powerful peanut butter
punch. (And no, we’re not missing an ingredient here—there’s no flour in
this recipe.)

1 cup (270g) creamy or chunky peanut butter

1 large egg
1 cup (198g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with

parchment (for easiest cleanup, but sheets can be left unlined,
and ungreased, if you prefer).

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the peanut butter, egg,

sugar, and baking soda until smooth. Drop the dough by the
teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they appear set.

Remove them from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes
before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
YIELD: 18 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

One of the simplest cookie recipes out there! It’s hard to imagine that so
few ingredients can create such perfection, but the whole adds up to much
more than the sum of its parts. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, this
is your cookie! And if you’re looking for a naturally flour-free dessert,
look no further.

1 cup (270g) smooth peanut butter

¾ cup (160g) brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon baking soda pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (85g) chocolate chips or mini chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Beat the peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt at medium
speed until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla, blending on
low-medium speed until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate
chips.

Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful onto a parchment-lined

baking sheet (a tablespoon cookie scoop is best for this job) and
press the top of the dough to flatten just slightly.
 Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the
oven, and cool right on the pan. The tops should be slightly
crinkled, and you will want to take them out of the oven before
they begin to brown on the edges.

* See the sidebar on page 46 for a tip on measuring sticky ingredients.

† Add dried fruit only if there isn’t any in the granola.

 Shortbread

BACK TO BASICS often connotes something plain, unadorned and, frankly,

boring. In this case, going back to basics takes us to the soul of
cookiedom: shortbread. Composed solely of the building blocks of
virtually every cookie (flour, sugar, butter, and salt), shortbread is a
distillation of all that’s delightful about cookies—their sweet, buttery taste
and their distinctive texture (in this case, crisp and light).
Shortbread was born in Scotland, where it was made with oats and
traditionally served at Christmas and New Year’s. It was eventually
embraced by Tudor England, whose bakers replaced the oats with wheat
flour to make a cookie much like what we know today. Shortbread came to
this country with the Colonists and has been a staple of the baker’s kitchen
ever since, appearing everywhere from the original 1896 Fannie Farmer
cookbook, to shortbread Girl Scout cookies, the earliest flavor sold door-
to-door by the Scouts.
Shortbread is a wonderful starting point for all kinds of sweet
adventures: top it (with nuts, chocolate, jam, cinnamon), flavor it (with
lemon, chocolate, ginger), or do both (cappuccino with a mocha ganache
drizzle, anyone?). Then again, if you’re a “make mine vanilla, please”
kind of person, leave it alone; it can stand on its own in perfect simplicity.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

THE ESSENTIAL SHORTBREAD

YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Shortbread is one of the best proofs we know of the maxim “the whole is
greater than its parts.” Butter, sugar, salt, and flour, in just a few short
steps, become crunchy, tender, delicious cookies through the alchemy of
baking chemistry and oven heat. These cookies are truly effortless to
prepare. With a bowl, a couple of cake pans, and about 45 minutes, you
can have beautiful shortbreads, ready to serve. Bring on the Earl Grey!

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour. The dough will be stiff.
Divide the dough in half (each half will weigh about 340g), and
press it into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with your
fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup, as shown. Prick the
dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

1. The dough will feel stiff, but just keep pressing on it until you’ve covered the
bottom of the pan. 2. A flat-bottomed measuring cup will help you smooth out
the dough.

3. You can use a fork to prick shortbread dough in a random pattern, but it looks
nicer pricked with some kind of symmetry. 4. A rolling pizza wheel is the
easiest, fastest way to cut warm shortbread into wedges.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
WHY IS SHORTBREAD TRADITIONALLY BAKED IN A
ROUND PAN?
In ancient Scotland, the winter solstice—the shortest day of the year—was marked by
bonfires and the baking of round cakes, notched around the edges to symbolize the
sun’s rays. These cakes were a sweet entreaty to the sun to return and light up the
cold, dark world. As time went on the cakes evolved into flat, crisp cookies—
shortbread—that were still baked in the same shape as those original cakes.
Nowadays, shortbread is baked as drop cookies, in square molds, or even rolled out
and cut into fanciful shapes, but we like to honor its origins by baking it in a round cake
pan and cutting it into triangular wedges. As always, there’s a certain beauty in
simplicity.
GO-ANYWHERE SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Of all the cookies in the cookie pantheon, shortbread is probably the best
candidate for flavoring to your own taste. It’s the perfect blank palette,
awaiting the addition of your own favorite flavor, be it lemon, coffee,
almond, or butter-rum!

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong flavor, or 1 to 2 teaspoons extract, to taste
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and flavor or extract, then beat in the flour. Start with the
smaller amount of flavor and add it to taste. The flavor will
mellow somewhat with baking.

Divide the dough in half, and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

But of course! Just because shortbread is the quintessential golden, buttery

cookie doesn’t mean that we can’t make it in a chocolate version, too.
These crisp chocolate cookies are wonderful as is, or ice them with
Chocolate Ganache (page 432) for a killer chocolate treat.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (198g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
⅓ cup (28g) Dutch process cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the cocoa, baking powder, and flour.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it appears done

around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen the
edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait 5
minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.
Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut
each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Chocolate and vanilla—let’s get down to basics here, shall we? This
elegant version of a chocolate chip cookie is subtle and understated, with
the cookie playing the star’s role while the chips are supporting actors.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla.

Combine 1 cup of the flour and the chocolate chips in the

workbowl of a food processor and process until the chocolate is
chopped (you want the chocolate pieces to be small enough that
they don’t poke out of the dough, as they would in chocolate
chip cookies, but large enough that you can still discern them
as individual bits). Beat the remaining 1⅓ cups flour and the
flour / chocolate mixture into the butter/sugar mixture until
well combined.
Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

VARIATIONS

ALTERNATIVE CHIPS: Substitute the flavored chip of your choice

for chocolate chips.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD: Follow the Chocolate
Shortbread recipe (see opposite page), adding chocolate chips.
BUTTER-PECAN SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Toasted pecans and a hint of butterscotch add great flavor to these cookies.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong butterscotch or butter-rum flavor, to taste
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and flavor. Start with ⅛ teaspoon of flavor and add it to taste.
The flavor will mellow somewhat with baking. Beat in the flour
and the pecans.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.
Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut
each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
LEMON ESSENCES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

For those of you whose taste runs to citrus, the snapping-fresh flavor of
these cookies will brighten your day. Using the lesser amounts of lemon
zest and lemon oil will give your short-bread a mild hint of lemon; the
greater amount is more assertive. And you real lemon lovers can ice the
cookies with Lemon Glaze (page 431), if desired.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon zest
3 to 5 drops lemon oil (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

lemon zest, and lemon oil, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

For orange wedges, substitute orange zest and orange oil for the
lemon.

THIS REALLY CUTS IT …

Whoops! You took the shortbread out of the oven and then you got distracted … and
you forgot to cut it while it was warm. No problem—simply slip the shortbread back
into its pan and warm it in a 350°F oven for 2 to 3 minutes. It will soften right up, and
cut without crumbling.
SWEET OATCAKES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

The nutty flavor of oats, enhanced with the mellow sweetness of brown
sugar, enrich this twist on classic oatcakes. These cookies closely
resemble a Scottish confection called flapjacks; slightly chewy when
warm, they become nicely crumbly as they cool. Their deep-gold color and
buttery aroma are reminiscent of butterscotch.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup plus
2 tablespoons (186g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (89g) rolled oats, coarsely ground in a small food processor

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, brown

sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the baking soda, flour, and oats.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
FILLED DOUBLE SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN FILLED SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F |
BAKING TIME: 40 TO 50 MINUTES

Though it’s quite a bit fussier to make than regular shortbread wedges,
filled shortbread is both tasty and good-looking. Choose your favorite
thick fruit jam or preserve for filling (raspberry or apricot are our
favorites); if you’re an almond lover, almond paste is a nice option (see
variations).

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (128g) jam or preserves

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 8″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough into four pieces, each about 170 grams.
Stretch a piece of plastic wrap to cover the outside bottom of an
8″ round cake pan. Press one of the pieces of dough onto the
plastic until it covers the bottom of the pan entirely (see
illustration 1). Remove the plastic and dough, fold the plastic to
cover the dough, and refrigerate it while you repeat the process
with a second piece of dough. Refrigerate the second piece, too.
1. Gently press shortbread dough to cover the bottom of the plastic-wrapped
pan. 2. Turn the dough over so the plastic is on top, and you’re cradling it in your
hand. Slide it onto the filled dough in the pan, peeling off the plastic.

Press the remaining two pieces of dough into the bottoms of the
prepared cake pans. Spread the dough in each pan with about 3
tablespoons of the jam or preserves, leaving a ½″ bare border
around the edges. Take a circle of the chilled shortbread dough
and position it atop the shortbread in the pan (see illustration 2,
page 81). Gently push down around the edges to seal. Using a
fork, pierce through all three layers—shortbread, filling,
shortbread—in several places, to allow steam to escape as the
shortbread bakes. Repeat with the remaining dough and jam.

Bake the filled shortbread for 45 to 50 minutes, or until it’s

golden brown. Remove it from the oven and loosen the edges
with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Let cool in the
pan for 10 minutes. Turn the shortbread out of the pan onto a
clean work surface, all in one piece, and cool for an additional
5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Transfer the wedges to a
rack to cool.

VARIATION

For almond-filled shortbread, use about 1 cup (259g) almond

paste. Knead it gently to soften and divide it in half. Dust a
clean work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll each
piece of paste into a 7½″ circle. Lay one circle atop the
shortbread dough in each pan. Bake as directed above,
decreasing the baking time by 5 minutes, to about 40 minutes.
Fill one shortbread with jam, the other with almond paste.
Or try two different flavors of jam. Since you’re making two
pans of shortbread anyway, there’s no use wasting the
opportunity to experiment with different flavor combinations.
FRECKLED FRUIT SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

This lovely speckled shortbread features the tang of dried fruit, a nice
complement to the cookie’s buttery sweetness. Because of the moistness of
the fruit, this cookie is nicely chewy, rather than crisp.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (99g) dried fruit of your choice (cranberries, apricots, dates, raisins,
cherries, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla. Combine 1 cup of the flour and the dried fruit in
the bowl of a food processor equipped with the steel blade.
Process until the fruit is finely minced; this may take up to 1
minute. Add this mixture and the remaining 1⅓ cups flour to
the butter/sugar mixture, beating until well combined.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.
Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden
brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

For ginger shortbread, substitute 1 teaspoon ground ginger for

the vanilla extract, and use ⅔ cup (123g) finely chopped
crystallized ginger in place of the dried fruit.
MAPLE SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

If maple’s a flavor you gravitate toward, try these shortbreads; maple not
only perfumes the dough, but also adds crunch and flavor to the top and
bottom crusts.

¾ cup (117g) maple sugar (see page 452)

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons maple extract, or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong maple flavor, to
taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans. Sprinkle each pan with 1 tablespoon of the maple sugar.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt,

granulated sugar, ½ cup of the maple sugar, maple extract, and
vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle each round
with 1 tablespoon of the remaining maple sugar, pressing it in
gently. Prick the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

For maple-walnut shortbread, add ⅔ cup (75g) chopped walnuts

to the shortbread dough, along with the flour.
CHAI SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

The flavors of masala chai (which often include ginger, cardamom, and
black peppercorn) work beautifully in a buttery shortbread.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup (50g) sugar
½ cup (99g) dry chai drink mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the chai mix in the bottom of
each.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

¼ cup of the chai mix, and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the pans; sprinkle
each round with 1 tablespoon of the remaining chai mix. Prick
the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.
Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut
each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.
TWEED CAKES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

These chewy, golden cookies, generously studded with dark toffee bits,
will remind you of brown tweed (in appearance only). The caramelized
sugar in the toffee is delightful when played out against the plain, buttery
goodness of the cookies.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (234g) crushed toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour and toffee bits.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.
 Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut
each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

FANCY, BITE-SIZED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Want to turn shortbread dough into a plateful of festive-looking, bite-sized cookies?
Simply break off teaspoon-sized pieces of the dough and roll them into balls about ¾"
in diameter. Dip each in an egg white wash (made from 1 egg white whisked with 1
tablespoon cold water). Then roll the balls in finely chopped nuts, cinnamon sugar,
ginger sugar (ground ginger mixed with granulated sugar, to taste), chocolate sugar
(cocoa powder mixed with granulated sugar), or shredded coconut. Place the cookies
on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets and flatten them to ¼″ thick with
the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake them in a preheated 300°F oven for 25 minutes,
until they appear set and are brown on the bottom. Remove them from the oven and
cool on a rack.
BRICKLE ’BREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

This recipe uses toffee bits as a topping, rather than an integral part of the
dough. You’ll find these cookies have stronger flavor, and a “crisp cookie,
chewy topping” texture, rather than chewy all the way through, as are the
Tweed Cakes on the previous page.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (234g) crushed toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half, and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 15 minutes. Remove the pans from the
oven and generously cover the top of the dough with a ¼″ layer
of crushed toffee bits, pressing them in gently. Return the
shortbread to the oven and bake until it’s a light golden brown
at the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and
loosen the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table
knife. Wait 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out
onto a clean work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

VARIATION

Bake the shortbread for 35 minutes and turn it out of the pan.
Turn it right side up and sprinkle with the toffee bits, pressing
them in gently. This will make a cookie that’s crisp all the way
through.
BLACK-AND-WHITE SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

If your usual behavior at the Christmas cookie exchange is to make a

beeline for the chocolate, you’ll love these cookies. With white chocolate
icing on one side, dark on the other, they’re pretty to look at, as well as
delicious.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
Chocolate Ganache (page 432)
White Chocolate Ganache (page 432)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half, and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE YOU’RE IN …

Shortbread is lovely baked in a patterned stoneware shortbread mold. An 8″ round or
square shortbread mold will hold the same amount of dough as a 9″ round cake pan;
follow the baking directions that come with the mold. Shortbread dough also can be
rolled into 1½″ balls, placed on lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheets, and
flattened to ¼″ with the bottom of a drinking glass, or pressed with a cookie stamp.
Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re barely
beginning to brown around the edges.

Use a cookie stamp to gently press each ball of dough to about ¼″. The imprint will
remain in the dough as it bakes.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Place the
wedges on a rack set on a piece of parchment paper.

Spread the chocolate ganache on one side of the cookies and

place them on the rack to set. When the chocolate has hardened
enough for you to handle the cookies easily, spread the white
chocolate ganache on the other sides and return to the rack to
set.
DEMERARA SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN SHORTBREAD COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F |
BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

Demerara sugar, a coarse, golden brown, large-crystal raw sugar native to

Guyana, gives these cookies both sparkle and rich taste. If you can’t find it
in your supermarket, Demerara (or other coarse-crystal brown sugars) can
often be found with coffee supplies in gourmet shops. It’s also available
online.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup (55g) Demerara sugar

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Shape the dough into a log that is 1½″ in diameter. Brush the
log all over with the beaten egg white and roll it in the
Demerara sugar. Wrap the log and chill it until firm, at least 1
hour.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice it into ¼″
thick rounds. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, or until they’re a
light golden brown around the edges. Remove them from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
TOASTED PECAN–FUDGE
SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

The cookie equivalent of candy’s toffee buttercrunch, this shortbread is

topped with a thick drizzle of deep dark chocolate and a shower of toasted
nuts.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

GLAZE
1½ cups (255g) chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
½ cup (114g) heavy or whipping cream
½ cup (57g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together

the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in the flour.

Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Prick the dough with a
fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a

saucepan set over low heat, combine the chocolate, corn syrup,
and cream, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Remove
from the heat source and continue to stir until the mixture is
very smooth. The chocolate may seem to be an unmanageable
blob at first; that’s okay, just keep stirring.

Spread the glaze on one side of each shortbread wedge, and

immediately sprinkle with the toasted pecans. Allow the
chocolate to set before wrapping the shortbreads for storage.
PETTICOAT TAILS
YIELD: 20 SHORTBREAD COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME:
20 TO 25 MINUTES

There’s some argument about the origin of the name for this traditional
Scottish shortbread. One school says it derives from the way the cookies
are shaped, like a petticoat with a hoop. Another, remembering Scotland’s
old alliance with France, says that the name is a corruption of “petite
galettes,” meaning small cakes. Wherever the whimsical name sprang
from, the cookies themselves—buttery, not overly sweet, and attractively
shaped—add European panache to any dessert buffet. They pair especially
well with fresh fruit.
Note that caraway seeds are very often called for in older recipes for
petticoat tails. If you’re not a caraway fan, we recommend using 2
teaspoons vanilla extract instead.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and

salt. Add the flour gradually, scraping the bowl down at least
once. The mixture will look crumbly in the bowl. Add the milk
and caraway seeds and continue mixing until the dough comes
together; this will take about 90 seconds. Once the dough
forms, take it out of the mixing bowl, pat it into a disk, wrap it,
and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to
325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking
sheets.

Roll the dough into a circle about ¼″ thick and 12″ in diameter.
To shape cookies in their traditional manner, flute the outside
rim of the circle as you would the edge of a pie crust, with your
fingers, so it looks like the ruffled edge of a petticoat. Cut out a
circle about 4½″ in diameter from the center of the dough, and
set it aside. (See top illustrations, page 92.)

Using a long, sharp knife cut the large circle into quarters, then
cut each quarter into four wedges. Transfer the cookies to the
prepared baking sheets. Flute the edge of the small reserved
circle, and either place it whole, or cut into quarters, on the
baking sheet with the rest of the dough (see bottom
illustrations, page 92).

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden

brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool.
SHAPING AND SUTTING PETTICOAT TAILS 1. Flute the edges of the dough just as if you
were crimping the edge of a pie crust. 2. Cut a circle out of the center of the fluted dough and
set it aside. 3. Cut all the way across the dough eight times, to make 16 even wedges. 4.
Transfer the cookies, along with the smaller cookies from the center piece, to the prepared
baking sheets.
CINNAMON-CARAMEL SWIRL
SHORTBREAD
YIELD: 2 DOZEN SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Cinnamon and caramel, together? They laughed when we set these down
on the test kitchen table … but simply smiled when they tasted this
unusual, but perfectly matched combination of flavors.

¼ cup (50g) cinnamon sugar

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
14 to 16 (142g) vanilla caramel candies
1 tablespoon cream or milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with about 1 tablespoon
cinnamon sugar.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together

the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in the flour. Divide
the dough in half, and press it into the prepared pans,
smoothing the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle the top of
both rounds of dough with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Prick
the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.

Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut

each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Heat the caramels and milk in a

microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat. Stir
until the caramels melt and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle the
topping over the cooled shortbread wedges. If it becomes too
thick to drizzle, reheat briefly. Allow the caramel to set before
wrapping the shortbreads for storage.
YOUR FAVORITE JAMMIES
YIELD: 22 SHORTBREAD WEDGES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME:
35 TO 40 MINUTES

Though reminiscent of a linzer cookie, those jam-sandwiched holiday

cutouts, these cookies are much easier to make. When selecting your jam
or preserve, make sure it’s fairly stiff and substantial; grape jelly isn’t a
good choice.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ cups (425g) jam or preserves

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 9″ round cake

pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla, then beat in the flour. Divide the dough in half, and
press it into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with your
fingers. Prick the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it’s golden

brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and loosen
the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife. Wait
5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean
work surface, all in one piece.
Using a pizza wheel, baker’s bench knife, or sharp knife, cut
each round into 12 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still
warm; if you wait until it’s cool, it won’t cut easily.) Transfer
the wedges to a rack to cool.

Crumble two of the shortbread wedges into a small bowl and

set aside. Spread the remaining wedges with a thick layer of
jam. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs lightly over the jam.
GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND FLOUR
SHORTBREAD COOKiES
YIELD: 15 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These tender and buttery cookies are a snap to make. The dough is easily
stirred together by hand in just a couple of minutes, and the use of almond
flour guarantees a crisp and flavorful cookie.

1 cup (96g) almond flour

3 tablespoons (42g) butter, softened
3 tablespoons (21g) confectioners’ sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment

paper or prepare an ungreased cookie sheet.

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until a cohesive dough

forms.

Scoop 1″ balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet; a

teaspoon cookie scoop works well here. Arrange the balls of
dough about 1½″ to 2″ apart. Use a fork to flatten each cookie
to about ¼″ thick, making a crosshatch design.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they start to turn

light golden brown on top. Remove the cookies from the oven.
If you’ve used parchment, allow the cookies to cool on the pan
for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
If you’ve baked the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet,
transfer them to a rack about 2 to 3 minutes after they come out
of the oven; they’ll still be warm and fairly fragile. If left to
cool on the ungreased pan too long, they’ll stick.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for

up to 7 days; freeze for longer storage.
 Biscotti

AH, BISCOTTI—the darling of Starbucks! These fat, crusty, flattened crescent

moon cookies were an also-ran in America’s cookie popularity race for
years, a foreign entry with a steady but limited following. Suddenly, we all
began drinking “Italian” double lattes with caramel cream, and Italy’s
favorite cookie—biscotti—rode coffee’s coattails right up to the top.
From the Latin bis coctum, “twice baked,” one of the earliest mentions
of biscotti was in second-century Rome, where the term referred to a hard,
dry, unsweetened cracker known for its extra-long keeping qualities.
Thirteen centuries later, northern Italian bakers were serving a richer,
sweeter (but just as hard) version of biscotti with vin santo (a sweet wine).
Since then, biscotti have worked their way around the world, usually
turning up in company with coffee (though in its native land biscotti are
still enjoyed just as often with wine).
Biscotti, like shortbread, are a blank slate waiting to be drawn upon.
Use the recipes in this chapter to fire your imagination and create your
own personal favorite. We offer two basic recipes, and many variations.
Finished biscotti are delicious served as is. Or dust them with
confectioners’ sugar, drizzle them with caramel, dip in chocolate (dark or
white) … see the Finishing Touch Chapter (pages 427–46), for further
inspiration. Meanwhile—start brewing the coffee!
ITALIAN OR AMERICAN?
Want to make up your own biscotti recipe? Which version of dough you begin with—
the denser, harder Italian, or the lighter, crunchier American—is up to you. You’ll find,
however, that some recipes are better suited to one version than the other, depending
on the types of add-ins. Since the Italian recipe starts out with a fairly dry dough, it’s
difficult to add 2 cups of dry ingredients, like chips, nuts, dried fruit, or granola; there’s
simply not enough moisture in the recipe to allow the dough to accept these ingredients
easily. If you’re determined to try it anyway, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or water
to the dough when you’re beating the eggs; this should help.
On the other hand, if you want to use more than ¼ cup of added liquid (juice, syrup,
honey), the American-style recipe is already so soft that, unless the liquid is
accompanied by a fairly substantial amount of extra dry ingredients, the biscotti will
spread too much as they bake. So if you’re making an American-style biscotti with a
significant amount of added liquid, be sure you also add 1½ to 2 cups of dry add-ins, to
help “carry” that liquid.
Once you’ve mixed the dough, it’s easy to see whether it’s an acceptable
consistency. If it isn’t, don’t worry, it’s fixable. If you’ve made Italian-style dough without
added liquid and are trying without success to mix in 2 cups of chips and nuts, simply
sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons water or vegetable oil. The dough will seem slimy at first,
but keep beating, and eventually it will absorb the add-ins and become softer. If you’ve
made the American-style dough that flows easily from the beater rather than forming a
cohesive mass, add some bulk in the form of nuts or flavored chips, or even rolled
oats. This will help stiffen the dough. As a last resort, add flour by the tablespoonful
until the dough is stiff enough to cling to an overturned spoon without dripping off.
Here are a few more guidelines for successful biscotti:
• The more moist or melting add-ins you include, the longer biscotti will need to bake
to become dry. Dried fruit and chocolate, if added in a combined quantity of 1½
cups or more, will add 5 minutes to biscotti’s initial bake, and 5 to 10 minutes to its
second bake.
• Think about sugar content. Biscotti are mildly sweet to begin with; adding 2 cups of
butterscotch chips may push them over the top. Instead, consider adding a cup of
butterscotch chips and a cup of toasted pecans, for balance.
• If you’ve baked biscotti, removed them from the oven, let cool completely, and
they’re softer than you’d like, simply put them back in a 250°F oven until they attain
the degree of crunchiness you’re after. Alternatively, if the weather is dry, let them
sit, uncovered, on the cooling rack overnight; they’ll continue to dry out.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

ITALIAN-STYLE BISCOTTI
YIELD: 14 TO 16 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 MINUTES

These biscotti reflect their ancient origin as the ideal traveling companion,
whether over land by caravan, or across the ocean in ships; legend has it
that both Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus carried biscotti with them
on their journeys. Quite dry and hard, like the ship’s biscuits they’re
descended from, biscotti may prove a challenge for those who aren’t
partial to things like crunchy breadsticks or the hard crust on a baguette.
But these biscotti are the perfect texture for dunking—in coffee or, as the
original fifteenth-century Tuscan biscotti bakers did, in wine.

2 large eggs
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (about 18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, baking powder,

salt, and vanilla until creamy looking; the mixture will be light-
colored and as thick as pancake batter (see illustration 1,
opposite page). Lower the mixer speed and add the flour,
beating gently just until it’s totally incorporated.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, and shape it
into a rough log about 14″ long. It will be about 2½″ wide and
about ¾″ thick. Smooth the top of the log with a wet dough
scraper (see illustrations 2 and 3, opposite page).

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let
cool on the pan for 5 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before
cutting, use a spray bottle of room-temperature water to lightly
but thoroughly spritz the log, making sure to cover the sides
and the top. Softening the crust just this little bit will make
slicing the biscotti much easier (see illustration 4, opposite
page).

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Wait another 5 minutes,

then cut the biscotti into ½″ to ¾″ slices. How thick you slice
them depends on a number of factors. This recipe, without nuts
or add-ins, is easy to slice thin. Once you add chips, almonds,
raisins, and other chunky ingredients, a ¾″ slice is more
realistic. When slicing, be sure to cut straight up and down. If
you cut biscotti wider at the top than at the bottom, they’ll
topple over during their second bake (see illustrations 5, 6, and
7, opposite page).

Set the biscotti upright on the prepared baking sheet (see

illustration 8, below). Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Store the biscotti in an
airtight container, to preserve their texture. If they aren’t as
hard as you’d like (and the weather is dry), store them
uncovered, overnight, to continue drying. Biscotti can be stored
at room temperature for 2 weeks; for longer storage, wrap
airtight and freeze.
1. When the egg/sugar mixture is properly beaten, it will be thick, lemon-colored,
and drop in a ribbon from the beater. 2. To shape the dough, wet your fingers
and a dough scraper, and pat and smooth it into a rectangle about 14″ long on a
parchment-lined baking sheet. 3. Use the wet dough scraper to smooth the top
of the dough. 4. Spraying the biscotti dough after its first bake will make slicing it
much easier, with less crumbling. 5. Slice the baked dough on the diagonal, into
½″ to ¾″ wide strips. The steeper the angle of the diagonal, the longer the
biscotti. Cutting the log into crosswise strips, rather than on the diagonal, will
yield the shortest biscotti. 6. When cutting the biscotti, keep the knife from tilting
off center, as shown. 7. Cutting the biscotti with the knife kept straight up and
down will give you slices that can stand up for the second bake. 8. Place the
sliced biscotti ½″ apart, so air can circulate around them as they bake for the
second time.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

AMERICAN-STYLE BISCOTTI
YIELD: 14 TO 16 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 MINUTES

The cookies we know and love in America—the chocolate chip, oatmeal,

peanut butter and sugar cookies that line the shelves of the supermarket
cookie section, and whose recipes and variations fill our cookbooks—are
far removed from traditional Italian biscotti. The cookies most of us grew
up with are softer, more tender, crunchier, and lighter. American-style
biscotti, likewise, are lighter and more tender than their Italian
counterparts. Though not particularly suited to dunking in coffee or wine,
they’re appreciated by kids, or anyone whose idea of a cookie runs more
toward a delicate cutout gingerbread cookie than a teething biscuit. Extra
fat (in the form of butter) and extra leavening, for lighter texture, make the
difference.

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (132g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (about 18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla,

and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Beat in the eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled. Lower
the mixer speed, add the flour, and mix until smooth. The
dough will be quite soft and sticky, but should hold its shape
when you drop it from a spoon.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into

a rough log about 14″ long (see illustrations 2 and 3, page 99).
It will be about 2½″ wide and about ¾″ thick.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and
let cool on the pan anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes; just work it
into the schedule of whatever else you’re doing in the kitchen.
Five minutes before cutting, use a spray bottle filled with
room-temperature water to lightly but thoroughly spritz the log,
making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Softening the
crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti much
easier (see illustration 4, page 99).

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Wait another 5 minutes,

then cut the biscotti into ½″ to ¾″ slices. How thick you slice
them depends on a number of factors. This recipe, without nuts
or any add-ins, is easy to slice thin. Once you start adding
chips, almonds, raisins, and other chunky ingredients, a ¾″
slice is more realistic. When you’re slicing, be sure to cut
straight up and down, if you cut at an angle, biscotti may be
thicker at the top than the bottom, and they’ll topple over
during their second bake. (See illustrations 5, 6, and 7, page
99.)

Set the biscotti upright on the prepared baking sheet (see

illustration 8, page 99). Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the
oven and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Store the biscotti in an airtight container, to preserve their

texture. If they aren’t as crunchy as you’d like (and the weather
is dry), store them uncovered, overnight, to continue drying.
 Biscotti can be stored at room temperature for 1 week; for
longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze.

CHANGING A PLAIN BISCOTTI’S TASTE, TEXTURE, OR

CRUST
Adding nut flour—ground nuts, most typically almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans—to your
American-Style Biscotti recipe adds tenderness (from the nut oils), and heightens
taste. We suggest adding up to 1 cup nut flour for optimal results; more than that, and
biscotti may become too crumbly.
Substituting 1 cup semolina, a bright gold, coarse form of milled durum wheat, for 1
cup of the flour in the recipe gives biscotti a warm color and a bit of extra crunch. Due
to its relatively large particle size, semolina takes longer to absorb liquid and form a
cohesive dough. For that reason, we suggest combining the semolina with the eggs
and sugar (or, in the American-Style recipe, with the eggs, sugar, and butter), and
letting the mixture rest for 30 minutes. If you skip this step, the dough won’t come
together well.
Semolina biscotti tend to brown a bit faster than those based entirely on flour. To
protect biscotti from overbrowning, either tent them loosely with aluminum foil midway
through the second bake, or turn off the oven midway through the second bake,
allowing the biscotti to remain in the turned-off oven until they’re cool.
To give biscotti a shiny top crust, whisk together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon
water. Brush this mixture on the biscotti’s top crust after its first bake, before slicing.
PISTACHIO-CHERRY BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 60 MINUTES

Golden-green, mildly salty pistachios and deep red, sweet and tangy dried
cherries complement each other beautifully, both in color and flavor.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
2 drops cherry flavor (optional)
1 cup (113g) chopped pistachios
1 cup (142g) sweet or sour dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

cherry flavor for the vanilla, if desired. Stir in the pistachios
and cherries. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the
recipe you’ve chosen. If the cherries are very moist, bake the
biscotti for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
CINNAMON MOCHA BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

The different flavors in these biscotti play in harmony like the instruments
in an orchestra, and the resulting symphony of taste is sublime.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
1 tablespoon espresso powder, or 1½ tablespoons instant coffee granules
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅔ cup (113g) chocolate chips
⅔ cup (113g) cinnamon chips
⅔ cup (76g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

espresso powder and cinnamon for the vanilla. If you’re
making the Italian recipe, add 2 tablespoons water or vegetable
oil to the egg and sugar mixture. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
GIANDUJA BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Chocolate and hazelnut are a classic Italian pairing; in fact, the flavor has
its own name, gianduja. The hazelnut (like the pistachio) has quite a
different flavor when you compare the actual nut to the flavor we identify
as hazelnut in coffee or ice cream. If you’re a fan of this assertive hazelnut
flavor, enrich the taste of biscotti by adding a little (⅛ teaspoon) to a lot
(¼ teaspoon) of strong hazelnut flavor.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong hazelnut flavor, to taste (optional)
1 cup (113g) chopped hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
1 cup (170g) chopped bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

hazelnut flavor, if desired, for the vanilla, and stirring in the
nuts and chocolate along with the flour. Shape and bake the
biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

VARIATION

For white chocolate–hazelnut biscotti, increase the hazelnuts to

1½ cups (170g). Dip one end of each finished biscotto in
melted white chocolate. Place the dipped biscotti on a rack set
over a piece of parchment or plastic wrap (to catch drips), and
allow the chocolate to set before serving.
BUTTER-PECAN BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Toasted pecans and rich butterscotch pair wonderfully in ice cream—and

do likewise in biscotti.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
¼ teaspoon butterscotch or butter-rum flavor
⅔ cup (76g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)
⅔ cup (113g) butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

butterscotch flavor for the vanilla and stirring in the nuts and
chips along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

ADDING FLAVOR
Fat is a flavor carrier, and biscotti—partly because they’re low in fat—have a tendency
to taste more bland than other cookies. Thus many recipes you see suggest add-ins:
chocolate chips, dried cherries, toasted pecans … All add bold brushstrokes of strong
flavor to a rather plain canvas. To increase the flavor of the dough itself, add a
matching or complementary extract or strong flavor, for example, maple extract in
maple-walnut biscotti, or hazelnut flavor in chocolate biscotti. The amount of flavor to
add varies greatly, depending on both your own taste and the strength of the flavor
you’re adding. Here are some general guidelines:
• When adding orange, lemon, or lime oil, start with ¼ teaspoon. Taste and see how
you like it; if it seems very weak, add more by the drop. These oils tend to have a
 rather raw finish if they’re used to excess, so start out with less rather than more;
you can always make the flavor stronger with your next batch of biscotti. Also,
unlike extracts and other flavors, citrus oils retain most of their flavor through
biscotti’s two bakes, so again, go easy with these.
• When adding a flavor oil (such as anise oil, bitter almond oil) or a strong flavor (the
kind that usually comes in a 1-ounce bottle and is generally sold as a candy-
making flavor), start with ⅛ teaspoon, going up to ½ teaspoon for extra-strong
flavor. For more information on these strong flavors and how to identify them, see
page 463.
• When adding an extract (such as vanilla extract, peppermint extract), start with 1
teaspoon, then go up to 1 tablespoon, tasting as you go.
CRANBERRY-ORANGE BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

This classic muffin and quick bread flavor pairing translates beautifully to
biscotti. These make a lovely dessert at Thanksgiving, if you can tear folks
away from the pumpkin pie. Measure the orange zest into the tablespoon
without packing it. It takes about half a large orange to yield a tablespoon
of zest.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98 or American-Style, page

100)
2 tablespoons (28g) orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup (114g) dried cranberries
1 cup (113g) chopped walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, adding the orange

juice and zest once the egg/sugar mixture is fully beaten. Stir in
the cranberries and walnuts along with the flour. Shape and
bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CHOP ADD-INS FOR

BISCOTTI?
While it’s tempting to use whole nuts, extra-large chips or chocolate chunks, or large
pieces of dried fruit in biscotti—they just look so impressive—it’s challenging to slice
biscotti for their second bake with these obstacles stopping the knife and knocking it
off course. We’ve found the best solution is to chop nuts coarsely. And the most
effective way to do this is as follows: place nuts in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag;
close the bag, forcing out as much air as possible; and gently tap the nuts with a heavy
rolling pin until they crack apart. Using a food processor will result in big chunks of nuts
mixed with finely chopped nuts; a nut grinder will grind nuts into small dice. A rolling pin
gives you the most control.
We suggest chopping large chocolate chunks coarsely, and snipping dried fruit into
pieces no larger than a raisin.
PINE NUT, FENNEL, AND RAISIN
BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Pasta fiorentina, a dish native to Florence, features pine nuts, golden

raisins, and anchovies. We’ve dropped the fish and substituted another
classic flavor, fennel, to make biscotti that will please anyone who’s ever
enjoyed the anchovy version. For a mild licorice flavor, use 1 tablespoon
of the fennel seeds, for more assertive flavor, use 2 (or more) tablespoons.

1 cup (149g) golden raisins, not packed

2 tablespoons (28g) brandy
1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page
100)
1 cup (142g) pine nuts
1 to 2 tablespoons fennel seeds

Place the raisins in a bowl, sprinkle them with the brandy, and
cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 1 minute, then remove
from the microwave and let rest, covered, for 1 hour. The
raisins should absorb all but a few drops of the brandy.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, adding the brandy-

soaked raisins, nuts, and fennel seeds along with the flour.
Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve
chosen.
GRANOLA BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Crunchy oats, seeds, toasted nuts, a bit of dried fruit—granola makes a

hearty breakfast or snack, and it also adds nutty flavor to plain biscotti
dough. And since the granola never really becomes integrated into the
dough, it gives the finished biscotti a gentler, pleasingly crumbly texture.
Due to the dryness of granola, we advise making this recipe with
American-style biscotti dough.

1 recipe American-Style Biscotti (page 100)

2 cups (226g) granola, flavor of your choice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough, adding the granola along with the
flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe.
BROWN SUGAR–CINNAMON
BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

These comforting biscotti remind us of cinnamon toast. If you can’t find

cinnamon chips at the supermarket, substitute butterscotch chips.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (170g) cinnamon chips
1 cup (113g) chopped walnuts, toasted (optional; see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

brown sugar for the granulated sugar. Stir in the cinnamon,
cinnamon chips, and walnuts along with the flour.

Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve

chosen.
DUTCH CHOCOLATE–ALMOND
BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Chocolate and cocoa combine in these tasty biscotti; they’re dark as a

moonless night, and as soul-satisfying as a cup of hot cocoa on Christmas
Eve.

1 recipe American-Style Biscotti (page 100)

½ cup (85g) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
¼ cup (21g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
⅔ cup (92g) chopped almonds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

In a small food processor, electric spice mill, or small electric

coffee grinder, process the chocolate, cocoa, and espresso
powder until the chocolate is finely ground. Prepare the biscotti
dough, stirring in the ground chocolate mixture along with the
flour. Stir in the almonds. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe.

CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO—SO HAPPY TOGETHER

Why do so many of the chocolate biscotti recipes in this chapter call for espresso
powder? We’ve found that coffee, like vanilla, is a flavor that deepens and enriches the
taste of chocolate. And espresso powder, a highly concentrated, dry coffee essence,
is an easy way to highlight chocolate’s flavor in biscotti without changing the liquid /
flour ratio in the recipe. Leave it out if you like, or cut it back if you find it too “coffee
tasting” for your preference. You can use the same amount of instant coffee granules if
you can’t find espresso powder, but it will be like drinking a cup of instant coffee versus
savoring a deep, rich cup of real coffee or espresso—not really in the same league.
CREAMY ORANGE BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 60 MINUTES

The bright citrus taste of these biscotti is tempered by a dip in smooth,

rich white chocolate. The effect will remind you of the Good Humor Man
and his Creamsicle bars.

1 recipe Italian-Style Biscotti (page 98)

¼ cup (57g) orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
2 tablespoons orange zest (from 1 large orange)
1¾ cups (298g) white chocolate chips or chunks, or white confectionery
coating, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough, adding the orange juice and zest
along with the eggs. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in
the recipe. If the biscotti feel soft at the end of their second
bake, return them to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Dip half of each finished, cooled biscotto (or the front or the
back) in melted white chocolate. Place the dipped biscotti on a
rack set over a piece of parchment or plastic wrap (to catch
drips), and allow the chocolate to set before serving.
ORANGE-CASHEW BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 60 MINUTES

Although this may sound like a strange combination, give it a try. The
orange flavor is very mild, and plays a nice background accompaniment to
the salty-sweet, nutty taste of the cashews. Make sure you use salted
cashews; the salt is a critical taste element in these biscotti. Taste the nuts
before toasting; if they don’t taste assertively salty, sprinkle on some
additional salt.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
¼ cup (57g) orange juice
1½ cups (170g) chopped salted cashews, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, adding the orange

juice to the egg and sugar mixture. Add the cashews along with
the flour. Shape and bake biscotti as directed in the recipe. If
the biscotti feel soft at the end of their second bake, return
them to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
CHOCOLATE-COCONUT BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

This combination of seemingly disparate elements, inspired by a famous

candy bar, takes on an even stronger candy persona when you dip the
finished biscotti in melted chocolate.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
1 cup (85g, packed) shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips or chopped semisweet or bittersweet
chocolate
1¾ cups (298g) semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate
chunks, melted, for dipping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, stirring in the

coconut and the 1 cup chocolate chips along with the flour.
Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve
chosen.

Dip half of each finished, cooled biscotto (or the front or back)
in the melted chocolate, if desired. Place the dipped biscotti on
a rack set over a piece of parchment or plastic wrap (to catch
drips), and allow the chocolate to set before serving.

MELTING CHOCOLATE
For kids, melting chocolate is a problem; whether it’s your chocolate ice cream cone or
your candy bar that melts, it’s bound to make a mess of your hands and clothes. For
adults, melting chocolate can also be a challenge—as in, what’s the best way to melt
chocolate without scorching it?
We’ve found using a double boiler or the microwave are equally effective at melting
chocolate safely. The double boiler is foolproof; it’s impossible to scorch chocolate
when it’s melting gently over simmering water. The microwave is less trouble, and
faster, but you have to pay more attention to what you’re doing. Place chocolate in a
microwave-safe bowl and heat it in short bursts. Try 45 seconds first, then 30 seconds
next. Once it becomes very soft, heat it in 15-second bursts. Take the chocolate out of
the microwave and stir it; it’s safer to complete the melting process by stirring for a
minute or so than it is to allow the microwave to do all the work, and possibly take the
chocolate beyond melted to burned.
White chocolate is particularly problematic to melt; even in a double boiler, it
sometimes becomes grainy or stiffens up. If you’re not a complete purist, substitute
white confectionery coating (also known as summer coating), found in stores offering
candy-making supplies, or online. It’s a simple-to-melt, good-tasting “faux chocolate”
(made from sugar, vegetable oil, milk solids, and flavor) that coats and dries on
cookies and candy nicely.
PIÑA COLADA BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

A taste of the tropics is the perfect antidote to the tail end of winter, when
it feels as if even one more flake of snow will drive you over the edge.
These pineapple-coconut biscotti evoke memories of hot midsummer days
and drinks on the deck after work.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
1 to 2 teaspoons rum extract, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon strong rum or butter-
rum flavor, to taste
1 cup (85g, packed) shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup (142g) finely diced dried pineapple

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the rum

flavor for the vanilla, and stirring in the coconut and pineapple
along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in
the recipe you’ve chosen.
VERY VANILLA BISCOTTI
YIELD: 14 TO 16 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

When you think vanilla, do you think plain? Perish that thought! These
biscotti, flecked with ground vanilla beans, have a wonderful aroma and
pleasantly assertive vanilla taste. While vanilla is usually a background
flavor for other ingredients, in these biscotti it has a chance to shine on its
own.

1 or 2 whole vanilla beans

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page
100)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Snip the vanilla bean(s) into 1″ pieces. Place them in a small

food processor, or an electric spice mill, and add the ⅔ cup
sugar from the recipe. Process until the vanilla bean is finely
ground and incorporated with the sugar.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, using the prepared

vanilla sugar in place of the ⅔ cup plain sugar in the recipe.
Increase the vanilla extract to 2 to 3 teaspoons. Shape and bake
the biscotti as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.
CHOCOLATE–CHOCOLATE CHIP
BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

A chocolate chip–filled chocolate cookie dipped in melted chocolate—it

doesn’t get any better than this!

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
¼ cup (21g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
⅔ cup (75g) walnuts, toasted (optional; see page xxx)
1¾ cups (298g) semisweet, bittersweet, or white chocolate chips or
chunks (or white confectionery coating), melted, for dipping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, reducing the amount

of flour by 2 tablespoons (to 1⅞ cups). Beat in the cocoa, and
espresso powder. Stir in the chocolate chips, and walnuts along
with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the
recipe you’ve chosen.

Dip the finished, cooled biscotti in the melted chocolate, if

desired. Place the dipped biscotti on a rack set over a piece of
parchment or plastic wrap (to catch drips), and allow the
chocolate to set before serving.
VARIATION

For Black Forest biscotti, substitute 1 cup (142g) dried cherries

for the walnuts. Add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong cherry flavor
(optional).
CLASSIC ITALIAN BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

The combination of anise (licorice) and almond, while it may sound

strange to American ears, is a hallmark of Italian baking. Take one bite of
these and you’ll taste the quintessential Italian biscotti. While you can
make these with either style of the biscotti dough, we recommend the
Italian version, for a truly authentic experience.

1 recipe Italian-Style Biscotti (page 98)

2 teaspoons almond extract
1 tablespoon aniseed
1 cup (142g) chopped almonds, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough, substituting the almond extract for

the vanilla, and stirring in the aniseed and almonds along with
the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the recipe.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY’RE DONE?

Compared to most cookies, biscotti are eminently forgivable. Since they’re essentially
fully baked once the uncut dough has come out of the oven, it’s impossible to
underbake (and difficult to overbake) biscotti. For soft, cakelike cookies, simply slice
the baked log and set slices on a rack to cool. These cookies aren’t biscotti (since
they’re not “twice baked”), but are suitable for kids and others who don’t care for
crunchy cookies.
Once the biscotti have been sliced and then baked for the amount of time directed,
take the pan out of the oven and poke the side of a biscotto. Is it firm to the touch or
does it give? Is the cut crust dry or damp? If the biscotto feels soft, like a piece of
cake, give it another 5 minutes in the oven. If it feels firm, but still gives a bit when you
poke it, take it out for rather soft-textured but still crunchy biscotti. If it feels firm, but the
cut crust is still a bit damp, take it out; this will yield biscotti that are crunchy all the way
through. If it feels firm to the touch and the cut crust is dry, take it out; these biscotti will
be hard and crunchy.
LEMON-ALMOND BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

These biscotti are pleasantly tangy from a strong hit of lemon juice. The
almonds temper the lemon’s bite and add an interesting texture. You can
beat in an additional ¼ cup sugar if you want sweet biscotti; we prefer the
refreshingly tart taste of these biscotti without additional sugar.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
¼ cup (57g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest or ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
¼ cup (50g) sugar (optional)
1 cup (142g) chopped almonds, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, adding the lemon

juice and zest along with the eggs and sugar. Stir in the nuts
along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in
the recipe you’ve chosen.
HAZELNUT-CAPPUCCINO BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Isn’t it wonderful to end dinner with a freshly brewed cup of hazelnut-

flavored cappuccino? But who wants to be wide awake for hours after that
satisfying meal? These coffee-and-hazelnut biscotti are a good substitute
when the last thing you need is a major jolt of caffeine.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong hazelnut flavor
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1 cup (113g) chopped hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
1¾ cups (298g) semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate
chunks, melted, for dipping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, beating the hazelnut

flavor and espresso powder with the eggs, and stirring in the
hazelnuts along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

Dip one end of the biscotti in the melted chocolate.

Alternatively, pour the melted chocolate into a shallow, wide
bowl and dip one whole side (front or back) of biscotti in the
chocolate. Place the dipped biscotti on a rack set over a piece of
parchment or plastic wrap (to catch drips), and allow the
chocolate to set before serving.
TO DIP, OR NOT TO DIP?
How do you know which of these biscotti recipes will taste good finished with a coating
of chocolate? Some are naturals—vanilla, gianduja, cappuccino, there’s no question
these will be delightful with one end dipped in white or dark chocolate. On the other
hand, pine nut, raisin, and fennel? Don’t go there, unless you’re heavily into fusion
cuisine. If you have any doubt—e.g. butter-pecan, cranberry-orange—taste and see.
Take a bite of biscotti along with a few chocolate chips; it will become immediately
apparent if this is a biscotti that will play nicely with chocolate.
Now, how much chocolate do you need to melt to dip biscotti? Though biscotti vary
in size, and chocolate dips differ in thickness, a good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon
melted chocolate per biscotti. A heaping 1¾ cups (about 300g) chocolate chips will
yield 1 cup melted chocolate, enough to dip about 16 biscotti.
CINNAMON-RAISIN BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Cinnamon-raisin toast is a great way to start the day; cinnamon-raisin

biscotti, served with a cup of tea late in the afternoon or with your evening
coffee, is a great way to finish it.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (149g) raisins

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, adding the cinnamon

and raisins along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

MINI BISCOTTI
To make small, three-bite biscotti, simply divide the dough initially into three pieces,
instead of shaping the entire log at once. Shape each of the three pieces of dough into
a 1½″ to 2″ wide log. Since these logs are fairly short, they can all fit nicely, side by
side, on a half-sheet (18″ × 13″) baking pan. Once the dough is baked, slice it
crosswise, rather than on the diagonal; this will yield the smallest biscotti.
MAPLE-WALNUT BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

When Vermonters tap their sugar maple trees in February and sugarhouses
start to turn out their yearly crop of maple syrup, the smell of maple from
the boiling sap drifts over the land like a sweet cloud. The aroma of these
biscotti as they bake reminds us of a Vermont spring day.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
⅔ cup (104g) maple sugar (see page 452)
¼ teaspoon strong maple flavor
1 cup (113g) chopped walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
Maple Glaze (optional; see page 431)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

maple sugar for the granulated sugar, and adding the maple
flavor when you’re beating the sugar and eggs. Stir in the
walnuts along with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as
directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

Dip the ends of the finished, cooled biscotti in Maple Glaze

(page 431), if desired.
GINGERBREAD BISCOTTI
YIELD: 15 TO 17 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 50 TO 55 MINUTES

Gingerbread can come in more shapes than just men and houses. These
crunchy, spicy biscotti make a great addition to any holiday cookie gift tin.

1 recipe Essential Biscotti (Italian-Style, page 98; or American-Style, page

100)
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar 4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (184g) finely diced crystallized ginger

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

Prepare the biscotti dough of your choice, substituting the

brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the recipe, and stirring
in the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and crystallized ginger along
with the flour. Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the
recipe you’ve chosen.

BISCOTTI AS TABLE ORNAMENT?

Unlike many cookies, biscotti will stay fresh at room temperature for a long time—up
to two weeks, depending on the ingredients and how they’re stored. Plain biscotti,
without fruit or nuts, will keep the longest; and Italian-style biscotti, since they’re hard to
begin with, will remain the same texture longer than American-style, which will very
gradually become harder. Of course, you can always freeze biscotti. Let them cool,
uncovered, overnight, before wrapping in plastic wrap or in a zip-top plastic bag with
the air removed.
 Biscotti look absolutely delightful stored on end in a clear glass or acrylic container.
If you plan on keeping the biscotti around awhile, you might want to slip a layer of
plastic wrap over the top of the jar before adding its lid. This will help keep biscotti from
getting soft in humid weather. If they become soft anyway, heat them in a 250°F oven,
uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re crisp again.
RUM-RAISIN BISCOTTI
YIELD: 16 TO 18 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 70 MINUTES

This old-fashioned flavor combination traditionally (and most famously)

appears in ice cream, but these days you’ll find it in pudding, cake, bread
… and biscotti.

2 large eggs
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (76g) light, dark, or spiced rum
¼ teaspoon strong rum flavor
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ cups (224g) raisins

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and salt

together until smooth. Add the rum and rum flavor, then the
flour, baking powder, and raisins, beating until smooth and
cohesive.

Shape and bake the biscotti as directed in the American-Style

Biscotti recipe (see page 100), giving them 30 minutes for the
first bake, and 40 minutes for the final bake.
HONEY-SESAME BISCOTTI
YIELD: 14 TO 16 BISCOTTI | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 325°F | BAKING
TIME: 70 MINUTES

Honey and sesame are ingredients usually associated with Middle Eastern
cuisine, rather than Italian, but this classic flavor duo (think halvah)
translates nicely to a cookie. Note that these biscotti will become a deep,
golden brown, darker than most; this is due to the honey, which browns
more quickly than sugar. Use dark, strongly flavored sesame oil, not light-
gold sesame oil.

DOUGH
2 tablespoons (28g) butter
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (25g) sesame oil
½ cup (168g) honey
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

TOPPING
1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water, to glaze
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a large (18″ × 13″) baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter and sugar together

until smooth. Beat in the eggs, sesame oil, and honey, then the
flour, baking powder, and salt. Shape the biscotti as directed in
the American-Style Biscotti recipe (see page 100). Brush the
top with the egg white glaze, and sprinkle heavily with the
sesame seeds.

Bake the biscotti as directed in the essential recipe, but give

them 30 minutes for the first bake, and 40 minutes for the final
bake.
 Brownies

CERTAIN ITEMS in the wide world of baking seem to inspire long-range

searches for “perfection.” The perfect sugar cookie. Ultimate gingerbread.
The pinnacle of devil’s food cake. And, of course, the Perfect Brownie.
What’s your idea of the perfect brownie? Whatever it is—moist, but
not gooey, dense and fine-crumbed, an inch-thick slab of almost-liquid
chocolate—it’s your own preference that makes it so wonderful. Just as
one person’s favorite wine is an inexpensive Zinfandel, while another
prefers a top-of-the-line Cabernet Sauvignon, greatness is in the eye of the
beholder (and on the tongue of the taster). So don’t let anyone tell you a
cakey brownie isn’t worthy of your adulation; in fact, it’s just a fudgy
brownie with extra flour, sugar, and eggs thrown in—and what could be
wrong with that?
One common thread (crumb?) connecting all types of brownies is
chocolate. If you love chocolate, you love brownies—period. Because a
brownie is nothing more than rich, dark chocolate sweetened with sugar,
bound together with eggs and flour. We like to think of brownies as just
one step beyond pure chocolate. The few extra ingredients create an
entirely different treat, one that handsomely salutes its essential element,
yet takes it to another level of pleasure.
We made a plethora of different brownies before we decided these are
the best. Well, our favorites, at least. It was hard to find consensus about
what the perfect brownie should be; the discussion was ongoing for weeks
here at King Arthur Baking Company as we staked out our strategic
positions, and then held fast as the testing and tasting went on—each camp
proclaiming this version the best, not that one.
In the end, we settled on three slightly different recipes covering
everyone’s brownie preferences: fudgy, cakey, and something between the
two, a medium-rise brownie with a light, but very moist crumb. Choose
your favorite type of brownie, then use that recipe as the starting point for
a path that will include as many delicious twists and turns as your
imagination can provide.

HOW CAN I TELL WHEN MY BROWNIES ARE DONE?

How do you tell if a cookie is fully baked and ready to come out of the oven? Usually
by checking to see if it’s golden brown. Clearly, that won’t work with a dark brown
brownie. Thus, it’s important to be precise with oven temperatures and baking times.
First, set the required time on your kitchen timer, going for the low end if a range of
times is given. Make sure your oven is fully heated before putting in the pan of
brownies. Once you put them in, immediately turn on the timer.
Like chocolate cake, the fully baked brownie can usually be identified by its aroma;
all of a sudden, the smell of chocolate will permeate your kitchen, giving you an
olfactory clue where a visual one isn’t possible. Even if the timer hasn’t gone off yet,
check the brownies as soon as you can smell them. Their edges should be set, but not
tough or burned; they may be pulling away from the sides of the pan very slightly.
Gently touch your fingertips to the center of the brownies; they should be set on top,
but should give easily, indicating they’re soft underneath. Fudgy brownies will develop a
very distinct, shiny top, which may crack or flake when gently touched. Finally, stick a
cake tester (or clean broom straw) into the center of the pan; when you remove it, it
might have a few scant moist crumbs clinging to it, but it shouldn’t be coated with
uncooked batter.
If you make a mistake and take the brownies out of the oven before they’re fully
baked, don’t despair, the ones in the center will simply be softer and more gooey than
you’d prefer, but then there are those whose gooeyness quotient knows no bounds.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

FUDGY BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME:
29 TO 32 MINUTES

Many of us here at King Arthur decided that our perfect brownie should be
fudgy but not gooey, and rich enough to satisfy on its own. It should also
be assertively flavored and able to stand up to hot fudge sauce and vanilla
ice cream. Also, it needs to have a crisp top layer—as one of the kids said,
“Just like ones from a box.” The following recipe fills the bill. Chocolate
chips will provide tiny molten pockets of chocolate within the greater
brownie landscape. Add them if your desire for fudginess is limitless.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

2 cups (396g) sugar
1 cup (84g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a medium

saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar
and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or
microwave) briefly, just until it’s hot (110°F to 120°F), but not
bubbling; it will become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating
 this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar,
which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the
eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and nuts and
chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the
prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 29 to 32 minutes, until a cake tester

inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a tiny
amount of crumb clinging to it. The edges of the brownies
should be set, but the center still soft. Remove the brownies
from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Fudgy brownies (right) are usually shiny on top, dense and moist beneath. Cakey brownies
(left) have a uniform texture, and a matte surface.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

CAKEY BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
28 TO 30 MINUTES

If gooey isn’t a word that’s high up on your list of favorite food

characteristics, then this cakelike brownie is your top choice. Similar to
very dense, firm chocolate cake, this brownie is an ideal candidate for
your favorite chocolate-friendly icing—say, cappuccino. These brownies
will have a matte-finish, rather than shiny, top crust, perfect for icing.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

2¼ cups (446g) sugar
1¼ cups (105g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
½ cup (114g) water
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a medium

saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar
and stir to combine. Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and
vanilla. Whisk in the eggs one at a time and add the water,
stirring until smooth. Add the flour and nuts and chips, again
stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester
inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should
feel set both on the edges and in the center. Remove them from
the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.
— ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

ON-THE-FENCE BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
28 TO 30 MINUTES

Fudgy, cakey, fudgy, cakey … can’t make up your mind? These brownies
combine the best of both worlds—the fudge brownie’s ultramoist texture,
and the nice rise of a cake brownie.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

2¼ cups (446g) sugar
1¼ cups (105g) Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a medium

saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar
and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or
microwave) briefly, just until it’s hot (110°F to 120°F), but not
bubbling; it will become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating
this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar,
which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
 Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the
eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and nuts and
chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the
prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester

inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should
feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the
oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Brownie Innovations
“Start here, go anywhere” is the motto of a famous outdoor
company, but it also sums up the innumerable variations for
which brownies are perfectly suited. From add-ins such as nuts
or chips, to fillings (cheesecake, peanut butter), to flavor
additions, to icings, the basic brownie is a blank canvas
awaiting the artist’s touch.
A simple start is to drizzle brownies with melted caramel,
or melted chocolate (white, milk, or dark). Another basic
innovation is to sprinkle a topping—nuts, chips, crushed toffee
—over the crust about 10 minutes before the end of the baking
time. The brownies will be set enough that the topping won’t
sink in, but still have enough time in the oven for the topping to
soften and melt.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING
YIELD: 1 CUP, ENOUGH TO ICE ONE 9″ × 13″ PAN OF BROWNIES

Let’s start out with a very simple but ever-so-satisfying icing: chocolate
ganache. Heavy cream. Chocolate. That’s it. You can’t go wrong. While
this amount of icing is sufficient to cover a 9″ × 13″ pan of brownies with
a glazelike finish, you’ll want to double the ingredients to make a thickly
frosted batch of brownies.

½ cup (114g) heavy cream or whipping cream

1 cup (170g) chocolate chips or chopped semisweet or bittersweet
chocolate

In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a small saucepan set over

medium heat, heat the cream until it’s very hot. You should see
wisps of steam beginning to rise from it, and some very tiny
bubbles around the edge. Add the chocolate chips to the cream
and stir until smooth. Don’t panic—at first, the mixture will
look disarmingly soupy, but just keep stirring. Very shortly it
will become a rich brown, thick, shiny spreadable icing.
CHOCOLATE MINT BROWNIES
YIELD: FOUR DOZEN 1″ × 2″ BROWNIES

If you like Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, you’ll love these deeply
chocolate, strongly mint brownies.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)
12 thin mints or peppermint patties

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice. Spread half of the

brownie batter into a lightly greased 9″ × 13″ pan. Top with the
mints, then spread with the remaining batter. Bake the brownies
as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen.

VARIATION
If you want to make your own mint filling, here’s a tasty recipe:

Mint Filling
4 cups (454g) confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup (138g) vegetable shortening
¼ teaspoon peppermint oil, or 1 to 2 teaspoons peppermint extract (to
taste)
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (85g) heavy cream

In a medium-sized mixing bowl beat all the filling ingredients

together until they’re cohesive; the mixture will be the
consistency of stiff cookie dough. Pat the filling into a
rectangle just slightly smaller than the pan; this is most easily
done on a clean work surface that you’ve dusted with
confectioners’ sugar, or on a piece of plastic wrap.

Spread half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Top with
the filling, patting it down gently. Top with the remaining
batter. Bake as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen, adding 5 to
8 minutes to the baking time.
CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

The creamy swirl of cheesecake in these brownies makes them a lovely

looking choice for a dessert buffet.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

CREAM CHEESE SWIRL

16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (149g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream or sour cream
2 large eggs

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice.

TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE SWIRL: In a medium-sized bowl

beat the cream cheese until no lumps remain; add the sugar,
vanilla, and almond extract, blending until smooth. Stir in the
cream and eggs, mixing until everything is well combined.

Spread three-quarters of the brownie batter into a lightly

greased 9″ × 13″ pan. Spoon the cheesecake batter over the
brownie batter, smoothing it out. Drop the remaining brownie
batter by the tablespoonful atop the cheesecake. Draw a dull
knife through the top third of the two batters, gently swirling it
to make a nice design.
TO MAKE THE VERY BEST BROWNIES, SHOULDN’T I USE
THE VERY BEST BAKING CHOCOLATE?
Many people equate expensive, often imported baking chocolate (unsweetened, solid
chocolate) with optimum results when preparing chocolate baked goods. The testing
we’ve done suggests otherwise. While each baker determines his or her own favorite
nuance of flavor or aroma, we all agree that making brownies with Dutch process
cocoa instead of chocolate is a good choice. Cocoa is easy to use; you don’t have to
fuss with melting it (and worry about scorching). Because it’s pure chocolate, with very
little cocoa butter to temper it, its flavor is intense and rich. Dutch process cocoa,
treated to reduce the acidic bite that often mars the flavor of solid baking chocolate, is
also darker in color; people naturally tend to “eat with their eyes,” and associate dark
color with rich chocolate flavor. Finally, cocoa is easy to keep on hand in the pantry;
you never have to worry about it melting in the summer, or “blooming” (acquiring a
grayish surface cast) as it ages.

Bake as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen, adding 5 to 10

minutes to the baking time. When the brownies are done, the
top should be set and the edges puffy; they’ll have much the
same look as a fully baked cheesecake. Remove the brownies
from the oven and cool on a rack. Chill until you’re ready to cut
and serve them, and refrigerate any leftovers.
IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE
BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

A haunting hint of Irish Cream liqueur flavors the cheesecake swirl in

these decadent brownies.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

CHEESECAKE SWIRL
16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (53g) lightly packed brown sugar
¾ cup (170g) Irish Cream liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE SWIRL: In a medium-sized bowl beat

the cream cheese until no lumps remain; add the sugar and
liqueur, blending until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and eggs,
mixing until everything is well combined.

Spread three-quarters of the brownie batter into a lightly

greased 9″ × 13″ pan. Spoon the cheesecake batter over the
brownie batter, smoothing it out. Drop the remaining brownie
batter by the tablespoonful atop the cheesecake batter. Draw a
dull knife through the top third of the batter, gently swirling it
to make a nice design.
Bake as directed in your chosen recipe, adding 5 to 10 minutes
to the baking time. When the brownies are done, the top should
be set and the edges puffy, much the same look as a fully baked
cheesecake. Remove the brownies from the oven and cool them
on a rack. Chill until you’re ready to serve them, and
refrigerate any leftovers.
TOFFEE-COFFEE BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

Ah, here it is: the quintessential brownie for you mocha fans. The rich
espresso-laced frosting, topped with toffee chips, brings these brownies
totally over the top.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)
1 tablespoon espresso powder

FROSTING
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar 1 to 3 tablespoons (14g to 43g) heavy
cream or milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
½ cup (78g) toffee bits

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice, adding the 1

tablespoon espresso powder to the batter. Bake as directed in
the recipe. Allow the brownies to cool for 30 minutes before
frosting.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the

espresso powder and hot water together. Stir in the
confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon of the cream, adding up
to 2 additional tablespoons cream to make a spreadable
frosting. Spread the frosting over the bars, then sprinkle them
with the toffee bits. Cool for several hours before cutting into
squares.
BROWNIE MACAROONS
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

Are coconut macaroons way up on your list of favorite cookies? Combine

them with a brownie base for a treat that will bring to mind a chocolate-
covered coconut candy bar.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

TOPPING
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (149g) sugar; superfine sugar preferred
3 cups (255g) shredded sweetened coconut

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice. Spread the batter in a

lightly greased 9″ × 13″ pan.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a large bowl, beat together the salt

and egg whites until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the
vanilla and gradually sprinkle in the sugar. Beat until stiff
peaks form. Fold in the coconut.

Dollop the topping onto the brownie batter; a tablespoon cookie

scoop works well here. Gently press down on the dollops of
topping to spread them a bit.

Bake the brownies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen,

adding 6 to 8 minutes to the baking time. The topping should be
light golden brown. Remove the brownies from the oven and let
cool completely on a rack before cutting.
RASPBERRY TRUFFLE BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

Chocolate and fruit flavors are sometimes difficult to pair; other times,
they’re a match made in heaven (think chocolate-apricot Sacher torte).
This is one of those times.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)
1 teaspoon raspberry flavor

GLAZE
¼ cup (85g) raspberry jam
¾ cup (128g) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon raspberry flavor (optional)

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice, adding the 1

teaspoon raspberry flavor to the batter. Bake the brownies as
directed in the recipe. Allow the brownies to cool for 30
minutes before spreading with the glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small microwave-safe bowl or in a

saucepan set over low heat, combine all the glaze ingredients
and cook until the chocolate and butter are melted. Stir until
smooth, then spread over the cooled bars. Cool for several
hours before cutting the brownies with a knife that you’ve run
under hot water, to prevent sticking.
PEANUT-MALLOW BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

A layer of marshmallow filling with a gentle hint of peanut butter is a nice

complement to the brownie’s unabashed chocolatiness.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

FILLING
3 cups (129g) miniature marshmallows, or 1¾ cups (224g) marshmallow
creme or Marshmallow Fluff
⅓ cup (38g) confectioners’ sugar
½ cup (135g) creamy peanut butter

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice. Spread half of it in a

lightly greased 9″ × 13″ pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a small

saucepan set over low heat, stir together all the filling
ingredients until they’re melted and smooth. This filling is
quite sticky; spray a spoon or cookie scoop with nonstick
vegetable oil spray, and spoon the filling in dollops atop the
brownie batter in the pan. Top with the remaining batter.

Bake the brownies as directed in the recipe you’ve chosen. Cool

completely before cutting.
WHOOPIE BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

The whoopie pie, a pair of flat chocolate rounds sandwiched around a thick
smear of creamy white filling, is a bake sale institution in widely
dispersed pockets of the country, including northern New England and
Amish country in Pennsylvania. This brownie combines a topping of
whoopie-pie-like filling, chocolate frosting, and dark chocolate glaze—be
still, my heart!

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

FROSTING
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons (16g to 21g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or
Dutch process
4 cups (454g) confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons (43g to 57g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

FILLING
⅔ cup (123g) vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¾ cup (170g or one 5-ounce can) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

GLAZE
about 1½ cups of your favorite chocolate glaze or 1 recipe Chocolate
Ganache Icing (page 128)

Prepare and bake the brownies as directed in the chosen recipe.

Cool the brownies in the pan.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the butter, vanilla, cocoa, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of
the milk until the mixture is smooth. Add additional milk if the
frosting is too stiff. Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a large mixing bowl, combine all

filling ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on
high speed for about 13 minutes. (First it will look coagulated
and as if it won’t come together. But gradually it will set
smoother, and be creamy.) Spread the filling evenly over the
frosting.

Prepare glaze of your choice. Allow it to cool to lukewarm.

Drizzle the glaze evenly over the filling, then, using a cake
spatula or rubber spatula, carefully spread it evenly over the
entire surface. Let the glaze set before cutting the brownies.
BROWNIES WITH SPIRIT
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

Crème de menthe? Kahlúa? Grand Marnier? Many liqueurs add lovely

flavor to brownies. For the best flavor, complement whichever liqueur you
choose with a matching extract or flavor. Why not just add more liqueur?
The extra liquid would change the brownies’ consistency.

1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)
3 tablespoons (43g) liqueur
1 to 2 teaspoons flavor or extract, or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong flavoring oil

Prepare the brownie batter of your choice, adding the liqueur

and flavor to the melted butter and sugar. Bake the brownies as
directed in the recipe.

VARIATIONS

Grand Marnier
3 tablespoons (43g) Grand Marnier liqueur
¼ teaspoon orange oil
2 tablespoons orange zest

Framboise
3 tablespoons (43g) Framboise or raspberry liqueur
1 teaspoon raspberry flavor
¼ cup (85g) raspberry preserves
Heat the raspberry preserves briefly and spread them atop the
baked brownies.

Kahlua
3 tablespoons (43g) Kahlúa or coffee liqueur
1 tablespoon espresso powder

Substitute coffee-flavored or cappuccino chips for the

chocolate chips in the recipe. Dust the baked brownies with
cinnamon sugar.

Frangelico
3 tablespoons (43g) Frangelico or hazelnut liqueur
1 to 2 teaspoons hazelnut flavor, or ¼ teaspoon hazelnut-flavor oil
1 cup (142g) hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
¾ cup (128g) chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chunks, melted
⅓ cup (104g) praline paste

Add the liqueur, flavor, and nuts to the batter. Bake as directed.
Stir together the melted chocolate and praline paste and spread
over the warm baked brownies.
TRIPLE PLAY BROWNIES
YIELD: TWO DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES

You knew that eventually chocolate and peanut butter had to meet along
the brownie trail. Here’s a three-layer brownie that will remind you of
your favorite peanut butter–filled chocolate candy, in reverse.

FIRST LAYER
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (90g) creamy peanut butter
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baker’s ammonia (optional; see page 462)
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour

SECOND LAYER
1 recipe Essential Brownies (Fudgy, page 125; Cakey, page 126; or On-the-
Fence, page 127)

THIRD LAYER
¾ cup (128g) caramel chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate, or white
confectionery coating
¼ cup (68g) creamy peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

TO MAKE THE FIRST LAYER: In a medium-sized bowl, beat the

butter and peanut butter together until soft. Blend in the sugar,
salt, vanilla, and baker’s ammonia. Stir in the flour; the mixture
will feel dry and be crumbly. Press the dough into a lightly
greased 9″ × 13″ pan; using a small pastry rolling pin or a can
helps, as does covering the crumbs with a piece of plastic wrap
(just remember to remove the plastic wrap before baking).
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges.

TO MAKE THE SECOND LAYER: Prepare the brownie batter of your

choice. Spread it over the baked crust. Bake the brownies in a
preheated 350°F oven for 22 to 24 minutes; when they’re done,
the top should be shiny and look set. Remove them from the
oven and cool slightly before adding the third layer.

TO MAKE THE THIRD LAYER: In a small saucepan or in a

microwave-safe bowl, melt the chips and peanut butter over
low heat, stirring often. Spread over the warm brownies. Cool
completely before cutting into squares. Using a knife that’s
sprayed with nonstick baking spray (or warmed in hot water
and wiped often) will make slicing easier.
WHOLE GRAIN BROWNIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN 2″ BROWNIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 30
MINUTES

Don’t think of whole grains as a compromise when it comes to dessert.

Rather, using the entire grain allows you to introduce a deeper, more
complex flavor to a beloved classic. Moist, rich, and deeply, darkly
chocolate, these brownies are the ones to make your go-to.

16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (426g) light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup (63g) Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but recommended)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1½ cups (170g) white whole wheat flour
2 cups (340g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan; line

the pan with parchment paper if desired.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set

over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to
combine.

Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until
it’s hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling. Don’t worry
if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating
this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar,
which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cocoa, salt,

baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Add the eggs,
stirring until smooth. Add the flour and chips, again stirring
until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp

knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw
batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the
center. Remove them from the oven and cool completely on a
rack.
 Decorated Cookies

WHEN YOU THINK OF decorated cookies, your mind probably goes right to
the December holidays—the scent of freshly cut balsam fir trees,
downtown lit up like a fairyland, wrapping gifts. Well, there’s more than
one holiday in the year, and every single one of them can be aptly
celebrated with decorated cookies, cookies that begin life as roll-out
dough.
New Year’s Day? Fashion some ring-in-the-new cookies in numerals
indicating the new year. Valentine’s Day? Hearts and cupids are an obvious
slam-dunk, but how about a big pair of red lips, or a traditional heart-and-
hand? St. Patrick’s Day means green shamrocks, Easter is bunnies and
chicks, and then we get into summer, with Memorial Day, the Fourth of
July, graduations, wedding showers, birthday parties … when you think
about it, the year is just filled with perfect occasions to make decorated
cookies. (Did we mention Halloween jack-o’-lanterns and multicolored
Thanksgiving turkeys?)
Thin, rolled-dough cutout cookies are easy to decorate. Much like the
black-and-white pictures in a coloring book, they await your own touch of
color, be it a skating rink–smooth iced coating, perfect for a handwritten
message, or thick ruffles and swirls of fondant. Before you start lining up
the sugar sprinkles, however, you need a base on which to put them: a
cookie strong enough to be handled without breaking, yet tender enough to
please even the fussiest grandma.
 The following recipes—a sugar cookie, a ginger cookie, and a lightly
spiced, “halfway-in-between” cookie—are the perfect place to begin your
holiday cookie decorating. And remember, you don’t need to wait until
December to start.

Making the Cookies

There are several distinct stages to making decorated roll-out
cookies. This makes it easy to take the process one step at a
time and, depending on your schedule, those steps can be
widely spaced. The cookie dough itself can be made in advance
and refrigerated (for up to 1 week) or frozen (for up to 3
months). Cookies can be rolled, cut, baked, and cooled, then
stored in an airtight container to be decorated at another time.
Finally, decorated cookies can be frozen until you’re ready to
serve, or give them away. Let’s get started by making cookie
dough.

Rolling and Cutting Decorated

Cookies
1. Rolling soft cookie dough on the back of a baking sheet, or on a cookie sheet without raised
edges, makes the process easier and gives better results. When cut in place on the sheet,
and the scraps removed, the delicate cookies will hold their shape better because they don’t
have to be moved. 2. Cut cookies by pressing straight down with the cookie cutter. Cookies
will need about ½″ of space between them while baking. Position your cutter in a way that
maximizes the number of cookies you can get from each piece of dough, as shown. 3. After
cutting cookies, carefully peel up the scrap dough between them. Set this dough aside in a
bag in the refrigerator, to be rolled again later. 4. If you plan to sandwich cookies together, you
can cut decorative holes (“windows”) in half the cookies, to allow the filling to show through.
Here the tip of a pastry tube is being used to punch out holes. 5. To make simple geometric
shapes with no waste, use a rolling pizza wheel and a ruler to cut out squares or diamonds. If
you’ve rolled on parchment, the cookies are easily transferred, parchment and all, to the
baking sheet. After everything’s safely on the baking sheet, use a thin-bladed metal turner to
space the cookies properly before baking.
—ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

DECORATOR’S DREAM COOKIES

YIELD: ABOUT 4 DOZEN 2″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
8 TO 12 MINUTES

Cookies for decorating should be thin, light, and crisp, sturdy enough to
decorate, yet tender. This is one of our favorite cutout cookie recipes; the
Fiori di Sicilia add a wonderful orange-vanilla flavor. If you like an
ultracrisp cookie, use the baker’s ammonia.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (see page 256), or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or
almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon baker’s ammonia (optional; see page 462)
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and

corn syrup until light and fluffy. Beat in the Fiori or extract and
salt. Add the baker’s ammonia to the egg and water and stir to
dissolve. Add this mixture, along with the flour, to the
ingredients in the bowl and beat until smooth. Divide the dough
in half, put each half in a plastic bag, and flatten each slightly.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. There’s no need to grease the baking

sheets.
Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator and flour a clean
work surface and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you
like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly. We
roll these cookies to a to ⅛″ thickness. Sprinkle flour under
and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or
rolling pin.

Alternatively, place the dough on parchment and put a sheet of

plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate
wrinkles as necessary when rolling. This will keep dough from
sticking without the need for additional flour.

Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to

one another as possible.

Transfer the cookies to the ungreased cookie sheets (or, if

you’ve rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough
scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they’re
slightly brown around the edges, 8 to 12 minutes, or until they
feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several
minutes, or until they’re set. Transfer them to a rack to cool
completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. Choose Royal
Icing (page 146) for piping decorations or Simple Cookie Glaze
(page 145) for smoothing the tops of cookies before decorating
with food-safe paints or markers.
—ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

LIGHT SPICE COOKIES

YIELD: 3 TO 4 DOZEN 2½″ TO 3″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING
TIME: 10 TO 12 MINUTES

Halfway between sugar cookies and gingerbread, these golden cookies are
perfect for decorating.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (160g) light brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon allspice or ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (43g) molasses
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, shortening,

sugars, baking powder, spices, and salt until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and molasses and beat well. Stir about half of the
flour into the butter mixture. When well combined, add the
cornstarch and the remaining flour. Divide the dough in half,
flattening each half slightly, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1
hour (or longer), for easiest rolling.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. There’s no need to grease the baking
sheets.

Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator and flour a clean
work surface and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you
like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly. We
recommend a ⅛″ to ¼″ thickness for this cookie. Sprinkle flour
under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the
table or rolling pin.

Alternatively, place the dough on parchment and put a sheet of

plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate
wrinkles as necessary when rolling. This will keep dough from
sticking without the need for additional flour.

Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to

one another as possible.

Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you’ve

rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps
between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they’re
slightly brown around the edges, 8 to 12 minutes, or until they
feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several
minutes, or until they’re set. Transfer them to a rack to cool
completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. Choose Royal
Icing (page 146) for piping decorations or Simple Cookie Glaze
(page 145) for smoothing the tops of cookies before decorating
with food-safe paints or markers.
—ESSENTIAL RECIPE —

GINGERBREAD COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN 3″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

This molasses-dark, ginger-and-spice flavored cookie is perfect for

gingerbread men. We roll it a bit thicker than usual, to give the cookies
just a hint of “chew.” While ginger is often thought of as a winter baking
flavor, we’ve found that ginger pairs well with various fruits, too. Ginger
and peach is an especially wonderful combination; try gingerbread cookies
served with fresh sliced peaches, or a peach crumble topped with
gingerbread cookie crumbs.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (160g) light or dark brown sugar
¾ cup (255g) molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice or ground cloves
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt the

butter, then stir in the sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.
Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool
to lukewarm, then beat in the egg.
In a large bowl, whisk the baking powder and soda into the
flour, then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.
Divide the dough in half and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour
or longer.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. There’s no need to grease the baking

sheets.

Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator and flour a clean
work surface and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you
like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly. We
roll these cookies, which we prefer a bit less crisp and more
chewy, to a ¼″ thickness. Sprinkle flour under and on top of the
dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin.

Alternatively, place the dough on parchment and put a sheet of

plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate
wrinkles as necessary when rolling. This will keep dough from
sticking without the need for additional flour.

Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to

one another as possible.

Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you’ve

rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps
between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they’re
slightly brown around the edges, 8 to 12 minutes, or until they
feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several
minutes, or until they’re set. Transfer them to a rack to cool
completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. Choose Royal
Icing (page 146) for piping decorations or Simple Cookie Glaze
(below) for smoothing the tops of cookies before decorating
with food-safe paints or markers. For a more opaque glaze,
especially good with gingerbread (whose dark color sometimes
shows through a normal glaze), try Hard Glaze for Cookies,
page 429.
SIMPLE COOKIE GLAZE
YIELD: ⅔ CUP (ENOUGH TO COVER ABOUT 2½ DOZEN 2″ COOKIES

This glaze dries hard and shiny, perfect for coating the top surface of your
cookies in preparation for decorating with food-safe pens or markers. Be
sure you measure accurately here—too little milk, and the glaze won’t
spread nicely, too much milk, and it will be thin, spotty, and develop
splotches overnight. The goal is a glaze that isn’t perfectly smooth when
you apply it, but that settles into a smooth surface within half a minute or
so. Glaze one cookie and set it aside for a minute. Has the glaze smoothed
out? If so, it’s the right consistency. And remember, it’s easier to add more
liquid than to stir in more sugar, so start with a glaze that’s thicker than
you think it should be, then add milk by the half-teaspoonful to adjust the
consistency.

2¼ cups (255g) confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
1½ to 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (21g to 33g) milk (regular or low fat,
not nonfat)
food coloring (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, corn

syrup, and 1½ tablespoons of the milk. Add food coloring, if
desired. Spread one cookie with glaze. If it doesn’t smooth out
after 1 minute, dribble in additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time,
until the glaze reaches the right consistency. Use an offset
spatula or table knife to spread the glaze on the cookies.
ROYAL ICING
YIELD: A GENEROUS 3 CUPS FLUFFY ICING

Royal icing is thick, fluffy, and hard-drying, ideal for piping decorations
onto cookies, or using as mortar in a gingerbread house (page 153).
Meringue powder (see page 459) is available at cake decorating stores, or
online. For food coloring, we recommend gel or paste colors because
they’re so strong you only need to use a drop or two for brilliantly vibrant
colors.

¼ cup (43g) meringue powder (see page 459)

¼ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups (341g to 454g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ to 1 cup (170g to 227g) cool water
food coloring (optional)

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the meringue

powder, salt, and confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and ¾
cup cool water and stir, or beat on slow speed. The mixture will
seem hard and lumpy, but the sugar will dissolve after 4 or 5
minutes and everything will smooth out.

Once the mixture is smooth, gradually increase the mixer speed

to high, taking several minutes for the transition. Beat at high
speed until the icing is fluffy. Add food coloring as desired.
Keep the icing covered with plastic wrap or a damp cloth to
prevent it from drying out, if you won’t be using it right away,
or if you’re tackling an extra-long project.
Getting Ready to Decorate
Once the Royal Icing is made (or the cookies are glazed), it’s
time to collect the tools you’ll use for decorating.
If you plan to make more than one color of Royal Icing,
place portions of the batch in small bowls and tint with food
coloring however you like.
Decide how you’re going to decorate the cookies (pipe on
decorations? glaze, then paint?), then gather the appropriate
tools. Here are the tools we use most often:

• A small paintbrush and a dish of water, for cleaning the

brush between colors
• Cotton swabs for cleaning up mistakes
• Extra water to thin the icing
• Food coloring and small dishes in which to mix each color of
icing
• Disposable pastry bags, a coupler, and piping tips
• Rolling pin
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Small nylon spatulas and thin-blade metal turners, for
moving cookies around
• Rolling pizza wheel
• Parchment
• Cookie cutters
• Assorted colored sugars
• Shallow dishes for dipping and dredging
• Food-safe pens
• Garlic press
A plastic coupler can be placed in the pastry bag first. This allows you to change tip shapes
without filling another bag. Different tips will give you different effects. Shown here, top to
bottom, are a small star tip, used for a scalloped border and individual stars; a small straight
tip, used for piping outlines; and a larger star tip, for a larger diameter shell border.

Using a Pastry Bag

1. A tall measuring cup or heavy-bottomed drinking glass is a big help when filling a pastry
bag. Place the bag inside the cup, folding the top back over the rim of the cup. Pour or scoop
icing into the bag with the help of a spatula; don’t fill the bag more than three-quarters full. 2.
Take the bag out of the cup and twist the top (open end) to hold the frosting in. A twist tie or
rubber band is helpful to keep the top of the bag closed, so icing doesn’t back up onto your
hand. 3. You can use the pastry bag without a tip, by snipping a very small hole at the end with
a pair of scissors. If you’re filling the bag with very stiff frosting, do this before putting the icing
in the bag. The tiny hole will allow air to escape ahead of the icing, making the bag easier to fill.
4. To make a striped line of frosting, use a paintbrush to paint lines of food coloring up the
inside wall of the pastry bag before filling it. The colors will mix as they come through the tube.

Outlining and Filling

One of the best ways to create a dramatic effect without much
effort or fuss is to outline the edges of the cookie, then fill in
the center with a contrasting icing color. When this technique is
 used to accent a filled cookie, the effect can be striking, as
shown here.

1. Pipe a thin bead of icing around the edge of the tree. Let it dry until stiff. 2. To fill in the
outlined area, thin some tinted icing with water. Use a paintbrush to cover the cookie’s surface
inside the outline. 3. To fill cookies with jam, warm the jam in the microwave, stirring until no
lumps remain. Spread the jam on the bottom cookie, covering its entire surface. 4. Press the
top cookie onto the filling to finish your filled cookie. 5. A simple decoration for round cookies:
Dip the edge in a shallow dish of frosting, coating it ¼″ in toward the center, all around the
outside. This works best with cookies that are at least ¼″ thick. 6. To complete the decoration,
while the icing is still sticky, roll the iced cookie edge, in colored sugar, nonpareils, or
sprinkles.

Working with Several Colors

Simultaneously
 Using several colors of icing on a cookie can create a stunning
look. Contrasting colors can be mixed for a marbled effect,
drawn through each other with a toothpick or cake tester, or
mixed with a paintbrush on top of the cookie.

1. Frost the cookie with one color icing, then pipe a second color on top to create a polka-dot
effect, or spots. 2. Dragées or sugar decorations are placed on the icing while it’s still soft. 3.
After piping white stripes over the base color (while the base is still soft), a toothpick, straw, or
cake tester can be used to pull one color through the other. Place the toothpick at the edge of
the cookie and draw it through the two colors in a straight line. 4. To create a marbled effect,
first mix two contrasting colors in a shallow dish, leaving identifiable streaks. 5. Then dip the
top of the cookie into the marbled icing on the plate and use a knife or small spatula to spread
it evenly over the surface. 6. Colors can be combined right on the cookie’s surface. After an
area is covered with icing, it can be tinted while still soft with food coloring and a paintbrush.

Icing in Two Stages

Achieve a professional look for your cookies by first coating
them with a base color, allowing it to completely harden. After
 the base is dry, a contrasting color is piped on top. This top
color can be further accented with colored sugar, sprinkles, or
other sugar decorations, if you wish. Cookies that have a dry
base coat of color are also perfect candidates for written
inscriptions with food-safe markers.

1. Outline an iced heart cookie with a lighter color and decorate with an inscription. To show off
these features, sprinkle colored sugar over the accent frosting while it’s still soft. Excess
sugar can be shaken or brushed off after the top color has dried. 2. Accentuate both the look
and flavor of cookies with warm Chocolate Ganache (page 432). A zip-top sandwich bag with
one corner snipped off is a handy way to drizzle on liquid chocolate. 3. This bunny has two
different accent colors, which show off his ears and whiskers. A food-safe marking pen has
been used to draw his eyes and mouth. Egg-shaped sugar decorations are then placed in the
soft frosting on his paws.
Working with Fondant
Fondant is a stiff yet pliable icing (similar in texture to
modeling clay) that can be tinted, rolled, cut out, and draped
over cookies or cakes, where it dries to a smooth, hard surface
(see recipe, page 434). Fondant can also be molded, or shaped
into distinct textures with embossing tools. Fondant can serve
as decoration on its own or be used as a base for further
decoration.

1. Tint the fondant with food coloring, then knead it with your hands until a marbled effect is
created. Fondant is best rolled with a plastic rolling pin, to avoid sticking. To ice a cookie with
fondant, roll the icing to wafer thinness, then cut it to shape with the same cutter you used to
cut your cookie. 2. Place the fondant on top of the baked cookie, pressing it down gently to
make it stick. 3. Pipe icing on top of the fondant; sprinkle sugar on top of the soft piped icing to
accent. 4. By squeezing tinted fondant through a garlic press, strands of frosting are created
that make great hair for this little girl. 5. A cookie cutter is used to help make a dress for the
little girl from rolled fondant. Use a food marker to draw final details, such as the face, the
buttons on the dress, and the ruffle on the hem.
BUILDING A GINGERBREAD HOUSE
You may have seen intricate gingerbread houses created by pastry chefs
and displayed at Christmas. You’ve probably also seen the do-it-yourself
kits that include a baked house and all the decorations, ready to assemble.
If you’re a hands-on type (without a lot of time for anything too
extravagant), you’ll enjoy this just-challenging-enough gingerbread house.
If you’re making this with children, we suggest assembling the house
beforehand, then letting them add the decorations. Their patience may
wear thin if they have to wait for the house to dry fully before they can
start adding the candy.

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening

¾ cup (160g) light or dark brown sugar
¾ cup (255g) molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 cups (480g) unbleached all-purpose flour
Royal Icing (page 146)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and

brown sugar. Add the molasses, salt, and spices, mixing to
combine. Beat in the eggs, baking powder and baking soda,
scraping the mixing bowl at least once. Stir in the flour. The
dough will be quite stiff. Wrap the dough and let it rest at cool
room temperature for 1 hour; this will make it easier to roll out.
 Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of ¼″ and cut the gingerbread

pieces as illustrated at left. (Template dimensions are given on
the next page.) Bake the gingerbread pieces for about 20
minutes, until they’re stiff and dry to the touch. Remove from
the oven, cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack
to cool completely.

While the gingerbread is baking, make Royal Icing (see page

146); this will be your construction mortar.

Follow the illustrated instructions on the next pages for

constructing and decorating the gingerbread house.

Construction gingerbread can be rolled out and baked on the back of a baking sheet. A
cardboard template is helpful to cut out the shapes for walls and roof.
Use these dimensions to make templates for the side and end walls of your house (you’ll
need to make two of each). You’ll also need to cut two 4″ × 10″ rectangles for the roof pieces.
1. After the pieces are baked, trim the edges to make them straight. This will ensure that the
edges dovetail together nicely, with no gaps, when the house is assembled. 2. To set the first
side wall, run a bead of frosting along the bottom edge and up one side. Set the wall onto a
piece of cardboard and prop it up with a can or jar. Run another bead of frosting along the
inside edge of the wall’s base, to help support it. 3. Set up the adjoining end wall the same
way. Use the corner of a box to check that they’re set at right angles to each other.
4. Once all four walls are in place, allow them to dry for several hours (or overnight) before
adding the roof. Be sure to keep your unused royal icing tightly covered with plastic wrap while
the house dries. 5. To put the roof on, run a bead of frosting along the top edges of the walls—
side, front, and back. Place the roof panels onto the frosted walls, using props to support the
lower edge of the roof while the icing sets. 6. After both roof panels are on, run another bead of
frosting down the ridgeline of the roof. 7. Accent the prominent architectural features of your
house with candy. The only “rule” is that everything you use should be edible, because people
are bound to come along and grab a sample. 8. Highlight any of your house’s features—
windows, doors, etc.—by outlining them with frosting. Use whatever colorful candies you like
to decorate.
 — CHAPTER TWO —

Bars & Squares

SO MANY COOKIES, so little time … When the bake sale, potluck, or office
party looms, and you’ve had your mind set on baking cookies but suddenly
find you’ve run out of time, take heart—it’s bar cookies to the rescue.
Bar cookies—more commonly shortened to “bars,” and known
alternatively as “squares”—can be as simple as a butterscotch brownie or
as complex as a multilayer extravaganza of cookie crust, chips, nuts, fruit,
and a creamy topping. The origins of the bar cookie are obscure; legend
has it they derived from a housewife who forgot to add leavening to her
sheet cake batter. Brownies, certainly the most familiar and beloved of bar
cookies, first gained acclaim in 1897, when a recipe appeared in the Sears,
Roebuck catalog. They proved so popular that Sears later sold brownie
mix in its Big Book. The rest, as they say, is history.
Bars come in two basic varieties: one-step, in which the baker mixes
all the ingredients and spoons the dough or batter into a wide, shallow pan
to bake; or the layered two-step, where a crust (usually prebaked) is spread
with filling or topping, or both. For the truly time-pressed, one-step bars
are the best solution, you can often go from basic inspiration to a pan of
hot bars in less than 40 minutes. These bars, dense, moist, and often rather
simple looking, are nonetheless compelling; from almond-and lemon-
scented blonde brownies to spicy hermits, they’re marked by simple
ingredients, ease of preparation, and classic good flavor. Two-step bars, on
the other hand, can bring out your inner baking artist: mix and match
crusts, fillings, and toppings to your heart’s content. Bring on the nuts, the
chips, the dried fruit, coconut, cereal, chocolate. Two-step bars let you pull
out all the stops.
So next time you find yourself assigned to bring dessert to the
basketball awards dinner, or want a quick treat to take to a friend who’s
even more time-stressed than you are—think bars. For flavor, texture, and
ease of preparation, they’re one cool cookie.

One-Step Bars
One bowl, a manageable number of ingredients, and simple
techniques—usually just beating to combine—highlight these
easy bars. But being easy doesn’t make them dull; while
uniformly moist and chewy, their flavors range from ultra-spicy
to comforting peanut butter.
RUTH WAKEFIELD’S CHOCOLATE
CHIP COOKIE BARS
YIELD: 35 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 24 TO 26 MINUTES

No time to make everyone’s favorite, chocolate chip cookies? This dough

comes together in a flash—just spread it in a pan and bake; no need to
shape individual cookies. When the bars are done, cut into squares and
serve to chocolate chip cookie lovers, who’ll be happy to substitute this
easy version for the soft, chewy-chocolaty “real thing.”
We christened these bars for the inventor of the chocolate chip cookie,
Ruth Wakefield, proprietor of the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman,
Massachusetts. Her Toll House Cookbook has been a standard in the King
Arthur library for years.

2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1⅓ sticks, 151g) unsalted butter, melted
2¼ cups (479g) brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips
1 cup (114g) chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10″ × 15″ jelly roll
pan, a 14″ deep-dish pizza pan, or similar sized pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and

salt. Set aside.
In another large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown
sugar, stirring until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Allow the
mixture to cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture, then the
chocolate chips and nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared
pan.

Bake the bars for 24 to 26 minutes, until their top is shiny and
golden. Don’t overbake, or the bars will be dry; a cake tester
inserted in the center will not come out clean. Remove the bars
from the oven and cool to room temperature before cutting.

VARIATIONS

FOR THICKER (ABOUT ¾″) BARS: Bake the batter in a lightly

greased 9″ × 13″ pan for 30 to 35 minutes.
M&M COOKIE BARS: Substitute M&M’s for the chocolate chips.
VINTAGE BUTTERSCOTCH BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 TO 24 MINUTES

When someone mentions butterscotch, you think butterscotch sauce, right?

Well think again: butterscotch is a flavor that easily moves from ice cream
sundaes to baked confections. These bars are sweet and buttery, with the
distinctive, almost smoky tang of brown sugar.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

2 cups (426g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant ⅛ teaspoon butter-rum or butter-pecan flavor (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (170g) chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

Melt the butter in a saucepan set over low heat, or in a bowl in

the microwave. Remove from the heat and add the sugar,
mixing until well blended. Cool to lukewarm.

BAR CUTTING 101

The quickest, easiest way to cut bars is with a baker’s bench knife (see page xxxiv).
First, visualize how many bars you want to make. In this chapter, almost all the bars
are approximately 2″ square, unless noted otherwise.
 If you’re making bars for a bake sale, or for some reason you want them very close
to one another in size, get out your ruler or tape measure and measure the bars along
the sides of the pan, using a knife to make a small notch where you’ll cut. This seems
rather precise, but cutting bars is just like woodworking: measure twice, cut once.
For bars that are very sticky and moist, try wetting the blade of your knife, or spray
it with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Wipe it off each time it emerges with clinging
crumbs. Cutting sticky bars with a sticky knife will result in ripped and crumbled bars.
To remove the bars from the pan, slip a flexible metal spatula all around the edges
of the pan, then gently lift the bars off the bottom to loosen them. Use the spatula to
help you lift one bar out of the pan; it may stick and crumble, but just assume that’ll be
the “baker’s taste” bar. Once you’ve got the access created by removing that first bar,
slip your spatula into the space and go from there.

Transfer the butter mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Stir in the eggs, then the vanilla, flavor, salt, and baking
powder. Mix in the flour and nuts.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the bars for 20 to
24 minutes, until the top looks shiny. Don’t overbake, or they’ll
dry out; bake just until the edges start to pull away from the
sides of the pan, and a cake tester comes out almost clean, with
just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Remove the bars from
the oven and cool completely before cutting.
BLIZZARD BLONDIES
YIELD: 16 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 30 TO 35
MINUTES

Nearly as white as Scandinavia’s driven snow, and almost as rich as its

fresh dairy cream, these imaginative vanilla bars definitely reflect their
name. Tender and cakelike, but with a bit of pleasant chew, these are a
treat that’s simple to make—which is a good thing, since you’ll find
yourself making them over and over again. These are particularly good
served with a scoop of ice cream on top.

2 large eggs
1 cup (198g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond or lemon extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (43g) sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8″ square or 9″

round pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs well, until light

colored and thick. Add the sugar and salt, continuing to beat
until shiny and pale yellow. Add the extract, melted butter, and
½ cup of the flour, folding it in gently. Fold in the remaining ½
cup flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the nuts.
Bake the bars for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are pulling
away from the sides of the pan and they’re a very light gold
 color. Remove from the oven and cool before cutting into
squares.

VARIATIONS

FOR A LIGHTER ALMOND FLAVOR: Use ½ teaspoon almond extract

and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
FOR A STRONGER LEMON FLAVOR: If you choose lemon flavor,
add a tablespoon or so of grated lemon rind for added punch.

THE EASIEST WAY TO SPREAD BATTER EVENLY

When you’re spreading batter for bars or brownies in a pan, the easiest way to make
sure it reaches all the way to the corners of the pan and is fairly smooth, is to wet your
hands and use your fingers to pat and push it where you want it to go. Wet fingers
work better than a spatula—they don’t stick and, of course, they’re user-friendly. If the
batter starts to stick, simply wet your fingers again. Don’t worry about dripping water
atop the batter; it will evaporate as soon as the bars go into the oven.
PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIES
YIELD: 16 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

Who says chocolate is the only flavor that can make a fudgy, moist, must-
have-right-now square? These bars are a peanut butter purist’s delight. Use
smooth or chunky peanut butter, to your taste, and accent with chocolate
chips or lightly salted peanuts.

6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter

½ cup (135g) peanut butter
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (170g) chocolate or peanut butter chips, or lightly salted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter

together until smooth. Add the sugars, beating to combine. Beat
in the eggs one at a time, scraping the inside of the bowl after
the first egg. Stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking

powder and add to the peanut butter mixture, stirring until
combined. Mix in the chips.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake the bars for 30
minutes, until the edges just barely come away from the sides
of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool completely before
cutting.
PEANUT BRITTLE BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 20 MINUTES

When it comes to cookies, people seem to sort themselves along flavor

and texture lines. You’re a chocolate person, or a ginger aficionado, or a
lemon lover. And you prefer crisp or chewy. These bars are for the crisp-
texture person. They’re reminiscent of peanut brittle, but you won’t have
to deal with any sharp edges.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (107g) brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1½ cups (213g) chopped peanuts

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and

sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing to combine. In a
separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and
cinnamon, and stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in 1 cup of
the peanuts and spread the batter in the prepared pan. The batter
will be stiff and barely cover the bottom of the pan. An offset
icing spatula (or wet fingers) is helpful in spreading it around.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup nuts on top. Spray a piece of
plastic wrap with nonstick spray, cover the batter with it, and
press the nuts down into the dough through the plastic. Peel off
the wrap.

Bake the bars for 18 to 20 minutes, until the dough pulls away
from the edge of the pan. Remove from the oven and cut into
squares or diamonds while still warm. Allow the bars to cool
completely before removing them from the pan.
HARVEST PUMPKIN BARS
YIELD: 16 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 25 TO 30 MINUTES

Orange as an October sunset, these bars feature a dense, moist, cakelike

base gilded with a layer of thick cream cheese icing. Add a sprinkling of
diced crystallized ginger and pecans on top, for both looks and flavor.

BARS
⅓ cup (66g) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 cup (227g) pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or ½ teaspoon cinnamon plus ¼ teaspoon
each ground ginger and nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FROSTING
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
1¾ cups (199g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (46g) finely diced crystallized ginger (optional)
¼ cup (29g) chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square or 7″ ×

11″ pan.
TO MAKE THE BARS: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream
together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking
powder. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth. Spread the
batter in the prepared pan.

Bake the bars for 30 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and
a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove
from the oven and cool completely on a rack.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until
smooth, adjusting the consistency with more sugar or a bit of
milk to make it spreadable. Frost the bars and sprinkle with the
ginger and pecans. Cut into bars.
CHEWY DATE-NUT BARS
YIELD: 16 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 22 MINUTES

With most of us here qualifying as inveterate recipe collectors, there are

many, many recipe boxes and treasured ring-bound recipe collections
around the office that come from our grandmothers’ kitchens. These
yellowed, stained “receipts” are mute testament to the generations of
bakers who have lovingly used them. The following old-fashioned,
humble-looking bars would never win a beauty contest. But they’re
delicious: moist and chewy, sweet and nutty, they’re perfect with a cup of
tea.

2 large eggs
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 cup (113g) chopped walnuts
1 cup (149g) chopped dates
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they’re

frothy and thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the flour, salt, baking powder, and brown sugar. Stir
the dry ingredients into the eggs. Stir in the nuts and dates.

Spread the sticky batter into the pan. Greasing or wetting your
fingers, or using an offset spatula, helps to distribute the dough
 evenly.

Bake the bars for 18 to 22 minutes, until they’re golden brown

and shiny on top, but slightly wet looking in the center when
you insert a cake tester. Overbaking will result in a crunchy
rather than chewy bar. Remove the bars from the oven, and cool
completely before cutting them into squares. Dust with
confectioners’ sugar on top, if desired.

KEEPING THE TOPS OF YOUR BARS ON AN EVEN KEEL

Do you ever get a tough, raised ridge around the edge of your brownies or bar
cookies? There are two things you can do to prevent this. First, decrease the baking
time by a minute or two. Second, run a dull knife around the outside edge of the pan as
soon as the bars come out of the oven. This will release the edges so they can
contract evenly as they cool, leaving an even, flat surface all the way across.
THE VERY BEST HERMIT BARS EVER
YIELD: 35 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 20 MINUTES

Think of the most delicious hermit bar you ever ate, the moistest,
chewiest, nicely spiced bar, with a crisp shiny top and dense center. Okay?
This bar beats that one, we guarantee it. If you count molasses cookies,
spice cake, or gingerbread—any of the old-fashioned, dark and spicy
baked goods with their long international history—among your favorites,
you’ll love these bars. Hermits, which have a history dating to Colonial
America, came by their name honestly: like the human hermit, they’re
happy to be by themselves for days on end, staying chewy and fresh
without any intervention from their baker. In fact, letting them rest for a
couple of days allows the molasses and spice flavors to meld and mellow
(a fact true of all spice cookies).

BARS
1⅓ cups (264g) granulated sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (115g) vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (85g) molasses
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
1¾ teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
5 cups (600g) cake flour
⅓ cup (76g) water
2 cups (340g) raisins, packed
 GLAZE
3 tablespoons (43g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10″ × 15″ jelly roll
pan, a 14″ round deep-dish pizza pan, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE BARS: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the

sugar, shortening, and butter, beating at medium speed until
fluffy. Add the molasses, salt, spices, and baking soda. Mix for
1 minute, then stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the
bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Add half the flour. Once it’s mixed in, add the water,
then the other half of the flour. When the batter is mixed
completely, add the raisins and stir until combined. Spread the
batter in the prepared pan.

Bake the hermits for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are light
brown. They’ll puff up in the oven and the top will get shiny.
As soon as you see this, pull the pan from the oven. The top
will fall back down and the interior of the cookies will have an
almost fudgy consistency. If you leave them in the oven longer,
you’ll get a product that’s more like a cake-type brownie, and it
won’t be as moist and irresistible. Remove the hermits from the
oven and cool them in the pan on a rack before glazing.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, stir together the milk and
confectioners’ sugar until smooth; the glaze will be quite thin.
Use a pastry brush to brush it on top of the hermits before
cutting the bars.

COOKIES TO BARS TO COOKIES

What’s the difference between, say, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip bars?
Not much, other than their shape. Many cookie recipes can easily be transformed into
bars, and some bar recipes can become cookies. The key to going from cookies to
bars is to match the amount of batter to the size of the pan. A 9″ × 13″ (or 11″ square)
pan, the size in which the majority of bars are made, will comfortably hold 4 to 5 cups
of dough. Choose a dough that makes drop cookies. While some rolled, shaped, or
batter cookie recipes may work as well, it’s not as easy as using drop cookie dough.
Spread the dough in the pan and bake in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Again, no
hard and fast rules here—dough that makes moist and chewy cookies will bake
longer; those made from cookie dough that produces a light, crisp cookie (such as
snickerdoodle dough), will bake for a shorter amount of time. Just keep your eye on
them and check doneness by poking the tip of a sharp knife or a cake tester into the
center; it should come out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
To go from bars to cookies, choose a bar that makes a fairly stiff dough; remember,
it won’t have the edges of the pan to contain it. Any bar dough that’s even close to
cake batter in viscosity isn’t suitable for turning into cookies. Also, choose a one-step
bar, one in which all the ingredients are mixed together and spooned into a pan, rather
than several different combinations of ingredients being layered atop one another. Mix
the dough and drop it by the tablespoonful onto lightly greased or parchment-lined
baking sheets. Bake in a 375°F oven for 10 to 18 minutes, or until they’re done (see
“Doneness” sidebar on page xxi).
LEBKUCHEN
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 TO 22 MINUTES

These spicy gingerbreadlike bars, traditional holiday fare in Germany,

contain no fat except that in the egg. With their hard sugar glaze and their
nippy bite of crystallized ginger (a substitute for the more typical citron,
unless you really like that particular ingredient), they’re had to stop
eating. If you make the lebkuchen two to three days ahead, they’ll taste
even better. They keep very well too, especially when a piece of apple is
tucked into their airtight container to soften them.

BARS
¾ cup (252g) honey
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons each lemon zest and orange zest, or ¼ teaspoon each lemon
oil and orange oil
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (57g) finely chopped blanched almonds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 rounded tablespoons (50g) diced crystallized ginger, pulsed in food
processor until fine

GLAZE
6 tablespoons (85g) brandy or apple juice (or a combination)
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
TO MAKE THE BARS: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the
honey and brown sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove
the mixture from the heat and cool until it’s barely warm.

In a large bowl, beat together the cooled honey mixture, egg,

and lemon and orange zest. Add the flour, baking soda,
almonds, spices, and crystallized ginger and beat until well
combined. The dough will be on the stiff side, but also very
sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ ×

13″ or 11″ square pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 9″ × 13″

rectangle or 11″ square. Carefully transfer it to the prepared
pan, either by wrapping it around the rolling pin and then
unfolding it into the pan, or by using a giant spatula. Try to fit
the dough into the pan without pressing down too hard around
its edges or these areas will be dense and tough.

Bake the bars for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester

inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven
and immediately brush with the glaze.

TO PREPARE THE GLAZE: While the bars are baking, stir the
brandy into the confectioners’ sugar, mixing until smooth.
Transfer the bars to a cooling rack and immediately brush on
the glaze with a pastry brush; let the glaze soak in somewhat
before applying another layer.

Let the bars cool completely, then cut them into 1″ × 2″ pieces.
Store the bars in an airtight container with a slice of apple (for
its softening powers).
CAFÉ AU LAIT BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

These bars have the familiar rich flavor of coffee laced with cream, and
the silky texture of an uptown dessert. Dress them up with a sprinkling of
chocolate chips or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. We also recommend
trying these with the cinnamon-cocoa glaze on page 202.

3 large eggs
1½ cups (297g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (14g) instant coffee crystals, or 3 tablespoons (21g) espresso
powder
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream
1 cup (113g) chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan, 11″

square pan, or similar-sized pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light-colored and

thick. Add the sugar, beating until glossy and stiff. Add the
vanilla and melted butter, beating to combine. Stir in the flour
and salt.

Set aside 1½ cups of the batter. Stir together the coffee crystals
and cream and add to the remaining batter. Spread the coffee
batter in the prepared pan. Spoon the reserved batter over the
top, then run a knife through the two batters to marble them.
Sprinkle with the nuts.

Bake the bars for 30 minutes, or until the sides just barely pull
away from the edge of the pan and the center is set. Remove
them from the oven and cool before cutting.

VARIATION

For a “mochaccino” version, sprinkle 1½ cups (266g) mini

chocolate chips on top while the bars are still warm.
TEA & SPICE SQUARES
YIELD: 35 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 22
MINUTES

A subtle hint of tea in the crust gives these chewy fruit squares a
sophisticated taste.

FRUIT
¾ cup (170g) strong black tea (not herbal) (use 2 teabags in ¾ cup boiling
water)
2 cups (227g to 283g) dried fruit: raisins (Thompson or golden), currants,
apricots, or dates are all good choices

BATTER
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (320g) brown sugar
¼ cup (85g) molasses
¼ cup (78g) corn syrup or honey (84g)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ to ½ cup (46g to 92g) diced crystallized ginger
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg

GLAZE
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (57g) creamy liqueur (such as Irish cream), or 2 tablespoons (28g)
strong tea plus 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted

TO PREPARE THE FRUIT: In a bowl, combine the hot tea and the
dried fruit. Set aside to steep. When it’s cool, purée it in a food
processor or blender (or use an immersion blender). You may
also leave the fruit whole; the bars will simply be a bit more
difficult to cut cleanly.

TO MAKE THE BATTER: Melt the butter in a medium-sized

saucepan set over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar, molasses,
corn syrup, salt, and ground spices. Cook the mixture for 3 to 5
minutes, until it bubbles around the edges of the pan. Add the
reserved fruit and any extra liquid, then the crystallized ginger.
Bring the mixture to a full boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove
from the heat and cool for 30 minutes or so.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 18″ × 13″ half-

sheet pan, two 9″ × 13″ pans, or similar sized pan(s).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and the baking soda.
Stir into the cooled fruit mixture. Stir in the egg, mixing until
smooth. Spread the batter into the prepared pan(s).

Bake the bars for 18 to 22 minutes, just until they have puffed
up and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
They will fall slightly, which creates the chewy moist center.
Cool for 30 minutes.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, stir together the glaze

ingredients until smooth, then drizzle it over the bars. Cool the
bars for several hours for easiest cutting.
ROCKY ROAD BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18 MINUTES

Over the years, Rocky Road has become an ice cream flavor just as
familiar to all of us as butter-pecan, peach, or chocolate chip. The
signature elements—chocolate, marshmallow, and nuts—play off one
another nicely in these moist, dense bars.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

½ cup (107g) brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1⅔ cups (200g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (28g) Dutch process cocoa powder
3 cups (510g) chocolate chips
1 cup (142g) roasted salted whole almonds, chopped
1 cup (43g) miniature marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

Cream together the butter, sugars, baking powder, salt, and

vanilla. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the flour, cocoa, 2 cups of the
chocolate chips, and the almonds.

Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Bake the bars for 15
minutes, until they’re set around the edge but still soft in the
center. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and
the marshmallows, and bake until they soften, about 3 minutes
more. Remove from the oven and cool completely before
cutting into bars.
VERMONT GRANOLA BARS
YIELD: 48 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 450°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14 MINUTES
FOR THE GRANOLA, 6 TO 8 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

King Arthur’s headquarters in Norwich, Vermont, is nestled alongside the

Connecticut River, in the valley between Vermont’s Green Mountains, and
New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Hiking is a favorite pastime. In fact,
the Appalachian Trail runs smack-dab through the center of town, one of
the tiny stretches of the trail that actually runs along paved road. These
granola bars are an easy treat to make and take along on any journey, even
if you’re only walking around town doing errands.

¾ cup (160g) brown sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (312g) maple syrup
½ cup (156g) corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups (356g) rolled oats
1 cup (142g) chopped almonds
1 cup (140g) sunflower seeds
1 cup (85g) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup (149g) raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup (128g) chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or ⅛ teaspoon butternut, maple, or other
strong flavor

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly grease an (18″ × 13″) half-

sheet pan or two 9″ × 13″ pans.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, syrups, and salt in a medium-

sized saucepan. Bring to a full boil and continue to boil for 5
minutes, until a candy thermometer registers 250°F.

While the syrup is boiling, place the oats, almonds, sunflower

seeds, and coconut on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to
14 minutes, stirring the ingredients on the pan every 4 or 5
minutes to prevent the edges from getting too dark. Remove the
pan from the oven. Pour the oat mixture into a bowl, add the
raisins and apricots, and toss to combine.

Add the vanilla to the syrup and pour it over the oat / fruit
mixture, stirring until everything is well moistened. Then
transfer the mixture back into the pan, patting it flat. Press the
mixture firmly into the pan; using the lightly greased back of
another half-sheet pan works well.

Bake the bars for 6 to 8 minutes. They’ll bubble up a little bit

around the edges and turn a light golden brown. Remove from
the oven and cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Cut into
squares while still warm. The easiest way to do this is to use a
baker’s bench knife to cut the bars into long strips in the pan,
then transfer each strip to a cutting board to cut into bars.
MARLITA’S CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY
BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 35 TO 38 MINUTES

This recipe comes from Marlita Vieira of Hanover, New Hampshire, an

artist, avid cookie baker, and special King Arthur friend. We’ve printed
recipes from two of her daughters, as well; clearly this is a family that
loves (and knows how) to bake! The extra-tender, nearly crumbly texture
of these bars, and the delightful interplay of flavors, make them a test
kitchen favorite.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

¼ cup (46g) vegetable shortening
1⅔ cups (330g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (42g) cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (113g) finely chopped walnuts
one 10-ounce (283g) jar raspberry jam or fruit spread (about 1 cup)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped nuts or coarse sugar, for garnish
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter,

shortening, sugar, salt, and baking powder until fluffy. Add the
cocoa and beat until well blended. Mix in the flour and walnuts;
 the mixture will be quite stiff. Press about two thirds of the
dough into the prepared pan and set aside for the rest.

In the microwave or over very low heat on the stovetop, warm

the jam to make it easier to spread. Spread it over the dough in
the pan and crumble the reserved dough over the jam. Sprinkle
with chopped nuts or coarse sugar, if desired.

Bake the bars for 35 to 38 minutes, until the jam is bubbling

around the edges of the pan. The top crumbs will still feel soft,
but they’ll firm up as the bars cool. Remove the bars from the
oven and cool completely on a rack. Dust with confectioners’
sugar just before serving.

VARIATION
Marlita likes to vary the taste of these bars a bit by substituting
a mixture of seedless black raspberry and cherry preserves for
the raspberry jam.

Two-Step Bars
When you’ve got a bit more time to spare, two-step bars give
you a lot of visual bang for your buck, as well as scoring high
on the YUM! scale. First prepare the crust, then, while it’s
baking, use the same bowl (wipe it out first if you’re a purist,
but no need to wash it) to make the filling or topping. Return
the bars to the oven for their final bake while you’re cleaning
up, and voilà: a picture-perfect delicious treat for the after-
school (or office) cookie crowd.
SINFULLY RICH CHOCOLATE
CRUNCH BARS
YIELD: 96 SMALL BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 14
MINUTES

If the mere thought of bringing a mysterious potion to the hard-ball stage

(or of even owning a candy thermometer) stops you, we offer here a
shortcut solution. A meltingly buttery yet crisp base, slathered with a just-
thick-enough layer of chocolate, and dusted with finely chopped nuts,
make these “faux candy bars” a pressed-for-time baker’s newfound friend.

CRUST
4½ cups (401g) rolled oats
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (234g) light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt

TOPPING
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (23g) vegetable shortening
⅔ cup (about 85g) chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 10″ × 15″ jelly roll
pan, or 14″ round deep-dish pizza pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir

together the oats, sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan, using your lightly
 greased hands (or the greased bottom of loaf pan, see
illustration on opposite page) to help the process along. Bake
the crust for 10 to 14 minutes, or until it’s a light golden brown.
It will bubble up as it bakes, which is okay. Remove from the
oven and cool completely on a rack.

To press a crumbly crust evenly into the pan, grease the bottom of a loaf pan and press down.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized saucepan set over

very low heat, or in a microwave, melt the chocolate chips and
shortening together, stirring until smooth. Spread the mixture
evenly over the cooled crust and sprinkle on the nuts. Cover
loosely and chill the bars in the refrigerator until the chocolate
is firm.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut into squares. The easiest
way to do this is to use a chef ’s knife or baker’s bench knife to
cut the bars into long strips while in the pan, and then transfer
each strip to a cutting board to cut into bite-sized pieces.
CLASSIC APRICOT SQUARES
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14 TO 16
MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 28 TO 32 MINUTES FOR THE SQUARES

This recipe must be at least 60 years old, but with new generations of
bakers heading into the kitchen all the time, we can’t assume that all or
even most of you have already seen it. This is an ultratender, buttery,
crumbly bar with a sweet-tangy fruit filling. It invariably provokes rolling
eyes and groans of enjoyment from tasters.

FILLING
2 cups (256g) chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons (28g) brandy (optional)
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1½ cups (341g) water

CRUST AND TOPPING

2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ cups (142g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or shredded sweetened coconut (optional)
coarse sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together

the apricots, brandy, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Cook
the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fruit is soft and has
absorbed most of the water. Cool slightly, then purée it in a
food processor or blender, or with an immersion blender.

TO MAKE THE CRUST AND TOPPING: In a medium-sized mixing

bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer, cut in the
butter until the mixture is crumbly but will hold together when
squeezed. Transfer about 1¼ cups of the mixture to another
bowl, stir in the nuts, and set aside.

Press the remainder of the crust mixture into the bottom and
slightly up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 14
to 16 minutes. Remove it from the oven.

While still warm, spread the crust with the filling. Spread the
reserved topping mixture over the filling. Sprinkle with coarse
sugar, if desired. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for 28 to
32 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven
and cool on a rack. Cut into squares. These freeze very well.

VARIATIONS
Try using different fruit fillings in these bars. Use about 2 cups
prepared fruit filling, or about 1 cup thick jam or preserves.
(You need less of the jam or preserves because it spreads more
than the prepared fruit filling.) Here are some of our favorites.

Fig Filling
2 to 2½ cups (298g to 373g) chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil (optional)
1½ cups (341g) water

Prepare as directed for the apricot filling. The figs will

probably be sweet enough that you don’t need to add any sugar,
but taste and see; add ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar if you like.

Dried Cherry Filling

2 cups (284g) dried cherries (sweet or sour, or a mixture)
½ cup (99g) sugar (slightly more if using all sour cherries)
¼ teaspoon almond extract, or 2 drops bitter almond oil (optional)
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (15g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (341g) water

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the ingredients,

bring to a boil, and cook the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes, until
the fruit is soft and the mixture has thickened.

Mincemeat Filling
1 cup (149g) raisins
½ cup (75g) coarsely chopped dried figs
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped candied orange peel
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped candied lemon peel
1½ cups (170g) peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped apples
½ cup (99g) sugar
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ cup (57g) brandy, or 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
1 cup (227g) water
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir them
together thoroughly. Bring to a boil and boil until the fruit is
soft. Set aside to cool. Do not purée.
OVER-THE-TOP CARAMEL CANDY
BARS
YIELD: 48 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 20 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Cookies and candy join forces in these devilishly rich bars. A cookie crust
is topped with buttery caramel, then the top is iced with dark chocolate
frosting and sprinkled with toasted almonds. To make extra-sure these bars
don’t stick, line the greased pan (bottom and sides) with aluminium foil.
Many cookbooks recommend this helpful step, which makes it easy to lift
bars out of the pan, as well as to cut them without marring the bottom of
the pan. In truth, we don’t usually bother with the foil. With this recipe,
however, the caramel sometimes bubbles up the sides and makes the bars
stick, so it’s worth the effort.

CRUST
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder, or ¼ teaspoon baker’s ammonia (see page
462)
¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract, or ⅛ teaspoon almond oil
1 large egg
2¾ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (96g) toasted almond flour or finely ground toasted almonds (see
page xxx)

FILLING
2 cups (426g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (312g) light corn syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (227g) cream (light, heavy, or whipping) or evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FROSTING
1 cup (170g) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate or chocolate
chips
3 tablespoons (59g) light corn syrup
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
½ cup (71g) chopped almonds, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan. Line the pan with lightly greased
aluminum foil.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the

butter, salt, baking powder, sugars, vanilla, and almond extract
until well blended. Beat in the egg, then stir in the flour and
almond flour.

Divide the dough in half. Press half the mixture into the
prepared pan, saving the remaining half to use as topping. Bake
the crust for 15 minutes, until it’s lightly browned around the
edges. Remove it from the oven and cool slightly while making
the filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a large (3½-to 4-quart) heavy-

bottomed saucepan, mix the brown sugar and corn syrup. If you
have a large nonstick saucepan, now’s the time to use it. Bring
the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover the pan and boil
for 3 minutes without stirring, to wash any sugar crystals off
the insides of the pan. Uncover the pan, stir in the butter, and
continue to boil, stirring often, until the caramel reaches the
soft-ball stage, 234°F on a candy thermometer. While the syrup
is boiling, gently heat the cream in the microwave or oven low
heat on the stovetop until it’s hot but not boiling.

Remove the syrup from the heat and slowly stir in the hot
cream and the vanilla. Return to the heat and cook until the
mixture reaches firm-ball stage, 245°F to 248°F. Pour the
caramel over the baked crust.

Let the filling cool for a few minutes, mainly to keep from
accidentally burning yourself while you’re adding the topping.
Crumble the reserved crust mixture over the hot caramel. An
easy way to make even crumbs is to press the dough into a log
and freeze it while making the caramel. Then use a coarse
grater to grate the crumbs over the top.

Bake the bars for 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Remove the bars from the oven and cool them on a rack.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a saucepan set over medium heat, or

in the microwave, stir together the chocolate, corn syrup, and
butter, until melted. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars.
Sprinkle with the almonds and let rest until the chocolate firms
up, several hours or overnight. Cut into 1″ × 2″ bars.

VARIATION

For an easier-to-prepare filling, try the following. If you don’t

have a candy thermometer, this is the route to take.

1½ pounds (680g) caramel, cut from a block, or vanilla caramels

¼ cup (57g) cream (light, heavy, or whipping)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a saucepan, melt the caramel(s), cream, and vanilla together

over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour it over
the baked crust.
LEMONY ALMOND BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 20 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

The inspiration for these bars came from an old recipe we found in one of
our “passed-down-from-grandma” recipe boxes. While the combination of
almond and lemon is somewhat surprising—raspberry-almond or cherry-
almond seem to be much more common pairings of flavors—it definitely
works in these bars.

CRUST
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (71g) light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt

TOPPING
2 large eggs
¾ cup (160g) light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (99g) chopped almonds
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour

GLAZE
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (57g) lemon juice
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine

the flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt using your fingers, a
pastry blender, or a mixer. Pat the mixture into the prepared
pan. It’s a bit sticky, so grease your fingers, or cover the dough
with plastic wrap before you start. Bake the crust for 12
minutes. Remove it from the oven and set aside.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together

the eggs, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Stir in
the nuts and flour. Spoon the topping over the crust, smoothing
it out as much as possible. Bake the bars for 20 minutes, until
they appear set.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: While the bars are baking, stir together the
sugar, butter, and lemon juice and rind in a small bowl.

Remove the bars from the oven. Spread them with the glaze
while they are still hot. Allow them to cool completely before
cutting.
CAMELOT DREAM BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 20 TO 25 MINUTES FOR THE TOPPING

These bars, a less-sweet takeoff on a very sweet original that’s been in our
recipe archives for a good 50 years or more, strike a nice balance among
their major components: brown sugar, pecans, and coconut. These may
remind you of a very chewy, moist oatmeal cookie, even though there’s
nary an oat in sight.

CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup (160g) dark brown sugar
1½ cups (128g) shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.
TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the
butter, sugar, and salt. Mix in the flour, stirring just until
combined. Pat the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for
approximately 15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to
brown. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare
the topping.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together

the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl,
beat the eggs until they’re thick and lemon-colored. Add the
vanilla and the brown sugar and beat until smooth. Stir in the
reserved flour mixture, the coconut, and pecans.

Pour the topping over the baked crust, spreading it evenly. Bake
the bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re lightly browned.
Remove from the oven, and cool completely before cutting.

VARIATION
Add 1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips to the topping ingredients.
SUMMER BERRY CRUMBLE BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 40 TO 45 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Remember the classic bakery date bar, with its crunchy oatmeal bottom
crust and crumbly oatmeal top sandwiched around smooth, sweet date
filling? These bars substitute blueberries for the dates, and streusel
topping for the oats, but it’s like painting the sky cerulean instead of
robin’s egg blue: it’s still a beautiful picture! Note that if you are using
frozen fruit, don’t let it thaw—it will sink into the crust.

CRUST AND TOPPING

2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1½ cups (134g) rolled oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon, or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, cut into pats
¾ cup (105g) sunflower seeds (optional)

FILLING
3 cups (425g) fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries
¼ cup (53g) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons (43g) lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
½ teaspoon cinnamon, or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
3 tablespoons (23g) unbleached all-purpose flour

GLAZE
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
2 to 3 teaspoons water
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST AND TOPPING: In a large bowl, whisk

together the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder,
baking soda, and cinnamon. Using a mixer, a pastry blender, or
your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
Transfer 2 cups of the crumbs to a bowl, combine them with the
sunflower seeds, and set aside. Pat the remaining crumbs into
the pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes and remove it from the
oven.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: While the crust is baking, in a large bowl,

mix the berries with the brown sugar, lemon juice and zest,
melted butter, cinnamon, and flour. Distribute the filling over
the baked crust.

Sprinkle the reserved crust-and-seed mixture on top of the

filling and return the bars to the oven. Bake for 40 to 45
minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crumbs have
browned. Remove the bars from the oven.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze

ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the bars while they’re still
warm. Cool completely before cutting.

VARIATION
3 cups (339g) peeled, sliced apples mixed with ½ cup (75g)
raisins is a nice substitute for the berry filling.
FOR BARS THAT STICK TO THE PAN
Some bars, particularly those with a sweet, viscous topping that might creep between
the edge of the dough and the side of the pan, tend to stick in the pan when you’re
trying to cut them. If you suspect (or experience tells you) that you’re making a bar like
this, line the bottom of the pan with parchment before spooning in the dough or batter.
Once the bars are baked, slide a baker’s bench knife along the edge of the pan to
loosen the bars before cutting and lifting them out.
For thick bars with a crumbly and/or delicate topping, line your pan with aluminum
foil. Use a piece that’s longer than the length of your pan by about 6″. Fit it into the pan,
pushing it into the corners; you should have a 1″ “handle” at either end. Lightly grease
the foil, then spoon in the batter. Once the bars are baked, use the foil handles at either
end to gently lift them out of the pan. Allow to cool before cutting.
COCONUT-RUM BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 25 TO 28 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

The fruit portion of this bar is up to you: mango-pineapple, passionfruit,

guava, and raspberry are all good choices. But really, any fruit preserve or
jam will work. What fruit doesn’t go well with coconut and rum?

CRUST
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract, or 4 drops strong coconut flavor (optional)
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (64g) chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

FILLING
¾ cup (255g) fruit preserves or jam
2 tablespoons (28g) rum (optional)
2 large egg yolks

TOPPING
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
½ cup (99g) sugar
2 cups (170g) sweetened flaked coconut
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a large bowl, cream together the butter,

sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and coconut extract. Stir in
the flour and nuts, mixing until smooth. Press the crust into the
bottom and ½″ up the sides of an ungreased 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15
minutes, until it is set.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, gently warm the

preserves to lukewarm (a microwave makes short work of this
task), stir in the rum, and whisk in the egg yolks. Be sure the
mixture is warm, not hot—you don’t want to cook the yolks.
Spread the filling over the crust.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Beat together the cream of tartar, salt,

and egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating
until soft peaks form. Fold in the coconut. Spread the topping
over the filling. Return the bars to the oven and bake for 25 to
28 minutes, until the top is golden brown and set. Remove from
the oven and cool to lukewarm before cutting.
LINZER COOKIE BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 22 TO 24 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

The age-old combination of raspberry, nuts, and cinnamon is a delicious

one. We tried to adapt our favorite linzer torte recipe to bars, but it didn’t
make the cut. The raspberry jam oozed out the sides of each piece, and the
whole thing reminded us of underbaked fudge. Ding! Enter the same idea
in a new form, and a much easier one, we might add.

CRUST AND TOPPING

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon hazelnut or almond extract, or 1 to 2 drops bitter almond oil or
strong hazelnut flavoring
1 large egg
1½ cups (142g) finely ground hazelnuts or almonds (or nut flour)
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
1¼ cups (425g) raspberry jam
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil, optional
confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST AND TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl,

cream the butter with the sugars, salt, vanilla, baking powder,
cinnamon, and hazelnut extract. Add the egg and mix well,
scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the ground nuts
and flour, mixing just until blended. Set aside 1 cup of the
dough for the topping. Spread the remaining dough in the
prepared pan. Bake the bars for 15 minutes, or until the edges
are golden and the middle is set.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: While the crust is baking, heat the jam
gently and combine it with the lemon zest. Remove the crust
from the oven and spread it evenly with the jam. Sprinkle with
the reserved dough, using your fingers to break it into crumbs.

Return the bars to the oven and bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until
the jam is bubbling around the edges and the topping looks set.
The bars won’t brown, except at the edges. Remove from the
oven and cool on a rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar
before cutting into bars.
FUDGY PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 22 TO 24 MINUTES FOR THE SQUARES

From buckeyes to peanut butter cups to peanut butter fudge pie, the
chocolate/peanut connection is a strong one, particularly among kids—or
those of us who’ve held onto our childhood passions.

CRUST
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (90g) peanut butter, smooth or chunky
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baker’s ammonia (optional; see page 462)
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
4 ounces (113g) unsweetened baking chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (223g) sugar
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
½ cup (85g) chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or peanut butter candy
pieces (optional)

FROSTING
¾ cup (128g) butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, white
confectionery coating disks, or a combination
¼ cup (68g) smooth peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the

butter and peanut butter until soft and well blended. Stir in the
sugar, salt, vanilla, and baker’s ammonia. Mix in the flour; the
mixture will feel dry and be crumbly. Press the dough into the
prepared pan. This is best accomplished by covering the
crumbs with a piece of plastic wrap and using a small pastry
rolling pin (or a can on its side) to roll out the crust evenly.
Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until it has lightly browned
around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan set over low

heat (or microwave-safe bowl), melt and stir together the
chocolate, butter, salt, and corn syrup. Remove the pan from
the heat and stir in the sugar and flour. Add the eggs, beating
until well blended, then mix in the chips. Spread the filling
onto the crust.

Bake the squares for 22 to 24 minutes. The top should be shiny

and look set. For the best chewy texture, don’t overbake; a
tester inserted into the center won’t come out clean, but with
sticky crumbs clinging to it. Remove the squares from the oven
and cool to lukewarm while you make the frosting.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium-sized saucepan set over

low heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl), melt the chips, stirring
often. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Spread the
frosting over the warm bars. Cool completely before cutting,
using a knife sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray, or
warmed in hot water, wiping it often. These squares are sinfully
rich, so cut the 2″ squares in half, if desired.
RICH PECAN PIE BARS
YIELD: 35 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F, THEN 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 30 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

You know the buttery / nutty, almost-but-not-quite-too-sweet taste of

pecan pie? These bars match that taste, but dispense with the hassle of
rolling out piecrust. If you have a jelly roll pan with very low sides, you
may find yourself with excess filling. Fill the crust almost full, and bake
any leftover in a custard cup (to eat when no one is looking).

CRUST
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks, 141g) unsalted butter
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

FILLING
4 large eggs
¾ cup (234g) corn syrup, light or dark, or a mixture of both
1 cup (198g) sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (28g) rum (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or 4 drops butter-rum, butter-pecan, or
butternut flavor
½ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups (200g) chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 10″ × 15″ jelly roll
pan, 14″ round deep-dish pizza pan, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter

and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the sugar, flour,
salt, and baking powder and stir until the dough is cohesive; it
will be crumbly, but hold together when squeezed. Press the
dough into and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust
for 10 minutes and remove it from the oven. Reduce oven
temperature to 350°F.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the filling

ingredients together. Pour the filling over the crust. Bake the
bars for 30 minutes, or until the filling looks puffy and deep
golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely
before cutting.
ALMOND-APRICOT SQUARES WITH
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 25 TO 30 MINUTES FOR THE SQUARES

We created this recipe in order to satisfy a craving for three favorite

flavors: apricot, almond, and chocolate. While these are a bit time-
consuming to assemble (four steps, four layers), they’re so rich that they
can be cut into small pieces that will go quite a long way. And they freeze
well, always a plus.

CRUST
1¾ cups (347g) granulated sugar
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon butter-vanilla flavor, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks (reserve the whites)
1 tablespoon (14g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour

APRICOT FILLING*
1 cup (128g) shredded or diced dried apricots
½ cup (114g) water
¼ cup (58g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) brandy or rum (optional)

ALMOND FILLING
2 cups (192g) almond flour
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons (15g) unbleached all-purpose flour

GANACHE
1⅓ cups (227g) chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
¾ cup (170g) heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the sugars, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the
baking powder, salt, egg yolks, and milk and beat well. Add the
flour, mixing just until everything is smooth. Press the dough
into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15
minutes, until it is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and
set aside to cool.

TO MAKE THE APRICOT FILLING: Mix all the ingredients together

in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Bring the mixture
to a boil, stirring once or twice, and then set it aside to cool
slightly. If the apricots are in large pieces, use a blender or food
processor to partially purée the mixture so it will spread easily.

TO MAKE THE ALMOND FILLING: Stir all the ingredients together

in a medium-sized bowl; the mixture will be fairly stiff and
sticky.

TO ASSEMBLE: Spread the apricot filling over the baked crust,

then place the almond filling on top of the apricot filling. The
best way to do this is with a teaspoon cookie scoop, or a very
small ice cream scoop, pressing the filling down lightly. Bake
the bars for 25 to 30 minutes, until they feel set—a print will
remain when you lightly press the middle with your fingertip.
Remove the squares from the oven and cool for 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE GANACHE: In a small saucepan set over low heat,

or in the microwave on low power, heat the chocolate and
cream together, stirring frequently. Continue to stir the mixture
until it’s smooth, then spread it atop the squares. Let cool for
several hours (or overnight) before cutting into squares.
BUILD-A-BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 18 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 20 TO 25 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

This type of cookie has cousins from all quarters. You’ll find them in
recipe-swap columns everywhere, and by the hundreds on the Internet. The
names range from Hello Dollies to 7-Layer Bars, but the idea is pretty
much the same: Take a bottom crust that’s not too sweet, then build the bar
by piling on any combination of sweet, crunchy, nutty, marshmallowy,
caramely or chocolaty nuggets you desire, and pour on a sticky topping to
hold everything in place. Bake just until it all comes together, then stand
back and watch them disappear! It’s almost like a crunchy ice cream
sundae with the works, only nobody invited the ice cream.
Traditional recipes for these bars call for sweetened condensed milk as
the topping, and if that’s what you’re comfortable with, by all means use
it. We found that version to be so sweet it made our eyes cross, so here we
present a more grown-up alternative.

CRUST
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (57g) walnuts or pecans
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (42g) honey
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

FILLING (4 TO 5 CUPS TOTAL)

coconut
nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts, almonds)
chunks of caramel
chips (chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, or your choice)
dried fruit (raisins, chopped apricots, diced pineapple, cranberries,
cherries, dates, fig pieces, etc.)
miniature marshmallows
crispy cereal: Rice Krispies, cornflakes, Special K, Cheerios, Golden
Grahams, etc.
broken graham crackers

TOPPING
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat),
softened
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoons salt
1 large egg
one 5-ounce can (142g) evaporated milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Place ½ cup of the flour and the nuts in the
bowl of a food processor and process until the nuts are finely
ground. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and whisk
in the remaining 1½ cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and
salt. Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and work it into the
dry ingredients with your hands, a pastry blender, or the paddle
attachment of your stand mixer, until crumbly in texture. In a
small bowl, stir together the honey and milk until smooth, then
pour it over the flour / butter mixture, stirring until evenly
moistened. Pat the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan,
pressing down to cover the surface in an even layer. Bake for 15
to 18 minutes, until set.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Choose any combination of the filling

ingredients listed. You’ll need 4 to 5 cups total to cover the
base layer. Stir your chosen ingredients together in a mixing
bowl and sprinkle them in an even layer over the cooled crust.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together

the cream cheese, sugar, and salt. Add the egg and continue
beating until no lumps remain; scrape the inside of the bowl to
be sure everything combines evenly. Add the evaporated milk
and stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour it evenly over the
filling.

Bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges bubble a bit
and the center is set. Remove from the oven and cool
completely before cutting.

VARIATIONS
For a faster (though also sweeter) topping, substitute one 14-
ounce can (397g) sweetened condensed milk for the topping
ingredients.

Substitute 2 cups (192g) whole wheat pastry flour for the all-
purpose flour in the crust. With all the other goodies on top,
this won’t automatically label these bars healthy, but it’s a
small start!

For a cookie-based crust, try the following:

1½ cups (213g) graham cracker, gingersnap, vanilla cookie, or chocolate

cookie crumbs
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar

Mix together the cookie crumbs, melted butter, flour, and

brown sugar in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom of the
prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until set.
To jump-start your imagination, here are some favorite filling
flavor combinations dreamed up by various members of our
King Arthur family.

White chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans

Diced apricots, coconut, and macadamia nuts
Chocolate chips, cappuccino chips, and toffee chips
M&M’s, peanuts, and chocolate chips
Dried cherries, white and semisweet chocolate chips, and
pecans
Shredded coconut and caramel bits
Chocolate chips, chocolate chips, chocolate chips, and
chocolate chips
Miniature marshmallows, peanuts, and chocolate chips
Dried tropical fruits and nuts, with some key lime juice in
the topping
Candied peel and pine nuts
Black walnuts and dates, with dulce de leche drizzled over
the top along with the topping
Dried figs, pine nuts, and caramel bits
Rice Krispies and cappuccino chips or butterscotch chips
Dried sweet cherries and chopped toasted hazelnuts
Walnuts, with maple syrup and maple flavor in the topping
Shredded sweetened coconut and toasted almonds
Raspberry jam and white, bittersweet, or semisweet
chocolate chips
Orange marmalade and semisweet chocolate chips (or
toasted coconut)
Dried sweet cherries and bittersweet chocolate chips
Diced crystallized ginger and white chocolate chips
COUNTY FAIR CARAMEL APPLE
BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 35 TO 40 MINUTES

Think falling leaves, county fairs, fields of bright orange pumpkins—and

the sweet aroma of caramel apples. We’ve transformed this autumn
favorite into delicious, chewy bars.

CRUST
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (80g) pecan meal or ground pecans
2 cups (178g) rolled oats

FILLING
4 large apples, peeled and sliced or chopped (3 to 4 cups, 339g to 452g)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon

TOPPING
10 to 12 ounces soft caramel candies (about 2 cups, 280g to 340g), or
Homemade Caramel (see opposite page)
3 tablespoons (43g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan. To make sure these bars don’t
stick, line the greased pan, bottom and sides, with lightly
greased aluminum foil.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the

brown sugar, butter, apple pie spice, salt, and baking soda until
well blended. Stir in the flour, pecan meal, and oats; the
mixture will be crumbly. Set aside 1 cup of the crumbs. Press
the remaining crumbs into the prepared pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:Toss the apples in a bowl with the salt and
cinnamon. Spread them over the crust, pressing them in lightly.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a microwave-safe bowl or in a

saucepan, melt the caramel with the milk. Drizzle the topping
over the apples and sprinkle with the reserved crumbs.

Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the caramel is

bubbling and the apples are tender. Remove from the oven and
cool to lukewarm. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, cut
the bars into squares, and arrange them on a serving plate.
Allow the bars to rest until the caramel firms up before serving.

Homemade Caramel
YIELD: ABOUT 2 CUPS

1 cup (227g) heavy cream

2 cups (426g) brown sugar
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Stir all the ingredients together in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook
over medium heat, stirring constantly, to the soft-ball stage
(230°F to 234°F). Remove from the heat and pour 1 cup over
the apples. You’ll have leftovers (it’s really hard to make less
than this amount). We suggest that you pour the remaining cup
into a buttered 8″ square pan. When it’s cool, cut it into
squares, and enjoy!
BREAKFAST CRUNCH BARS
YIELD: 35 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 TO 24 MINUTES

No, not as in “have these bars for breakfast”—they’re much too rich for
that! But it’s breakfast cereal that lends them their crunch. Be sure to use a
crisp, light cereal, like Rice Krispies or cornflakes; leave the hearty
whole-grain cereals for your cereal bowl.

CRUST
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ cups (266g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
½ cup (135g) chunky peanut butter
1 large egg

CHOCOLATE CRUNCH
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
½ cup (135g) chunky peanut butter
1 cup (1½ ounces, 42g) Rice Krispies or cornflakes, slightly crushed

BUTTERSCOTCH CRUNCH
1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips
½ cup (135g) chunky peanut butter
1 cup (42g) Rice Krispies or cornflakes, slightly crushed

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix

together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, your
fingers, or a mixer, cut or rub in the butter and peanut butter
until everything is evenly crumbly. Add the egg and mix well.
Press the dough into an ungreased 10″ × 15″ jelly roll pan, 14″
round deep-dish pizza pan, or other similar-sized pan.

Bake the crust for 20 to 24 minutes, until it has browned and

looks set; a print will remain when you press your fingertip in
the center. Remove the crust from the oven.

TO MAKE THE CRUNCH TOPPINGS: Over low heat, in a double

boiler or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips and peanut
butter, stirring until smooth. Gently stir in the cereal. Repeat
the procedure with the butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and
cereal.

Spread half the warm crust with the chocolate crunch, half with
the butterscotch crunch. Be sure to press the toppinsg down
firmly, and do so while the bottom crust is still warm, so
everything sticks together well. Let the bars cool and harden for
several hours before cutting them into squares.
GOLDEN COCONUT BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 25 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

With their topping of coconut and pecans, these bars are reminiscent of the
luscious coconut-caramel icing found on German chocolate cake. Which,
by the way, has nothing to do with Germany. The cake was named for Sam
German, an employee of the Baker’s Chocolate Company who developed
the special sweet chocolate used in the recipe.

CRUST
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
a few drops of coconut flavor (optional)
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (128g) shredded sweetened coconut, lightly packed
3 tablespoons (23g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or a few drops of coconut flavor
1 cup (114g) chopped roasted salted pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square or 7″ ×

11″ pan.
TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream
together the butter, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and
flavoring, if using. Add the flour, beating to combine; the
dough will be stiff. Press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake
the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, until it’s a light golden brown.
Remove it from the oven.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the brown sugar, eggs, and salt, then stir in the
coconut, flour, and vanilla. Spread the topping on the crust,
smoothing it out the best you can. Sprinkle with the pecans.

Return the pan to the oven and bake the bars for 25 minutes, or
until the topping starts to bubble along the edge. Remove from
the oven, cool slightly, and cut into bars.
COCONUT-CARAMEL CANDY BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 10 TO 12 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

If you’re an aficionado of Girl Scout cookies, you’ll recognize these tasty

treats as our version of their Caramel deLites.

CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (320g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 cups (255g) shredded sweetened coconut, toasted (see page xxx)

TOPPINGS
1 cup (113g to 142g) caramel (block/or caramel candies), cut into ¼″
pieces
¾ cup (128g) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or chocolate
chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the

butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg. Mix in the flour, salt,
baking powder, and 2½ cups of the coconut (the remaining ½
cup is for the topping). Gently press the dough into the
prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
 Remove the bars from the oven, and sprinkle them with the
softened pieces of caramel. Return them to the oven and bake
for 10 to 12 minutes until they’re medium-brown and the
caramel is bubbly.

Remove the bars from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to soften for about 5 minutes, then spread
it evenly over the bars. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup coconut
over the top. Set aside to cool completely. Loosen the edges of
the crust with a knife, then cut into bars.

NO CRUST, PLEASE
If, despite your best efforts, your bars develop a hard crust around the edge of the pan,
don’t worry. Simply cut just inside that hard edge all around the perimeter of the pan
and lift it out in pieces. The remaining bars will have soft edges all around. And don’t
discard those hard crust pieces! Mix up some pudding (instant pudding is a snap),
break the crust into bite-sized pieces, and stir it into the pudding; the moisture of the
pudding will soften the crusts nicely. Feeling fancy? Call it a trifle.
CAPE COD CRANBERRY BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES FOR
THE CRUST, 35 TO 40 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Tangy-sweet fresh cranberries pair with crisp apples, raspberries, and

pecans in these buttery tasting bars. The butter-pecan flavor adds just a
touch of caramel flavor … or is it butterscotch you taste? You can use
fresh or frozen cranberries and raspberries, but if you’re using frozen, do
not thaw them.

CRUST
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt (extra-fine if you have it)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops butter-pecan flavor (optional), the stronger the flavor, the better
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans

FILLING
2 cups (198g) fresh or frozen cranberries
1½ cups (170g) peeled, cored, and chopped apples
1 cup (120g) raspberries
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (15g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ or 11″
square pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, sugars, and salt. Add the flavorings, then use
your fingers, a pastry blender, or a mixer to cut in the butter,
mixing until everything is crumbly. Stir in the nuts. Set aside
about 1½ cups of crumbs, then press the remaining crumbs into
the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
While the crust is baking, make the filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a food processor, combine the

cranberries, apples, raspberries, and sugar and pulse a few
times to chop the cranberries. Add the flour and melted butter,
pulsing briefly to combine.

Spread the filling over the crust. Crumble the reserved crust
mixture over the filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the
mixture bubbles and the crumbs on top are golden. Remove
from the oven and cool completely. Dust with confectioners’
sugar, and cut into bars.
BAKERY DATE SQUARES
YIELD: 36 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

Date squares, fig squares, raspberry squares—two layers of crumbly,

crunchy, sweet oatmeal crust sandwiching a gooey layer of filling. Much
of the crust inevitably crumbles away as you take each bite; at the end you
can scoop up the errant crust and enjoy one final mouthful of crunch. Open
any cookbook and you’ll find date bars listed in the index. The problem is,
those are date bars—a homogeneous, rather than layered, mixture of dates
and oatmeal, not at all the date square of our dreams. We made up our own
recipe, and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

FILLING†
3 cups (447g) chopped dates
1 cup (227g) water
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CRUST
1½ cups (134g) rolled oats
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour (or a half-and-half
combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flours)
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square or 7″ ×
11″ pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan, combine the dates,

water, salt, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce
the heat to low, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the
water is absorbed and mixture has thickened somewhat.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and set aside
to cool while you prepare the crust. If the mixture is too chunky
for your taste, purée some or all of it.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together

the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the
melted butter, stirring until everything is well combined.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BARS: Press 2½ cups of the crust mixture into

the prepared pan, smoothing it out to completely cover the
bottom of the pan, with no gaps showing. Spread the filling on
the crust. Add the walnuts to the remaining crust mixture and
sprinkle it over the filling.

Bake the squares for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden

brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into
1½″ squares.

VARIATIONS

Fig Filling
2 cups (298g) dried Turkish or Calimyrna figs, stems removed, snipped
into quarters
1 cup (149g) raisins
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (28g) orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest, or ¼ teaspoon orange oil
1 cup (227g) boiling water
 Prepare as directed in the recipe.

Raspberry Filling
2½ cups (300g) raspberries (frozen are fine)
3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch
¼ cup (57g) water
1 cup (198g) sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil
2 tablespoons (28g) butter

In a saucepan, crush the raspberries. Dissolve the cornstarch in

the water and add to the pan with the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture has thickened.
Substitute almonds for the walnuts or pecans in the top crust, if
desired.

SPREADING JAM SMOOTHLY

Spreading or piping jam or preserves when making a layered bar cookie can be a bit of
a hassle. Here’s an easy way to smooth out the lumps and bumps: heat the jam briefly
in the micro-wave, then stir the warm jam until it’s smooth and viscous before
spreading or piping. It will flow much more easily and smoothly.
DOUBLE-BUTTER BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 40 TO 45 MINUTES

No, NOT double the butter—we mean a combination of the comforting

flavors of peanut butter and butterscotch. These bars are similar to
chocolate chip cookie bars, but with a twist: the addition of the peanut
butter and butterscotch, plus a light, crunchy upper crust. When we made
them in our King Arthur test kitchen the customer service reps raved over
them, as did the customers in our retail store. If you like crunchy / chewy
peanut butter cookies, you’ll enjoy these bars.

BARS
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (270g) smooth peanut butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks (reserve the whites)
2 tablespoons (28g) water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (255g) butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, or chocolate
chips
1 cup (113g to 142g) chopped almonds or pecans, toasted (see page xxx),
or dry-roasted peanuts

TOPPING
2 large egg whites
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE BARS: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and salt until
well blended. Add the egg yolks, water, and vanilla, beating to
combine. Gently stir in the baking soda and flour, then the
chips and ¾ cup of the nuts. Spread the dough into the prepared
pan, using a spatula (or wet fingers) to smooth the top.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the egg whites and cream of tartar until they’re foamy
and start to thicken. Gradually add the brown sugar and
continue to beat until the mixture is thick and glossy. Spread
the meringue over the dough. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼
cup nuts, pressing them in lightly.

Bake the bars for 40 to 45 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely
before serving. To cut without too much crumbling of the
topping, it’s helpful to wet the knife or spray it with nonstick
cooking spray.
FROSTED DELIGHTS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 25 TO 30 MINUTES

While some bars are ooey-gooey thick ’n’ chewy, these rest at the other
end of the scale. With a thin, light-textured, cakelike base, and fragile-
crunchy, mild-flavored nut and meringue topping, they’re comforting
rather than outrageous.

CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 large egg white pinch of salt
2 cups (228g) chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Beat
in the eggs, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and then
beating until smooth. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.
Press the dough into the prepared pan.
TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together
the brown sugar, egg white, and salt until smooth and
somewhat lightened in color. Stir in the nuts. Spread the
topping evenly over the crust.

Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting.
DOUBLE-SHOT CAPPUCCINO BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 20 TO 25 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

For those who take their coffee seriously (and you have a lot of company
around here!), here’s a recipe that’ll get you perking. The intense espresso-
flavored base is topped with a creamy vanilla layer, and finished however
you like—with cinnamon, chocolate, or caramel, whichever fancy coffee
drink you choose to emulate.

CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (28g) espresso powder, or ⅓ cup (11g) instant coffee crystals
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

FILLING
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 cup (227g) heavy cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

GLAZE
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons (57g to 71g) heavy cream or milk (regular or low fat, not
nonfat)
4 teaspoons (7g) unsweetened cocoa powder, regular or Dutch process
(optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at
a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla
and espresso powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking

powder. Add this to the butter/espresso mixture, stirring until
smooth. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s set. Remove it
from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the sugar and flour. In a separate bowl, beat together
the eggs, cream, and vanilla until well combined, then add to
the flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour the filling over
the crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the center is set.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour, then
refrigerate until completely cool and firm.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together the

confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cream
gradually, whisking until no lumps remain. Drizzle the glaze
over the bars. For a fancy two-tone effect, drizzle half the glaze
over the bars, then add the cocoa to the remaining glaze and
drizzle it on.

VARIATIONS
 For caramel macchiato bars, substitute the following glaze:

6 ounces (170g) caramel (candies, or from a block)

4 teaspoons (19g) heavy cream

Heat the caramel and cream together, stirring until smooth.

Drizzle over the cooled bars.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BAKE BARS “UNTIL THEY’RE

SET”?
Some bar recipes indicate a baking temperature and time, then tell you to bake the
bars for the indicated time, “until they’re set.” What does this mean, exactly? When a
bar is set, it means the edges are just barely beginning to pull away from the sides of
the pan; the bars appear firm from edge to the center (there’s no gelatin-like jiggling in
the center); and when you press your fingertip lightly into the bars in the middle of the
pan, it won’t break the crust, but will leave a print. To check further, use the tip of a very
sharp knife to dig into the center. Examine the interior. If it’s still runny and/or very wet
looking, allow the bars to continue to bake. (Don’t worry about the hole in the middle—
that will be your piece.)
HOT & SWEET GINGER SQUARES
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 40 TO 45
MINUTES

If you’re one of the many folks who thinks ginger is a flavor that ranks
right up there with chocolate, you’ll love these squares. The thin, chewy
gingerbread with crystallized ginger and streusel on top, got an extremely
high rating from both the crew of taste-testers in our customer service
department, and the customers at our store. One person commented that
these were “the perfect, perfect holiday treat.”

CRUST
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (92g) diced crystallized ginger
¼ cup (85g) molasses
2 large eggs
1⅓ cups (284g) dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter, melted

STREUSEL
1⅓ cups (160g) unbleached all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
pinch of salt
¾ cup (160g) dark brown sugar
½ cup (92g) diced crystallized ginger
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, ground ginger, allspice, salt, baking soda,
and crystallized ginger. In a separate bowl, stir together the
molasses, eggs, brown sugar, and butter. Combine the wet and
dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Spread the batter in the
prepared pan.

TO MAKE THE STREUSEL: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, use a

pastry blender, electric mixer, or your fingers to mix together
the flour, butter, salt, and brown sugar until fairly well blended;
some chunks of butter can remain. Stir in the crystallized
ginger. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter.

Bake the squares for 40 to 45 minutes, until the streusel is a

deep, golden brown. Remove from the oven and run a knife
around the edges of the pan to loosen them. Cool to lukewarm,
then cut into 1½″ squares.
KEY LIME BARS IN COCONUT CRUST
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 16 TO 18 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 25 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Toasted coconut in the crust adds both crunch and flavor to these tart-
sweet bars. Did you know true Key lime juice is actually pale yellow, not
green? Add a couple of drops of green food color to the filling if you want
them to scream lime, visually.

CRUST
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups (255g) shredded sweetened coconut, toasted (see page xxx)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coconut extract, or 3 drops strong coconut flavor (optional)
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

FILLING
8 ounces (227g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat),
softened
1¾ cups (347g) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons (23g) unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
⅓ to ½ cup (76g to 114g) Key lime juice, or fresh lime juice, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.
TO MAKE THE CRUST: Combine all the crust ingredients in a
medium-sized mixing bowl or in the bowl of a food processor.
Mix or process until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside 1 cup of
the crumbs, and press the remaining crumbs into the bottom of
the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 16 to 18 minutes, until it’s
golden brown.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream

cheese until soft. Add the sugar and salt and beat until well
blended. Stir in the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Stir in the lime juice, mixing
until smooth. Pour the filling onto the crust.

Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved

crumbs and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until set around
the edges but still slightly wobbly in the middle. Remove from
the oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour. For easiest
slicing, refrigerate for several hours. Garnish with lime jelly
fruit slices, if desired.
LEMON SQUARES
YIELD: 16 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 25 MINUTES FOR THE SQUARES

These lemon squares will look familiar to you if you’re a habitué of

bakeries, where you’ll often see them shingled on a tray in the display
case, their bright yellow filling peeking out from beneath a blizzard of
confectioners’ sugar. Delightfully tart, with a tender, crunchy bottom
crust, this recipe makes the quintessential lemon square.

CRUST
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

TOPPING
4 large eggs
1¼ cups (248g) granulated sugar
½ cup (114g) lemon juice
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest, or ½ teaspoon lemon oil
confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square, 11″ × 7″,

or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, your
fingers, or a mixer, cut in the butter, mixing to form coarse
crumbs. Press the crumbs into the prepared pan. Bake the crust
for 20 minutes, or until it’s light brown.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together

the eggs, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. Stir
in the flour, salt, and lemon zest.

Pour the topping over the hot crust, return the pan to the oven,
and continue baking for about 25 minutes, or until the top of
the squares appears set. Remove from the oven and cool in the
pan. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar just before cutting and
serving.

VARIATION
For an elegant dessert, make these bars in a 10″ round tart pan.
When completely cool, spread with ¾ cup (255g) warmed
raspberry jam, combined with 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur.
Don’t sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, it will make the jam
look cloudy.
NANAIMO BARS
YIELD: 48 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

This layered bar is originally from Nanaimo, a city on Vancouver Island in

British Columbia. It was born in 1952, when a fund raising cookbook from
the island featured three recipes for chocolate squares and slices. These
recipes were reprinted under the name “Nanaimo Bars” in the Vancouver
Sun. Canadian food companies adopted them as a convenient vehicle for
their products, and they’ve been around ever since.

CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder, regular or Dutch process
1 large egg
1 cup (85g) sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (284g) graham cracker crumbs

FILLING
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (25g) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

FROSTING
1 cup (170g) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (21g) vegetable shortening, unsalted butter, or heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ square, 11″ × 7″,

or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine

the butter, sugar, and cocoa. Mix in the egg, then stir in the
coconut, walnuts, vanilla, and crumbs. Press the mixture into
the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the
oven and allow to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

the butter, then add 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and the
vanilla. In a small bowl, stir the pudding into the milk and add
to the butter mixture. Add the remaining 1 cup confectioners’
sugar and beat until the filling is smooth. Spread it over the
cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Melt the chocolate and shortening in a

small saucepan set over medium heat, or in the microwave; stir
until the mixture is smooth. Spread the frosting over the chilled
bars and refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Cut into bars with
a sharp knife.
ELEGANT RASPBERRY-ALMOND
BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14 TO 16 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 25 TO 30 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

These layered bars, scented with almond, feature everyone’s favorite berry,
the raspberry. They’re fancier than most; save them for an elegant
afternoon tea party, a wedding shower, or someplace they’ll enjoy adult
attention.

CRUST
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (96g) almond flour or finely ground almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract, or 3 drops bitter almond oil
¾ teaspoon salt

FILLING
1 cup (259g) almond paste
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups (168g) fresh bread crumbs
¾ cup (255g) raspberry preserves, warmed

TOPPING
¾ cup (106g) chopped almonds
¾ cup crust mixture (reserved from crust)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″
square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine

all the crust ingredients, mixing until evenly crumbly. Set aside
¾ cup for the topping, then press the remainder into the
prepared pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, mix together the almond

paste, sugar and 1 egg until smooth. Stir in the other egg, the
salt, and the crumbs. Spread this mixture over the crust as
smoothly as possible. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the
filling looks set. Remove from the oven. Top with the warmed
preserves.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Mix the almonds and reserved crust

mixture together and sprinkle over the filling. Return the bars
to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges and
top are lightly browned and the preserves are just beginning to
bubble. Remove from the oven and cool completely before
cutting.
RHUBARB DREAMS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 40 TO 45 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

These are downright fun to eat. First, the meringuelike topping goes
“poof” in your mouth—a nice little surprise start—then your teeth sink
into the juicy, lemon-accented rhubarb. These bars are just the ticket if
you’re looking for a light, sweet dessert.

CRUST
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon lemon oil or 2 tablespoons lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon fresh
lemon juice

FILLING
4 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups (396g) granulated sugar
½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups (480g) packed diced rhubarb

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Using your
fingers, a pastry blender, or a mixer, cut in the butter until
everything is evenly crumbly. Add the lemon oil. Press the
mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for
10 to 15 minutes, until it’s lightly browned. Remove from the
oven and let cool slightly.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: While the crust is baking, make the

filling. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and salt until foamy.
Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and a
light yellow color. Blend in the flour, then fold in the rhubarb.

Pour the filling over the still-warm crust, return the pan to the
oven, and bake the bars for 40 to 45 minutes, until they’re
lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for several
hours for easiest cutting. The top layer separates a bit from the
filling when you cut; just press it back lightly.

VARIATION
To make strawberry-rhubarb dreams, substitute hulled, coarsely
chopped strawberries for up to half the rhubarb.
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15 MINUTES
FOR THE CRUST, 20 TO 22 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

A swirl of bright red strawberry in a creamy layer of golden cheesecake

makes this bar a winner in the good looks department. As for the flavor, if
strawberry cheesecake is a favorite, you’ll want to give this recipe four
gold stars.

CRUST
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (149g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

FILLING
16 ounces (454g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat),
softened
¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¼ cup (85g) strawberry jam (or your favorite jam or preserve)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ or 11″

square pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix

together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and butter. Stir in
 the pecans. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared
pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s set. Remove
it from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

1. To smooth out a sticky crust, distribute the dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared
baking pan. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and use a small rolling pin to smooth it out. 2.
An offset spatula is the best tool to spread filling evenly.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream

cheese and sugar together until smooth. Gently beat in the
vanilla and eggs. Spread the filling over the crust.

Stir the jam, or warm it slightly to make it spreadable. If it’s

very lumpy, use a blender or food processor to smooth it out.
Spoon the jam into a small plastic bag, snip off one corner, and
pipe lines of jam the length of the pan, about ¾″ apart. Use a
knife to pull the jam from side to side through the cream cheese
mixture at 1″ intervals.

Bake the bars for 20 to 22 minutes, just until the filling is set.
The middle should wobble slightly. Remove from the oven and
run a spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the filling;
this will help prevent it from cracking. Cool for 1 hour at room
temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled and firm.
3. To pipe small amounts of jam, place it in a plastic bag and snip off one corner. 4. Squeeze
the jam in a stripe over the cheesecake filling. 5. Run a knife through the stripes to pull them
into a decorative pattern, changing directions with each pass.
WHITE CHOCOLATE–CASHEW BARS
YIELD: 16 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 30 TO 35 MINUTES

If you think white chocolate is just too sweet and bland to be in the same
league with its darker brethren, think again. This rich, flavorful chocolate
needs only a salty counterpart—in this case, cashews—to bring out its best
qualities.

2 large eggs
¾ cup (149g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips or chunks
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (113g) salted cashews, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ or 11″

square pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add

the sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder, continuing to beat
the mixture until it is shiny and pale yellow.

In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat,

melt ½ cup of the chocolate with the butter. Set aside.

Stir the flour into the egg mixture in two additions, mixing
until smooth after each addition. Beat in the reserved chocolate
mixture. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with
the nuts and the remaining ½ cup chocolate.

Bake the bars for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re puffed and

shiny, browned around the edges, and a cake tester inserted into
the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool
before cutting into bars.
S’MORE GRANOLA BARS
YIELD: 48 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 6 TO 8 MINUTES
FOR THE OATS, 4 TO 5 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Sturdy enough to survive all day in the bottom of a backpack, these

granola bars are topped with chocolate and golden toasted marshmallows.
Quick, light the campfire!

4 cups (356g) rolled oats

4 cups (112g) Rice Krispies cereal
¾ cup (149g) sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (57g) water
½ cup (156g) corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups (129g) miniature marshmallows
1½ cups (255g) chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a half-sheet (18″ ×

13″) pan, or two 9″ × 13″ pans.

Place the oats on the prepared pan(s). Bake for 6 to 8 minutes,

stirring frequently to prevent the edges from burning. They
won’t brown, but should begin to smell toasty. Remove the pan
from the oven. Transfer the oats to a bowl and add the cereal.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, water, corn

syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 5
minutes, or until the temperature reaches 250°F on a candy
thermometer. Remove the syrup from the heat and pour it over
the oats and cereal, tossing to combine. Add 1½ cups of the
marshmallows and stir again until well combined.

Place the mixture on the prepared pan, patting it flat. Press the
mixture into the pan; using the lightly greased back of another
half-sheet pan works well. Sprinkle with the remaining 1½ cups
marshmallows and the chocolate chips.

Bake the bars for 4 to 5 minutes, until the marshmallows have

puffed and are slightly brown. Remove the bars from the oven
and cool for about 10 minutes on a rack. Cut into squares while
still warm. The easiest way to do this is to use a baker’s bench
knife to cut the bars into long strips while still in the pan, then
transfer each strip to a cutting board to cut into bars.
FIG SQUARES
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F, THEN 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 45 MINUTES FOR THE SQUARES

New England has traditionally been known for its waste not, want not
austerity, and some of its traditional baked goods reflect this. A case in
point is fig squares. They feature a substantial bottom and top crust made
of flaky pie pastry, with a thin (less than ½″) layer of fruit filling. There’s
just barely enough filling to sweeten the crust, enough to create a rather
severe, crust-centered pastry (ah, but there are those who love it). Found in
just about every old-fashioned New England bakery, where they often
share equal space with raspberry squares and lemon squares, fig squares
are for the piecrust lovers of the world.
You can make your own filling or use fig filling from a jar; they’re
equally good. You’ll need 2 to 3 cups of filling. Try lemon pie filling or
raspberry pie filling if figs aren’t to your taste.

CRUST
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup (57g) ice water

FILLING
1 pound (454g) dried figs, chopped
1 cup (227g) water
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
¼ cup (57g) lemon juice, fresh-squeezed preferred
pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour and salt. Using your fingers, a pastry blender,
or a mixer, cut in the butter. Drizzle the beaten eggs over the
mixture in the bowl and toss lightly to combine. Add the ice
water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently until the dough
starts to clump together. Grab a fistful; if it sticks together
easily, you’ve added enough water. Divide the pastry in half,
shape each half into a flattened oval, wrap well, and refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roll out one piece of the dough on a lightly floured surface into
a 9″ × 13″ rectangle. You’re going to be putting this pastry in a
9″ × 13″ pan, so you need to make it pretty close to the right
size; make it a bit larger and trim the edges, or make it almost
the right size, with the edges a bit thicker so you can stretch
them once it’s in the pan.

Transfer the rolled-out dough to a 9″ × 13″ pan. If you have a

giant spatula, use it. Otherwise either roll the dough around
your rolling pin, then unroll it into the pan, or fold it in
quarters, put it in the pan, and unfold it. Stretch the dough (or
trim it) until it comes about ¼″ up the sides of the pan all the
way around. Using a dough docker or a fork, prick the crust all
over.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes, checking it about halfway

through. If it’s puffed up, prick it with the tip of a sharp knife.
Remove the crust from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes
before adding the filling. While the crust is baking, prepare the
filling. After the crust comes out of the oven, lower the
temperature to 350°F.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: Combine all the filling ingredients in a
saucepan set over medium heat, bring to a boil, and lower the
heat so the mixture simmers. Cook until the figs are soft,
stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool.
(Or open the lid on 2 to 3 cups of prepared fig pastry filling.)

Spread the filling over the crust, leaving about a ½″ margin all
around the edges. Two cups of filling will give you squares with
the merest layer of filling; 3 cups will give you squares that in
New England would be considered overstuffed, the filling
oozing out the sides when you cut them. Roll out the second
piece of dough the same way you rolled out the first one, prick
it all over, and transfer it to the pan, carefully centering it atop
the filling. Press the edges of the crust together.

Bake the squares for about 45 minutes, until the top crust and
edges are beginning to brown. These won’t get golden brown;
they’re not supposed to. Remove from the oven and cool
completely before cutting. Use a baker’s bench knife, a rolling
pizza cutter, or a sharp knife to cut into squares.
DUTCH APPLE PIE BARS
YIELD: 24 BARS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F, THEN 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES FOR THE CRUST, 45 TO 50 MINUTES FOR THE BARS

Looking for a picnic-portable apple pie? We’ve got you covered. This
traditional apple pie, in user-friendly bar form, is everything apple pie
should be: tangy-sweet apples touched with cinnamon, nestled in a buttery
pastry crust. The streusel topping is what gives these bars their Dutch
moniker.

CRUST
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons (28g) ice water

FILLING
2 tablespoons (15g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ to ¾ cup (99g to 149g) sugar (depending on tartness of the apples)
pinch of nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
5 to 6 cups peeled, cored, and diced apples (Granny Smith is a good
choice, about 6 apples)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup (114g) heavy cream

TOPPING
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″, 11″

square, or similar-sized pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour and salt. Using your fingers, a pastry blender,
or a mixer, cut in the butter. Drizzle the beaten egg over the
mixture in the bowl and toss lightly to combine. Add the ice
water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently until the dough
starts to clump together. Grab a fistful; if it sticks together
easily, you’ve added enough water.

Roll the dough into a generous rectangle or square to fit your

pan. Place the dough in the pan, prick it all over with a fork,
and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until it’s set and barely starting
to harden.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour,

sugar, spices, and salt. Add the apples, tossing to coat. Stir in
the vanilla, then the cream. Spread the filling over the crust.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl,
combine the melted butter and extracts and pour over the flour
mixture. Stir until the butter is absorbed and the mixture forms
fairly even crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the filling.

Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to

350°F and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the
topping is brown and the filling is bubbly. Remove the bars
 from the oven and cool on a rack. Allow them to cool to
lukewarm before cutting.

WATCH THOSE CUTTING IMPLEMENTS!

Many (most) baking pans these days come coated with a nonstick surface. Since
bars are generally cut right in the pan, it’s a challenge to keep that surface from getting
nicked and scratched. The solution? Cut bars with plastic, acrylic, or other nonstick
utensils. Unless they’re extremely hard (such as completely cooled granola bars), you
won’t have any problem using a nonmetal cutter.
ALMOND FLOUR BROWNIES
YIELD: 12 TO 16 BROWNIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 33 TO 38
MINUTES

Sweet, decadent, and ultra-fudgy, these almond flour brownies are

incredibly delicious and are a top contender for the title of Best Brownies
Ever. Made with only a few simple ingredients, it’s hard to believe that
these brownies are naturally grain-free; the secret lies in the almond flour,
which adds moisture and richness.

5 tablespoons (71g) butter, melted

1¾ cups (347g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (63g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
3 large eggs
1½ cups (144g) almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8″ square pan or 9″ round

pan; either should be at least 2″ deep.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar,

salt, vanilla, cocoa, and eggs.

Stir in the almond flour and baking powder.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it to the

edges.
 Bake the brownies for 33 to 38 minutes, until the top is set and
a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
or nearly so, with perhaps a few wet crumbs or a tiny touch of
chocolate at the tip of the tester.

Remove the brownies from the oven and cool them for about 15
minutes before cutting. Once the brownies are cool, cover them
tightly with plastic. Store at room temperature for several days;
freeze for longer storage.

* Use 1 heaping cup of apricot preserves in place of the apricot filling, if desired.
† For faster preparation, you can use your favorite jam or preserves as filling
 — CHAPTER THREE —

Drop Cookies

FAST. EASY. FUN. All of these terms can be applied to drop cookies, the most
common type of cookie in any baker’s recipe box. Beginning with a simple
dough of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, the basic drop cookie happily
accommodates all manner of flavors and add-ins—Triple Chocolate
Chunk Macadamia Cherry Hazelnut, anyone?—before being simply
dropped, in round balls, onto a baking sheet and baked. No fancy shaping,
no rolling and cutting. In fact, the only departure you might make from
this basic formula is to roll the dough into balls, rather than simply drop it
onto the sheet, and perhaps coat those balls with sugar or nuts.
Because drop cookies are so simple to make, they’re a great way to
introduce kids (or any new baker) to cookie baking. And serendipitously,
many of the venerable icons of the cookie-baking world—chocolate chip,
peanut butter, oatmeal, sugar, and molasses—are drop cookies (see the
Essentials chapter, pages 2–71). America’s most popular home-baked
cookies are also the easiest to make—now how often does that happen in
life?
So, leave that rolling pin in the cupboard, and put the pizzelle iron
away for another day. All that drop cookies demand are a bowl, a spoon (or
mixer), a baking sheet, and a flick of the wrist. Let’s grab those cookie
scoops and go!

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR BAKING SHEET REAL

ESTATE
Most cookies spread as they bake; that’s a fact of life. It’s important to leave room
between cookies on the baking sheet, so they can spread without running into their
neighbors. But how much room should you leave? And what’s the best way to place
your cookies on the sheet, to optimize space?
Drop cookies portioned out with a tablespoon cookie scoop (approximately 2
tablespoons of dough) will usually become cookies with a 2″ to 2¾″ diameter. Leave 2″
to 3″ between unbaked cookies of this size. Cookies made with a teaspoon cookie
scoop (about 2 level teaspoons of dough) will make cookies 1½″ to 1¾″ in size. Leave
1½″ to 2″ between unbaked cookies of this size. Some cookies spread more, while
some barely spread at all, but use these measurements as a guide.
If you’re very concerned with making perfectly round cookies (ones that don’t run
into each other as they bake), measure the diameter of two balls of unbaked dough,
place them on the baking sheet, bake, then measure them again; you can then figure
out how much clearance space that recipe needs. (You can do this with just one ball of
dough, but two makes the exercise more visual, and less mathematical.)
When placing unbaked cookies on a sheet, you can optimize space by staggering
rows, rather than lining all the cookies up side by side.

1. To optimize space, don’t line cookies up in even rows on the baking sheet … 2. but
stagger the rows like the stars on the American flag.
TENDER TOFFEE-CHOCOLATE
ROUNDS
YIELD: 30 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

These cookies are soft, rich, and moist, almost a brownie in cookie form.
The toffee bits and chocolate chips play off one another nicely.

8 ounces (227g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (160g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (156g) toffee bits
1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In the microwave, or in a saucepan set over very low heat, melt

the chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Set the
mixture aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, eggs,

vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the melted chocolate,
then stir in the flour, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until the tops
are cracked and dry but the cookies are still soft to the touch.
Don’t overbake these; they’ll become firm as they cool.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the
baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to
cool completely.
HOBNAILS
YIELD: 27 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

This old New England raisin-spice cookie recipe is a chocolate chip cookie
look-alike—with raisins taking the place of the chips. We found them too
sweet in the first testing go-around, so we lightened the sugar a bit to
come up with a dark brown, chewy cookie that’s just right. Walnuts
complement the raisins and spice perfectly. For a chewier, albeit sweeter
cookie, increase the amount of brown sugar to 1 cup (213g).

1 cup (170g) raisins, packed

3 tablespoons (43g) rum, brandy, or water
¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 large egg
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (85g) walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

The day before baking, toss the raisins and rum together in a
small bowl. Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest at room
temperature overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the brown sugar and
butter. Beat in the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spices, then the
egg. Stir in the flour, then the raisins (and any liquid that they
haven’t absorbed), and the nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they’re a light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
BUTTER-PECAN FANTASIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

WOW! If you’re a butter-pecan lover, you’ll immediately move these

cookies to the top of your list.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

1¼ cups (266g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon strong butter-rum or butterscotch flavor (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (156g) toffee bits
1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips or the chip of your choice: chocolate,
cinnamon, or white chocolate
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar,

vanilla, flavor, salt, and baking soda. Add the egg and beat until
fluffy. Add the flour and stir until well blended. Stir in the
toffee bits, chips, and pecans.

Drop the dough by generous tablespoonfuls onto the prepared

baking sheets, leaving about 2″ between them. Bake the cookies
for 10 to 12 minutes; 10 minutes will give you chewier cookies,
12 minutes, crisper. For chewy, “bendable” cookies, remove
them from the oven while they still look undercooked in the
center; for crisp, crunchy cookies, bake until they’re an even
golden brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5
minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a rack
to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE CRINKLES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

This classic cookie is beautiful. With its Appaloosa coating of

confectioners’ sugar, the cracks that form in the surface as it bakes make it
a miniature work of art. Nevertheless, the true reward comes in the eating.
Just barely crisp at the edges, soft and almost brownie-like in the center,
these cookies are sure to make a lasting impression.
Chocolate crinkles, a seeming standard in the cookie baker’s
repertoire, actually don’t appear to have a long history. Though it feels as
if they’ve been around forever, the earliest mention we find of them in any
cookbook is 1965. This cookie is quick and easy to put together, and
forgiving in the oven. If you want a slightly crisper version, bake for a few
extra minutes. For a fudgier center, go with the shorter baking time.

1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (63g) cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar, for coating cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking

powder, and salt. Set aside.
Combine the melted butter with the cocoa in a medium-sized
bowl and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cool to lukewarm.
Add the eggs and vanilla, stir to combine, then add this mixture
to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly, until the flour is evenly
moistened. The dough will seem too dry at first, but keep
mixing and it will become the consistency of stiff brownie
batter.

Scoop the dough into balls with a tablespoon cookie scoop (see
page xxxvi) or by the heaping tablespoon, and roll each ball of
dough in confectioners’ sugar to coat. Place the cookies on the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes. They’ll spread out and

form cracks, and the insides may look a little wet, but that’s
okay. For a crisper cookie, leave in the oven a few minutes
longer. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on
the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool
completely.

VARIATION
Add ½ cup (57g) chopped pecans to the dough.
TWO-BIT WONDERS
YIELD: 15 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13 TO 14
MINUTES

Two ingredients? Surely you jest. Actually, when one of the ingredients is
sweetened condensed milk—which combines the necessary protein to set
the cookie’s structure, as well as sugar—the concept isn’t far-fetched. The
following are excellent, simple-to-make clones of coconut macaroons;
variations at the end of the recipe will point you in different directions.

½ cup (5 ounces, 156g, 1 small can) sweetened condensed milk

2 cups (105g to 170g) shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) one large or two small baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the condensed milk and

coconut. Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared
baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are
set and the coconut is golden brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and transfer them to a rack
to cool.

VARIATIONS
To ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, add 2 cups (total) of the
following combinations:

• Chocolate chips and salted peanuts

• Graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips (Note: Don’t
use more than 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, as the dough
 will become too stiff.)
• The flavored chips and / or nuts of your choice
• Minced crystallized ginger, finely diced dried pineapple,
and shredded coconut
• You can also add a few drops of an extra-strong flavor to
complement the add-ins you’ve selected.
• Drizzle Chocolate Glaze (page 431) over the finished
cookies.
MONSTER COOKIES
YIELD: 26 LARGE (4½″) COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

Our original recipe for these cookies reinforced their name: it made a
monstrous amount of dough because it included 12 eggs, 2 pounds of
brown sugar … you get the idea. We downsized the recipe to make a more
reasonable number of cookies, but considering the big crunchy cookies
you make from this butterscotchy, peanut-buttery, chip-and candy-filled
dough, we’d say they still earn their name: they’re monstrously delicious!

3 large eggs
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups (405g) chunky peanut butter
4½ cups (401g) rolled oats
½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (128g) chocolate chips
¾ cup (128g) butterscotch chips
¾ cup (156g) mini M&M’s*

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, vanilla, corn
syrup, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, then the
peanut butter, oats, and flour, mixing until thoroughly
combined. Stir in the chips and candy. Let the dough rest for 30
minutes so the oats can absorb some of the butter.

Drop the dough by ¼-cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Use your fingers to flatten the cookies slightly, then bake them
for 12 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Remove
them from the oven and cool on a rack.
GOLDEN CRUNCH COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 17
MINUTES

These cookies have a delightful, crunchy texture, partly from the butter
(which promotes crunchiness), and partly from the “secret ingredient”—
cornflakes! You can use your imagination with the chips: Try cherry,
peanut butter, chocolate, or cinnamon chips, or mix and match.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract†
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups (67g) lightly crushed cornflakes
2 cups (340g) butterscotch chips or the flavored chips of your choice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and

salt. Beat in the egg, then stir in the flour, cornflakes, and
chips.

Roll the dough into balls the size of table tennis balls (1″ to
1¼″), and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten
them to about ½″ with a fork, making a crisscross pattern. Bake
the cookies for about 17 minutes, until they’re golden brown
around the edges. Remove them from the oven and transfer
immediately to a rack to cool.
CHANGING THE SIZE OF YOUR COOKIES
Most drop cookies call for dough to be proportioned by the tablespoonful onto prepared
baking sheets, which makes a cookie approximately 2½″ in diameter. But what if you
want smaller, tea-party-sized cookies, or big, palm-sized cookies for a bake sale? You
can easily adjust the size of your cookies by adjusting the size of the scooped dough.
A teaspoon scoop makes cookies that are about 1¾″ across, while a ¼-cup-capacity
muffin scoop will yield 4″ to 4½″ cookies. If you want something in between, just make
a guesstimate as to the amount of dough and test-bake one first, then adjust up or
down.
Smaller cookies will need to bake for less time than regular-sized cookies, while
larger cookies will need a longer bake. Just keep your eye on them the first time, take
them out when they’re lightly browned, and write down the time, so you don’t forget for
the next batch!
VERMONT MAPLE COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

Maple sugar (along with maple trees, maple syrup, and maple bowls) is
plentiful here in Vermont. And these cookies are delicious made with a
full cup of pure maple sugar, but to some of us—those with that old thrifty
Yankee streak—it seemed extravagant to use a cup of maple sugar. We
made an acceptable (though not as tasty) version cutting the maple sugar
to ¼ cup, and adding ¾ cup brown sugar. We also tried a batch substituting
brown sugar for the maple sugar, and relying completely on maple flavor
for taste. That batch tasted sweeter and, of course, less “maple-y.” We
preferred the version with a full cup of maple sugar. We even tried a batch
frosted with a maple glaze—certainly, on cookies made with a cup of
maple sugar, an over-the-top touch.
These cookies will be tender and slightly soft if stored in an airtight
container; for a crunchy cookie, leave them uncovered overnight before
storing.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (156g) maple sugar (see page 452)
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ to 1 teaspoon strong maple flavor, or 2 teaspoons maple extract, to
taste
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour
COATING
2 tablespoons (20g) maple sugar (see page 452)
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

GLAZE
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) maple syrup
1 tablespoon (14g) heavy cream
a few drops strong maple flavor or ¼ teaspoon maple extract

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the

butter, sugars, cream of tartar, salt, eggs, baking soda, and
maple flavor until fluffy. Add the flour, and beat until blended.
Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, to stiffen it and
make it easier to shape.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COATING: Combine the sugars in a shallow bowl or

pie pan, or in a large plastic bag.

Drop the dough by the rounded tablespoonful into the coating,

gently shake the pan (or bag) to coat the balls, then roll them in
your hands until they’re smooth and round. Place the balls on
the prepared baking sheets, about 1½″ apart.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re a very light

golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and after 5 minutes
transfer them to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the

confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cream, and flavor to make a
spreadable frosting. Spread a thin layer over the cookies. Let
the glaze dry for several hours before packaging the cookies for
storage.
SPARKLING SUGAR KISSES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 250°F | BAKING TIME: 1 HOUR

Making custard? Don’t throw away those leftover egg whites. Make sugar
kisses—you’d never know these sweet, feather-light meringues are totally
nonfat. Making egg whites into meringue is something we’ve always loved
to do. How can a gluey blob of egg white suddenly turn into a lighter-than-
air, pure white puff, a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth sweet? Well, it’s the
oxygen; beaten into egg whites, with a bit of acid added (cream of tartar,
usually) to stabilize everything, oxygen creates both the color of the
meringue and its airy texture. Add sugar and you’ve got meringue.

2 large egg whites (70g)

⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup (99g) sugar, superfine preferred
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or the extract of your choice
coarse sugar

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line 2 baking sheets with

parchment.

In a large, very clean, nonplastic bowl, beat the egg whites until
they’re foamy, then add the salt and cream of tartar. Add the
sugar gradually, continuing to beat until the meringue is thick
and glossy, and forms stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla at the end.

Drop meringue by the tablespoonful‡ onto the prepared baking

sheet. Sprinkle each with coarse (or colored) sugar. Bake for 1
hour, then turn off the oven and let the kisses cool in the
unopened oven (don’t peek!) for 1½ to 2 hours, or until they’re
 dry and crisp all the way through. Remove them from the oven
and store in an airtight container.

VARIATIONS
CHOCOLATE CHIP: Stir in ½ to ¾ cup (85g to 128g) mini
chocolate chips after the vanilla.
MAPLE: Prepare the meringue for Sparkling Sugar Kisses,
substituting ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (88g) maple sugar for the
granulated sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon maple extract (or ⅛ to ¼
teaspoon strong maple flavor to taste) for the vanilla extract.
Sprinkle meringues with maple sugar in place of the coarse
sugar.

MERINGUE: OH, SWEET MYSTERY OF WHITES

We’ve all enjoyed sweet, light meringues that melt on the tongue. But have we all
made them? Perhaps not. There’s a right way and a wrong way. Here’s the right way:
Start with a clean, nonplastic mixing bowl with no traces of fat in it. Any fat will coat the
ends of the egg white’s protein, which will greatly diminish the ability of the whites to
hold air. Have the egg whites at room temperature; this gives them lower surface
tension and makes it easier to incorporate air. Many recipes for beating egg whites call
for salt and/or cream of tartar; these help the whites hold on to water and air.
To beat, you can use either a whisk and some elbow grease, or your electric mixer.
The advantage to making meringue by hand (at least once) is that you become familiar
with the stages that the whites go through. At first you have a puddle of clear liquid with
some large bubbles in it. Then, as you continue beating, the liquid becomes white with
many more smaller bubbles. Then the whisk begins to leave tracks in the bowl. To test
the character of your whites, pull your whisk or beaters straight up out of the foam. If a
point forms and then falls over immediately, you’re looking at a soft peak. From here,
15 to 20 more strokes will bring you to a medium peak, and another 15 to 20 to stiff
peaks.
It’s very easy to overbeat meringue. When you start to see what look like grainy
white clumps, you’re beyond stiff peaks, and every stroke of the whisk or beater is
tearing apart the network of air, water, and protein you’ve worked so hard to create.
You’ll also see a pool of clear liquid under the foam. The good news is that the foam
you have on top of the liquid will still work. The bad news is that you can’t really fix
what has happened, other than to start over with new egg whites.
What’s meringue without sugar? Sugar has two properties that affect egg whites. It
will coat the ends of the proteins in the whites; and if it’s added too soon, it will take
much longer to make a meringue stiff enough to be piped or shaped. If you’re beating
egg whites by hand, don’t add the sugar until you’ve reached the medium-peak stage.
If you’re using a mixer, start sprinkling sugar into the meringue after it gets to soft
peaks. In a mixer, the sugar will help give you a little extra leeway with beating time;
you can go longer without overbeating the whites. We advise using superfine sugar
because it will dissolve faster, making the meringue less grainy.
CLASSIC COCONUT MACAROONS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 22
MINUTES

Coconut macaroons aren’t a cookie you find very readily on the grocery
store shelf; maybe that’s what makes them special, because usually they’re
baked at home. They’re easy to make: a coconut macaroon is simply
sweetened shredded coconut that’s bound with meringue and baked until
set. These cookies are wonderful in their simple glory, but you can always
dress things up by drizzling them with some melted chocolate.

2 large egg whites (70g), at room temperature

⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (149g) sugar, superfine preferred
3 cups (255g) shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) one large or two smaller baking sheets.

Put the egg whites in a large, clean, dry, nonplastic mixing

bowl. Add the salt and cream of tartar and beat the whites until
they form soft peaks. Add the vanilla, then gradually sprinkle
in the sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites until they
form stiff peaks. Fold in the coconut.

Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 1½″ mounds;
a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Bake them for 18 to
22 minutes, until the coconut is a toasty golden brown and the
crust is set; they’ll still be moist inside. Remove them from the
oven and let cool on the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before
transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Store in an
airtight container.
TOFFEE CRUNCHERS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

These cookies carry a big hit of toffee flavor, both from the butter and
brown sugar and from the toffee bits. They’re wonderful served alongside
(or sandwiched around) butter-pecan or butter-almond ice cream. Their
wonderful crisp-crunchy texture comes in part from two unusual sources:
potato chips and crisp rice cereal.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1½ cups (320g) light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups lightly (163g) lightly crushed plain salted potato chips
2 cups (56g) Rice Krispies
1⅓ cups (208g) toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt,

vanilla, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in the flour, then
gently stir in the potato chips, rice cereal, and toffee bits.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, leaving 2½″ between them; they’ll spread quite a bit as
they bake. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes (the lesser
amount of time for a chewy, rather than crisp cookie). Remove
them from the oven, cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then
transfer to a rack to cool completely.

VARIATIONS
BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN: Substitute ⅔ cup (113g) butterscotch
chips and ⅔ cup (76g) chopped pecans for the toffee bits.
CORNFLAKE: Substitute 2 cups (90g) gently crushed cornflakes
for the rice cereal.
MOCHA WALNUTS
YIELD: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13
MINUTES

The soft center and wafer-thin, crisp outer crust of these cookies is
reminiscent of a fudgy brownie. The addition of espresso powder and
walnuts complements their rich chocolate flavor.

2 cups (340g) chocolate chips

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons espresso powder, or 2 tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved
in 2 teaspoons boiling water
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Melt ½ cup of the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in

the microwave, or over very low heat on a burner. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter,

sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat in the egg, then the melted
chocolate and espresso powder. Stir in the flour, walnuts, and
the remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes, until they appear
barely set when you poke one gently with your finger. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
BRANDIED CHERRY–NUT COOKIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

Nuts and dried fruit—in this case, pecans and cherries—are flavors that
sing happily together just like maple and walnut, or apple and cinnamon.
These cakey-chewy, colorful cookies would look great in a holiday gift
basket, but don’t save the recipe for the holidays—they’re equally
comfortable at a June picnic. If you have difficulty finding dried cherries,
dried cranberries are an apt substitute.

2 cups (284g) dried sweet or sour cherries

2 tablespoons (28g) brandy
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (228g) chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

The day before baking, combine the cherries and brandy in a

small bowl, tossing to coat. Cover the bowl and let the mixture
rest at room temperature overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, almond

extract, salt, and baking soda. Beat in the eggs, scraping the
sides of the bowl and beating until smooth. Stir in the flour,
cherries (and any brandy that hasn’t been absorbed), and nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Gently flatten the balls just a bit with the bottom of a
glass dipped in granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for 15
minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the
oven and immediately transfer them to a rack to cool.
DAISIES
YIELD: 23 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 13 TO 15
MINUTES

Golden, buttery cookies with a bright dab of jam in the center, Daisies are
a wonderful beginner cookie for kids. They include just a few simple
ingredients, easily measured, spend 10 minutes or less in the oven, and
then the kids can shape them (just a bit) and fill them. Because the shaping
is done when the cookies are hot, don’t involve your littlest ones in this
project, but any kids coordinated enough to keep their hands safely away
from the hot baking sheet will enjoy this project.

⅓ cup (38g) confectioners’ sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (85g) jam or preserves

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with

parchment, to aid in cleanup; there’s no need to grease the pans.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and

salt. Beat in the flour. Roll the dough into 1″ balls and place
them on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the cookies very
slightly with a glass dipped in confectioners’ sugar.

Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, until they’re golden

brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
immediately use a soft drink bottle cap, or other similar-sized
cap, to make a round indentation in the center of each. Allow
the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
 Scoop about ½ teaspoon jam into the center of each cooled
cookie.

Gently make a round indentation in the center of each cookie.

PIGNOLI COOKIES
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 22 TO 24
MINUTES

This classic Italian cookie is the essence of simplicity; chewy and rich, it
packs a big almond punch along with the pine nuts.

1 cup (290g) marzipan

¼ cup (50g) sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract, or 2 to 3 drops bitter almond oil
2 to 3 drops lemon oil
½ cup (48g) almond flour
1 large egg white (35g)
1½ cups (213g) pine nuts (pignoli)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break the marzipan in pieces into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in

the sugar, salt, flavorings, and almond flour; the mixture will
be crumbly. Add the egg white, beating until the mixture is
smooth.

Place the pine nuts in a shallow dish. Using a teaspoon cookie

scoop, or your lightly oiled or wet hands, drop 1″ balls of dough
into the pine nuts, rolling and pressing gently to coat them
thoroughly. You may also simply grab a handful of pine nuts
and roll the dough between your palms, pressing in pine nuts as
you go; the point is to cover the dough with nuts.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about
1″ between them.

Bake the cookies for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned. Cool them on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then
transfer to a rack to cool completely.
ALMOND CLOUDS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

This delicious, bendy-chewy cookie is redolent with almond, with a hint of

lemon. It’s a suave accompaniment to fresh fruit, or sandwich it with
prepared hazelnut-chocolate spread for a real treat.

5 large egg whites (175g)

1½ cups (297g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (72g) almond flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon (14g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat together the egg whites, sugar, and salt for
2 or 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites
are thick and opaque. Beat in the melted butter and then gently
fold in the all-purpose flour, almond flour, almond extract,
lemon juice, and zest.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, leaving 2″ between them. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12
minutes, until they’re a very pale gold. Remove them from the
oven.
 Using a spatula, lift the cookies off the baking sheet to a
cooling rack soon after they come out of the oven. They are
somewhat reluctant to part company with the sheet once they
have thoroughly cooled.

YOUR MAIN SQUEEZE

To get the most juice out of a lemon, first run it under hot water, or microwave it very
briefly (less than 30 seconds). Then roll it around on the counter with your hand, putting
on a fair amount of pressure. This helps to release all those tiny cells of juice inside. If
you’re going to grate it for zest, do that before you warm and soften it.
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 16
MINUTES

These cookies are a bit like tiny fruit tarts. They’re fun to make with
children (give them several choices of jam, so they can pick their
favorite), and elegant enough to serve for tea.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (48g) almond flour, hazelnut flour, or pecan meal
2½ to 3 cups (300g to 360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (57g) finely chopped nuts, or ½ cup (43g) shredded sweetened
coconut
¾ cup (255g) raspberry jam, pineapple preserves, or the jam or preserve of
your choice

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until very
light. Beat in the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Add the almond
flour and 2½ cups of the all-purpose flour, stirring until well
blended. If the dough seems too sticky, add just enough
additional flour to make it workable. Cover and chill the dough
for 1 hour.

While the dough chills, cover the egg whites and leave them
out of the refrigerator to warm to room temperature.
 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with
parchment, or use a nonstick baking sheet; greasing the pans
isn’t sufficient to prevent sticking.

In a small bowl, whip the egg whites until they’re foamy. Break
off pieces of the dough and roll them between your palms to
form 1″ balls. Dip the balls into the egg whites, then roll them
in the nuts or coconut.

Place the cookies about 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each cookie (hence
their name).

Bake the cookies for 12 to 16 minutes, until they’re golden

brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a rack
to cool. Fill the thumbprint with jam or preserves, using about
½ teaspoon for each.

Press your thumb deep into the center of each cookie.

SHERRY COOKIES
YIELD: 45 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

When late afternoon rolls around and you just can’t decide between a cup
of tea or a glass of sherry, have both: these sherry-scented and -glazed
cookies pair wonderfully well with tea. These cookies are definitely a
grown-up treat; serve them with a cheese course at the end of your next
chic dinner party. Our thanks to cookie baker extraordinaire Marlita Vieira
of Hanover, New Hampshire, for this recipe.

DOUGH
1½ cups (170g) dried sweetened cranberries or dried cherries
½ cup (114g) cream sherry
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (320g) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts

GLAZE
1¼ cups (142g) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons (43g) cream sherry
1 tablespoon (14g) water

The day before baking, combine the cranberries with the sherry
in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and let the fruit soak overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment or a silicone baking mat) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the butter,

brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the
eggs, then the flour. Stir in the cranberries (and any remaining
sherry) and the nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are
just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove them from
the oven and cool on a rack.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Stir together the confectioners’ sugar,

sherry, and water, adding additional water or sugar to make a
smooth, spreadable glaze. Using a pastry brush (or a butter
knife or icing spatula), spread the glaze over the cooled
cookies.
CRISPY CHIP COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

And the secret ingredient is (drum roll) … potato chips! Variations on this
theme—chocolate–potato chip cookies, peanut butter–potato chip cookies
—have been lurking in the dark recesses of cookiedom’s annals for years.
While they may sound strange at first, think about it: the crisp, salty chips
play against the cookie’s sweet, faintly caramel flavor much like salted
peanuts in a butterscotch sundae do.

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening

½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup (89g) rolled oats
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (78g) gently crushed (not pulverized) plain salted potato chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the shortening, sugars,

salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat in the egg, then stir in the
oats and flour, mixing until cohesive. Gently fold in the potato
chips. The dough will be stiff.
 Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until they’re beginning
to brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

The easiest, best way to gently crush potato chips (or cereal) for cookies is to place them in a
zip-top plastic bag, force the air out, then gently flatten them with your hands or a lightly
wielded rolling pin.
CARROT DROPS
YIELD: 30 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 17 MINUTES

You never heard of using vegetables as a cookie ingredient? Well, think

Lemon-Zucchini Drops (page 248) and these soft, cakelike cookies,
flecked with golden bits of carrot. The ginger gives these lemon-scented
cookies a pleasant bite; stick to the smaller amount if you’re not a fan of
ginger’s heat.

¾ cup (149g) sugar

¾ cup (138g) vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
a few drops lemon oil, or ½ teaspoon lemon extract
1 large egg
1¼ cups (124g) grated raw carrots
¼ to ½ cup (46g to 92g) finely minced crystallized ginger (optional)
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, shortening, baking

powder, vanilla, salt, and lemon oil. Beat in the egg, then beat
in the carrots, ginger, and flour until the dough is smooth and
cohesive.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 17 minutes, or until they appear set
and are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove
them from the oven, let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then
transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
BROWN SUGAR CRINKLES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

The white confectioners’ sugar topping and dark crust of these cookies
lend a patchwork-quilt look to their rich, brown-sugary taste. Leave that
simple flavor alone, or point it up with butterscotch or butter-rum flavor,
and/or an infusion of salted pecans.

DOUGH
1½ cups (320g) dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or a few drops strong butterscotch flavor or
strong butter-rum flavor
2 large eggs
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (114g) salted pecans, toasted (see page xxx)§
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar, for coating

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and

vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat in the baking soda and salt, then stir in the flour
and pecans, until the mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl and
refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or until it’s firm enough to
handle.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Break off tablespoon-size chunks of dough and roll them into
balls. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow dish, such as a
pie plate, and roll the balls of dough in the sugar to coat. Place
them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they’ve spread and

cracked on the top. Remove them from the oven, let cool on the
baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
NORA’S DATE-STUFFED COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN LARGE COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
12 TO 15 MINUTES

Tender brown-sugar cookies with a soft, sweet date filling—what’s not to

love? These mimic the old-fashioned date-stuffed cookies you find in a
plastic-wrapped package on your supermarket shelf. The recipe dates back
90 years or more, to Nora Greenwald of Daleyville, Wisconsin.

DOUGH
2 cups (426g) brown sugar
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup (89g) rolled oats
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
1½ cups (224g) chopped dates
¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
½ cup (114g) water
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the sugar,

shortening, butter, baking soda, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
 Beat in the eggs, then stir in the oats and flour. Cover the bowl
and chill the dough for 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan over medium heat,

cook the dates, sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice for about 7
minutes, stirring frequently, until thick.

1. Place a dollop of filling into the center of each flattened cookie. A partially filled teaspoon
cookie scoop works well here. 2. Place the remaining flattened cookies on top, pressing the
edges together with the tines of a fork.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Roll the dough into chestnut-sized (1″) balls, placing them on

the prepared baking sheets. Flatten half the balls of dough.
Dollop a heaping teaspoon of filling atop each flattened cookie.
Flatten the remaining balls of dough, then center them atop the
date-topped cookies. Press the edges together with the tines of a
fork (see illustration, page 243).

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light

golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer them
to a rack to cool.
ANISE CHEWS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 9 MINUTES

These bite-sized chewy cookies have a pleasantly mild flavor on their

own; but add aniseed, and you can make them as assertive (or gentle) as
you like. Bottom line: If you like black licorice, you’ll love these cookies.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (142g) light brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 to 4 tablespoons (14g to 28g) aniseed
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and sugar,

then beat in the egg, baking soda, salt, and aniseed. Mix in the
flour.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes, until they’re brown
around the edges. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
MAPLE-WALNUT CRISPS
YIELD: 40 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

Being from Vermont, we have a special affinity for maple—the gorgeous

explosion of color that is sugar maples in the fall, the sweet scent of
boiling sap turning to syrup in the spring, and maple-flavored baked goods
year-round. Maple and walnut have paired together happily for years, and
they do so once again in this cookie.

1 cup (198g) granulated sugar

½ cup (78g) maple sugar (see page 452) or ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon strong maple flavor, or 2 teaspoons maple extract, to taste
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
1 large egg
¼ cup (78g) maple syrup
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (226g) chopped walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugars, baking soda, salt,

maple flavor, and shortening. Beat in the egg and maple syrup,
then stir in the flour. Add the nuts, stirring to combine.

Roll the dough into table tennis–sized balls and place them on
the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball with the bottom of
a glass that has been dipped in sugar.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they’re golden brown.
Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

VARIATIONS

FOR A SOFT & CHEWY CRISP: Bake for 8 minutes.

FOR A SLIGHTLY SOFTER CRISP: For a cookie that’s crisp on the
outside and soft in the center, don’t flatten the balls of dough
on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes.
ALMOND PENNIES
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13 TO 15
MINUTES

These cookies feature a minor note of almond, and a major cantata of

chewiness. They begin as balls of dough, but flatten as they bake to
become big, 3½″ cookies—round and golden as a new copper penny.

1 cup (213g) light brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
⅔ cup (64g) almond flour, toasted or plain
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the brown sugar and

butter. Beat in the almond extract, salt, baking soda, and egg.
Mix in the almond flour and all-purpose flour.

Roll the dough into table tennis–sized balls (a tablespoon

cookie scoop works well here, to portion the dough) and place
them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ of space
between them. Use the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in
sugar, to press them to a thickness of ¼″.
Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
HARVEST MOONS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN LARGE COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20
TO 25 MINUTES

These big, soft, deep-golden-orange cookies are chewy-cakey, and taste

nicely of pumpkin. They remind us of a fat orange moon, the kind you
often see rising over our Vermont mountains in September. The chocolate
chips are an option for chocolate lovers, and for those who enjoy that old
favorite, pumpkin–chocolate chip quick bread; but frankly when these are
made without the chocolate chips, the pumpkin really shines through and
we like the purity of that flavor. Another choice is to spread the baked
cookies with Chocolate Glaze (see page 431).

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup (89g) rolled oats
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (227g) pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips (optional)

GLAZE
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or ¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus ⅛ teaspoon
each ground ginger and nutmeg
¼ cup (57g) cream or milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat; enough to make
a spreadable glaze)
½ cup (57g) chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the butter,

sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Beat in the
egg, then the oats. Add the flour alternately with the pumpkin.
Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by ¼-cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re set and a
very light golden brown around the edges Remove them from
the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the

sugar, spice, and enough milk or cream (about ¼ cup) to make
a spreadable glaze.

Spread or drizzle each cookie with the glaze. Top with a

sprinkle of pecans, if desired.
BENNE WAFERS
YIELD: 44 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 13 TO 15
MINUTES

These ethereally light sesame cookies, both sweet and nutty, have a unique
texture: solid and crisp on the bottom, crunchy-light on top. Benne wafers
are from the “Lowcountry” of South Carolina. Sesame was probably first
grown in Africa; enslaved West Africans in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries called sesame “benne.” These West Africans carried the seeds
with them to the American South, where they made these wafers.
Interestingly, some Middle Easterners also called sesame seeds “benne”—
there must have been trade routes that brought together buyers from the
Middle East with African sellers. Food, as usual, seems to have been a key
component in bringing cultures together.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter¶

¾ cup (160g) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (142g) toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt,

baking soda, vanilla, and egg. Add the flour and mix until
smooth. Beat in the sesame seeds.
Drop the dough by the teaspoonful (a teaspoon cookie scoop
works well here) onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave at least
2″ between them; they spread quite a bit as they bake.

Bake the wafers for 13 to 15 minutes, until they’re a deep

golden brown. For a chewy, rather than crisp cookie, bake for 9
to 11 minutes. Remove them from the oven, let cool for 1
minute on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a rack to cool
completely.
LEMON-ZUCCHINI DROPS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

These tender-crunchy rounds are flecked with fresh shredded zucchini,

which gives them both an interesting look and added moistness. Frosted
with a lemon glaze, they disappeared quickly from the test kitchen
“sampling” table. And, while they don’t make that much of a dent in any
overflow of zucchini you might have on hand, at least it’s a start.

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups (203g) unpeeled grated zucchini
3¼ to 3½ cups (390g to 420g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1½ cups (224g) raisins
1½ cups (170g) chopped walnuts

GLAZE
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 to 4 tablespoons (43g to 57g) light or heavy cream
 Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter, sugar, baking powder, baking soda,
cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the zucchini.

Beat the flour, lemon zest, raisins, and walnuts into the
creamed mixture. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the
prepared baking sheets. Note: Because the moisture content
varies considerably in zucchini, we suggest you bake one test
cookie, adding more flour to the batter if the cookie spreads
more than you’d like it to.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they spring back

when touched lightly in the center. Remove the cookies from
the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then
transfer to racks to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Place the sugar in a small mixing bowl,

and stir in the lemon juice, then add the cream, a little at a
time, to achieve the consistency you like. Use more liquid for a
thin, clear glaze, less for a thicker, whiter-looking glaze.
Spread the cookies with the glaze and let them set for an hour
or so before wrapping.

DON’T TOSS THOSE POTATO CHIP CANISTERS!

You know those foil-lined cardboard canisters that come packed with nesting, stacked
potato chips? When the chips are gone, rinse the canister briefly, dry thoroughly, and
store it (with its plastic lid) for the next time you want to ship cookies. A stack of
typical-size drop cookies (about 2½″ in diameter) will nestle very nicely in the canister.
A wadded-up paper towel at each end will help cushion the cookies as they travel; and
for best freshness, seal the top with plastic wrap before snapping on the plastic lid. If
it’s holiday time and you’re feeling imaginative, wrap a sheet of festive paper around
the sides of the canister.
WALNUT BUTTERBALLS
YIELD: 25 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 18
MINUTES

These melt-in-your-mouth balls of butter, honey, and walnuts have a rich,

nutty flavor; they pair well with small, fudgy brownie squares in a holiday
gift tin.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (42g) honey
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (114g) finely chopped walnuts
confectioners’ sugar

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and honey. Combine

the flour and salt and add it to the butter mixture. Beat in the
vanilla and stir in the walnuts. Chill the dough for 1 hour or
more.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and break off pieces
the size of a small chestnut (1″); a teaspoon cookie scoop works
well here. Roll the pieces into 1″ balls and transfer them to the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle heavily
with confectioners’ sugar while still hot; a flour sifter or a
small sieve both work well here. Transfer them to a rack to
cool.
PECAN PUFFS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN 2½″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 20
MINUTES

These cappuccino-colored cookies, light as a wisp of smoke, shatter

delightfully in your mouth at the first bite. The crisp outer shell contrasts
nicely with a slightly chewy center and, though quite sweet, they’re saved
from being overly so by the toasted nuttiness of the pecans.

3½ cups (399g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

3 large egg whites (105g)
2 cups (426g) light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or a few drops (to taste) pecan or pralines &
cream flavor

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Whirl the nuts in a food processor until they’re very finely

chopped. Be careful—don’t overdo it, because they’ll turn to
paste.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a soft peak.
Beat in the sugar, then the salt and flavor. Fold in the nuts.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until they’re a
very light brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
LAVENDER COOKIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Imagine a late afternoon in June, the lazy drone of bees in the garden, and
lavender-perfumed ladies enjoying tea and cookies on the veranda.
Perhaps though, rather than the scent of lavender water, it’s the cookies
you’re smelling? Lavender’s distinctive floral aroma pairs surprisingly
well with both chocolate and cookies, and is especially appealing in these
crisp, buttery rounds. You’ll find dried lavender flowers online or in the
spice section of some supermarkets, particularly those with a selection of
bulk spices.

1 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped dried lavender flowers#

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Crumble the lavender between your fingers into a medium-

sized mixing bowl. Add the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and
baking powder and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, then beat in the flour.
Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re lightly
browned at the edges. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for
a minute or two, then transfer them to a rack to cool.
CARDAMOM-ALMOND COOKIES
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN SMALL COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

These cookies are tender and flaky, with a subtle cardamom flavor.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, chilled

¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
¾ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
1⅞ cups (225g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (71g) finely chopped almonds
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar,

almond extract, cardamom, and salt until light and fluffy. Add
the flour and nuts and stir until the mixture forms a cohesive
dough. Chill the dough, covered, for 1 hour.

Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Roll the dough into 1″ balls (scooping off portions with a

teaspoon cookie scoop, then rolling them in your hands works
well), and transfer the balls to the prepared baking sheets. Let
the cookies rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, while you
preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, or until they’re golden

brown. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle with
cinnamon sugar, if desired. Transfer them to a rack to cool.
ALMOND CRISPS
YIELD: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 17
MINUTES

These almond-flavored brown-sugar cookies are so thin and crisp they

look as if they were rolled out and cut with a cutter. But they’re actually an
easy-to-make drop cookie. The roasted almonds on top lend a nice touch
of salt to this sweet treat.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¼ cup (53g) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14g) water
2 teaspoons almond extract
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (71g) roasted salted whole almonds

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, salt,

water, and almond extract. Add the flour, stirring to make a
stiff dough.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto ungreased baking

sheets (or parchment-lined for easy cleanup). Flatten to a ¼″
thickness with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar
(moisten the bottom first, minimally, so the sugar will cling to
it). Top each cookie with two almonds, pressing them in gently.
 Bake the cookies for 17 minutes or until they’re brown around
the edges. Remove them from the oven and let rest on the
baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

1. Wipe the flat bottom of a drinking glass with a wet paper towel, then dip it in sugar. You’ll
probably only need to moisten the bottom of the glass for the first cookie; sugar will cling to the
glass of its own accord after that. 2. Press the cookie to the thickness indicated in the recipe.
WEDDING COOKIES
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 20
MINUTES

Russian Wedding Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Teacakes … these

tender, crumbly cookies, full of ground almonds and covered with a
blizzard of confectioners’ sugar, go by many names. But one thing is
constant: their melt-in-your-mouth texture and distinctive, attractive
appearance: round and white as a cumulus cloud.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (72g) almond flour
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and

salt. Beat in the almond flour, then the all-purpose flour. Cover
the bowl and chill the dough for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break off chestnut-sized (1″) pieces of dough, using a teaspoon

cookie scoop if desired, and roll them into balls. Place them on
 the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1″ between them. Bake the
cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they appear set and are just
beginning to brown.

Sprinkle the topping sugar in a shallow bowl. Remove the

cookies from the oven and transfer them, a few at a time, to the
bowl. Roll them in the sugar to coat, then transfer to a rack to
cool.

When the cookies are cool, roll them in confectioners’ sugar

again; they should be thoroughly coated and snowy white.

Place the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Add 4 or 5 cookies, and gently roll them in the sugar
to coat.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PISTACHIO
COOKIES
YIELD: 53 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

In the wide world of baking there are very few green-colored goodies, thus
few truly festive-looking St. Patrick’s Day treats. These cookies qualify.
Soft and sweet, packed with pistachio flavor (which in reality bears little
resemblance to the taste of actual pistachio nuts), these cookies are a
delight. Note that some store brands of pistachio pudding mix will lend
minimal color to your cookies; for the richest green, spend the extra few
cents on one of the national brands.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) sugar
¼ cup (50g) vegetable oil
¼ cup (57g) water
1 large egg
two 3.4-ounce packages pistachio instant pudding mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ to ⅔ cup (57g to 80g) chopped pistachio nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, oil,

water, egg, pudding mix, vanilla, salt, and baking powder until
smooth. Add the flour and nuts, beating until everything is well
combined. The dough will be stiff.

Roll or scoop the dough into chestnut-sized (1″) balls; a

teaspoon cookie scoop yields the right size. Roll them in
granulated sugar, if desired, and place them on the prepared
baking sheets, leaving 1″ to 2″ between them. Press the cookies
down gently with the bottom of a drinking glass, dipped in
sugar if necessary to prevent sticking.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until they’re just barely

beginning to brown around the edges and are golden brown on
the bottom. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack
to cool completely.

VARIATIONS

This recipe is flexible; just pick your favorite pudding flavor,

then go for it. If you like, match the extract/flavor and add-ins
to the flavor of pudding. For instance, butter-rum flavor and
chopped pecans with butterscotch pudding; coconut or banana
flavor and white chocolate chips with coconut cream pudding;
espresso powder and cappuccino chips with chocolate pudding,
and so on. Use about ⅛ teaspoon of a strong flavor, or ½ to 1
teaspoon of more typical strength “supermarket” flavors or
extracts.
CHINESE RESTAURANT ALMOND
COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN 3″ TO 4″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME:
16 TO 18 MINUTES

Based on a traditional Lunar New Year treat, these cookies are reminiscent
of those crunchy, almond-scented rounds brought to the table at the end of
the meal in many old-fashioned, American-style Chinese restaurants. The
fat that you use in this cookie makes a big difference, in both the flavor
and the texture. Using vegetable shortening makes a crumbly-crisp cookie,
with a texture similar to the restaurant version. Using half butter and half
vegetable shortening makes a cookie that’s less “sandy” in texture, but still
very crisp. Using all butter changes the flavor and texture, resulting in a
very tasty cookie but one with little resemblance to the original
inspiration.

2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup (198g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) cold unsalted butter, lard, or vegetable
shortening (184g)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
whole blanched almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour,
sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut the cold butter into cubes, then
cut the cubes in to the dry ingredients until the mixture is
evenly crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla and
almond extract with the egg and yolk and stir together.

Sprinkle the egg mixture over the flour mixture, then stir
together until the dough is cohesive when squeezed. Roll the
dough into 1½″ balls, then place them on the prepared baking
sheets. Or use a tablespoon cookie scoop (overfill it, to yield a
3½″ to 3″ cookie) to deposit balls of dough onto the sheets.
Flatten the balls to about ½″ thickness. Press an almond in the
center of each cookie, if desired.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, until they feel set (a

fingerprint will remain if pressed in the center). If you bake the
cookies until they’re totally set (your fingerprint will spring
back), they’ll be crispy to the point of rock-hardness. Remove
the cookies from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
CHOCOLATE-FROSTED CHINESE
RESTAURANT ALMOND COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN 3″ TO 4″ COOKIES

Long ago and far away, in a village by the sea, there was a bakery selling a
tender, melt-in-your-mouth, golden cookie with edges rolled in chopped
nuts, and whose center sported a thick blob of rich, soft chocolate. Called
Chinese Cookies, they were the bakery’s signature cookie and one of its
best-selling treats. The bakery has since disappeared, but this variation on
the Chinese Restaurant Cookie lives on. Our thanks to the vanished
Camden Home Bakery in Camden, Maine, for the inspiration that
produced this recipe.

1 recipe Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies (see opposite page), baked

without the whole almond in the center

CHOCOLATE FROSTING AND TOPPING

1¼ cups (213g) chocolate chips
5½ tablespoons (78g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (39g) corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (142g) chopped almonds, toasted (see page xxx)

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In the top of a double boiler or in the

microwave, melt the chocolate chips and butter together slowly.
Add the corn syrup and vanilla, stirring until well blended.

TO FINISH THE COOKIES: Frost all around the edge of each

cookie, making a band of frosting about ½″ to ¾″ wide from the
outer edge toward the center. An easy way to do this is to place
the chocolate in a shallow dish, so it’s about ½″ to ¾″ deep.
Place the nuts in another shallow dish. Grasp a cookie in the
center (between thumb and forefinger, then roll it through the
chocolate, and roll it through the nuts, just as if you were
rolling a wheel along the ground. Put a 1″ dollop of chocolate
into the center of each cookie. Allow the chocolate to set before
storing the cookies in an airtight container.
MARMALADE MORSELS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 18
MINUTES

They say beauty is only skin deep—thank goodness, because these earthy-
looking cookies definitely aren’t the most attractive thing you’ll ever
bake. Inside their ugly-duckling exterior, however, lies a wealth of flavor,
neatly packed into a moist, soft (homely) cookie.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (340g) orange marmalade
⅛ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (optional)**
1½ cups (171g) finely chopped pecans
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt. Beat
in the marmalade and Fiori di Sicilia, then stir in the pecans
and flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, spacing the cookies 2″ apart. If there are any shreds of
orange peel sticking off the edge of the cookie, remove them,
or press them in; otherwise they’ll become unpleasantly hard as
the cookies bake.
Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, or until they’re set. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Dust with
confectioners’ sugar just before serving, if desired.
CINNAMON-RAISIN ROUNDS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 14
MINUTES

If you’re a raisin “apprecionado,” you’ll love these moist, cinnamony

cookies. The corn syrup makes them chewy, while the vegetable oil makes
them crisp. They are soft just out of the oven, then become crisp around
the edges and stay chewy in the center as they cool. For crisper cookies,
bake them a bit longer. These cookies are particularly good sandwiched
with vanilla ice cream.

4 cups (596g) raisins

2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
1 large egg
⅓ cup (66g) vegetable oil
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a food processor or blender, process 1 cup of the raisins with

1 cup of the flour. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and

brown sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg, oil, corn syrup,
vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Don’t worry if the
mixture appears curdled; it will all straighten out in the end.
Stir in the reserved raisin-flour mixture, then the remaining 1
cup flour and 3 cups raisins, mixing until well combined.

Scoop out 1″ balls of dough (approximately the size of table

tennis balls) and drop them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake
the cookies for 13 minutes, or until they’re a light golden
brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool.

VARIATIONS

FOR BIGGER COOKIES: To make big, palm-sized cookies, scoop

out 57-gram balls of dough (about the size of an overgrown
golf ball, 2″ in diameter) and space them about 2″ apart on the
prepared baking sheets. This will make 16 palm-sized cookies,
a good size for a bake sale.
RUM-RAISIN: Toss the raisins with ¼ cup rum or brandy, cover
the bowl, and let them rest overnight before using.
BLACK-AND-WHITE COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN 3½″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 11
MINUTES

Also known as Half-Moon Cookies, or just Black and Whites, these jumbo
cookies are soft and cakelike, and would be quite plain save for their faint
hint of lemon and the assertive vanilla and chocolate icings on top. Their
distinctive taste (and look) seems to be a great attraction to many kids …
and, truth be told, their parents as well. Informal research tells us these
cookies are New York City natives. In fact, we’ve seen a recipe titled New
York Black and White Deli Cookies; and the corner deli is where you’ll
most likely find them in the Big Apple, as the sweet counterpoint to a
pastrami on rye and a half-sour.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon lemon oil or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
4½ cups (540g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (227g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

WHITE ICING
½ cup (85g) white confectionery coating or white chocolate pieces
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
¼ cup (57g) hot water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE ICING
½ cup (85g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
¼ cup (57g) hot water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, cream together

the butter, lemon, salt, vanilla, and baking powder. Beat in the
sugar, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Stir in the flour alternately with the milk, beginning
and ending with the flour. Do this gently; there’s no need to
beat the batter.

Using a muffin scoop or a ¼-cup measure, drop the dough onto

the prepared cookie sheets. With wet fingers, icing spatula, or
the greased bottom of a drinking glass, flatten each mound of
dough to a circle about 3″ across. Leave 2″ to 2½″ between each
cookie.

Bake the cookies for about 11 minutes, or until they’re a very

light golden brown around the edges. Cool them on the sheet
for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE WHITE ICING: In a saucepan set over low heat, or in

the microwave, melt the white chocolate or confectionery
coating, stirring until smooth. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into
a large bowl and add the corn syrup, hot water, and vanilla,
stirring until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate. If you’re
using a mixer, set it on low speed so the icing doesn’t become
too aerated. If the mixture is too thick to pour, reheat it briefly
over low heat and stir in 2 to 4 teaspoons additional hot water.

Spread half of each cookie with the white icing. The easiest
way to do this is to pour some icing across the equator of the
cookie, then tilt it so it spreads nicely over one half. Place the
cookies on a rack and let them set while you make the
chocolate icing.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE ICING: Using the chocolate icing

ingredients, follow the directions above for the white icing.

Spread the other half of each cookie with the chocolate icing
(pouring and tilting as you did with the white icing), and place
them on a rack to allow the icing to set fully.

VARIATION

BALTIMORE’S FINEST: Baltimore has long been famous for its

vanilla cakelike cookies spread with a thick layer of rich
chocolate icing. Spread un-iced Black-and-White Cookies with
3 tablespoons per cookie of the Rich Chocolate Icing (below)
for your own Baltimore treat. Leave a ¼” showing around the
outside edge of each cookie.
Pour and spread vanilla icing on half of each cookie. Then pour and spread chocolate icing on
the unfrosted halves.

Rich Chocolate Icing

YIELD: 4½ CUPS, ENOUGH TO THICKLY ICE 2 DOZEN COOKIES

3½ cups (595g) chocolate chips

4 ounces (113g) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (341g) heavy cream

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, baking chocolate,

corn syrup, and butter. In a saucepan, heat the cream to boiling
and pour it over the chocolate mixture. Stir until the chocolate
is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool to room
temperature, then beat with an electric mixer until the icing
lightens in color and thickens slightly.
KOURABIEDES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

If your heritage is Greek, you’ll recognize Kourabiedes: they appear in

every household at Christmas. Round, soft, and snowy white, with a faint
but unmistakable floral aroma and taste, these cookies keep very well,
packed in tins. They make wonderful, interesting gift cookies.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons brandy
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (71g) chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched, toasted (see page
xxx)
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (14g) rose water or orange flower water
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, egg

yolk, brandy, almond extract, baking powder, and baking soda.
Beat the mixture at medium-high speed for 10 minutes or so,
until it’s very light colored. Stir in the nuts and flour. Cover the
bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Use your hands to flatten the balls very slightly. Bake
the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they’re set and starting to
brown.

Remove them from the oven and sprinkle them lightly with the
rose water; simply dip a fork in the water and flick it over the
cookies a few times. You don’t want to douse them, just give
them a very, very light shower, just enough for them to carry
the scent of flowers.

Place the warm cookies in a bag with some confectioners’

sugar, 5 or 6 at a time, and very gently toss them to coat with
sugar. Remove them from the bag and transfer them to a rack to
cool.
BUTTERSCOTCH SUNDAE COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 13
MINUTES

When you think of pecans and butterscotch, does a butterscotch sundae,

topped with golden salted nuts, come to mind? The same wonderful
combination of flavors translates to this mildly crunchy, deep gold cookie.

3 tablespoons (42g) plus 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

2 cups (228g) small pecan halves, or use coarsely chopped larger pecans
¾ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon salt
1⅓ cups (284g) dark brown sugar
a few drops butter-rum flavor, to taste
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over

low heat, and add the pecans. Stir for a couple of minutes, until
the nuts begin to brown and smell toasty.

Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of the the salt, stir to combine, and

remove the pan from the burner. Transfer the nuts to a small
bowl.
 In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the remaining
¾ cup butter, sugar, and butter-rum flavor, then beat in the
eggs. Beat in the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, baking powder,
and baking soda, then stir in the flour, reserved pecans, and
chips.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 13 minutes, until they’re a deep
golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a
rack to cool.

CRISP OR CHEWY?
The chewy-crisp dynamic, which can change depending on how you store cookies, is
always an interesting one. Some cookies are crisp when they come out of the oven.
Then, stored airtight while still a bit warm, they become chewy as they cool. Some
cookies are chewy right out of the oven, then become crisp as they cool. To keep
chewy cookies nice and moist, store them in an airtight container with a sugar softener
(see page xlii) or a slice of raw apple. To keep crisp cookies crisp, store them in an
airtight container; add a cracker crisper (see page xxxvi) in very humid weather.
MOCHA MUDSLIDES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These deep dark, soft and chewy chocolate cookies come with a significant
hit of coffee flavor, thanks to the espresso powder that pairs with the
cocoa to make mocha. They aren’t subtle; but then, who wants chocolate
and coffee to be subtle? Together they’re a marriage made in heaven. And
the molten chocolate and cappuccino chips don’t hurt, either! Cappuccino
chips are available online. You can substitute chocolate chips, if desired.

¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar

¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
3 to 5 teaspoons espresso powder
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (28g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips or cinnamon chips
1 cup (170g) cappuccino chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the sugars, espresso

powder, butter, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Add in the eggs
one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the
flour, cocoa, and chips.

Drop the dough by the rounded tablespoonful onto the prepared

baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until the
cookies have flattened out and their tops are cracked; they’ll
still be soft inside. You want these baked all the way through,
but just barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather
than chewy. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool completely.
FROSTED BUTTER-RUM DROPS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 9
MINUTES

If butter-rum candy is your cup of tea, you’ll enjoy these mildly spiked
butter cookies. We find them particularly apropos at the holidays, when
folks seem to embrace rum punch, eggnog, rum cake, and similar
“spirited” offerings.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons (28g) rum
2 teaspoons rum extract or a few drops strong rum flavor
¼ cup (24g) almond flour
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FROSTING
2½ tablespoons (35g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ teaspoons rum, or ½ teaspoon rum extract or a few drops strong rum
flavor
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (28g) cream or milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together
the butter, sugar, salt, almond extract, rum, and rum flavor.
Beat in the almond flour, then stir in the all-purpose flour.

Roll or scoop the dough into chestnut-sized (1″) balls and

flatten them to ¼″ thick with the bottom of a lightly greased
drinking glass dipped in granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for
9 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the
oven, and cool on a rack.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a small bowl, cream together the

butter and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, rum, salt, and
enough cream to make a spreadable frosting. Spread the cooled
cookies with the frosting.
MARATHON COOKIES
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

Our thanks to Kiera Salkowski, of Tucson, Arizona, for this recipe, which
packs all kinds of tasty ingredients into a chocolate chip cookie–type
framework. Kiera, a young mother and marathon runner, was looking for a
good-tasting cookie that offered a bit more than just sugar and fat to her
diet. She says, “Walnuts for omega-3’s, chocolate for the antioxidants, oats
for fiber, fruit for, well, fruit’s sake. These can be easily customized by
using different nuts, different dried fruits, even different kinds of chips.”

2½ cups (223g) rolled oats

2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (78g) protein powder††
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup (57g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips, or the flavored chips of your choice
1½ cups (170g) chopped walnuts, lightly toasted (see page xxx)
1 cup (114g) dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Toast the oats on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, until they
smell toasty. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, protein

powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the
eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Combine the milk
and vanilla and add to the butter mixture. It will look curdled,
which is okay.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two or three

additions, stirring to combine. Stir in the oats. Mix in the
chocolate chips, walnuts, and cranberries.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, leaving about 1″ between them. Bake the cookies for 10
to 12 minutes, until they start to brown around the edges. For
chewier cookies, bake for 10 minutes; for crunchy cookies,
bake for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven. Let
them cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack
to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE-WALNUT HOLIDAY
COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 13
MINUTES

These dense, sturdy cookies are good keepers; in fact, the original recipe
calls for them to be made for the holidays and left in a tin to “season” for a
week or so. Ground walnuts pair nicely with light chocolate here, taking
these out of the realm of the usual deep-dark-decadent chocolate cookie to
a subtler (yet pleasing) destination.

2 cups (226g) walnuts, ground

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
heaping ½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 ounces (85g) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a food processor process the nuts until they’re very finely

ground, but haven’t turned to paste. (Alternatively, grind in a
nut grinder or other grinder.) Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter,

sugar, baking powder, and salt until light. Add the eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Melt the chocolate (a
microwave works fine here), and stir it into the butter/sugar
mixture. Stir in the ground nuts and the flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes, until they appear
set. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
CHIP ’N’ NUT DROPS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 7
MINUTES

Peanut butter, oats, two kinds of chocolate—what’s not to like? You’ll

want to bake an extra batch of these wonderful cookies to have on hand in
the freezer when guests pop in or your teenagers decide late at night that
they have to have some cookies.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
1 cup (213g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups (223g) rolled oats
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (170g) peanut butter chips
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
4 ounces (113g) white chocolate, grated, or substitute ⅔ cup (113g) white
chocolate chips, crushed or coarsely ground
1½ cups (170g) chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in

the eggs and vanilla.
Using a blender or food processor, process the oats until they’re
finely ground. Transfer the oats to a medium-sized bowl and
stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the
dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, stirring until blended.
Stir in the chips, white chocolate, and walnuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful, 2″ apart, onto the

prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes, or until
they appear set and are just beginning to brown. Remove them
from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
RASPBERRY-FUDGE SANDWICH
COOKIES
YIELD: 48 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 11
TO 12 MINUTES

These soft chocolaty cookies, studded with pockets of melting chocolate

chips, can be used to sandwich all manner of fillings, from chocolate
ganache or melted white chocolate to peanut butter or jam. We’ve chosen
to use raspberry jam here, but let your imagination be your guide.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

2 cups (396g) sugar
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon (heaping) salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (63g) Dutch process cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups (340g) bittersweet chocolate chips‡‡
a heaping ½ cup (170g) raspberry jam,§§ for filling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well
combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat in the salt and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and baking

powder. Gradually blend this mixture into the butter mixture
until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, leaving about 1½″ between each cookie. Bake the
cookies for 11 to 12 minutes; they’ll feel soft on top. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

When the cookies are completely cool, top half of them with a
generous spoonful of raspberry jam, or the filling of your
choice. Top with the remaining cookies.
BROWN SUGAR OAT CRUNCHERS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Is it a spiced raisin cookie, a brown sugar cookie, an oatmeal cookie—or

all three? These familiar elements entwine in this very happy union. Crisp
around the edges and bendy at the center, an extra sprinkle of kosher or sea
salt atop the baked cookies makes their flavors sing.

DOUGH
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (89g) rolled oats
½ cup (75g) raisins

COATING
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, beat together the butter,
sugars, baking powder, salt, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon,
and nutmeg. Beat in the egg and milk, then stir in the flour,
oats, and raisins. Chill the dough until it’s firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COATING: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon

together and place it in a shallow bowl, or in a gallon-size or
other large plastic bag.

Shape the dough into 2-teaspoon (1″) balls; a teaspoon cookie

scoop works well here. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar
mixture. Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets.
Use the tines of a fork to flatten each cookie to about ⅓″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.
CHIP ’N’ CHUNK COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES

These crisp cookies are loaded with flavor: coconut, chocolate, cinnamon,
and pecans give them their rich taste. Leave out the coconut if the kids
object, but we think young and old alike will find these delicious. Toasted
coconut gives the cookies better flavor than plain coconut. See directions
on page xxx for toasting coconut.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (128g) cinnamon chips
1 cup (170g) chocolate chunks
1½ cups (170g) chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup (43g) shredded coconut, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. For easiest cleanup, line two baking
sheets with parchment; there’s no need to grease them.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, baking

soda, vanilla, and salt until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the
egg, then stir in the flour, chips, chocolate, nuts, and coconut.

Shape the dough into walnut-sized 1″ balls, and place them on

the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2″ between them. Or
drop the dough onto the baking sheets with a tablespoon cookie
scoop. Flatten the balls slightly, to about ½″ thick.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light

golden brown. Bake them a bit longer if you like extra-crisp
cookies; a bit shorter if you prefer chewier cookies. Remove
them from the oven and cool on a rack.
MIDNIGHTS
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 9
MINUTES

These cookies are for those of you for whom the chocolate, only the
chocolate, and nothing but the chocolate will do.

1⅔ cups (283g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

6 ounces (170g) unsweetened chocolate
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1⅔ cups (355g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons espresso powder
¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup (63g) natural cocoa powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1⅔ cups (283g) semisweet chocolate chips

In a saucepan set over very low heat, or in the microwave, melt

together the first two ingredients, stirring frequently until
smooth. Remove the chocolate from the heat before it’s entirely
melted, which will help prevent burning. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar,

then beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down and
beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, espresso
powder, and reserved melted chocolate, mixing until evenly
incorporated. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking
soda. Stir in the other 1⅔ cups chocolate chips. Cover the bowl
and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or until it’s firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until they appear set.
Remove them from the oven, let rest on the baking sheet for 5
minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

VARIATION
Substitute white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips for the
semisweet chocolate chips added at the end of the recipe.
ORANGE BLOSSOMS
YIELD: 27 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

Soft and cakey, pretty, sunny, happy flavor, golden, nice, bright and clear
… delicious! These are all words our taste-testers used to describe these
butter-colored cookies topped with their orange-flecked icing. Looking for
a change from chocolate? These mild but nicely orangey cookies are just
the ticket.

DOUGH
11 tablespoons (155g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ cup (114g) orange juice
2 tablespoons orange zest
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (optional; see page 256)
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

ICING
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 tablespoons (43g) orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream
together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the egg, then
the orange juice and zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and
Fiori di Sicilia. Stir in the flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re just
beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer
to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE ICING: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the

confectioners’ sugar, butter, and orange zest, then stir in the
orange juice, adding additional juice, if necessary, to make a
spreadable icing. Ice the cooled cookies and place them on the
rack until set.
SELF-FROSTING LICORICE DROPS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

Attention, black-licorice lovers: one bite into these flat, crisp disks,
formed in oh-so-easy drop cookie fashion, and you’ll recognize your
favorite flavor. During the dough’s long resting time (8 hours), some of the
egg whites and sugar in the mixture rise to the top surface of the cookies
to form a smooth “frosting” that’s an added bonus for the taste buds.
(Hence the “self-frosting” part!) If you don’t have an electric stand mixer,
you may want to think twice before making this recipe, due to its extra-
long beating time.

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (223g) sugar
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons aniseed

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the eggs at medium-

high speed until they’re light lemon-colored and thick. Add the
sugar very gradually, beating all the while. When all the sugar
has been added, continue to beat the mixture for 20 minutes.
(Yes, this really is necessary!)

While the egg mixture is beating, in a medium-sized bowl, sift

the flour together with the baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Reduce the speed of the mixer after 20 minutes and gradually

add the dry ingredients. Continue beating for 3 more minutes.
Add the aniseed and mix thoroughly.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets, shaping the dough into rounds with a spoon. Let the
cookies stand at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 8
hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re a creamy

just-golden color, not brown, on the bottom.
ETHEREAL COCONUT-ALMOND
CRISPS
YIELD: 10 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

“Crisp” doesn’t begin to describe the texture of these cookies. Light as air,
they look like thick, soft cookies; but one bite will disabuse you of that
notion. They shatter (pleasantly) into a million delicious crumbs in your
mouth. Since it’s the leavening that gives these cookies their nearly
indescribable texture, don’t make them if you can’t lay your hands on
baker’s ammonia; it’s available online.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (184g) vegetable shortening
2 cups (396g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon baker’s ammonia (see page 462)
1 tablespoon boiling water
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (60g) flaked coconut (unsweetened preferred)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and

shortening. Add the sugar, salt, and almond extract and mix on
high speed for 10 minutes. Don’t skimp on the mixing time; it’s
responsible for these cookies’ light texture, along with the
baker’s ammonia.
Dissolve the baker’s ammonia in the boiling water and beat this
into the butter mixture. Stir in the flour and coconut, mixing
well. Drop the cookies by the teaspoonful (a teaspoon cookie
scoop works well) onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes. They should be set but
not brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few
minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

VARIATION
COCONUT-LIME CRISPS: Substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons lime zest,
or ¼ to ½ teaspoon lime oil for the almond extract.
LEMON COOLERS
YIELD: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

Why coolers? Because these citrusy, slightly tart cookies are a “cool”
alternative to the usual heavy, chocolate, sweet confections that cover the
bake sale table. Tender but not exactly crisp, soft but not soggy, these
cookies melt in your mouth.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon lemon zest¶¶
¼ teaspoon lemon oil¶¶
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

COATING
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar, superfine preferred
2 tablespoons lemon zest, or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat

together the butter, cream cheese, salt, baking powder, lemon
zest, and lemon oil. When the mixture is creamy, add the
sugars, a bit at a time, beating until fluffy. Finally, mix in the
flour. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Scoop out about 2 level tablespoons of dough for each cookie (a

tablespoon cookie scoop works well here) and roll each piece
into a ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets and
use the bottom of a drinking glass, dipped in confectioners’
sugar, to flatten them to a thickness of about ¼″, and 1¾″ to 2″
in diameter.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned on the bottom and edges.

TO MAKE THE COATING: While the cookies are baking, make the
coating. Combine the sugars in a food processor or blender and
add the lemon zest. Process until well blended.

Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes,

then dip their tops into the coating. Place the cookies on a rack
and let them cool completely. After they have cooled
completely, shake more of the lemon sugar over them or, if
that’s gone, cover them with confectioners’ sugar; you want
them to be well covered.

VARIATION
RASPBERRY-LEMON COOLERS: Add 1 teaspoon raspberry flavor
to the cookie dough. If you like raspberry lemonade, you’ll love
these cookies.
BUTTERSCOTCH CHEWS
YIELD: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

While the name of these cookies does belie their texture somewhat—
they’re chewy in the center, but crisp around the edges—their flavor is
reminiscent of the rich, thick (“chewy”) butterscotch sauce you pour over
vanilla ice cream.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

1 cup (213g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup gently heaped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon strong butter-rum or butterscotch flavor
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1 cup (114g) finely chopped pecans
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter,

sugar, syrup, salt, vanilla, butter-rum flavor, baking soda, and
baking powder. Add the egg, then stir in the pecans and flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Flatten them to ¼″ thick. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10
minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
NUT BUTTER CHIPPERS
YIELD: 2½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

These tender, crumbly cookies are packed with nut flavor—particularly if

you take the time to make your own nut butter (see opposite page). Almost
a peanut butter cookie, kind of a chocolate chip cookie, these cookies
bring the best of both worlds to the table.

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (270g) peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, or hazelnut
butter##
1¼ cups (266g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt##
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
1 cup (113g) chopped nuts of your choice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, nut

butter, and sugar, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla,
 baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then stir in the flour,
chips, and nuts.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re
beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer
to a rack to cool.

Homemade Nut Butter

YIELD: 2 CUPS

If you have a food processor, making your own delicious, fresh nut butter
is fast and easy. This recipe will make 2 cups; use 1 cup in the preceding
cookie recipe and refrigerate the other cup to spread on your breakfast
toast.

2½ cups (283g to 354g) nuts—peanuts, blanched whole almonds,

cashews, or skinned hazelnuts, preferably unsalted
1 to 1½ teaspoons salt***
⅓ cup (71g) light brown sugar
6 to 8 tablespoons (74g to 99g) vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the nuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet

and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until they become a darker gold
and you can begin to smell them. Remove the nuts from the
oven and let them cool to lukewarm.

Turn on your food processor (equipped with the blade).

Gradually pour in the nuts alternately with the salt, brown
sugar, and oil. When the butter is creamy, turn off the machine
and adjust the salt to taste.
COCONUT JUMBLES
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 9
MINUTES

These crisp-at-the-edges, soft-in-the-middle cookies are a yummy

snickerdoodle / coconut macaroon hybrid that prompted immediate
requests for the recipe from many of our taste-testers. With their bright
red candied cherry centers, they’ll add a nice celebratory note to any
platter of holiday cookies. And if you’re not a fan of candied cherries—top
each cookie with a whole salted macadamia nut.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon strong coconut flavor (optional)
¾ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups (128g) sweetened flaked coconut
approximately 36 candied red cherries (283g), cut in half, or 72 macadamia
nuts

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs,

vanilla, and coconut flavor until light and fluffy.

Sift the salt, flour, and baking soda together into a small bowl
and gradually beat them into the egg mixture. Stir in the
coconut until everything is well combined.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets; use the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar to
press each ball down slightly. Bake the cookies for 9 minutes,
or until they’re light golden brown and just firm to the touch.

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, plunk half a

candied cherry (round side up, of course), or a macadamia nut,
into the center of each and press down gently. Cool the cookies
completely on a wire rack.
SPIKED COFFEE COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

Do you like to finish your meal with a shot of coffee liqueur in a cup of
cappuccino? This cookie translates that experience from beverage to
dessert, as it combines both coffee liqueur and espresso powder in a dark,
almost black, chocolate cookie. Soft and tender, spread with a glossy
coating of liqueur-spiked chocolate glaze, these cookies go beyond rich to
decadent.

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
¼ cup (57g) coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
½ cup (42g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour

GLAZE
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
6 tablespoons (85g) heavy cream
1 tablespoon (14g) coffee liqueur

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, cream together
the butter and brown sugar. Add the liqueur, egg, baking soda,
salt, and espresso powder, beating until smooth. Beat in the
cocoa and flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they appear set
and you can begin to smell the chocolate. Remove them from
the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a microwave-safe measuring cup or

bowl, or in a saucepan set over very low heat, heat the
chocolate chips and cream, stirring until the chocolate melts.
Continue stirring until you’ve made a smooth glaze, then stir in
the liqueur. Spread the tops of the cooled cookies with the
glaze.

VARIATION
Forgo the glaze and sandwich the cookies around a scoop of
softened coffee ice cream. Press just enough to spread the ice
cream evenly to the edges of the cookies, wrap in plastic wrap,
and freeze until ready to serve.
COCONUT CHOCOLATE DRIZZLES
YIELD: 32 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 25 MINUTES

Caramel deLites, those wonderful, chewy, chocolate-coconut-caramel

cookies the Girl Scouts sell every year, seem to evaporate from the
cupboard nearly as soon as you’ve written your check and waved goodbye
to the Scout. So, for those times of the year when that confection is hard to
come by, we offer this close relation.

DOUGH
4¼ cups (361g) sweetened shredded coconut
one 14-ounce (397g) can sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites (105g), at room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt

TOPPINGS
1⅔ cups (283g) semisweet or milk chocolate chips
⅓ cup (85g) caramel (about 10 individual caramels)
2 tablespoons (28g) heavy cream or milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, combine the coconut,

sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl,
combine the egg whites, lemon juice, and salt and beat at
medium speed until medium to stiff peaks form. Fold half of
the beaten egg whites into the coconut mixture, then add the
remainder.

Drop the batter by the tablespoonful (a cookie scoop works well

here) onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 25
minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE TOPPINGS: Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan

set over very low heat, or in the microwave, stirring frequently.
When the cookies are completely cool, dip the bottoms into the
chocolate and set them on the rack upside down to let the
chocolate set up. Keep any leftover chocolate warm.

In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt the

caramel with the milk or cream. Drizzle stripes of caramel over
the tops of the cookies. Repeat the stripes with any of the
leftover chocolate.
CHEWY GRANOLA COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

Granola bars come in two varieties: crisp and chewy. These moist, “bendy”
cookies are a dead ringer for the chewy variety. Have a favorite breakfast
granola? Now it can easily go wherever you go, whether you’re hiking,
picnicking, or simply brown-bagging it at work. If you choose a rather
plain granola, one without fruit, feel free to add up to 1 cup of dried fruit,
such as raisins, dried cranberries, chopped apricots, etc.

6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon (12g) vegetable oil
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¼ cup (57g) yogurt, plain or vanilla, regular, low fat, or nonfat
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (135g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2¼ cups (254g) granola

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil, brown sugar,

baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Add the eggs
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the
yogurt. Stir in the flour, then the granola.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They’ll still be light
tan; don’t let them brown or they’ll be crisp instead of chewy.
Remove them from the oven, let cool on the baking sheet for 5
minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack; they’ll be
delicate when warm, then chewy as they cool.
AWESOME CHOCOLATE CHUNKS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18
MINUTES

This fat, palm-sized, deep-chocolate cookie harbors all kinds of delicious,

rich and fattening things: chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, nuts …
In fact, there’s barely enough cookie to hold everything that’s in it! This is
an impressive cookie for those who couldn’t care less about calories or fat,
but simply love chocolate cookies.
You may substitute or add most any kind of nut or chip; the options
we’ve given here should be taken as suggestions. The recipe will hold up
to about 4 to 5 cups of “additions,” so use a generous hand and a free
imagination.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

2 cups (396g) sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (84g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
1 cup (113g) chopped hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx)†††
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)†††

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the
eggs and beat until light, thick, and lemon-colored. Beat in the
vanilla and espresso powder.
Add the flour, salt, and cocoa, stirring to combine. Mix in the
chips and nuts. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or until it
becomes firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Use a muffin scoop or ¼-cup measure to drop dough onto the

prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes,
until they appear set and start to smell done. Remove the pans
from the oven and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool
completely.
ALMOND JOYFULS
YIELD: 39 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14 MINUTES

Almond, coconut, and chocolate: does this sound familiar? If you like the
candy bar, you’ll love these cookies. Soft and tender, glazed with
chocolate and topped with toasted almonds … it just doesn’t get any better
than this!

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract, or ¼ teaspoon strong coconut flavor
¼ cup (65g) almond paste
1 large egg
1 cup (85g) shredded sweetened coconut
2⅓ cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour

ICING
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (39g) corn syrup
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter

TOPPING
1 cup (142g) blanched almonds, chopped and toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream
together the butter, sugar, salt, almond extract, coconut extract
or flavor, and almond paste. Add the egg, beating until fairly
smooth, then stir in the coconut. Stir in the flour.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking

sheets. Use your fingers to gently flatten each cookie to about
2″ in diameter.

Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, until their edges are a light
golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE ICING: In a small saucepan set over low heat, or in

the microwave, melt together the chocolate chips, corn syrup,
and butter, stirring until smooth. Dip the top of each cooled
cookie in the icing, then transfer them to a rack. Sprinkle each
cookie with almonds.
CHOCOLATE WAKEUPS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 11
MINUTES

As in, wake up those taste buds! These cookies are a revelation to

everyone who tastes them. Ah, chocolate cookies! A bite, another bite,
then the eyes widen, the hand to fan the mouth—“What’s in these?!” It’s
cayenne pepper. The combination of the two, along with the cinnamon,
produces an amazing little cookie—to those who like their food hot. Thin,
crisp, not too sweet, these are chocolate wafer cookies with an attitude.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch‡‡‡ of ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¾ cup (63g) natural cocoa powder
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
pearl sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla,

peppers, cinnamon, and salt. Beat in the egg. Add the cocoa,
then the flour. Stir to combine well; the dough will be very
stiff.
Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets. Lightly flatten the cookies to ¼″ thick with the bottom
of a drinking glass dipped in sugar. If desired, press some pearl
or coarse sugar onto the top of each cookie.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes. They won’t look brown

and they won’t feel done, but that’s the correct time and
temperature. Remove the cookies from the oven, transfer them
to a rack, and let them cool.

VARIATION
For a softer cookie with a different look—much like a
chocolate Wedding Cookie (page 254)—drop the dough by the
tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the
cookies for 10 minutes, and when you take them out of the
oven, place them in a bag with confectioners’ sugar and shake
gently to coat.
CITRUS SIZZLERS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

Like the Chocolate Wakeups (see opposite page), these innocuous gems
can be a source of great surprise to the unsuspecting cookie eater. They
look like little lemon tea cookies—only they’re not. Cayenne pepper, in
whatever amount you choose, can brand these cookies anything from a bit
spicy to inedible, except for true devotees of ultrahot food.
When we first made these cookies, we used 1 teaspoon of pepper. On
first bite they’re okay; pretty spicy, but okay. However, the second bite
produces a growing sensation in the back of the throat that soon becomes
identifiable as heat, and the third bite definitely separates the men from
the boys.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice or Key lime juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest, or ½ teaspoon lemon oil or lime oil
1 large egg
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ to 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper§§§
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

Beat in the juice, zest, and egg, then stir in the flour, pepper,
salt, and baking soda.

Drop it by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets.

Flatten each ball of dough slightly, using the bottom of a
drinking glass dipped in sugar.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re light brown

around the edges. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
FLOURLESS GINGER FUDGE
COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

No one will know there’s no wheat flour in these cookies. Moist and
chewy, with little pools of melted chocolate (mini chips are a good choice
in these), the hot, sweet ginger note is balanced with deep chocolate flavor.
These keep and travel well.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1½ cups (126g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
½ cup (42g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ cup (46g) diced crystallized ginger
1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips (mini or regular)
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar, for coating

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and salt with an

electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat
in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla, then the baking powder and
spices.

Add the cocoa and mix on low speed until well mixed. Stir in
the crystallized ginger and chocolate chips.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight,

until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Put the cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a

tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls and drop
them into the sugar, rolling them around to coat. Transfer the
balls of dough to the prepared baking sheets, 2″ apart, and
flatten them slightly (they’ll spread when they bake). If the
dough becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator for 10
minutes to firm it back up.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set. Remove

from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes,
before transferring to a rack to finish cooling completely.
FLOURLESS FUDGE COOKIES
YIELD: 16 LARGE (3″) COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

Ultra-chewy, rich chocolate cookies with no added fat? And no gluten?

Impossible! But it’s true: these flourless chocolate cookies get their
texture from egg whites, and their flavor from cocoa powder (which
represents the only fat in the recipe). Plus they’re easy to make: just stir
together a few simple ingredients, scoop onto a pan, and bake for 8
minutes. You won’t believe the delicious result.

2¼ cups (255g) confectioners’ sugar

¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but good)
1 cup (84g) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process preferred¶¶¶
3 large egg whites (105g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or

line with parchment and grease the parchment.

Stir together all the ingredients until smooth. Scrape the bottom
and sides of the bowl, and stir again until smooth.

Drop the soft, batterlike dough onto the prepared baking sheets
in 1½″ circles 2″ apart; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well
here.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes; they should spread, become

somewhat shiny, and develop faintly crackly tops.
Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool
right on the baking sheets.
ANGEL KISSES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN MERINGUES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 200°F | BAKING TIME: 1½
HOURS

Will Santa find that you’ve been naughty this year … or nice? If nice, treat
yourself to meringues—airy puffs of sugar and egg white, light as an
angel’s kiss. If naughty, expect coal!

2 large egg whites (70g)

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (111g) granulated sugar
white edible glitter, for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment

paper.

In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and

salt. Beat until peaks form, then gradually add the sugar,
continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

Pipe meringues onto the prepared sheet, using a pastry bag and
star tip; or drop meringues by large teaspoonfuls onto the
prepared sheet, leaving 1″ of space around each.

Bake for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven, remove the pan from the
oven, and dust the meringues with the glitter; they’ll still be
slightly tacky, so the glitter should adhere. Return the
meringues to the turned-off oven, and leave them there until
they’re completely cool, 3 hours or more. This is a good cookie
to make in the evening; they can be left in the oven (with the
heat turned off) overnight.

VARIATION
SHORTCUT METHOD: Dissolve ¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar in
½ cup (114g) boiling water; cool. Add ¼ cup (43g) meringue
powder, and beat until peaks form. Shape and bake as directed
above.
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED COCONUT
MACAROONS
YIELD: 33 MACAROONS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

These coconut macaroons are sticky-moist on the inside, and coated with
rich dark chocolate. Without flour or leavening, they’re a sweet finish to
the Passover seder.

MACAROONS
4 cups (1 pound) shredded unsweetened coconut
1½ cups (454g, one 16-ounce can) sweetened coconut cream
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coconut flavor (optional)
⅓ cup (38g) coconut milk powder (optional)

COATING
1½ cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips
2½ tablespoons (35g) unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup or honey

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE MACAROONS: In a medium-sized bowl, mix

together the coconut, coconut cream, salt, and coconut flavor,
stirring until thoroughly combined.

Add the coconut milk powder, stirring to combine.

Drop the sticky mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, in
balls about 1½″ in diameter; a tablespoon cookie scoop or
small ice-cream scoop works well here. For best results, pack
the coconut mixture into the scoop; each ball should weigh
about 1 ounce. You can space the balls fairly close together on
the baking sheet; they only need about ¾″ to 1″ between them.

Bake the macaroons for about 10 minutes; they won’t brown.

You may see the merest hint of brown on top.

Remove from the oven, and cool completely on the baking

sheets.

TO MAKE THE COATING: Heat the chocolate chips, butter, and

corn syrup until the chips are very soft. In a microwave, cook
for 1 minute intervals at medium-high power, stirring between
bursts. You can also use a saucepan set over very low heat. Stir
the mixture until no lumps remain, remove from the heat. Dip
one side of the cooled meringue in the mixture, and place,
chocolate side down, on parchment until the chocolate cools
and sets.
BALTIMORE BERGER COOKIES
YIELD: 20 MEDIUM (3″) COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 275°F | BAKING TIME: 10
TO 11 MINUTES

Baltimore’s storied Berger cookies, a product of that city’s DeBaufre

Bakeries, are a close relation to New York City’s Black and Whites (a.k.a.
Half and Halfs or Half-Moons). These cakelike cookies are piled with
thick, rich chocolate icing—the thicker the better. Note that the cookies
themselves are rather dry, so the over-the-top amount of icing, rather than
being overkill, is just right. While we can’t claim this recipe makes “the
real thing,” we feel it’s close to the original—and perfect for those of you
who can’t get to Baltimore.

DOUGH
5⅓ tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (76g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

ICING
2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips
1½ tablespoons (29g) light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (170g) heavy cream
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
⅛ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment paper) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the

butter, salt, vanilla, and baking powder.

Beat in the sugar, then the egg.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients alternately with the milk,
beginning and ending with the flour. Do this gently; there’s no
need to beat the batter.

Using a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the dough

onto the prepared cookie sheets. The balls of dough should be
about 1¼″ in diameter. Flatten each mound of dough to a circle
about 1½″ across; wet your fingers or a knife, or grease the
bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to do this. Leave
2″ to 2 ½″ between each cookie (for expansion).

Bake the cookies for about 10 to 11 minutes, or until they’re a

mottled brown on the bottom (carefully tilt one up to look), but
not colored on top. You may see the barest hint of browning
around the edges, but these cookies are supposed to be soft and
cakelike, so don’t overbake them. Remove the cookies from the
oven and let them cool right on the pan as you make the icing.

TO MAKE THE ICING: Place the chocolate chips, corn syrup,

vanilla, and cream into a large microwave-safe bowl or a large
saucepan.

Heat the mixture until it’s very hot; the cream will start to form
bubbles. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.

Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Let cool to warm

room temperature while you make the cookies.
Dip the top of each cookie into the warm icing; swirl the cookie
around to really give it a good coating. Set the cookies back on
the baking sheet.

Spread the remaining icing evenly atop the cookies. If it’s too
soft and flows off the cookies, let it set a bit until it’s firmer.
It’ll feel like you’re piling on a lot of icing; that’s precisely the
point!

Allow the icing to set completely, then store the cookies in an

airtight container in a single layer. Keep at room temperature
for several days; freeze for longer storage.
SALTY SWEET BUTTER-PECAN
COOKIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN 3″ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO
12 MINUTES

Salt and sugar are a match made in heaven—each brings the other to new
heights. Heavily laced with toasted pecans and butterscotch chips, these
cookies showcase the brilliant combination of savory and sweet. They’re
rolled in a mixture of sugar and salt before baking, which gives them over-
the-top flavor.

1⅓ cups (142g) pecan halves, toasted (see page xxx)

⅔ cup (142g) light brown sugar, packed
⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) butter
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon butterscotch, vanilla-butternut, or butter-rum flavor (optional)
1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
1 large egg
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups (227g) butterscotch chips
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar, mixed with 1 to 1¼ teaspoons salt, for
topping

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
 Place the pecans in a single layer in a pan, and toast until
they’ve darkened a bit and smell toasty, about 8 to 9 minutes.
Set them aside to cool, then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt,

espresso powder, baking soda, vanilla, flavor, and vinegar,
beating until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the egg, again beating until smooth. Scrape the bottom
and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is
thoroughly combined.

Mix in the flour, then the chips and toasted nuts.

If you’re going to refrigerate the dough, cover the bowl and

refrigerate for about 4 to 5 hours, or overnight. Cookie dough
refrigerated for 4 to 5 hours will spread moderately; chilled
overnight, it will spread much less.

Mix the ⅓ cup sugar and salt for the coating, and put it in a
bowl. Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1½″
balls of dough into the sugar and salt mixture, rolling to coat.
Then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between
them on all sides; they’ll spread quite a bit.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes—10 minutes for smaller

cookies made from unrefrigerated dough, 12 for larger cookies
whose dough has been refrigerated. Their edges will be
chestnut brown and their tops a lighter golden brown. Remove
them from the oven and cool on the pan until they’ve set
enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining
dough.

* Use mini M&M’s. If you can’t find mini M&M’s, substitute ¾ cup (128g) regular M&M’s.
† Substitute almond extract for the vanilla if you prefer that flavor, especially if you’re using
cherry, white chocolate, or other chips whose flavor might go well with almond.
‡ If you use a tablespoon cookie scoop, don’t heap it; level it off, to obtain the correct size and
number of cookies. For fancy meringues, pipe them onto a sheet using a pastry bag and the
tip of your choice.
§ Before toasting the pecans, spritz them lightly with water and sprinkle with fine table salt.

¶ For added sesame flavor, substitute 1 tablespoon strong-flavored sesame oil for 1
tablespoon of the butter.

# 1 teaspoon yields the faintest floral aroma; 3 teaspoons is much more assertive. Start with 1
teaspoon and taste the raw dough (or bake one cookie, and taste that); adjust the amount if
desired. For an interesting combination, try mixing various amounts of lavender and dried
lemon thyme, or lavender and rose water.
** Available online. Fiori di Sicilia, a combination of citrus and vanilla flavors, complements
any other fruit flavor, and also adds a welcome hit of vanilla.

†† Choose your favorite flavor; vanilla or cappuccino are our choices.

‡‡ Choose your own favorite chip flavor. Try cinnamon or cappuccino chips, white chocolate,
white mint, cherry or peanut butter—just remember, if you’re using a filling too, be sure the
chips will complement the filling.
§§ Just plain peanut butter, or the Vanilla Creme (page 443), Chocolate Creme (page 443), or
Peanut Butter Fillings (page 438) are other delightful options.
¶¶ Or substitute 1½ tablespoons lemon zest for the 1 teaspoon lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon
lemon oil.
## If the nut butter you use is salted—or if you make your own from salted nuts—start with ¼
teaspoon salt and adjust to taste.

*** This amount of salt is for unsalted nuts. If you’re starting with salted nuts, decrease the
amount, salting to taste.

††† We’ve also used walnuts, cashews, and even macadamia nuts. Or substitute dried
cherries or dried cranberries for some of the nuts or chips.
‡‡‡ Using your thumb and forefinger, “pinch” up some of the spice. The bigger the pinch, the
hotter the cookies. These were made with a moderate pinch, probably about teaspoon.
§§§ ¼ teaspoon is mildly hot; ½ teaspoon is moderately hot; 1 teaspoon is hot! And 1½
teaspoons is unbearable to all but the stouthearted.

¶¶¶ For darker, richer-looking cookies, substitute ¼ cup (21g) black cocoa powder for ¼ cup
(21g) of the Dutch-process cocoa.
 — CHAPTER FOUR —

Roll-Out Cookies

WHILE DROP COOKIES ARE by far the most frequently made cookies in
America today, it wasn’t long ago that roll-out cookies were equally
popular. Back before everyone got so busy, the drawn-out (though not
difficult) process of making roll-out cookies was easily incorporated into
the daily routine. Cookie dough was made in the late afternoon, chilled
overnight, and rolled out and baked the next morning, once the breakfast
dishes were cleared away. By the time the kids came home from school, a
plate of gingerbread boys, chocolate sandwiches, or sugar stars was on the
table, ready to enjoy with a glass of cold milk.
But these days, speed is by far the most desirable recipe attribute for
many home cooks and bakers, so roll-out cookies have become a rainy day
project, something to do with the children when you’ve got a whole day to
mix and chill dough, roll it out, bake it, and decorate the cookies. While
this “big project” baking is possible occasionally, few of us can make a
regular habit of it; it’s an activity whose pace was determined in a
different, less frenetic era. But roll-out cookies don’t have to take all day;
if you plan ahead, as you do with yeast-bread baking, they’re actually
quick and easy.
Just before bed, when the kitchen is quiet, take 15 minutes to whip up a
batch of cookie dough; wrap it up and stick it in the fridge overnight. The
next day (or the day after, or the day after that), when you find yourself
with an hour or so, take the dough out of the fridge, roll it out, cut it
(circles are fine; every cutout cookie doesn’t have to be a Christmas tree
or Halloween pumpkin) and bake. In less than an hour, you’ll have lovely,
crisp-tender cookies on the cooling rack. Serve them just as they are,
sandwich them around creamy filling or ice cream, add a glaze, layer them
with pudding and fruit to make a cookie trifle … roll-out cookies are the
building blocks of the cookie world.
So, while the picture in your head may be of a beaming grandma
rolling out cookies on an old wooden table, it doesn’t take much
imagination to update that picture and put yourself in it. As busy as you
are, there’s a place in your life for roll-out cookies. Remember, there’s
more to life than chocolate chips.

SMOOTH ROLLING
When you’re rolling out cookie dough, don’t roll back and forth across the dough;
instead, roll from the center toward the outer edge, giving the dough a quarter-turn
every few strokes. If you roll the dough in two different directions, the gluten strands in
the flour try to stretch two ways at once, and the dough won’t roll easily.
BUTTERSCOTCH THINS
YIELD: ABOUT 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME:
6 TO 8 MINUTES

These ultrathin, chewy-crisp butterscotch rounds remind us of the slice-

and-bake butterscotch cookies of the 1950s. If you want over-the-top
butterscotch flavor, substitute a few drops of strong butterscotch or butter-
rum flavor for the vanilla extract. Our thanks to Virginia Matz of Sidney,
Ohio, whose old family recipe inspired this one.

1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (142g) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, or a few drops butterscotch or butter-rum
flavor
1⅓ cups (160g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (57g) finely chopped pecans

In a small saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave,

melt together the chips and butter, stirring until smooth.
Remove from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, then beat
in the brown sugar, salt, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour and
baking soda, then the pecans. Flatten the dough into a thick
round, wrap it in a plastic wrap or bag (see illustration below),
and refrigerate overnight.
 Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with
parchment (optional, to save cleanup time; there’s no need to
grease the sheets). Position the racks in the middle of the oven.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it rest at room
temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Then lightly dust both sides of
the chilled dough with flour. When you pinch a piece of dough,
it should feel pliable, not break off in a chunk. Trying to roll
ice-cold dough is like trying to flatten an ice-cold stick of
butter; it’s more likely to crack and break into pieces than to
roll flat and smooth.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured, clean work surface.

Starting in the middle, and rolling out toward the edges, roll the
dough into a ⅛″ to ¼″ thick circle. Thinner cookies will be
crisper; thicker cookies will be sturdier (and appropriate for
sandwiching around a scoop of ice cream). Using a round cutter
with a diameter of about 2¼″, cut out the cookies.

Flattening the dough in a plastic bag allows it to chill more quickly in the refrigerator. When
you’re ready to roll, it’s already partly flattened, and will become pliable quickly and evenly.

Using a metal turner, transfer the cut cookies to the prepared

baking sheets. Here’s how: Edge the turner under the cookie,
 lift slightly, pull away the scraps around the edge, then give
your hand a gentle jerk to slip the cookie onto the baking sheet;
this is the same motion you’d use for sliding a pancake onto a
plate or a hamburger onto a bun.

Bake the cookies for 6 to 8 minutes (depending on how thin

you’ve managed to roll the dough; if it’s a bit thicker than ⅛,
bake for the longer amount of time), until they’re a very light
brown around the edges. Halfway through the baking time,
exchange the pans on the racks (top to bottom, bottom to top)
and turn each pan around so the cookies that were at the back of
the oven are now at the front. This will help counteract any hot
spots you may have in your oven.

Remove them from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the
baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool
completely. Use a metal turner to pick up one cookie; if it
seems fragile or breaks, let the cookies continue to cool until
you can handle them easily. When the cookies are completely
cool, store them at room temperature in an airtight container or
a plastic bag.

CHILLING COOKIE DOUGH

Why do some cookie doughs need to be chilled before you roll them out, and others
can be rolled right from the mixing bowl? Usually, cookie dough that’s high in fat (and
will thus result in a very crisp or very tender cookie, rather than one that’s hard or firm)
will need to be refrigerated before rolling. This gives a chance for the solid fat in the
recipe (butter or shortening), which has been heated and softened by the mixing
process, to firm up. Dough in which the fat has softened tends to be quite sticky,
making it difficult to roll. Well, just throw more flour onto the rolling surface, right?
Wrong. Flour on the work surface will be absorbed by the cookie dough, and change
the proportion of fat to flour. This causes the cookie to lose its crisp or tender texture.
So chill sticky doughs before rolling; and if you’ve divided the dough in half, roll half and
allow the other half to remain in the refrigerator, chilling out, until the first half is safely
rolled and cut.
CHOCOLATE SNAPS
YIELD: 8 TO 9 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 17
TO 18 MINUTES

Although you can buy chocolate wafer cookies at the grocery store, here’s
a version you can make yourself that has more flavor, and more body
when they’re frosted, filled, or become part of a “cake.” These not-too-
sweet, dark chocolate cookies make wonderful building blocks for all sorts
of cookie creations, as you’ll soon see.

1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup (63g) Dutch-process cocoa powder*
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (223g) sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour,

cocoa, salt, and baking powder, whisking until no lumps
remain. In a separate, larger bowl, beat the butter until light.
Add the sugar and continue beating until it’s well incorporated.
Then add the egg, water, and vanilla and beat for at least 2
minutes, until the mixture has lightened both in color and
texture. Gently mix in the dry ingredients.

Shape the dough into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight. This dough is very
 soft, so it’s imperative that it’s been chilled before you roll it
out.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two or three baking sheets.

On a clean, heavily floured work surface, roll the dough to a ⅛″

thickness, and use a round cutter to cut it into 2¼″ circles.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. They won’t
expand a great deal, so you don’t need a lot of space between
them.

Bake the cookies for 17 to 18 minutes. (Watch them carefully;

it’s difficult to tell when they’re done, as they’re so dark you
can’t see if they’re brown, but when you start to smell them
they’re probably done. If you smell even a whiff of scorching,
remove them from the oven immediately.) Transfer the cookies
to a rack and cool them completely.

CAN THE CAN!

Do you cut out cookie dough with a recycled can? If so, here are two reasons to ditch
the can. First, it’s probably not sharp enough to cut cleanly through the dough. Even it
you’re cutting a very thin dough, it will crush the edges, which will prevent the cookies
from rising and becoming light and crisp as they bake. And second—with all the
gorgeous shaped cookie cutters out there, who can resist cutting out stars, hearts, or
flowers (or a flock of Thanksgiving turkeys, for that matter), in addition to that plain,
round circle?
FAUX-REOS
YIELD: ABOUT 50 SANDWICH COOKIES

“Better than store-bought”—that’s what baking at home is all about, right?

Though you’ll never duplicate exactly the look of an Oreo—Nabisco has it
all over us in that respect—this version comes as close as we were able to
matching the taste and texture of those wonderful cookies in your home
kitchen.

1 batch Chocolate Snaps (page 299)

1 batch Vanilla Creme Filling (page 443)

Spread half the cookies with filling, using about 1½ teaspoons

for regular faux-reos, more for “double-stuffed.” (You’ll have
some filling left over if you fill the cookies moderately.) Top
with the remaining cookies, pressing down gently.

VARIATION
For a chocolate-stuffed Faux-Reos, fill these cookies with
Chocolate Creme Filling (page 443), in place of the vanilla
filling.
MINT DIPS
YIELD: 8 TO 9 DOZEN COOKIES

Chocolate and mint are a classic flavor combination, appearing in candy,

pie, cake, and cookies. This is our version of everyone’s favorite Girl
Scout cookie.

1 batch Chocolate Snaps (page 299)

GLAZE
1 cup (227g) heavy cream
1⅓ cups (227g) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons (35g) vegetable shortening
1½ teaspoons peppermint extract, or a few drops peppermint oil, to taste

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small saucepan or microwave-safe

bowl, heat the cream to a simmer. Pour it over the chocolate
and shortening and stir until smooth. Add the peppermint
extract to taste. The glaze will be quite thin.

TO FINISH COOKIES: Using a pair of tongs or your fingers, dip the

cookies in the glaze. Grasp each cookie by an edge and dip it
completely into the chocolate, shaking off any excess. Set the
cookies on a cooling rack with parchment underneath, to catch
any drips.

ULTRAPASTEURIZED?
You may have noticed that most of the heavy cream at the supermarket is labeled
“ultrapasteurized;” typically, only locally produced cream, the kind you might find in
glass bottles right at the dairy, isn’t ultrapasteurized. What does this term mean?
Ultrapasteurized cream has been heated higher than cream that’s simply
“pasteurized.” This denatures enzymes that can cause cream to sour (and develop
flavor), so it increases the cream’s shelf life (the American dream, ultimate shelf life).
The downside is that because the cream can’t develop flavor, it doesn’t have much,
and it doesn’t whip easily. If you find pasteurized cream from a local dairy that hasn’t
had this treatment, the resulting whipped cream will be significantly “richer.” If you
can’t, ultrapasteurized cream will ultimately whip and work as the binder, but your
imagination will have to augment the flavor.
CHOCOLATE REFRIGERATOR CAKE
YIELD: 24 SERVINGS

Although this recipe dates back to the 1950s, no matter how often you pull
it out, dust it off, and re-create it, it hits a chocolate button that always
resonates. It’s a “recipe” that’s a cinch for kids to make; it can take any
shape, so let them use their imaginations. This cake will stand on its own,
so you can use a baking sheet as a base for the letters, numbers, or fanciful
freeform designs you and your children create.

1 batch Chocolate Snaps (page 299)

1 pint (454g) heavy cream or whipping cream
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar, or 3 tablespoons (37g) granulated
sugar, superfine preferred
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TO WHIP THE CREAM: Choose a mixing bowl with sides that are
as vertical as possible. (This keeps most of the cream in the
bowl while you’re beating it.) Beat the cream until fairly stiff,
then fold in the sugar and vanilla.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Generously spread one cookie with

whipped cream. Stack another on top of it, spread with whipped
cream, add another cookie, and continue stacking and spreading
until you have a stack of five or six cookies, however many you
think you can handle at once. Place the stack on a long serving
plate, so the cookies are resting on edge. Continue with the
remaining cookies, making one long cake, or making a shorter,
wider cake by placing two equal rows of whipped cream–filled
cookies side by side. Frost the entire “cake” with the remaining
whipped cream.
After you’ve finished creating the cake, cover it with plastic
wrap and refrigerate it for several hours, or overnight. As the
cake rests, the cookies will soften in the cream so that
eventually the whole conglomeration becomes a cohesive
“cake” composed of wonderful thin layers of chocolate and
cream. To serve, sprinkle the top with a few shaved chocolate
curls, or even a little cocoa. Cut the cake at about a 45-degree
angle, rather than straight up and down; this way the layers of
cookies and cream will show.
THE BEST GRAHAM CRACKERS
YIELD: 32 CRACKERS (3½″ × 2½″) | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

If you like graham crackers, you’ll love these homemade ones. Their taste
and texture goes a step beyond store-bought, from “Hmmm, good” to
“WOW!”

½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ cups (170g) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (42g) honey
2 tablespoons (28g) cold milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Tear or cut out two sheets of

parchment as large as your baking sheets, or grease two sheets
lightly.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar,

baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender, two
knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture
until it is evenly crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the
honey and milk, stirring until the honey dissolves. Add the milk
/ honey mixture liquid to the dry ingredients and toss lightly
with a fork until the dough comes together. Add additional
milk, if necessary.
 Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and fold it over
gently 10 to 12 times, until smooth. Divide the dough in half.
Work with half the dough at a time, keeping the remaining
dough covered.

If you’re not using parchment, keep your work surface very

well floured. Roll one piece of dough into a rectangle a bit
larger than 10″ × 14″; the dough will be about ″thick. Trim
the edges and prick the dough evenly with a dough docker or
fork.

ROLLING TENDER DOUGH ON PARCHMENT

Dough that is quite soft and fragile is deceptively easy to roll out, but once cookies are
cut, it may be difficult to transfer them to the baking sheet without stretching or tearing
them. We recommend rolling and cutting soft, fragile dough directly on parchment,
removing any excess dough between the cookies, then transferring the cut cookies,
parchment and all, to your baking sheet.

Use a pizza wheel to cut the dough into 16 rectangles. Transfer

the crackers to a baking sheet. If you’ve used parchment, just
pick up the parchment and place it on the sheet. The crackers
will bake together, but will break apart easily along the cut
lines after cooling slightly. If you haven’t used parchment,
move the individual crackers carefully, setting them close
together on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the crackers for 15 minutes, or until they’re a medium

gold color. Remove them from the oven and let cool on the pan
for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re just barely warm. Carefully
break each cracker along the scored lines (see illustration
below) and cool completely on a rack. Store the cooled crackers
tightly wrapped.
1. A dough docker looks like an instrument of medieval torture, but it’s actually a useful tool for
cookie and cracker making. Without docking (pricking) a whole sheet of dough, it would puff
irregularly, as the steam created during baking wouldn’t have enough avenue for escape. 2.
Leaving the crackers on the pan, set the edge of one hand along a scored line in the crackers.
Use your other hand to carefully break the crackers into strips along that line. Repeat with the
remainder of the long lines. Then pick up each strip and break off individual crackers.

Graham Cracker Crust

YIELD: 1 DEEP-DISH 9 ̋ PIECRUST OR 9 ̋ SPRINGFORM PAN CRUST | BAKING
TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15 MINUTES

Crushed graham crackers are the basis for graham cracker crust, perfect
for cheesecake and all manner of cream pies.

1¾ cups (249g) graham cracker crumbs, regular or chocolate

¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the crumbs,

sugar, and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the
sides of a 9″ deep-dish pie plate or a 9″ spring-form pan. If
you’re using a shallower 9″ pie plate, you’ll have crumbs left
over; simply sprinkle them over the top of the pie, as a garnish.
Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes, just until it’s set and starts
to smell toasty. Remove it from the oven and cool completely
before adding filling.
CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKERS
YIELD: 32 CRACKERS (3½″ × 2½″) | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

Crisp and light, these deep chocolate graham crackers are yummy spread
with peanut butter; they also make a wonderful crust for chocolate cream
pie.

½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup (85g) whole wheat flour
½ cup (42g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
1¼ cups (142g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (42g) honey
2 tablespoons (28g) cold milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Follow the instructions for The Best Graham Crackers (page

303). Roll out the dough and prick it, but don’t cut it into
rectangles (it will bake together and the scored lines will
disappear). Bake as directed, then use a pizza wheel or a sharp
knife to cut into rectangles as soon as the crackers come out of
the oven. Cool and store as directed.
CHOCOLATE DIPPING STICKS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 TO 22 MINUTES

These sturdy little fingers of chocolaty goodness are perfect for dipping
into cocoa, marshmallow creme, or (our favorite) the Peanut Butter Icing
on page 436.

2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
2 ounces (57g) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup (85g) finely chopped nuts (optional)

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa,

baking soda, and salt; set it aside. In a large mixing bowl,
cream together the butter and shortening. Add the melted
chocolate and mix to combine. Beat in the sugars, mixing until
fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and add the eggs
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla,
then the reserved dry ingredients, mixing to combine. Stir in
the nuts. Flatten the dough into a thick round, wrap it in plastic,
and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) one baking sheet.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a piece

of parchment. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top and roll
the dough to a ⅜″ thickness. Transfer the dough and parchment
to a rimless cookie sheet or an inverted baking sheet. Using a
ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into ½″
wide strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 3″ lengths. There’s no
need to separate the strips; you’ll do that after they’re baked.

Bake the sticks for 20 to 22 minutes. Remove them from the

oven and let cool on a rack until firm. The cookies will have a
brownie-like texture while warm, and will set up as they cool.
Use a knife as necessary to separate into individual sticks. Use
for dipping, or frost as desired.
HEARTY ROLLED-OAT CUTOUTS
YIELD: 6½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

The following recipe is a departure from the usual butter/flour/sugar

interpretation for roll-out cookies; whole wheat flour and rolled oats give
these cookies a toasty-brown look and tooth-some, hearty texture. Cookies
like these are ideal for kids; you know they’re going to consume their fair
share of sweets, so why not get some fiber, minerals, and protein into them
at the same time? These cookies are especially pretty cut into fanciful
shapes, then brushed with beaten egg white and sprinkled with coarse
sugar, a large-crystalled sugar available through specialty food stores or
catalogues. The sugar makes the cookies sparkle. You may also sprinkle
cookies with colored sugars or with chocolate sprinkles.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) sugar
1 tablespoon milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2½ cups (283g) whole wheat flour†
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (89g) rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two or three baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together

until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk, egg, and vanilla. Add the
 flour, baking powder, salt, and oats to the bowl and stir until
well combined.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it

to a ⅛″ thickness. Cut it into whatever shapes you like. Transfer
the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re lightly

browned. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer the
cookies to a rack to cool completely.

DON’T SCRAP THE SCRAPS

After you’ve cut cookies from a rolled-out piece of dough, even if you’ve cut the
cookies very close to one another, you’ll have lots of little dough scraps left over.
Gather these scraps, brushing off as much flour as possible, and squeeze them into a
ball. Flatten the ball and chill it for 15 minutes or so. This will allow the fats to solidify
again and the gluten strands in the flour to relax, making the dough easier to roll. If you
do this more than once, you may find the resulting cookies just a bit harder and less
tender; this is due to the extra flour in the dough, and the extra “excitement”
experienced by the gluten, each time you roll. We’re betting that you and your guests
won’t be able to tell the difference, if you’ve been careful not to add too much flour and
if you’ve handled the dough gently.
BUTTER-PECAN CRUNCH
YIELD: 24 SQUARES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 9 MINUTES

Start with a base of crunchy homemade graham crackers. Add brown

sugar, butter, and nuts … what’s not to like? These few simple ingredients
turn a plain graham cracker into a satisfyingly sweet, buttery bar cookie.

5 tablespoons (⅔ stick, 75g) unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
1 cup (114g) chopped pecans
about 9¼ whole (142g) graham crackers, homemade preferred (page 303)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the butter, salt, vanilla,

and brown sugar, stirring until the butter has melted and the
sugar is dissolved; don’t let the mixture boil.

Line the bottom of an ungreased 9″ × 13″ pan with a single

layer of graham crackers, breaking them to fit. Pour the sugar
syrup over the graham crackers, spreading it to cover with an
offset spatula. Sprinkle with the pecans.

Bake for 9 minutes, until it’s bubbly. Remove from the oven
and cut into squares immediately. Lift them out of the pan as
soon as they’re cool enough to handle; if you wait too long,
they’ll stick.
GIANDUJA WAFERS
YIELD: 27 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

Lightly crunchy, tender, and gently nutty, with a creamy mocha-flavored

icing, these cookies take their inspiration from gianduja, a chocolate-
hazelnut paste native to the Piedmont region of Italy.

DOUGH
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (71g) ground hazelnuts‡
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour

ICING
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
½ cup (114g) heavy cream

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together

the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the hazelnuts
and vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in the flour to form a stiff
dough. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or
overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a ¼″
thickness, and cut it into 2″ rounds, gathering the scraps and
rerolling the dough as necessary. Place the rounds on the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned. Transfer them to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE ICING: Sift or strain the confectioners’ sugar,

cocoa, and espresso powder into a medium bowl to remove any
lumps. Whisk the cream into the dry ingredients a little at a
time to make a smooth, spreadable icing, adjusting the amount
of cream as necessary, as you may not need all of it. Keep the
icing covered until use, to prevent a crust from forming. Spread
the icing onto the cooled cookies.
LEMON TEA SNAPS
YIELD: 6 DOZEN SMALL COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
TO 18 MINUTES

These lovely little butter cookies have a refreshing, lemony tang.

Sandwich them around Lemon Creme Filling (page 440) to make fancy
teatime cookies.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon oil, to taste
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
milk for brushing (optional)
coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt,

and baking soda. Mix in the lemon zest, then half of the flour.
Add the lemon juice, then the other half of the flour.

Roll the dough into a ⅛″ thick rectangle on a piece of

parchment paper. Transfer the parchment to a baking sheet.
Prick the dough all over with a fork or a dough docker (see
illustration, page 304), and cut it into 1″ × 1½″ rectangles.
There’s no need to separate the rectangles; all you need to do is
cut the dough.
Brush the top of the dough with milk and sprinkle with coarse
sugar, if desired. Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until
they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool. When they’re cool, break them apart
into individual cookies; they’ll separate nicely.
ALFAJORES
YIELD: 36 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
TO 20 MINUTES

This Latin American sandwich cookie, a native of Peru, is extra-rich and

nutty. It’s filled with softened dulce de leche, a rich, deep gold caramel
that spreads like peanut butter. Brazil nuts, while traditional, are not
readily available in some places. Try pine nuts instead, which have a
similar oil content and texture to Brazil nuts; macadamias stand in well,
also. Some alfajore recipes substitute unsweetened shredded coconut for
the nuts.

24 tablespoons (3 sticks, 339g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (71g) Brazil nuts, toasted (see page xxx) and ground
1½ cups (397g) prepared dulce de leche

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars

until fluffy. Add the egg and the extracts and beat to combine,
scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the salt,
flour, and nuts and blend to make a stiff dough. Wrap in plastic
and chill overnight.
 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Unwrap the dough and place it on a heavily floured work

surface. Working quickly, roll it to a ¼″ thickness; if it gets too
warm, it will be difficult to work with. Use a 2½″ round cookie
cutter, plain or scalloped-edge, to cut cookies, placing them on
the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re just

slightly golden brown around the edges. Remove them from the
oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before
transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Spread 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on the bottom of half

the cookies and top with the remaining cookies (bottom toward
the filling).

MAKING YOUR OWN DULCE DE LECHE

To make dulce de leche at home, place an unopened 14-ounce can of sweetened
condensed milk in a deep stockpot. Add water to the pot until it covers the can by at
least 3″. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and cook the
milk, at a strong simmer, for about 3 hours, adding more boiling water if necessary; it’s
imperative that the can remain covered with water at all times, as it might rupture in
dangerous fashion if the water boils away. After 3 hours, turn off the heat, and when the
water has cooled to a comfortable temperature, remove the can. When the can is
completely cool, open it; you’ll find an amazing transformation has taken place—the
creamy white milk has turned into a rich, mahogany-brown caramel spread. Scoop the
dulce de leche out of the can and store it in the refrigerator.
PECAN-PRALINE SANDWICH
COOKIES
YIELD: 41 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 6 TO
8 MINUTES

Pecans, toffee, and chocolate—what’s not to like? Tender, shortbread-

texture pecan-scented cookies sandwich a filling of toffee and chocolate;
as Sue Gray, who heads up our test kitchen, said when she was making
them, “Why don’t we forget the cookies and just dip our spoons into this
filling?” Sue added, “If I need a lot of cookies for the school bake sale, I
sometimes make these ‘open face’ (one layer, not two), and use a star tube
to place a dab of filling in the center of each cookie. That method doubles
the cookie count. Either way, they’re a hit.”

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (40g) pecan meal (or other nut flour)
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for sprinkling over the dough)

FILLING
½ cup (78g) toffee bits or toffee candy (such as Heath Bar)
½ cup (114g) evaporated milk or heavy cream
1 cup (170g) chopped bittersweet chocolate
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream
together the butter and sugar until light. Add the egg, salt,
baking powder, and pecan meal. Mix together until well
blended, then add the flour and stir until combined. The
mixture is a bit heavy, so use your mixer’s slow speed, so as not
to tax it.

Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap
each disk separately and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two or three baking sheets.

TO SHAPE THE DOUGH: Remove one disk from the refrigerator

and lightly flour both sides. Roll it out to a ⅛″ thickness on a
lightly floured work surface. If the dough splits when you start
rolling, let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to
become more pliable. The thinner the dough, the crisper the
cookies.

Cut out the cookies with a 1½″ to 2″ cookie cutter. Sprinkle

each cookie with sugar, then place on the prepared baking
sheets. Repeat this process with the other dough disk.

Bake the cookies for 6 to 8 minutes; don’t let them brown.

Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: First, freeze the toffee bits; this makes
them easier to crush. If you have a small food processor or
blender, process the candy until it’s finely ground. If you’re
doing this by hand, crush the frozen candy with a rolling pin
into fine pieces.

Heat the milk or cream until bubbles form around the edges.
Place the toffee and chocolate pieces in a medium-sized mixing
bowl and pour the hot milk or cream over them, stirring until
smooth. If you’ve crushed the toffee by hand, there will
 probably be a few small chunks remaining in the filling, which
is okay. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

When the filling has cooled but is not yet fully set, spread 1
generous teaspoon of filling on the bottom of half the cookies
and top with the remaining cookies. If you’re making open-face
cookies, use ½ teaspoon of filling on each, piping it through a
star tube. Allow the filling to harden for several hours before
placing the cookies in airtight containers.

Place the candy bits in a zip-top plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them thoroughly.

LEFTOVER MAKEOVER
If you happen to have a little praline filling left over after you’ve made your cookies, it’s
great melted with a bit more evaporated milk or cream and then served over ice
cream. It can also be rolled into small balls, then dusted with cocoa, and voilà! Truffles!
ENGLISH DIGESTIVE BISCUITS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

English digestive biscuits were developed at the end of the nineteenth

century to increase fiber in Victorian diets. They’re made with whole
wheat flour rather than white flour, but wait, they actually taste good!
Based on shortbread, they have a lovely buttery, nutty wheat flavor.
They’re comforting in a back-to-your-childhood way, like arrowroot
cookies or zwieback biscuits.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup (57g) cold milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2 cups (226g) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter, then beat in the

confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and milk, beating until
smooth. Stir in the flour and baking powder. Gather the dough
into a ball, flatten it into a disk, wrap it well, and refrigerate for
several hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a ⅛″ thickness.

Cut round biscuits (cookies) about 2½″ in diameter. Place the
biscuits on the prepared baking sheets, prick them evenly with
 a fork, and bake for 15 minutes, or until they’re pale gold.
Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

WHEN A BISCUIT IS A COOKIE IS A BISCUIT …

Aren’t biscuits those soft, fluffy baking powder rolls, the ones that go on top of the
chicken pie? Not always. In England and Australia, a biscuit is what we call a cookie.
From the Latin bis coctum, “twice baked,” biscuits were originally hard, thin, very dry
crackers. For centuries, ship’s biscuits were a mainstay on many a sea voyage, due
to their good keeping qualities; they were so dry that they’d stay “fresh” for months.
While the English continued to refer to any small, thin, dry “cake” as a biscuit, the
Dutch called their cookies koekje—“small cake.” According to legend, cookies were
born when cake bakers poured out and baked small amounts of batter as test cakes.
The Dutch koekje came to America with the Pilgrims in 1620, and eventually morphed
into the American cookie. Just to bring the story full circle, one of the earliest mentions
of what we now know as cookies was in second-century Rome (bis coctum). And
what are Italy’s best-known cookies today? Biscotti. A biscuit is a cookie is a biscuit …
LINZER COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

The linzer cookie, a lovely Austrian sandwich cookie also known as Ischl
tart, is traditionally made with a buttery nut dough rolled thin and cut into
circles. Half of the circles have another, smaller design cut out of their
centers. After the cookies are baked, they’re sandwiched together with
berry jam, the bright jam peeking through the cutout design on top.
Nothing could be more festive on the holiday table than a tray of these
linzers.

1¼ cups (142g) confectioners' sugar

18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks, 254g) unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (227g) jam or filling
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla in a bowl,
beating until smooth. Add the flour, mixing until smooth. The
mixture will seem dry at first, but will suddenly become
cohesive. If it doesn't, dribble in a tablespoon of water.

Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flattened disk,
and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for
about 20 to 30 minutes, until it feels soft enough to roll. It
should still feel cold, but shouldn't feel rock-hard. Sprinkle
your rolling pin and surface with flour. Working with one piece
of dough at a time, roll it ⅛″ to thick.

Use a cookie cutter to cut a base and a cutout top for each
cookie. It's good to cut them in pairs so you know you have an
even number of each. Re-roll and cut the dough scraps.

Place the cookies on ungreased or parchment-lined baking

sheets. They can be close together; they'll barely spread. Bake
the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes,
until they're set and barely browned around the edges. Remove
from the oven, and cool right on the pan.

Fill a fine sifter with confectioners' sugar. Hold the sifter a few
inches above the cookie and shake or tap the sifter to drift sugar
onto the cutout piece of the cookie. Be sure to cover the cookie
with an even layer, all the way to the center and edges.

On the solid base of the cookie, spread ½ teaspoon of your

favorite filling or jam (apricot, raspberry, strawberry, chocolate,
or even icing). To complete the cookie, place the sugared top
gently on the filled base and press together.

It's best to let these cookies sit for a few hours to let the
“sandwich” set. Overnight is fine as well; just cover the cookie
tray with plastic wrap.
EGGNOG SANDWICH COOKIES
YIELD: 33 SANDWICH COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

These buttery rounds achieve their subtle eggnog flavor from the vanilla,
nutmeg, and butter rum in both the dough and the filling.

DOUGH
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ to 1½ teaspoons nutmeg, to taste
¼ teaspoon strong butter-rum flavor, or ½ to 1 teaspoon rum extract
1 large egg
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (71g) white rice flour or cornstarch

FILLING
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
a few drops strong butter-rum flavor or ⅛ teaspoon rum extract
3 to 4 tablespoons (43g to 57g) cream or milk (regular or low fat, not
nonfat)
food coloring of your choice (optional)
TOPPING
confectioners’ sugar

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, beat together the

shortening, butter, sugars, salt, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg,
and rum flavor. Add the egg, beating until fluffy. Whisk
together the flours and stir in. Divide the dough in half, shape
into two rounds, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour or
longer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it to a

⅛″ thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Use a cutter to
cut 2¼″ rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheets,
leaving about 1″ between them.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until they’re very lightly

browned around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Mix the filling ingredients in a medium-

sized bowl, tinting gently with food coloring, if desired, to
make a pastel-colored filling. Spread a thin layer of filling on
the bottom of half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies.
Store the cookies in airtight containers for several days, or
freeze for longer storage.

VARIATION
To make eggnog construction dough, suitable for a cream-
colored “gingerbread” house, reduce the amounts of vegetable
shortening and butter to ⅓ cup each; increase the eggs to 2;
increase the all-purpose flour to 3¼ cups (390g), and delete the
rice flour. (If you don’t plan on eating the house eventually, feel
free to leave out the extracts and flavors.) Roll the chilled
dough about ⅓″ thick, cut it with gingerbread house templates
(see page 154), and bake it in a preheated 300°F oven for 25 to
30 minutes, until it’s quite firm to the touch.
STAINED GLASS COOKIES
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

These cookies, with their shimmering crystalline centers, are attractive

enough to display as part of a centerpiece, and durable enough to
transform into ornaments (simply by looping a piece of ribbon through the
baked cookie before the sugar syrup center is poured in). More important,
though, they’re yummy enough to eat, all the way from their mildly spiced
outer edges to their cool, hard middles—shaped, colored, and flavored as
you choose. Yes, you must use a candy thermometer to make them, and
yes, the effort will be well worth your time when you see the lit-up faces
of the children who enjoy them.

DOUGH
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (297g) sugar
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 cups (480g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

CANDY CENTERS
2 cups (396g) sugar
1 cup (312g) light corn syrup
½ cup (114g) water food coloring
a few drops strong flavoring of your choice (optional)

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the

shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the
cream cheese, vanilla, and egg and beat well.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, nutmeg,

baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the
butter mixture, beating until well combined. The dough will be
soft; cover and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and
divide it into quarters. Refrigerate three of the pieces until
needed. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two or three baking sheets.

Roll each piece of dough to a ⅛″ thickness on a lightly floured

work surface.

Use a 3½″ to 4″ round cookie cutter to cut the dough, and

immediately transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets,
leaving a bit of space between them. Use another shape cutter if
you like; just make sure it leaves enough space in the middle to
cut out the space for the candy filling. Use a smaller (1″ or so)
cutter in the shape of a circle, heart, star, diamond or what-
have-you to cut out the centers. A bagel or doughnut cutter
works well here—it cuts out the cookie and its center hole at
the same time. If the dough isn’t cold enough, refrigerate the
sheets and cut out the centers when the dough is a bit easier to
work with. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, or until they’re barely firm and
still somewhat pale; they’ll be just lightly browned around the
outer edges. Let them cool on the baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE CANDY CENTERS: Place two or three 1-cup
ovenproof glass measuring cups (or any small ovenproof,
spouted glass cups) in a 375°F oven to warm. In a medium-
sized pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water, and stir
over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Next, and
without stirring, cook the syrup until it reaches 300°F to 310°F
(hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Remove the syrup
from the heat and take one measuring cup from the oven. Pour
one half (or one third) of the syrup into the measuring cup,
depending on how many colors of filling you want to make, and
stir in the food coloring and flavor of your choice. Leave the
remaining syrup in the pan, set over low heat.

Use a small cookie scoop to dip hot syrup out of the cup and deposit it into the
hole in the center of the cookie. Using a scoop does away with the awkward
task of using a bulky mitt to hold onto the hot dish of syrup as you work.

When the syrup in the cup stops bubbling, hold the cup with a
very thick potholder and pour the syrup in a thin, gentle stream
to fill the cookie centers. Stop pouring just as the syrup comes
up to the top level of the cookie. Be careful; this is an
extremely hot process and you may need to take a break
halfway through to give your hand a rest. Alternatively, you can
use a small (teaspoon) cookie scoop to dip syrup out of the cup
and deposit it in the cookie centers; fill the scoop about
halfway. This prevents the mild discomfort of holding onto a
hot glass for a long time.
Use the second and / or third cup and the rest of the syrup,
colored and flavored differently, to fill the centers of the
remaining cookies. (If you have any leftover syrup, pour it into
small rounds on a piece of parchment or aluminum foil to make
hard candies.)

Let the finished cookies cool completely. Using a metal spatula,

loosen them carefully and peel them off the baking sheets. If
these cookies are for consumption, store them in a cool, dry
place in a single layer in an airtight container. (For show, we’ve
left them uncovered for at least 1 month, and they’ve been just
as sturdy as ever. Be sure not to store them near a heat source.)

VARIATIONS
Some hard candies melt beautifully to form the centers of these
cookies; others don’t. You’ll only know if you try. We used
some lovely striped peppermint drops and they melted into a
gorgeous design. Crushed Jolly Rancher hard candies were also
a winner. On the other hand, LifeSavers didn’t melt at all. Add
hard candies to the cut-out center of cookies before baking; we
suggest baking a few sample cookies first, with the various
candies you want to try, to see if they melt.
ZIMSTERNE
YIELD: ABOUT 8 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

This German recipe is traditionally used to make star-shaped cookies for

decorating the Christmas tree. Since small children find it irresistible to
touch Christmas tree ornaments, we find that edible ornaments are a great
solution. Save your grandmother’s old-fashioned glass balls for the top of
the tree.

4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter

1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (96g) ground blanched almonds or almond flour
1 large egg white, lightly whisked with a pinch of salt
granulated sugar, for sprinkling

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until

they’re smooth and light colored. Add the eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Stir in the extracts.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder,

cinnamon, and almonds. Stir this into the butter mixture. Shape
the dough into a flattened disk and refrigerate it for at least 1
hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two or three baking sheets.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with confectioners’ sugar and

roll the cookie dough to a ⅛″ to ¼″ thickness. Continue to
sprinkle on confectioners’ sugar if the dough sticks to the work
surface or the rolling pin. Use a 2″ star cutter to cut cookies, or
use your own favorite size and shape. Place the cookies on the
prepared baking sheets; they’ll puff and spread, so leave 2″
between them. Brush the cookies with the beaten egg white.
Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top of each cookie.

Bake the cookies for approximately 12 minutes, until they’re

lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the oven. If you
plan on using them as ornaments, immediately use a thick
skewer to poke a hole in the top of each; for larger holes, use a
drinking straw. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
MAILANDERLI
YIELD: 9 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 10
MINUTES

From Germany’s springerle and lebkuchen, to pepparkakor (Sweden’s

version of American gingerbread), to Austria’s wonderful vanilla kipferl
and Greece’s flower-scented nut cookies, koura biedes, Christmas cookies
are an old and revered tradition in both America and Europe. Mailanderli,
a not-too-sweet butter cookie with a hint of lemon, is Switzerland’s
favorite holiday cookie. The egg wash gives the baked cookie a lovely
shiny, golden glaze.

18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks, 254g) unsalted butter

1¼ cups (248g) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
4⅓ cups (520g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon milk, for brushing

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft and creamy.
Beat in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition; scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice
while adding the eggs. Beat in the salt and the lemon zest.

Sift the flour and add it, half at a time, to the butter mixture.
Mix only until the flour is well incorporated. Gather the dough
into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and refrigerate it for 2 to 3
hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two or three baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If it’s very hard, allow
it to warm a little before trying to roll it out. It’s best to work
with small pieces, about one-fourth of the dough at a time;
refrigerate the rest until you’re ready to roll it out. On a lightly
floured work surface, or between two pieces of plastic wrap,
roll the dough to a ⅛″ thickness. Cut out different shapes with
cookie cutters dipped in flour. Transfer the dough to the
prepared baking sheets.

Mix the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Brush the cookies
with the egg wash. If possible, refrigerate the cookies for 10 to
15 minutes before baking.

Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes, or

until they’re an even, pale golden brown. Remove the cookies
from the oven. Transfer the baking sheets to a rack to cool
almost completely, then transfer to a rack.
TOTENBEINLI
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 18 TO 20
MINUTES

These lightly spiced cookies, another Swiss Christmas tradition, feature a

nutty crunch in every bite. Dry (but not unpleasantly so), and sturdy
without moving over the line to rock-hard, these cookies possess a
European aura. We can imagine sitting in front of the Yule log in a cozy
chalet, dunking these cookies in tea, or a cup of coffee or Swiss cocoa.

5 tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (198g) sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest, or ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
small pinch of ground cloves
pinch of salt
½ cup (45g) ground hazelnuts (hazelnut flour)
2 cups (227g) chopped hazelnuts
2 cups plus 2 heaping tablespoons (262g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft, then add the sugar,
beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping
the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Add
the lemon zest and beat the mixture until it’s light and fluffy,
approximately 3 minutes.
 Beat in the cinnamon, cloves, and salt, then fold in the hazelnut
flour and hazelnuts. Gently stir the all-purpose flour into the
mixture. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a ¼″

thickness. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut it into 1″ ×
2½″ sticks. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.
Brush them with beaten egg white. Bake the cookies for 18 to
20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove the cookies
from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

* You may use regular cocoa, but Dutch-process will give you a darker, more chocolaty
cookie.

† White whole wheat flour—whole wheat flour ground from white wheat, rather than traditional
red wheat—is a good choice here. Its flavor is milder and “sweeter” than red whole wheat
flour. You can find it in selected supermarkets, or online.

‡ Grind the hazelnuts (or whirl them in a food processor) until they’re about the size of half a
rice grain. Don’t process them so long that they turn into flour, or become pasty.
 — CHAPTER FIVE —

Shaped Cookies

REMEMBER BUILDING SAND CASTLES, molding clay animals, and making

snowmen when you were young? The desire to shape raw materials—
whether Play-Doh, or the mashed potatoes on your dinner plate—begins
early, and usually lasts a lifetime. As we get older, our medium of choice
becomes more refined: think topiary gardens, or hand-thrown pottery. And,
if you’re a baker, think cookies: crescents and rings, pinwheels, pretzels,
and ribbons, to say nothing of spheres of chocolate stuffed with nuggets of
caramel, or tricorner “hats” cradling honey-apricot filling.
When it comes to baking cookies, drop cookies anchor one end of the
degree-of-difficulty scale, and shaped cookies hold down the other. All of
the following cookies involve a longer process than simply beating
together dough and plopping it onto a cookie sheet. But if you’re a baker
who enjoys the journey just as much as the destination, or a cookie fan
who’s never lost the desire to build sand castles and make mud pies, then
you’ll enjoy these recipes. And anyway, what fun is it to lick your fingers
if you haven’t first plunged them into the dough?
FUDGE-COATED DIPSTICKS
YIELD: 4½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 20
MINUTES

These tender-crisp, butter-scented cookies, shaped into short “fingers,” are

a delicious teatime treat. Dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with
toasted pecans, they look lovely arrayed on a serving plate along with
imprinted shortbread cookies (see sidebar, page 88).

DOUGH
1 cup (114g) finely crushed pecans or pecan meal
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (66g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

TOPPING
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
1½ tablespoons (21g) unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons (29g) light corn syrup
⅔ cup (76g) chopped pecans, toasted (see page xxx)

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place the pecans in a zip-top plastic bag and crush them

thoroughly with a rolling pin, or process in a food processor
until very finely chopped but not pasty.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together
the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add the flour and crushed
pecans, stirring to make a cohesive dough.

Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a 25″
rope. Cut each rope into 2½″ pieces. Shape the dough into logs
about the size of your index finger, rolling them on the counter
to smooth them. Place the logs about 1″ apart on ungreased or
parchment-lined (for fastest cleanup) baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until they’re a light,

golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer
them to a rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the

chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup in the microwave,
stirring until smooth. Dip about two-thirds of each cookie into
the chocolate mixture, then sprinkle with the pecans. Place the
cookies back on the rack to set.
CARAMEL ROCKS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These chewy, gooey chocolate cookies feature a caramel candy filling that
pokes temptingly through their top crust. Cut the stickiness factor in half,
if you wish, by using only half a caramel in each cookie.

DOUGH
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter
3 ounces (85g) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon espresso powder
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
24 (250g) vanilla caramel candies

TOPPING
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
1½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the
microwave, heat the butter and chocolate together, stirring until
both are melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a
medium-sized mixing bowl and allow to cool to lukewarm.

Add the sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, and egg, beating until
smooth. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour,
mixing to form a smooth, cohesive dough.

FOR THE FILLING: Wrap about 1 tablespoon of dough around a

caramel piece, covering it completely. Roll it in your hands to
make a smooth dough ball. Repeat with the remaining
caramels.

FOR THE TOPPING: Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa

in a zip-top bag. Place 5 or 6 dough balls in the bag at a time,
and shake gently until they’re coated with the sugar. Transfer
them to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re set around

the edges but still soft in the middle. Remove them from the
oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before
transferring to a rack to cool completely.
HOLIDAY BONBONS
YIELD: 27 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 14 MINUTES

Okay, so these aren’t really bonbons (a bonbon being a chocolate candy

with a filling of fondant and/or fruit and nuts). Nor are they sugarplums,
which are fruits or nuts coated with fondant. Nevertheless, if you love the
flavor of almonds, visions of these almond-paste-filled, chocolate-dipped
cookies will definitely dance in your head long after the holidays are over.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1½ cups (170g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
½ cup (130g) almond paste, praline paste, or marzipan*
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon almond oil, or ½ teaspoon almond extract (leave this out if
you’re using praline paste)
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
½ cup (42g) soft, fresh bread crumbs

GLAZE
1¼ cups (213g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
sliced almonds for topping, optional
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with
parchment, (for easy cleanup), or leave them unlined; they
don’t need to be greased.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the

butter until light. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until
fluffy. Add the flour and stir until a firm dough forms.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Crumble the almond paste into a small

bowl. Beat in the butter, almond oil, and sugar. When the
mixture is smooth, add the bread crumbs and mix until blended.

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Roll the filling into grape-sized balls.

Break off a piece of dough the size of a table tennis ball and use
your thumb to make a deep indentation in the center. Place a
ball of filling in the indentation, then bring the dough up and
over to enclose it, rolling it in your hands to make a smooth
ball. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.

Place the bonbons on the prepared baking sheets and bake them
for 14 minutes. They won’t brown, which is okay. Let the
bonbons cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (they’re quite
fragile while hot) before transferring to a rack to cool
completely.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave, a

double boiler, or in a saucepan set over low heat. Add the butter
and corn syrup, stirring until smooth and glossy.

Dip the tops of the cooled bonbons in the glaze. If the glaze
thickens, reheat it briefly, then continue dipping. Top each with
an almond slice or two, if desired. Let the bonbons sit for
several hours until the glaze hardens, then store them in an
airtight container.
1. Make an indentation in the dough ball and insert the filling. 2. Bring the dough up and over
the filling, enclosing it completely. 3. Once the filling is completely enclosed, roll the ball of
dough in your hands to smooth it out. 4. Grasp cooled cookies by their edges and dip their
tops in glaze.
OVER-THE-TOP MANDELBROT
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F, THEN 300°F | BAKING
TIME: 28 MINUTES, THEN 25 MINUTES

Mandelbrot, originally a crisp, almond-scented, twice-baked cookie, is the

Jewish version of Italian biscotti (also originally an almond-scented,
twice-baked cookie). Over the years, both biscotti and mandelbrot have
taken on all manner of nuts, chips, and flavors to morph into the classic
loaded-with-sweets American cookie. Our thanks to Mona Shabelman for
this recipe.

3 large eggs
1 cup (198g) vegetable oil
1 cup (198g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups (340g) chocolate chips
1½ cups (234g) plain toffee bits†

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, sugar,

vanilla, and salt at medium-high speed until thick and light-
colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and baking powder,
then the chocolate chips and toffee bits. Wrap the dough in
plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide
it into four even pieces, about 370 grams. Working with one
piece at a time, place the dough on the prepared baking sheet,
shaping it into an 8″ × 2″ log. Repeat with the remaining pieces
of dough, leaving at least 2″ between them (there will be 2 logs
on each baking sheet).

Bake the logs for 28 minutes, until they’re lightly browned.

Remove them from the oven and reduce the oven temperature
to 300°F. Allow the logs to cool for 10 minutes, then cut each
one into ½″ slices, on the diagonal. For longer mandelbrot, cut
at a greater diagonal; for the shortest cookies, cut crosswise,
not at a diagonal.

Return the slices to the baking sheets, standing them upright

(see illustration 8, page 99). Bake the cookies for 25 minutes,
until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven and
cool on the baking sheets.
MAGIC IN THE MIDDLES
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 7 TO 9 MINUTES

Reminiscent of a chocolate peanut butter cup candy (or a buckeye, if

you’re into homemade candies), this recipe is one that’s been making the
rounds for years. We guarantee these will disappear in a snap, whatever the
audience—from hungry kids after a soccer game, to your coworkers
gathered around the office coffeepot.

DOUGH
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar (and extra for dipping)
½ cup (107g) brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (68g) smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

FILLING
¾ cup (203g) smooth peanut butter
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk

together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another
medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter,
and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the
egg, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients,
blending well.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, stir together the peanut

butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. With floured
hands, roll the filling into 26 (1″) balls.

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Break off about 1 tablespoon of the

dough, make an indentation in the center with your finger, and
press one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring
the dough up and over the filling, pressing it closed; roll the
cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with
the remaining dough and filling (see illustrations, page 329).

Dip the top of each cookie in granulated sugar and place on the
prepared baking sheets about 2″ apart. Grease the bottom of a
drinking glass and use it to flatten each cookie to about ½″
thick.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, until they’re set. Remove

them from the oven and cool on a rack.
DATE PINWHEELS
YIELD: 6 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

Soft, brown dough, dates bubbling on the stove, the tricky process of
rolling the filling inside the dough, and the magical way the refrigerator
makes the sticky mass solid and sliceable—that’s date pinwheels. Once
you’ve made them, wait for just the right moment—the cookies hot out of
the oven but the filling cool enough not to burn—to take your first warm
and wonderful bite. Date pinwheels aren’t beautiful; in fact, they’re
usually kind of plain-looking, in their shades of somber brown, their spiral
of filling often a bit out of whack. But these homely little gems will strike
just the right note on your holiday cookie spread.

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
2 cups (426g) light brown sugar
3 large eggs
4 cups (480g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

FILLING‡
1¾ cups (261g) chopped dates
¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (170g) water
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (170g) chopped pecans or walnuts
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the butter
and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Cover the
bowl and chill the dough until it’s firm enough to roll out, at
least 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: While the dough is chilling, combine the

dates, sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan set over
medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and boil
gently for 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to
about the consistency of soft jam. Stir in the nuts and set aside.

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Divide the dough in half. Working with

one half at a time, roll the dough into a 9″ × 12″, ¼″ thick
rectangle. Spread half the filling over the entire surface of the
dough. The filling is sticky and stiff, but if you keep wetting
your fingers, you can push and spread it around without too
much trouble (see sidebar, opposite page). Roll up the dough
lengthwise to make a foot-long log. It’s delicate, but using a
baker’s bench knife or spatula helps. Repeat with the remaining
dough and filling. Wrap each log in waxed paper, parchment, or
plastic wrap and chill for several hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes. If the logs have flattened out while
chilling, gently roll back into rounds. They may have cracked
in several places; just smooth the cracks closed with your
fingers. Cut each log into ⅓″ slices, (you’ll get about 36
cookies from each log) and place the slices 2″ apart on the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (the shorter amount of

time on a greased baking sheet, the longer time on parchment),
 or until they’re light brown. Remove the cookies from the oven
and transfer them to a rack to cool.

SPREADING A STICKY FILLING

When you’re trying to spread a sticky filling onto the dough for a filled cookie (or onto
the crust of a bar cookie), use your hands instead of a spatula; you’ll have a much
better feel for how hard to press (hard enough to spread the filling, not so hard that you
rip the dough underneath). And don’t grease your hands; it’s much more effective to
simply wet your fingers with lukewarm water, then keep wetting them as the filling
begins to stick. The little bit of added water from your fingers won’t affect the filling.
VANILLA KIPFERL
YIELD: 57 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These Austrian Christmas cookies are a simple mixture of butter, sugar,

and flour; but it’s the freshly made vanilla sugar they’re coated in that
gives them their wonderful flavor. If you gravitate to chocolate over
vanilla, we urge you to give these a try; until you’ve tasted vanilla sugar
made with ground vanilla beans, you’ll never know what you’ve been
missing!

DOUGH
14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks, 198g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (87g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
scant 2⅓ cups (213g) almond flour, preferably toasted

VANILLA SUGAR
¼ cup (48g) superfine or castor sugar§
½ to 1 vanilla bean¶

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugar,

and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour and almond flour,
stirring to make a cohesive dough. Wrap the dough in plastic
wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Roll each piece of dough into a log, then shape each log into a crescent.

Break off walnut-sized pieces of the dough, and roll them into
short (about 2) logs. Shape the logs into crescents, then gently
press to flatten them slightly. Place the cookies on the prepared
sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re a light,

golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let cool on the
pan for 10 minutes.

While the cookies are cooling, process the sugar and vanilla
bean in a food processor or blender until the bean is thoroughly
ground. Place the vanilla sugar in a shallow bowl. While the
cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the vanilla sugar.
Transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

GREASE, PARCHMENT, OR SILICONE?

Does it make a difference whether you grease your baking sheets, line them with
parchment, or use a silicone liner? Yes. All have slightly different effects on your
cookies as they bake.
Greasing baking sheets is the time-tested way to render them nonstick. Use solid
shortening (some folks keep a folded paper towel right in their shortening can, ready
for action), or a nonstick vegetable oil spray. If you’re using spray, pick one without
lecithin, as it tends to darken and become sticky on the baking sheet. Cookies baked
on a greased sheet will brown the most on the bottom, compared to the other two
methods. If your pans are very dark, or thin, or you usually have difficulty with cookies
that overbrown on the bottom, then greasing the sheet isn’t your best choice.
Lining a sheet with parchment (page xxxviii) not only keeps your baking sheet
perfectly clean, it gives high-fat and/or high-sugar cookies just that slight extra cushion
they need to prevent overbrowning on the bottom. In addition, cookies on parchment
can be lifted off the baking sheet and set on the counter to cool before being
transferred to a rack to cool completely. This frees up the baking sheet for another
batch of cookies (let it cool first). Cookie dough can be deposited on parchment, then
lifted onto a baking sheet, parchment and all, when one becomes free.
Silicone mats (and nonstick-coated flexible fiberglass mats) are the newer, high-
tech answers to the issue of nonstick. Like parchment, they keep your baking sheet
clean, and you can shape cookies on them, then transfer them to a baking sheet as
you cycle batches in and out of the oven. And unlike parchment, you don’t have to
discard them after four or five bakes. However, some bakers notice that some cookies
don’t brown on the bottom as nicely as they’d like on a silicone mat (which is usually
thicker than nonstick coated fiberglass and provides a degree of insulation between
cookie and pan).
Our personal favorite is parchment. Cookies will slide right off, it’s thin enough that
it doesn’t affect their baking time, and cleanup is nonexistent. When parchment
becomes brown and brittle, or greasy and sticky, simply discard it and slip a new piece
onto your baking sheet.
STUFFED BUTTERBALLS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 25
MINUTES

These coconut-crunchy mounds of tender, buttery cookie come with a

surprise in the center: big, tasty toasted nut halves. Or a piece of
bittersweet chocolate. Or maybe some dried cherries and white chocolate
chips. Use your imagination to come up with your favorite “surprise”
filling.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (76g) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (57g to 71g) pecan halves or whole blanched almonds, toasted (see
page xxx)
1 egg white whisked with 1 tablespoon water, for glaze
1¼ cups (75g) flaked sweetened or unsweetened coconut, for coating

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter,

sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt. Add the flour,
stirring to make a smooth dough. If the dough is too soft to
shape, cover and refrigerate it, until it stiffens and becomes
workable, 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Shape a piece of dough the size of a table tennis ball (about
25g) into a round. Poke a hole in the center with your finger
and add a couple of pecan halves or whole almonds. Work the
dough over the filling to cover it. Repeat with the remaining
dough and nuts.

Dip the cookies in the egg glaze and roll them in flaked
coconut. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, until the coconut coating is

lightly browned Remove them from the oven and cool on a
rack.
1. Use your thumb to press an indentation into the ball of dough. 2. Stretch the dough to cover
the filling completely. 3. After dipping the ball of dough in beaten egg white, coat it with coconut.
JAM-PACKEDS
YIELD: 34 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

These flaky half-moons harbor a sweet secret: your favorite flavor of jam,
be it apricot, rasp-berry, peach, or (our favorite) pineapple. These resemble
bite-sized turnovers, and visually are a nice addition to a cookie gift tin.

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
6 ounces (170g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
⅓ cup (38g) confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
¾ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten, to seal dough

FILLING
¾ cup (255g) jam or preserves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons water

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together

the butter, cream cheese, sugar, almond extract, and salt. Add
the flour, mixing to form a cohesive dough. Gather the dough
into a ball, divide it in half, and flatten each half into a round.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: Heat the preserves in a small saucepan set
over low heat. Stir together the cornstarch, lemon juice, and
water. Add this mixture to the jam, increase the heat to
medium-low, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring
frequently. Boil and stir for a couple of minutes; the preserves
will be thin at first, but will thicken enough that you can see the
marks your spoon is leaving on the bottom of the pan as you
stir. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove one round of dough from the refrigerator and roll it

about ⅛″ thick. Cut the dough into 3″ circles. Transfer the
cookies to a prepared baking sheet. Top each circle with about 1
level teaspoon of the filling. Brush the edges of the circles with
the beaten egg, and fold each in half (making a half-moon
shape). Use the tines of a fork to press them closed and to prick
the top so steam can escape. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
KOULOURIA
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 20
MINUTES

Greece is known for its special Easter breads, such as tsourekia, the
familiar wreath bread topped with colored eggs. But the celebration
doesn’t stop there. Cookies are an important part of the holiday, too, in
particular these crunchy, light, anise-scented, shaped cookies. Boxes and
boxes of these are sent around the country to family and friends during the
Easter season. They travel well, and are guaranteed to evoke fond
childhood memories from anyone who grew up in a Greek household. This
recipe is based on one sent to us by Barbara Mackenzie of Milwaukee.

3¼ cups (390g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
3 large eggs, two whole, one separated
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 to 1½ teaspoons anise extract, a few drops anise oil, or 1½ teaspoons
ground aniseed#
5 tablespoons (44g) sesame seeds

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt,

and sugar. Add the 2 whole eggs and the yolk of the third to the
flour, set aside the egg white; mix until crumbly. Add the
melted butter and anise, mixing to combine. The dough should
be stiff; add a few tablespoons extra flour if it is very sticky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2
hours (or overnight), to make it easier to work with.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls. Roll them into ropes
about 8″ long and the thickness of a pencil. Shape the ropes into
S-shaped snakes, pretzels, or letters, and place them on the
prepared baking sheets.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the reserved egg white, then brush
it on top of the cookies. Sprinkle the cookies heavily with the
sesame seeds.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes; they should be set but

not brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack
to cool.
HAMANTASCHEN
YIELD: 33 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 13 MINUTES

Hamantaschen, distinctive triangular filled cookies, are a specialty of the

Jewish holiday of Purim, which commemorates the rescue of the fifth
century BC Persian Jews from Haman, vizier to the Persian king, who had
ordered their destruction. The folded shape of these cookies recalls
Haman’s signature tricorner hat. While poppy seed filling (mohn) is
classic, many kinds of fruits find their way into the center of these buttery
cookies. Our version features a mixture of golden raisins, apples, and
apricots.

DOUGH
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (149g) sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon lemon oil (optional)
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg plus 1 egg white (reserve the yolk)

FILLING
½ cup (85g) golden raisins, packed
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (42g) honey
1 cup (128g) finely diced dried apricots
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
1 cup (227g) apple juice
1 large apple, cored, peeled, and grated or finely chopped

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream

together the butter, sugar, salt, zest, vanilla, and lemon oil until
light and fluffy. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, egg,
and egg white and mix until the dough is cohesive; it will be
very stiff. Divide the dough in half, wrap it well, and refrigerate
it for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Place all the filling ingredients in a small

saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When the
mixture thickens, remove it from the heat. Refrigerate until
chilled.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Lightly flour a clean work surface.

Working with half of the dough at a time, flour it thoroughly,
and roll it into a 16″ square approximately ¼″ thick. Cut the
dough into 3½″ circles. Place the circles on the prepared baking
sheets, and place a rounded teaspoonful of filling in the center
of each circle.

Brush the edges of the dough with the reserved egg yolk, which
you’ve beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Now, imagine the circle
as a triangle; bring three of the “sides” together to meet in the
center, forming what looks like an old-fashioned tricorner hat.
Pinch the edges together to seal.

Bake the cookies for 13 minutes, until they’re lightly browned

on the bottom and edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool completely. They’ll firm up and
become crisp.
1. Cut the dough into 3½″ circles. If you don’t have a large cutter, trace around the rim of a
large cup or can. 2. Once you’ve dropped a dollop of filling in the center of the dough circle,
fold it up on three sides. 3. Finish shaping the hamantaschen by gently squeezing all three
sides in toward the center, pinching the corners together firmly.
BERLINERKRANSER
YIELD: 4 DOZEN BOWS | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO 17
MINUTES

Berlinerkranser, despite the initial impression one gets from their name,
are a Christmas specialty of Norway, not Germany. These light, almost
crumbly textured butter cookies, the ones with the coarse white sugar on
top, are an integral part of every “Scandinavian butter cookie” gift tin.
While they’re traditionally formed into bow shapes, berlinerkranser are
also great candidates for a cookie press and the various shapes it can
produce.

DOUGH
1 cup (198g) sugar
32 tablespoons (4 sticks, 452g) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, 1 whole, 1 separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract**
5 cups (600g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat), as needed

TOPPING
pinch of salt
coarse white sugar or pearl sugar

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the
whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour 1 cup at a time,
and the salt, beating until smooth after each addition. Add a
couple of tablespoons of milk, if necessary, to make a stiff,
cohesive dough. Divide the dough into four pieces, shape each
piece into a slightly flattened round, wrap well, and refrigerate
overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Generously flour your work surface. Working with one piece of

dough at a time (keeping the others refrigerated), break off a 2-
tablespoon piece of dough. Roll it into a 6″ rope and transfer it
to the prepared baking sheet. Shape the rope into a circle whose
ends cross and overlap about ½″; let the ends hang down, like
the ends of a bow. Repeat with the remaining dough.

For the topping, beat together the egg white and salt. Brush the
cookies with this glaze and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, until set; the cookies

won’t brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool completely.
ICED SPICE RINGS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20
MINUTES

Caraway is the surprise flavor in these interesting spice cookies, and

semolina the unusual flour. Based on a Middle Eastern cookie, zaddik,
we’ve Americanized this recipe to use commonly available ingredients.
The result is a cookie for adult tastes: crisp, spicy, and not too sweet,
perfect with a cup of coffee or sweet dessert wine.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (25g) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅓ cup (54g) semolina
2¾ cups (330g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (114g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

GLAZE
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (57g) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the
butter, sugar, spices, caraway seeds, salt, and vegetable oil. Add
the baking powder and semolina, then 1 cup of the flour,
beating until smooth. Mix in the milk, then the remaining 1¾
cups flour. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or
overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break off heaping-tablespoon chunks of dough and roll each

into a 6″ rope. Bring the ends of each rope together to form a
ring. Place the rings on the prepared baking sheets. If any rings
crack around the edges, simply smooth out the cracks with your
fingers.

Bake the rings for 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and let them rest on the pan for 5
minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the glaze by whisking

together the sugar, cream, and vanilla. Dip the tops of the
cooled cookies in the glaze. Allow the glaze to harden before
packing the cookies for storage.
CHERRY-NUT RUGELACH
YIELD: 64 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

A rugelach is a crescent-shaped cookie with filling, traditionally baked for

Jewish holidays, Hanukkah and Shabbat in particular. Originally brought
over from Eastern Europe, rugelach is now baked as a dessert treat
anytime. The name has evolved into many spelling variations: roggles,
ruggles, rogulah, and rugula (which is Latin for “small fold”). The Yiddish
translation for these cookies is “little twists.” Whatever you call them,
they’re tasty, bite-sized treats.
Traditional fillings include raisins, apples, and nuts, but a quick survey
reveals a wide variety of fillings: peanut butter–chocolate, apple strudel,
apricot-almond and cranberry-walnut. While the filling types vary,
rugelach’s “staple” is its cream cheese dough.

DOUGH
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
8 ounces (227g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons salt
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 cup (142g) dried cherries
¾ cup (96g) walnuts, toasted (see page xxx)
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
2½ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water
granulated, coarse, or pearl sugar

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream
cheese until light. Add the sugar and salt and beat until fluffy.
Stir in the flour, then gather the dough into a ball and knead it
until it’s smooth and all the flour is incorporated.

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball,
then flatten each slightly into thick disks. Wrap each in plastic
wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets. Parchment is preferred, as it will
shorten the cleanup time necessitated by some of the inevitable
oozing of the filling as these cookies bake.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Combine all the filling ingredients in a

food processor and pulse a few times (or finely dice the
cherries and walnuts, add the remaining filling ingredients and
blend well).
1. To make bite-sized rugelach, be sure to roll the dough into an 8″ circle to start. 2. Leave
space around the outside edge when you spread on the filling. 3. Roll each of the eight
wedges from their wide outer edge to their point in the center.

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Work with one dough disk at a time,

and keep the others refrigerated. On a piece of parchment or a
lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into an 8″ circle.
Place a small round lid (from a film canister, a salad dressing
bottle, or something similar-sized) in the center of the circle.
Spread ¼ cup of the filling over the dough, leaving ½″
uncovered around the outside edge of the circle.

Remove the lid and use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to cut the
circle into 8 equal wedges. Starting at the wide (outside) edge
of each wedge, roll it toward its narrow edge, as you would a
crescent roll. Place the rolled wedges, tip down, on the prepared
baking sheets. Curve each cookie into a crescent shape. Repeat
this process with the remaining dough.
 Brush each cookie with some of the beaten egg mixture and
sprinkle with sugar. Bake the rugelach for 20 minutes, or until
they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer
to a rack to cool.

WHAT’S WITH THE LID IN THE CENTER OF THE DOUGH?

As you roll a wedge, the filling is pushed toward the wedge’s point and it will fill in that
empty space. If the space already had filling, it would simply be forced out and make a
mess.
EASTER DOUGHNUT COOKIES
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 18
MINUTES

These crunchy, dense cookies, iced in soft pastels, appear in Italian-

American households the day before Easter—and they’re usually gone
well before the Easter egg hunt. Their name comes from the fact that
they’re shaped into rings before baking.

DOUGH
2 tablespoons (25g) vegetable oil
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour

ICING
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
4 teaspoons light corn syrup
food coloring

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the

oil, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and
confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the flour, beating until
smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) two baking sheets.

Scoop the dough into 2-teaspoon balls; a teaspoon cookie scoop

works perfectly here. Roll the balls into ropes about 4″ long and
about ½″ in diameter (about the size of your finger, if you have
long, thin fingers). Coil the ropes into round doughnut shapes,
leaving a very small hole in the middle.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 1″ apart.

Bake for about 18 minutes. They may have the merest hint of
golden color on top, but definitely won’t be brown. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely
before icing.

TO ICE THE COOKIES: Put ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar into each

of four tiny bowls or condiment cups. Add 1 teaspoon milk and
1 teaspoon corn syrup to each bowl. Stir until you’ve made a
soft, spreadable icing, adding more milk if necessary. Tint the
icing in each bowl a different color. If you’re using strong gel
or paste food coloring, mix 1 drop with a teaspoon of milk, then
dribble it into the uncolored frosting by the ¼ teaspoonful, until
icing is the shade you want.

Dip the top of each cookie in one of the icings. Or make these
cookies all one color, if you don’t feel like fussing. Allow the
frosting to harden before storing the cookies.
WINE BISCUITS
YIELD: 27 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 35 TO 40
MINUTES

Wine, as in containing wine? Or as in to serve with wine? Well, both,

actually. These sweet, peppery-hot biscuits are a variation on a traditional
Italian favorite, biscotti di vino, which are hard, semisweet biscuits served
with an after-dinner cheese, or as an appetizer, along with wine. We like
them served on the porch, after a hard day at work in a hot kitchen.
Sangria, that Spanish concoction of mild wine and fruit, is a perfect
accompaniment to these biscuits. But they’re fine with a grape juice
spritzer, too, or lemon-scented club soda. By the way, the term “biscuit,”
as it’s used here, refers to a hard, fairly dense cookie, rather than the
biscuit Americans know.

2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper (or to taste; this amount makes
a very spicy cookie)
4 to 6 tablespoons (50g to 74g) sugar, to taste††
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (142g) dry red wine, such as Cabernet
Sauvignon (nonalcoholic is fine)
⅓ cup (66g) vegetable oil

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, pepper,

sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the wine and vegetable oil. Add the liquid ingredients
to the dry ingredients and beat vigorously until the mixture is
smooth, about 1 minute. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the
dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with
parchment) one large or two smaller baking sheets.

Break off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut and roll it
into a ball. Poke a hole in the middle of the ball to make a
small bagel-shaped cookie. Place it on the prepared baking
sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they’re golden brown

(they’ll look kind of purple, which is okay). Remove them from
the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
MINI ELEPHANT EARS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 19
MINUTES

These flat, crunchy, sweet spirals are a delicious accompaniment to fresh

berries. Often appearing as palm-sized pastries in the bakery case, when
downsized they become cookies, as they are here. The classic dough for
these cookies is a laboriously made puff pastry dough. Our version, based
on one developed by author and King Arthur friend Lora Brody, is much
easier to prepare and yields sublime results.

2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dough relaxer (optional, but very helpful, see page 468)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter, cut into ¼″ dice and
frozen for 30 minutes
¾ cup (170g) sour cream (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
½ to ¾ cup (99g to 149g) sugar, for coating

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, dough relaxer, salt,

and baking powder. Using your fingers or a pastry blender,
work in the frozen butter, mixing until even crumbs form. Stir
in the sour cream, gather the dough into a ball, and knead it
briefly to make it cohesive.

Flatten the dough into an oval and fold it like a letter (first one
side into the middle, then the other side over the first side).
Give the dough a quarter turn, flatten it, and fold it again.
Divide it in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at
least 1 hour, or overnight.
 Sprinkle your work surface with sugar. Remove one piece of the
dough from the refrigerator, and roll it into a 12″ × 10″
rectangle. Sprinkle sugar over the dough, gently pressing it on
with a rolling pin. Starting with a long side, roll the pastry into
a log. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Wrap the logs in
plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour (or freeze
for 30 minutes).

Be sure to use lots of sugar when rolling the elephant ear dough. Since there’s no sugar in the
dough itself, these cookies rely on the sugar topping for sweetness.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Using a sharp knife, gently cut each log into ⅓″ thick slices and
lay the slices on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes, or until the sugar on the
bottom has begun to brown. Turn them over and bake for an
additional 6 minutes, or until the sugar is lightly browned on
the other side. Watch closely—these go from golden brown to
inedibly scorched in nothing flat. Remove the cookies from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

VARIATIONS

CINNAMON: To make cinnamon spirals, add 4 teaspoons

cinnamon to the sugar for coating.
 PALMIERS: To make palmiers, a classic French pastry, prepare
the dough as directed up to the step where you roll up the
rectangles. Then start at one long edge and instead of rolling
the dough into logs, roll it only until you reach the center of the
dough. Then do the same starting with the other long edge.
You’ll now have two cylinders that have met in the middle.
Wrap, freeze, slice, and bake as directed in the elephant ears
recipe.

ROLLING PALMIERS Starting from opposite edges, roll the dough into two cylinders that
meet in the center.
OSSI DA MORTO (BONES OF THE
DEAD)
YIELD: 3½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 300°F | BAKING TIME: 15 TO
25 MINUTES

These gnarly, crunchy, almond-scented cookies are traditionally baked and

eaten in Italy on November 2, the day after All Saints Day, in honor of
family members who’ve passed away. This recipe combines versions from
several different locales. It calls for almond oil, but other versions call for
lemon, anise, cinnamon, or cloves. Feel free to substitute your favorite
extract, oil, or spice.

2½ cups (284g) confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (48g) almond flour‡‡
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ to 1 teaspoon almond extract, or a few drops almond oil, to taste
1½ to 2 tablespoons (21g to 28g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, baking

powder, flour, almond flour, and salt. Beat in the eggs, almond
extract, and enough milk to make a smooth, soft (but not
sticky) dough. The dough will seem dry at first; keep beating
until it comes together.
Transfer the dough to a heavily floured work surface and divide
it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about ¾″ in
diameter. Cut each rope into 4″ pieces. Working with one piece
at a time, pinch the center, giving it a slender “waist” about ½″
thick. Plump the ends into knobs so the whole thing resembles
a bone. Don’t worry about them being straight, smooth, and
even; these are supposed to be fairly gnarly looking.

Transfer the “bones” to the prepared baking sheets and

refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

The next day, remove the cookies from the refrigerator. Allow
them to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes to make a cookie that’s lightly

crunchy on the outside and chewy within. Bake for 20 minutes
for a cookie that has less of a chew in the center. Bake for 25
minutes if you want a cookie that’s downright hard, like
biscotti. These will be rather pale-looking, which is okay.
Remember, they’re supposed to be bones! Remove the cookies
from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool. Store the
cookies tightly wrapped.
GOLDEN LEMON RINGS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 20
MINUTES

Inspired by a cookie native to southern Italy, anginetti, the texture of these

lemony rings is similar to that of many Italian cookies (other than
biscotti): fine-grained and firm, but nicely crumbly once you take a bite.
These would partner well with fresh fruit or a cup of tea.

DOUGH
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder

GLAZE
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (57g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed preferred
1 tablespoon (14g) water
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or ⅛ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (see page 256)
3 cups (341g) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, cream together
the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Beat in the eggs,
scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. The mixture may
look curdled, which is okay. Add the flour and baking powder,
beating until smooth.

Spoon the soft dough into a pastry bag fitted with a plain ⅜″
round tip. Pipe rings, 2″ in diameter, onto the prepared baking
sheets. Wet your fingers and smooth over the place where the
rings meet. If you don’t have a pastry bag and tip, spoon the
dough into a zip-top plastic bag, snip off one corner, and
squeeze the dough out into rings.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re golden

brown. While the cookies are baking, make the glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt
the butter, then stir in the lemon juice, water, lemon zest, and
vanilla. Add the confectioners’ sugar, stirring to make a smooth
glaze. Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and soft enough
to brush on the cookies; if it’s too thick, stir in additional water.
Remove the glaze from the heat.

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately brush

them with the warm glaze. Transfer them to a rack set over
parchment or waxed paper, and let them cool completely.
STUDENTS’ BISCUITS
YIELD: 16 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 20 TO 23
MINUTES

János Dyall, a member of what we call our King Arthur international

baking community, has traveled the world throughout his life, and has
been kind enough to send us many, many recipes over the years. He sent us
this one in response to our published plea, on behalf of another reader, for
a cookie she remembered from her childhood—a “kind of crispy almond-
flavored shortbread round, 5 across, with a big chocolate dot in the middle
and a dusting of grated chocolate or cocoa around the edge.” Mr. Dyall
wrote us, “We used to call these ‘Students’ Biscuits’ years ago. Now I
have not seen them for years. Our biscuits were good and indeed quite
large, and I still have the recipe so am sending it herewith. I am sorry I use
the word biscuit, but I learned England English; of course I mean cookie.”
We’re glad Mr. Dyall chose to share the recipe for these big, thick,
tender-crunchy almond-flavored cookies with us. All of the taste-testers
here at King Arthur Baking Company gave them the thumbs-up.

DOUGH
2¼ cups (270g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¾ cups (168g) almond flour or finely ground almonds§§
heaping ½ teaspoon salt
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks, 283g) unsalted butter
1¼ cups (248g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

COATING
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa, natural or Dutch process
1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water (optional, to give cookies a
shiny-crackly look)

FILLING
1⅓ cups (227g) chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (39g) corn syrup

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour,

almond flour and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized mixing
bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and almond extract. Add
the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and cohesive. Shape
the dough into a log about 2½″ in diameter and 9″ long.

FOR THE COATING: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and

cocoa and sprinkle it on a clean work surface or, better, on a
piece of parchment. Roll the log in it to coat. To make the log
nice and round, roll it in the parchment using a straight edge
(see illustrated technique on page xxix). Wrap the log in plastic
wrap and place it in the freezer overnight.

Remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw, still
wrapped, for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the plastic and cut the log into ¾″ slices. Lay the slices
on the prepared baking sheets, about 2″ apart. Brush with the
beaten egg white, if desired.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 23 minutes, until they’re just barely

beginning to brown. Remove them from the oven and, using the
top of a salad dressing bottle or other round, flat object about
1½″ in diameter, make a deep indentation in the center of each
warm cookie. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small saucepan over very low heat, or
in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter,
and corn syrup, stirring until the mixture is smooth.

Using a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop (or a teaspoon), drop a

ball of the filling onto the center of each cookie. Wet your
fingers and flatten the chocolate slightly. Allow the chocolate
to cool before storing the cookies in an airtight container.
SPRINGERLE
YIELD: 2½ TO 3 DOZEN SMALL COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 275°F | BAKING
TIME: 25 TO 30 MINUTES, PLUS A DAY OF WAITING TIME

Springerle, perhaps the most traditional of German Christmas cookies, are

made from a simple dough of eggs, sugar, and flour, usually seasoned with
anise or lemon. These very hard cookies are extremely long-lasting and
ship very well. They’re ideal served with coffee or tea. Originally,
springerle were made using individual, hand-carved molds, often very
intricate in design. In the area around Germany’s Black Forest, where
springerle originated, these molds sometimes developed into giant, 2-to 3-
foot high affairs featuring costumed revelers and animals. More
commonly, springerle molds were cookie-sized and featured Christmas
scenes, such as fir trees, St. Nicholas, and angels. These days, a springerle
pin—a rolling pin imprinted with springerle designs—is as commonly
used as individual molds. Both molds and pins are available online.
Although this recipe is a bit time-consuming, we think the investment
is worth it. Keep in mind that the baked cookies will be very hard when
they cool, and will be a pale tan color, not brown at all. If this is what you
end up with, you did it the right way—the traditional way.

3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
3½ cups (397g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ to ½ teaspoon anise oil, lemon oil, or flavor of your choice
3½ cups (420g) unbleached all-purpose flour
aniseed (optional)

Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, confectioners’
sugar, and flavor. Beat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is
very light and falls in thick ribbons from the beater. Gradually
beat in the flour to form a stiff dough. Transfer the dough to a
well-floured work surface and knead with your hands for
several minutes—it will seem very dry at first, but will become
smooth as you work with it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and
let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

TO SHAPE COOKIES USING A SPRINGERLE PIN: Dust your work

surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half and work
with one piece at a time, keeping the other piece covered. Use a
regular rolling pin to roll the dough into a ¼″ thick rectangle,
roughly the same width as your springerle pin. Use a pastry
brush to brush a very light coating of flour onto the dough.
Flour your springerle pin, then give it a couple of sharp raps to
knock off the excess. Slowly roll the springerle pin over the
dough, pressing down hard enough to leave a good impression.
Cut the cookies apart on the lines, with a pizza wheel or sharp
knife.

TO SHAPE COOKIES USING A SPRINGERLE MOLD: Lightly flour

your work surface. Dust the mold with flour, then tap it firmly
to remove the excess. Divide the dough in half and work with
one piece at a time, and keeping the other piece covered. Roll
the dough into a ¼″ thick square or rectangle, then press the
lightly floured mold firmly into the dough. Remove the mold
and cut around the design with a knife. Repeat until all the
dough is cut.

Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. If you’re

using aniseed, sprinkle it on the cookie sheet or the parchment
before laying down the cookies. Some of the seeds will stick to
the bottom of the cookies, giving them extra flavor. They’ll
also raise the cookies just a bit, allowing air to circulate around
the bottom, drying them thoroughly. Set the unbaked cookies
aside to rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re firm but

not brown. (If the cookies are a bit puffy, and the design isn’t as
sharp as you’d like, bake the next batch at 250°F for 35 to 40
minutes.) Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool completely.

Store the cookies in an airtight container. To keep them from

becoming rock hard, we suggest placing a piece of soft bread, a
slice of apple, or a cookie softener in the container with them.
SPECULAAS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN SMALL COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 15
TO 20 MINUTES

In their packaged form, speculaas are familiar to all of us as the thin,

crisp, dark brown windmill-shaped cookies you can find in the cookie aisle
of your supermarket. In fact, this windmill design, imprinted on the
cookies via a speculaas mold, is the classic form these cookies take in the
Netherlands, their home. Speculaas are also molded into Christmas-motif
shapes, as they’re a favorite during St. Nicholas season, which stretches
from late November through December 6 in Holland. In Germany, these
intricately shaped ginger cookies are called speculatius, and are very much
like Springerle (page 354) in appearance, save for their dark color.
Speculaas molds are available online. But you don’t need a mold to
enjoy these snapping crisp, delightfully spicy cookies. You can simply
drop balls of dough onto a baking sheet and press them flat, or roll the
dough out and cut it into circles or rectangles. Whatever their shape,
they’re wonderful enjoyed with a glass of cold milk, or dipped in hot
coffee.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground mace (or substitute ½ teaspoon nutmeg)
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (48g) almond flour, preferably toasted
 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 to 4 tablespoons (28g to 57g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
additional milk, to glaze

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar,

vanilla, spices, and salt. Stir in the flour, almond flour, and
baking powder, then enough of the milk to make a stiff dough.
Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and
refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE SPECULAAS WITH A MOLD: Lightly dust the mold with

cornstarch. Break off a chunk of dough large enough to cover
the design cut into the mold. Press the dough into the mold,
gently rolling it flat. Trim off any excess by scraping a baker’s
bench knife across the mold. Unmold the cookie onto the
prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

TO MAKE SPECULAAS WITHOUT A MOLD: Drop the dough by 2-

teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Use the bottom
of a drinking glass dipped in sugar to press each ball of dough
to ¼″ thick. Or, if you have a cookie stamp, use that.
(Alternatively, roll the dough ¼″ thick and cut it into
rectangles; or roll a springerle rolling pin across it, using a
knife to cut the cookies apart once they’re rolled.)

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re lightly

browned around the edges. Remove them from the oven and
transfer them to a rack to cool. As they cool, they’ll become
quite hard.

FOR AN EVEN BAKE

When baking cookies, even if you’re only baking one sheet at a time, it helps to rotate
the baking sheets through the oven during their bake. What does this mean? If you’re
baking one sheet of cookies, start it on the lower-middle oven shelf. Midway through its
bake time, take the sheet out of the oven, reverse it so the cookies that were in back
are now in front, and place it back on the upper-middle rack in your oven. Do the same
thing with two sheets, simply reversing them back to front and exchanging their
positions on the racks. This ensures that cookie tops and bottoms are both nicely
baked and the effects of any hot spots in your oven are minimized.
AMARETTI
YIELD: 26 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 25 TO 28
MINUTES

These almond-scented macaroon-type cookies, native to Italy, are simple

to make and very versatile: they’re great crunched up as a topping for
custard-or mascarpone-filled desserts, or as a cookie crust base. They’re
also great keepers, either in the form of unbaked dough (up to three weeks
in the refrigerator), or as finished morsels (stored in an airtight container).
When warm from the oven, they’re crunchy on the outside and ever-so-
slightly chewy on the inside. For festive presentation at the holidays, wrap
individually in mini-muffin papers, or in colored foil or tissue paper
squares, and layer in a cookie tin.

1¾ cups (347g) granulated sugar

one 15-ounce (425g) can almond paste
4 large egg whites (140g)
2 tablespoons (28g) amaretto liqueur, or 2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
sliced almonds or coarse sugar, for topping

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, almond paste, egg

whites, amaretto, and salt at medium speed for 5 minutes. Stop
the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue
beating for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is
completely smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough
overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line
with parchment) two baking sheets.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and fill a disposable
pastry bag three-quarters full. Pipe it into 2-teaspoon mounds,
no more than ½″ high, on the prepared baking sheets (see
illustrations, opposite page). Decorate the tops of the amaretti
with sliced almonds or coarse sugar.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 28 minutes. They should be an even,

deep beige color, and firm to the touch on top. Remove the
amaretti from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before
transferring them to a rack to cool completely. The cookies will
crisp up as they cool.
1. Hold the pastry bag straight up and down, no more than ½″ from the parchment. Squeeze
steadily until you’ve piped out about 2 teaspoons of dough. 2. Release pressure on the bag
before pulling the top of the bag to the side and down to make a smooth top. 3. Garnish the
tops of the cookies before baking.
CHRUSCIKI
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | FRYING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | FRYING TIME: 60 TO 90
SECONDS

Chrusciki, a crisp, deep-fried cookie, is a Polish specialty served on

special occasions, particularly Christmas and Easter. Though fairly time-
consuming to make (and, alas, very quickly consumed!), if you have fond
memories of these cookies and find yourself craving them when the
holidays roll around, this is a good recipe to try. By the way, these are
nearly identical to Norway’s fattigmann, also served at the holidays. Note
that the small bit of alcohol called for is traditional, you can substitute
apple juice or water, if you like.

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon rum, brandy, or whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) sour cream (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
vegetable oil or solid shortening for deep frying
¼ cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar, for coating

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the egg, egg yolk,

liquor, vanilla, salt, sugar, and sour cream until smooth. Stir in
the flour to make a soft dough. Divide the dough in half, shape
each half into a slightly flattened log, and refrigerate for at
least 30 minutes, or overnight.

Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator and place it

on a well-floured work surface. Roll it into a 12″ × 10″
rectangle, ⅛″ thick. If the dough shrinks back as you roll,
simply cover it with a piece of plastic wrap and let it rest for 10
minutes. Cut the rectangle into two 5″ × 12″ pieces, then cut
each piece crosswise into twelve 5″ × 1″ strips.

Cut a vertical 1″ slit in the center of each strip (see

illustrations, opposite page). Carefully poke one end through
the slit and twist it gently once it’s through. Repeat with the
remaining dough strips, gently laying the shaped cookies onto a
baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. If your kitchen
is very hot, refrigerate the cookies until all the dough has been
shaped and you’re ready to start frying.

Heat the vegetable oil to 375°F in a large, deep saucepan, or an

electric frying pan. Fry the cookies 5 or 6 at a time by dropping
them into the oil and frying for 60 to 90 seconds, turning them
with a fork midway through. The cookies should be golden
brown when fully cooked. If you’ve rolled the dough thicker
than ⅛″ you’ll need to fry them a bit longer to make them crisp.

Remove the cookies from the oil and immediately sprinkle

them with confectioners’ sugar. Transfer to a rack to cool.
1. Make a vertical, 1″ slit in the strip of dough. 2. Gently grasp one end of the dough strip and
poke it through the slit. 3. Give the chrusciki a single twist. 4. The shaped chrusciki will look
like a loosely tied bowtie. 5. Use a shaker to sprinkle the chrusciki generously with
confectioners’ sugar as soon as they come out of the hot oil.

TESTING CHRUSCIKI FOR CRISPNESS

Though it extends the process a bit, test-fry one chrusciki first. Remove it from the oil,
allow it to cool for several minutes, and take a bite. Is it crisp? Then proceed with the
remaining cookies. Is it chewy or leathery? You haven’t fried it long enough, or the oil
temperature is too low; try another test cookie. If chrusciki are a very deep, golden
brown, yet still not crisp, reduce the temperature of the frying oil by 10°F.
ZWIEBACK
YIELD: 4 DOZEN ZWIEBACK | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F FOR THE BREAD; 250°F
FOR THE ZWIEBACK | BAKING TIME: 25 MINUTES FOR THE BREAD; 90 MINUTES
FOR THE ZWIEBACK

When you think comfort food, do you think chicken-noodle soup, creamy
macaroni and cheese, or a silky chocolate pudding? Well, how about
zwieback? Those ultradry, lightly spiced, faintly sweet and invariably
satisfying toasts on which kids everywhere cut their teeth are a
quintessential childhood (read: comfort) food. Note that this is a two-day
process, as the loaf the zwieback are made from needs to rest overnight—
so plan accordingly.

4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter

⅓ cup (66g) sugar
¾ cup (170g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 large egg
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large baking sheet.

In the microwave, or in a small saucepan set over low heat, stir

together the butter, sugar, and milk just until the butter melts.
Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to 100° to
105°F, or until barely warm.
Combine the milk mixture and the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt,
yeast, egg, and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer, or in the
bucket of a bread machine. This dough may be prepared up
through its first rise in a bread machine set on the dough or
manual cycle. Mix and knead to form a smooth, elastic dough
that’s quite soft; this will take about 5 minutes in an electric
mixer.

Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover it

with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes. The rising
time is flexible, since it won’t rise quickly. It should just
become a bit puffy.

Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Roll the pieces
with your hands to form two 14″ long cylindrical loaves. If the
dough resists rolling, let it rest, covered, for several minutes.
When you return, you should find the gluten relaxed and the
task much easier.

Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Use the palms of
your hands or a rolling pin to flatten them so they’re about 3½″
wide. Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let them rise until
they’re puffy, about 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 25 minutes, until it’s golden brown and an
instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaves
reads 190°F. Remove the loaves from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool overnight, uncovered.

The next day, preheat the oven to 250°F.

With a serrated knife, cut the loaves on a slight diagonal into

½″ to ¾″ slices. Place the slices upright on ungreased or
parchment-lined baking sheets (see illustration 8, page 99).
Bake the zwieback until they’re completely dry and beginning
to turn golden, about 90 minutes, depending on the weather and
the vagaries of your oven.

Remove the zwieback from the oven and transfer to a rack to

cool. When thoroughly cooled, these will keep for many weeks
in an airtight container.

VARIATION
These cinnamon sugar zwieback taste like extra-crunchy
cinnamon toast.
1 batch zwieback bread, sliced
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (50g) sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Prepare, bake, and cut the zwieback bread as directed in the

recipe.

Brush melted butter on one side of each of the slices. Combine

the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the butter.

Bake the zwieback as directed for 90 minutes.

BRATTLEBORO BONBONS
YIELD: 5½ DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F ° BAKING TIME: 12 TO
15 MINUTES

With their rim of diced pecans, these tender-crunchy butter cookies are as
pretty as they are tasty. They were a specialty of King Arthur’s head baker,
Jeffrey Hamelman, at his former bakery in Brattleboro, Vermont.

13 tablespoons (1½ sticks plus 1 tablespoon, 183g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) sugar
heaping ½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (57g) chopped pecans plus ½ cup (57g) finely diced pecans
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and

salt. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, scraping the bottom
and sides of the bowl. Stir in the ½ cup chopped pecans and
flour, mixing until cohesive.

Shape the dough into a 17″ × 2″ log and roll the log in the
finely diced pecans. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in
the freezer for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the freezer, slice it into ¼″ thick

patties, and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the
cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a deep, golden
 brown and they feel set. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

Create-a-Cookies
Did you enjoy playing with modeling clay as a child? Then
you’ll love creating these stunning-looking cookies, which
range from square checkerboards and round pinwheels to
pretzels and peppermint sticks. These “do it all” doughs, in
three flavors—vanilla, fruit, and chocolate—can be combined
or used separately to make any number of fanciful cookies.
For these recipes, we recommend using extra-fine salt.
Diamond Crystal table salt is much finer-grained than everyday
table salts, and is a good choice for this recipe; check for it at
your supermarket.
VANILLA COOKIE DOUGH
This is your basic building-block dough, from which all others are created.
It’s easy to make, easy to work with, and yields a crisp, buttery cookie.

½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt, extra-fine preferred
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar,

butter, salt, and vanilla. Add the flour, stirring to make a
cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic
wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
FRUIT-FLAVORED COOKIE DOUGH
For added color in your creations, try this dough. The fruit flavor is mild
but the bright colors are striking—raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and
orange are particular favorites.

3 tablespoons (21g) confectioners’ sugar

1 package (85g) fruit-flavored gelatin powder (not sugar-free)
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt, extra-fine preferred
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar,

gelatin powder, butter, salt, and vanilla. Add the flour, stirring
to make a cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it
in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

FANCIFUL SHAPES
Any of these base doughs (see pages 365–66) are great candidates for making spritz
cookies, Scandinavian cookies whose dough is shaped by being forced through a
cookie press. You’ll often see these cookies for sale during the Christmas holidays,
packed in a pretty tin.
A cookie press is a useful tool for making all kinds of shaped cookies, but don’t
think you can force just any cookie dough through a press. In order for the cookies to
maintain their shape as they bake, they need to have the correct fat to flour ratio, and
they need to be unleavened.
CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
This deep dark chocolate dough makes a striking contrast, both in flavor
and color, to the vanilla dough.

½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt, extra-fine preferred
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch process preferred
1¼ cups (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar,

butter, salt, and vanilla. Add the cocoa and flour, stirring to
make a cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in
plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
PRETZEL COOKIES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

The pretzel shape in baking has a very long history; a northern Italian
monk is credited with inventing the shape (said to mimic arms crossed
over chest, in an attitude of prayer) for his unleavened bread nearly
fourteen hundred years ago. Today, this distinctive shape appears in
cookies, in crunchy snacks, and in soft breads—including the foot-wide
New Year’s pretzel made famous by bakers in Sandusky, Ohio. These
crunchy cookies look especially luscious when made with chocolate dough
and sprinkled with pearl sugar.

1 recipe Vanilla Cookie Dough (page 365) or Chocolate Cookie Dough

(page 366), chilled
Egg White Glaze (page 367)
coarse sugar or pearl sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Break off a piece of dough the size of a table tennis ball. On a

very lightly floured work surface, shape it into a rope about 10″
long. Form the rope into a pretzel, as illustrated, and place it on
the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Brush each pretzel with the egg white glaze and sprinkle with
coarse or pearl sugar.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they feel firm. Remove
them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
1. Take the rope of dough and cross one end over the other to make a large loop with short
“tails.” 2. Grab one end of the loop in each hand and bring them to the far end of the loop. 3.
Squeeze the ends to the loop, then gently straighten the whole thing out to make a nice even
pretzel.

Egg White Glaze

This glaze will serve as the “glue” that binds your various creations
together as they bake.

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon water

Whisk together the egg white and water until very slightly
foamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
CINNAMON BUN COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES

These cookies mimic the classic cinnamon bun—a swirl of cinnamon

inside buttery dough. But in this case, the dough bakes into a crisp cookie.

1 recipe chilled Vanilla Cookie Dough (page 365)

¼ cup (50g) sugar
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
Egg White Glaze (page 367)
Vanilla Glaze (page 430) or Cinnamon Glaze (page 431)

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment or waxed paper.

Roll it into a 9″ × 12″ rectangle. Brush it with the egg white
glaze,

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle it evenly over the dough. Starting with a long edge,
roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge. Wrap it in plastic
wrap or parchment, and freeze until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) one large or two smaller baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a
sharp knife, gently cut it into ½″ slices. Transfer them to the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light

golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a
 rack to cool. When cookies are completely cool, drizzle them
with Vanilla Glaze or Cinnamon Glaze.

TRY DENTAL FLOSS FOR SLICING COOKIE DOUGH

Pressing down on a log of cookie dough to slice it into cookies often results in a
misshapen log (and wobbly-edged cookies). For smoothest slicing, try dental floss.
Simply loop the floss under the log of dough, cross the ends of the floss, and pull; it will
cut right through the dough without altering its shape.
PINWHEELS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

Make two batches of dough in contrasting colors for these attractive

pinwheel cookies. Vanilla and raspberry make a festive holiday cookie,
while vanilla and chocolate are a classic combo.

2 recipes chilled cookie dough (two different flavors: Vanilla, page 365;
Fruit-Flavored, page 365; or Chocolate, page 366)
Egg White Glaze (page 367)

Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper on your work

surface. Lay one piece of dough on the parchment and roll it
into a 9″ × 12″ rectangle. Set it aside.

Using another piece of parchment or waxed paper, roll the other

piece of dough just slightly smaller than the first, into an 8½″ ×
11½″ rectangle. Brush the egg white glaze over the larger piece
of dough. Place the smaller piece of dough on top of the larger
piece, using the parchment to transport.

Starting with a long edge, use the parchment to help you gently
roll the stacked doughs into a tight log, with no gaps. Press the
edge to seal, then wrap the log in plastic wrap or parchment,
and freeze until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the freezer, unwrap it, and place it on a
clean work surface. Let it thaw for 15 minutes. Use a sharp
 knife to gently cut the log into ¼″ slices. If the dough becomes
too soft to handle, place it back in the freezer briefly. Transfer
the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they feel firm.

Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

1. Pick up the edge of the paper under the long edge of the dough and use it to help roll the
dough into a long log. Tuck the dough under with your other hand as you roll, to help it along.
2. Cut the chilled log into ¼″ slices.

VARIATION

MARBLE COOKIES: Prepare Pinwheels up to the point where

you’ve rolled out both pieces of dough and glazed the larger
 one. Tear the smaller piece of dough into irregular shapes and
place them haphazardly onto the glazed dough. Fold the dough
in half crosswise, give it a quarter turn, then fold in half again.
On the second fold, gently twist the dough as you fold, as if you
were wringing out a cloth; this will increase the marbling
effect.
Roll the dough into a log, smoothing the outside, wrap it in
plastic wrap or parchment, and freeze until firm. Slice and bake
as directed in the Pinwheels recipe.

1. Place the pieces of contrasting flavor dough onto the glazed dough and fold it in half
crosswise. 2. Give the folded dough a quarter turn and fold it again, giving it a twist. 3. The
folded dough will be messy looking, which is okay. Just shape it into a 12″ log, smoothing it
with your fingers. 4. The beautiful marbled effect is revealed when you slice the log.
CHECKERBOARDS
YIELD: 3 DOZEN SQUARE COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME:
12 TO 14 MINUTES

While making these cookies isn’t for the faint of heart assembly-wise,
they do have an amazing look. Your friends will think you worked on them
for hours; they’ll be right.

2 recipes chilled cookie dough (two different flavors: Vanilla, page 365;
Fruit-Flavored, page 365; and Chocolate, page 366)
Egg White Glaze (page 367)

Working with one piece at a time, place the dough on a piece of

parchment or on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into an
8½″ × 10½″ rectangle, ½″ thick. Brush the egg white glaze on
one piece of dough, then stack the other piece on top of it,
gently pressing them together. Trim the edges of the dough to
make an 8″ × 10″ rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise
(see illustration, page 372) to make two 4″ × 10″ rectangles.
Wrap one in plastic wrap and refrigerate it while you work on
the other.

Cut the dough rectangle in half lengthwise to make two 2″ ×

10″ layered dough strips. Brush the top of one strip with the egg
white glaze and stack the other strip atop it. You should now
have a 2″ × 10″ strip of dough with four alternating colored
layers. Repeat with the remaining dough rectangle.

Wrap both pieces and freeze for at least 2 hours. Remove the
stacked dough from the freezer and let it thaw for 15 minutes.
Cut each stack into four ½″ × 10″ slices (see illustrations, page
372). Turn the slices on their sides. Brush one slice with the
glaze, then stack a second atop it, being sure to alternate the
light and dark doughs in a checkerboard pattern. Brush the top
slice with glaze, and add another slice. Brush that slice with
glaze and top it with the fourth and final slice. Repeat with the
remaining piece of stacked dough.

Wrap both pieces of dough, and freeze for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the freezer and cut it into ½″ cookies.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 13
to 15 minutes, until they’re firm to the touch. Remove them
from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
SLICING AND STACKING CHECKERBOARDS 1. Cut the stacked, trimmed dough in half
lengthwise. 2. Use a sharp knife to cut four even, straight, lengthwise slices from the stacked
dough. 3. Turn the slices on their sides. 4. Stack the slices so the dough colors alternate.
NEAPOLITANS
YIELD: 54 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

While the term Neapolitan originally referred to a layered brick of vanilla,

chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, it’s now come to mean any dessert
made in three distinct layers. These cookies bear close resemblance to that
classic ice cream, both in appearance and flavor.

1 recipe Vanilla Cookie Dough (page 365)

1 recipe Chocolate Cookie Dough (page 366)
1 recipe Fruit-Flavored Cookie Dough (page 365), raspberry flavor
Egg White Glaze (see page 367)

Line a 9″ × 5″ loaf pan with plastic wrap, using a piece big

enough to overlap on all four sides. Pat the vanilla dough into
the bottom of the pan. Use your wet fingers, then a wet bowl
scraper, to smooth it flat; the bowl scraper is exactly the right
size and shape to smooth dough in this size pan. Brush with the
egg white glaze, then layer on the chocolate dough, smoothing
it out. Brush with glaze again and add the raspberry dough,
smoothing the top. Fold the plastic wrap over the top and freeze
for 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Remove the dough from the freezer and turn it out of the pan.
Unwrap it and cut it in half lengthwise. Trim any ragged edges.
Cut ⅓″ crosswise slices from each piece. Transfer the cookies
to the prepared baking sheets.
 Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until the vanilla layer is
a very light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool.

Cut each strip of layered dough into crosswise slices.

PEPPERMINT STICKS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 15
MINUTES

What a great Christmas cookie! The combination of peppermint and

chocolate in this “stick” cookie is a beloved flavor duo.

1 recipe chilled Chocolate Cookie Dough (page 366) or Vanilla Cookie

Dough (page 365)

GLAZE
¾ cup (128g) chocolate chips
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (20g) corn syrup

TOPPING
½ cup (99g) crushed hard red and white peppermint candies or candy
canes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured

work surface and roll it into an 8″ × 6″ rectangle, trimming the
edges so they’re straight. Divide the rectangle in half
lengthwise to make two 8″ × 3″ strips of dough. Cut each strip
of dough into ¾″ × 3″ slices. Place the slices on the prepared
baking sheet.

Bake the sticks for 12 to 15 minutes, until they feel firm when
pressed. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
 cool.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small microwave-safe bowl, or in a

small saucepan set over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips
and butter together, stirring constantly. Stir in the corn syrup.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and sprinkle them
with the crushed peppermints. Place them on a rack to allow the
glaze to set.

NEON COOKIES FOR THE KIDS

Want to make some incredibly bright, neon-colored cookies for the kids? The Fruit-
Flavored Cookie Dough (page 365) takes on screamingly vibrant colors from whatever
gelatin it’s flavored with. Bright red, blue, orange, green, purple … take your pick.
Simply prepare the dough, drop it by the tablespoonful onto lightly greased or
parchment-lined baking sheets, and flatten each ball of dough slightly. Bake in a
preheated 350°F oven for about 17 minutes, until they’re a very light, golden brown
around the edges. Transfer them to a rack to cool. Don your sunglasses, and serve.
CHOCOLATE-VANILLA SWIRLS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12
MINUTES

These crispy, buttery cookies combine the chocolate and Vanilla doughs
into a fun swirl. Just shape and swirl to reveal the two-tone teardrop
design.

1 recipe chilled vanilla Cookie Dough (page 365)

1 recipe chilled Chocolate Cookie Dough (page 366)
Egg White Glaze (page 367)

Transfer both pieces of dough to a lightly floured work surface.

Shape each into a 12″ log.

Use your fingertips to make an indentation down the length of

one piece of dough, then press that indentation with the side of
your hand to flatten. The dough should look like a big quotation
mark in cross section. Brush the inner side of the dough—the
flattened half—with the egg white glaze.

Shape the remaining piece of dough just as you did the first
piece, turn it over, and press it onto the first piece. Roll into a
smooth cylinder.

Wrap the dough cylinder in parchment or plastic wrap and

freeze it until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
Remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw for 15
minutes. Slice it into ¼″ rounds and place them on the prepared
baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until the vanilla part is a light
golden brown. Re move them from the oven and transfer to a
rack to cool.
1. Use the edge of your hand to flatten one side of each log of dough. 2. Press the two pieces
of dough together so they make a nice round cylinder. 3. Slice the dough cylinder to reveal the
swirl shape.
COOKIE WHEELS
YIELD: 4 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

These cookies feature concentric rounds of alternating flavors. Try orange-

flavored and Vanilla doughs for a cookie reminiscent of a Creamsicle.

1 recipe chilled vanilla Cookie Dough (page 365)

1 recipe chilled Chocolate Cookie Dough (page 366) or Fruit-Flavored
Cookie Dough (page 365)
Egg White Glaze (page 367)

Divide one batch of cookie dough into two pieces—one third of

the dough, and two thirds. Roll the smaller piece into a 9″ rope.
Working on a piece of parchment or waxed paper, roll the
larger piece into a rectangle about ¼″ thick, and 9″ along a
short side.

Roll the alternate flavor cookie dough into a rectangle that’s 9″

along a short side and ½″ thick. Trim the edges neatly.

Brush the ½″ thick dough with the egg white glaze. Lay the
dough rope along one short edge and starting with a short edge,
roll the two together into a log, pressing the edges of the
outside dough together to seal the rope inside. Trim any excess
dough before you seal the edges; the edges should just meet,
not overlap.

Brush the third flat piece of dough with glaze. Lay the rolled
log along a short edge and roll it up, sealing the edges neatly.
Again, the edges should just meet, not overlap. Roll the log
 until it’s about 12″ long. Wrap it in plastic and freeze until
firm.

1. Use the parchment to help you roll the dough into a round log. 2. Slice the log, giving the
dough a quarter turn with each slice to avoid flattening one side.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Using a sharp knife or dental floss (see sidebar page 368), slice
the dough into ¼″ slices.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12
to 14 minutes, until they’re firm to the touch. Remove from the
oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
ANIMAL CRACKERS
YIELD: 5 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

Remember the good old days of playing zookeeper with your own
individual box of animal crackers? This is our version of the edible
menagerie. While they’re not overly sweet, they taste more like cookies
than crackers, just as the traditional recipe does.

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks, 170g) butter, softened

1/4 cup (50g) sugar
3 tablespoons (63g) honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (92g) oat flour or finely ground rolled oats

Beat together the butter, sugar, honey, salt, baking soda, and
vanilla until well combined. Add the flour and oat flour, mixing
to combine.

Divide the dough in half, flattening each half slightly to make a

disk, then wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) several baking sheets.

Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator and turn it out
onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough ¼″ thick.
Dip animal cookie cutters in flour, then use them to cut the
dough. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned

around the edges.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the
baking sheet for several minutes, or until set. Transfer the
cookies from the parchment to a rack to cool completely.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
MACARONS
YIELD: 20 TO 22 FILLED COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 275°F | BAKING TIME: 25
TO 30 MINUTES

Don’t confuse these ethereal, light-as-air French cookies with American-

style coconut macaroons. Made with almond flour and egg whites, they’re
notoriously finicky to get just right, but this recipe will have you turning
out elegant and delicate cookies with their signature “foot” in no time.

1½ cups (144g) almond flour

1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
3 large egg whites (105g)
pinch of salt
pinch of cream of tartar or Bakewell Cream
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (47g) water
½ cup plus two tablespoons (124g) granulated sugar

Measure the almond flour by weight or, if measuring by

volume, by sprinkling lightly into a dry measuring cup then
leveling with a straight edge.

Process the almond flour and the confectioners’ sugar in a food

processor for 20 seconds. Sift to remove any large pieces and to
aerate the mixture.

Separate the eggs and put the whites in the bowl you’ll use to
whip them. Don’t start whipping yet, but add a pinch each of
salt and cream of tartar (or Bakewell Cream).

Combine the water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan.

Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a
rapid boil.

Boil for 2 minutes; the temperature of the syrup should reach

between 235°F and 240°F. Take the syrup off the heat.
Immediately start whipping the egg whites, using an electric
mixer. When they hold a curved peak on the end of the beater,
stop, grab the pan of hot syrup, resume beating, and pour the
syrup steadily into the whites as you beat.

Continue beating until the meringue is smooth, glossy, and

forms soft peaks.

Fold in the almond flour and sugar mixture until everything is

evenly combined, then start stirring. This will thin the mixture.
Stir until the batter runs in ribbons that disappear back into the
mass in 10 to 20 seconds. Test frequently, and stop stirring
when you reach this point.

Use a teaspoon cookie scoop or a pastry bag to deposit a

generous teaspoon-sized round blob of batter onto a parchment-
covered baking sheet. The cookie should flatten out, rather than
remain in a tall blob. If it doesn’t spread, stir the batter some
more; your goal is a disklike, fairly flat cookie.

Repeat with the remainder of the batter. Since the cookies

won’t spread as they bake, you can position them fairly close
together.

Allow to rest in a dry place with good air circulation (a

countertop is fine) until you can gently touch the tops and come
away with a clean finger, about 2 hours. Toward the end of the
resting time, preheat the oven to 275°F.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm on the top.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely on the
baking sheet. Use a thin spatula to carefully separate them from
 the parchment.

Spread half the cookies with jam, ganache, frosting, nut butter,
or any combination of fillings your heart desires. Top with the
remaining cookies.

* If you use marzipan, omit the sugar from the filling.

† You’ll find these in the baking aisle of your supermarket, with the chocolate and other
flavored chips. Be sure to get the plain toffee chips, not the ones covered in chocolate.

‡ Although this filling is easy enough to make, if you want to use purchased date (or fig) filling,
go ahead. You’ll need about 2 cups (680g) of filling.

§ Use regular granulated sugar if you can’t find superfine.

¶ Use a whole bean here for the best and strongest vanilla flavor.

# The classic koulouria recipe calls for mastic, the mildly licorice-flavored resin of the lentisk
bush, sold in small, pebblelike pieces. Use it if you can find it; pulverize it first, and add 1
teaspoon to the cookie dough. You may also substitute 4 teaspoons ouzo (Greek anise
liqueur) for the anise in the recipe.

** Substitute 1 teaspoon almond extract, if desired, or the extract, flavor, or oil of your choice.

†† The greater amount of sugar will make a biscuit that’s just about as sweet as a regular
cookie; the lesser amount will yield a more savory-type cookie.

‡‡ Substitute ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour if you don’t have almond flour. The almond
flour is more traditional, but the all-purpose will do just fine.

§§ You may process whole blanched almonds in a food processor or blender to make almond
flour, but be sure to process just until they’re finely ground; a second too long and you’ll have
oily almond paste.
 — CHAPTER SIX —

Batter Cookies

CONVENTION IN COOKIE MAKING is to mix the dough, drop it in balls on a

cookie sheet, and bake in the oven. However, not all cookies follow this
familiar process. Some cookies begin life as a loose batter rather than a
stiff dough. And because of their extremely high liquid-to-flour ratio, they
spread to an ultrathin crisp wafer as they bake, requiring little or no
chemical leavening for their texture. Other cookies begin as a slightly
stiffer batter, and boosted by baking powder, become a tender, moist
confection, halfway between cookie and cake.
Either way, batter cookies are cookies of a different stripe. When you
think batter cookies, think Italian pizzelle, Norwegian krumkake, British
brandy snaps, and Dutch stroopwafels. Even American whoopie pies fall
into this category. Though their origins are diverse, these cookies share a
common characteristic: they’re all longtime favorites in their native
country, having built their enduring reputations through years and years of
happy repetition.
Some of these cookies require an iron to prepare—a waffle iron or a
cookie-specific type of iron. Note that pizzelle, krumkake, and
stroopwafels each have their own traditional iron, yet each can be baked in
the other’s iron as well, if you don’t mind slight variations in size and
imprint pattern. For these three types of cookies, if you don’t have one of
these special irons, don’t attempt to bake them. There’s no other way to
give them their distinct texture and look.
 For the main part, though, you won’t need any special equipment for
batter cookies. A bowl and a mixer, a cookie scoop and a baking sheet—
the normal tools of the trade—will take you just about anywhere you want
to go in this chapter, from delicate Lace Cookies to ultrarich, deep dark
chocolate Fudgies, with a satisfying stop along the way for three different
whoopie pies. Batter up!
LACE COOKIES
YIELD: 70 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 5 TO 7 MINUTES

These gossamer cookies, whose texture has the delicate snap of skim ice
on a November pond, contain just enough flour to keep them from flowing
off the cookie sheet. Be sure to leave lots of space between them when you
drop the batter onto the baking sheet—they spread enormously, acquiring
their lacy look in the process. Like snowflakes, lace cookies should be a
winter phenomenon in the North, as they tend to become limp in any but
the driest weather. Don’t try making these when it’s rainy or humid; they
just won’t become crisp.

3 tablespoons (23g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2¼ cups (200g) rolled oats
2¼ cups (479g) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with

parchment, or a nonstick liner.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and
salt. In a small saucepan, or in the microwave, warm the butter
until it has just melted. Stir it into the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the vanilla and stir it into the
oat mixture.
Drop the batter by the teaspoonful (a teaspoon cookie scoop
works well here, see page xxxvi) onto the prepared baking
sheets, allowing plenty of room for cookies to spread; test-bake
one cookie first to see how much it spreads, then space the
remaining cookies on the sheet accordingly.

Bake the cookies for 5 to 7 minutes, until they’re light brown

around the edges. Remove the cookies from the oven and let
cool just enough on the parchment so you can get a metal
spatula under them without tearing them. (If you wait any
longer, they’ll stick tenaciously.) Transfer them to a rack to
cool. Store in a dry, airtight container in a cool place.
HONEY CRISPS
YIELD: 55 TO 60 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 4 TO 6
MINUTES

These whisper-thin cookies, light as a handful of popcorn, can take any

shape you like. Drape them over a custard cup or ramekin while still warm
and pliable and they’ll make an elegant container for fruit or mousse, or
leave them flat, to layer with whipped cream and berries. They also make
wonderful, delicate fortune cookies, cookies you’ll actually want to eat,
not just break apart to read the fortune. Have all your fortunes (or love
notes) ready ahead of time, and tuck them inside when you’re shaping the
warm-from-the-oven cookies.

4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (76g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons (63g) honey
¾ teaspoon ground ginger*
⅔ cup (80g) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
3 large egg whites, whisked briefly (105g)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

(Don’t use parchment to bake these cookies.) If you spread the
circles of batter on the (clean) back of a baking sheet, rather
than inside, the lack of a pan rim to interfere with your spatula
work means they’ll be easier to lift off once they’re baked.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and

confectioners’ sugar. Add the honey and mix until smooth. Add
the ginger and half the flour and stir to combine, then mix in
half the egg whites. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg
whites, mixing until a smooth batter forms.
 Drop the batter by the teaspoonful on the prepared pan. Spread
the batter out to about 3″ in diameter with the back of a wet
spoon or a small offset spatula, until it’s so thin you can almost
see through it.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, until the cookies are an even golden

brown. The edges will take on color first, then the center.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the
baking sheet for about a minute, until you can move them
without them wrinkling.

Use a wet spoon or offset spatula to spread the cookie batter until it’s nearly see-through thin.

Shape the cookies as desired while they are still warm (to shape
into fortune cookies, see illustrations below). If you choose to
keep the cookies flat, let them cool for 5 minutes before
removing them from the baking sheet. Store cookies in a single
layer in an airtight container.
1. To make fortune cookies, fold the warm cookie in half. 2. Bring the edges together to form
fortune cookie shape, and tuck in the fortune. 3. Place cookie on cooling rack, points down, to
hold its shape while setting up.
BRANDY SNAPS
YIELD: 42 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 7 TO 8 MINUTES

These shiny, mahogany-brown cookies are a British specialty; English

bakers serve them filled with brandy-spiked whipped cream. The brandy in
these ultracrisp, buttery cookies is much more a hint than a distinct flavor,
so don’t fret if you’re not a fan of the taste of alcohol in your baked goods.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ cup (99g) sugar
⅓ cup (113g) molasses
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (135g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, or in the

microwave, heat the butter, sugar, and molasses, stirring until
the butter has melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and
cool slightly.

Add the flour, salt, ginger, brandy, and vanilla, stirring until
smooth. The batter will look like melted caramel.

Using a teaspoon cookie scoop, drop the batter in walnut-sized

balls onto ungreased baking sheets about 3″ apart; they’ll
spread quite a bit.
 Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, until they’re brown.
Remove from the oven, wait about 15 seconds, then use a thin-
bladed metal spatula, or the tip of a knife, to lift them off the
baking sheet. Working quickly, roll each cookie loosely (so the
ends just meet) around the neck of a bottle or the handle of a fat
wooden spoon, to shape it into a tube (see illustration, left).

Remove the cookies from the bottle or spoon as soon as they

set (about a minute). Transfer them to a rack to cool
completely. If desired, fill with lightly sweetened, brandied
whipped cream just before serving, piping it into the snaps with
a pastry bag. Store unfilled cookies in a single layer in an
airtight container; if you need to layer them, separate the layers
with parchment.

Wrap the hot brandy snaps one by one around the neck of a wine bottle or the handle of a fat
wooden spoon. Wrap them just until their ends meet; if you wrap them tightly, they’ll stay soft
in the middle.

THEY’RE HOT!
Clearly, a high-sugar cookie, like a brandy snap, will be very hot right out of the oven.
Tuiles and krumkake, though they don’t get as hot as brandy snaps, are still quite
warm to the touch. For safety’s sake, you’d want to let them cool before handling. But
to shape the cookies, you can’t wait; once they cool, they’re brittle and can’t be
shaped. Pay close attention once you take the cookies out of the oven. Start poking
them with a fingertip within seconds, and as soon as you feel you can handle them
without burning yourself, start rolling. If the cookies cool before you can shape them,
simply put them back into the oven for 15 to 30 seconds; they’ll soften up again.
TUILES (FRENCH TILE WAFERS)
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 7 TO 8
MINUTES

This traditional French cookie is named after the curved roof tiles typical
of ancient seaside villas along France’s Mediterranean coast—for an
American reference, think of those potato chips that come stacked in cans.
Often served alongside ice cream or sorbet, tuiles can be flavored to taste;
almond is traditional, but orange, lemon, and vanilla are other options. Try
a more exotic flavor, like coconut, amaretto, or butter-rum. Just a few
drops of any of these strong flavors are all you’ll need.

2 large egg whites (70g)

heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (85g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons (99g) butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
½ to ⅔ cup (43g to 57g) sliced unblanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (or line with parchment) two
baking sheets.

Place the egg whites and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Using a

wire whisk, or the whisk attachment of your electric mixer,
whisk until the egg whites are foamy and starting to thicken.
Sprinkle in the confectioners’ sugar, whisking until smooth,
then stir in the almond extract. Sprinkle the flour over the
mixture and whisk it in. Finally, add the melted butter,
whisking until smooth and thickened.
 Using a teaspoon cookie scoop, drop walnut-sized balls of the
batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between
them. Use a wet offset spatula or knife to spread the batter into
thin 3″ rounds (see illustration, opposite page). Sprinkle with
the almonds.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, until they’re thoroughly

browned around the edges. Once they come out of the oven
you’ll drape them over a curved surface to cool into their
distinctive shape, so while they’re baking, set out a pastry pin,
wine bottle, or other similar-sized cylinder. A pastry pin is
smaller in diameter than a rolling pin, 1½″ to 2″. It’s longer,
too, so by the time you wrap the cookies from one end to the
other, the first cookie will be cool enough to transfer, and so
on.

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press them
onto the cylinder to shape them (see illustration, opposite
page). Once they’re set and fairly cool (about a minute),
transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in
an airtight container.

1. Use a wet spatula or knife to spread the batter in 3″ rounds. Sprinkle each generously with
sliced almonds. 2. Gently press the hot tuile onto the curved surface of your choice, allowing it
to set before moving it onto a rack.
AN ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO SHAPING ROUND WAFER
COOKIES
If precision and symmetry are qualities you admire, you might want to make your own
tuile form. Take a piece of food-safe silicone, with a maximum thickness of ¹/₁₆″. Trace
a 3″ diameter circle in the center (a jar opener or one of those flat, circular garlic clove
peelers works well) and cut out the circle, using a craft knife to get it started and a pair
of scissors to finish the job. Discard the circle. To shape tuile batter, set the silicone
form on the prepared baking sheet, drop the batter in the center of the hole, and spread
to the edges. Remove the form and repeat with the remaining batter. Depending on the
size of the silicone, you may want to trim the edges so it doesn’t disturb any already
shaped cookies. Be sure to remove the form from the sheet before baking the cookies.
FLORENTINES
YIELD: 30 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 11 TO 12
MINUTES

This unusual confection, a cross between cookie and candy, is originally

credited to Austria’s pastry chefs, who for some reason gave the cookie an
Italian name—perhaps because of the Mediterranean fruit that is its main
ingredient. The dark chocolate glaze on the bottom of these cookies nicely
complements the orange (or apricot, or ginger) in the interior. The fruit
and almonds for florentines can be very finely chopped, so that they’re the
texture of coarse sand, or they can be more coarsely chopped, into BB-
sized pieces. Or go for a combination of the two sizes; there are no hard
and fast rules here, it’s up to you.

BATTER
½ cup (114g) whipping cream
⅔ cup (132g) sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
2 cups (284g) very finely chopped unsalted, blanched almonds, toasted
(see page xxx)
¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) finely diced candied orange peel
½ teaspoon almond extract

GLAZE
1⅓ cups (227g) chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.
 TO MAKE THE BATTER: In a medium saucepan set over medium
heat, combine the cream, sugar, and butter, cooking and stirring
until the butter melts. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring
the mixture to a boil. Remove it from the heat and add the
almonds, flour, orange peel, and almond extract.

Drop the batter by the tablespoonful, at least 2″ apart, on the

prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon dipped in
water or a wet table knife, flatten each cookie until it’s evenly
smooth.

Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their edges are

lightly browned. Remove them from the oven, cool them for a
minute on the pan, then transfer them to a rack, or a rack
topped with parchment paper, to cool completely.

Once you’ve spread the bottom of the florentines with chocolate, use a fork to give them their
signature wavy stripes.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt 1 cup (6 ounces) of the chocolate in a

saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave, stirring until the
chocolate melts. Remove it from the heat and add the
remaining ⅓ cup chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth.

Spread the bottom of each cookie with the glaze. Run the tines
of a fork through the chocolate in a wavy pattern (see
 illustration, opposite page), and place the cookies back on the
rack, chocolate side up, to set. To make them set faster, you
may refrigerate them.

VARIATIONS

APRICOT: For apricot florentines, substitute 2 cups (256g)

slivered dried apricots for the orange peel; reduce the almonds
to 1 cup.
GINGER: For ginger florentines, substitute ½ cup (92g) finely
diced crystallized ginger for the orange peel. Substitute 2 cups
(228g) finely chopped toasted pecans for the almonds.

DICING STICKY FRUIT

Sticky fruits and candied peel can be difficult to dice. A good solution is to combine part
of the flour in the recipe with the fruit in a blender or food processor and process until
the fruit is chopped to the size you like. The flour coats the pieces of fruit, preventing
them from turning into a sticky wad. In this Florentine recipe, combine the peel with all
of the flour, then blend or process.
CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES
YIELD: 7 OR 8 LARGE (4½ ̋) WHOOPIE PIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING
TIME: 15 MINUTES

Two saucer-shaped rounds of chocolate cake sandwiched around a

marshmallowy cream filling: that’s the classic whoopie pie. The official
state treat of Maine (not to be confused with the official state dessert,
which is blueberry pie), this snack cake was originally popular in northern
New England, Amish-country Pennsylvania, and parts of the Midwest. But
the whoopie pie has gradually been spreading throughout America, and for
good reason: it’s a delicious throwback to the days before everyone started
counting calories. Consider these an occasional decadent treat.

COOKIES
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (32g) Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (227g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

FILLING
1 cup (184g) vegetable shortening
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1⅓ cups (114g) Marshmallow Fluff or marshmallow creme
¼ teaspoon extra-fine salt, or ¼ teaspoon table salt dissolved in 1
tablespoon water
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES: In a large mixing bowl, cream together

the shortening, brown sugar, and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the milk.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to

the shortening mixture, beating until smooth. Drop the stiff
batter by the ¼-cupful onto the prepared baking sheets, about
2″ apart.

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, until they’re firm to the
touch. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to
cool completely.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized bowl beat all the

filling ingredients together.

TO ASSEMBLE: Spread half of the cookies with the filling, using

about ¼ cup for each; top with the remaining cookies. For best
storage, wrap each pie individually.
Cradling one cookie in your hand, flat side up, use a cookie scoop to dollop on filling, and a
table knife or offset spatula to spread it.

MEASURING MARSHMALLOW
Sticky, gooey, clinging—supply whatever adjective suits you, but we all know that
marshmallow creme (or shortening, or peanut butter) is challenging to measure. If your
recipe calls for oil, measure that first in your measuring cup, then measure the
marshmallow creme. It will slide right out. Or spray your measuring cup with a
vegetable oil spray. As a last resort, try rinsing your measuring cup with cold water
before adding the marshmallow. The water will help it (somewhat) to slip out of the cup.
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES
YIELD: 1 DOZEN (4 ̋) WHOOPIE PIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME:
10 TO 12 MINUTES

Although 99% of the whoopie pies you’ll see at bake sales are chocolate,
there’s no reason to stop there. A commercial whoopie pie baker in
northern Maine distributes all manner of luscious “pies” (strawberry,
lemon, vanilla) to convenience stores around Maine and New Hampshire.
Believe us, these big, fat cookies, oozing their creamy filling, are comfort
for the bruised psyche after a white-knuckle car ride through New
Hampshire’s White Mountains on a snowy winter night!

COOKIES
1½ cups (341g, 15-ounce can) pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 cups (426g) brown sugar
1 cup (198g) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (43g) molasses or dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (360g) unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons (28g) cool water
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat)
2¼ cups (255g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (23g) finely chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two large baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES: In a large bowl, beat together the

pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and molasses. Scrape down
the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat in the salt, spices,
baking powder, and baking soda.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients and beat for 1 minute, until
the mixture is well combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of
the bowl, then beat for a short time just to make sure
everything is thoroughly mixed. Use a muffin scoop, or a ¼-
cup measure, to drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets,
2″ apart to allow for spreading.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they feel firm to

the touch; a slight indentation will remain when you press your
finger in the center. Remove the cookies from the oven and
transfer to a rack to cool while you prepare the filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a small heatproof bowl, combine the

gelatin and water and set aside for the gelatin to soften. In a
large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese
until fluffy. Heat the gelatin and water very gently (in a larger
bowl of hot water, or at low power in the microwave), stirring
to dissolve the gelatin. Set it aside.

Add half the confectioners’ sugar to the butter / cream cheese

mixture, beating well. Add the gelatin and mix to combine. Add
the remaining confectioners’ sugar, mixing until blended, then
stir in the ginger.
TO ASSEMBLE: Spread the flat side of half the cookies with the
filling, using 2 generous tablespoons of filling for each cookie.
Top with the remaining cookies. For best storage, wrap each pie
individually in plastic wrap.
OATMEAL WHOOPIE PIES
YIELD: 20 WHOOPIE PIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8 TO 10
MINUTES

These cookies are similar to the snack cake oatmeal pies—two oatmeal
cookies sandwiched around creme filling—that you find at the grocery
store. But instead of creme filling, we developed a rich, thick homemade
marshmallow filling, which can be left plain, or flavored however you like
(do we hear cinnamon?).

COOKIES
1½ cups (320g) brown sugar
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons (43g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (178g) rolled oats

MARSHMALLOW FILLING
1½ cups (341g) cold water
4 packages (7g or ¼ ounce each) unflavored gelatin
3 cups (594g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar (if making marshmallows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES: In a large bowl, cream together the

sugar, shortening, butter, salt, spices, baking powder, baking
soda, and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs and milk, beating
until smooth but not fluffy. Stir in the flour and oats. Drop the
stiff batter by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking
sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are set and not wet-
looking in the center. Remove them from the oven and let cool
for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool
completely.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Pour ¾ cup of the water into the bowl of
an electric stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and let it
soften for 5 minutes.

Bring the remaining ¾ cup water, the granulated sugar, corn

syrup, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high
heat. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches soft-ball
stage (234°F to 240°F), about 10 minutes.

Using your mixer’s whisk attachment, beat the hot syrup into
the gelatin mixture at low speed. Gradually increase the speed
to high and beat until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in
the vanilla. While the marshmallow is beating, line up half the
cookies, flat side up, so you can spread them with frosting
quickly.
 Spread half the cookies with a generous 2 tablespoons
marshmallow. Top with the remaining cookies. Wrap the pies
individually, or store in an airtight container.

The marshmallow will increase in volume greatly as you beat it.

FUDGIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 325°F | BAKING TIME: 10 TO 12
MINUTES

For those of you who love dark chocolate, these cookies are a simple-to-
make, satisfying, deep dark chocolate treat. They develop an attractive
shiny, cracked top surface as they bake, just like a fudge brownie. Be sure
to allow them to cool before moving them off the baking sheet, as they’re
very delicate while hot. Our immediate thought when sampling them was
that they’d be dynamite as the cookie part of an ice cream sandwich. Our
ice cream flavor of choice would be something in the coffee family, to
complement the faint espresso flavor in the cookies.

1⅓ cups (227g) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate†

3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
1 cup (198g) sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

In a double boiler, or in the microwave, gently melt together

the chocolate and butter, stirring until the chocolate has melted.

In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until

they’re thoroughly combined. Add this mixture to the melted
chocolate, then stir in the remaining ingredients. The mixture
will be liquid, like brownie batter. Cover and refrigerate for 60
minutes; it will become stiff enough to handle easily.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with

parchment) two baking sheets.

Drop the batter in round blobs (a bit larger than a table tennis
ball) onto the prepared baking sheets about, 2″ apart. Using a
cookie scoop (or a small ice cream scoop that will hold about 2
level tablespoons of liquid) makes this task extremely simple.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until their tops are shiny
and cracked. You want them baked all the way through, but just
barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather than
chewy. To make sure they’re done, take the sheet out of the
oven and use a spoon or fork to gently cut into one; it shouldn’t
have any raw-appearing or liquidlike batter in the center.

Remove the cookies from the oven, wait 5 minutes, and transfer
them to a rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container.
MADELEINES
YIELD: 24 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 375°F | BAKING TIME: 12 TO 14
MINUTES

Madeleines, tender, cakelike, shell-shaped cookies, are famed for their

starring role in Marcel Proust’s epic novel, Remembrance of Things Past.
They’re a bit fussy to make (the butter has to be browned first, and they
require a special pan), but the result is a cookie perfect for dunking in tea,
dipping in chocolate, or just enjoying in all its simple splendor. You may
also choose to dip madeleines halfway in melted chocolate (as illustrated
below); drizzle them with a flavored glaze; or brush plain madeleines with
Lemon-Honey Butter (see page 400).

10 tablespoons (11/4 sticks, 141g) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (132g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted or whisked to aerate
confectioners’ sugar, for sifting over cookies

In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter, then

simmer it gently for 5 to 6 minutes, until small brown particles
appear around the edges of the pan and the butter changes color
slightly. Set it aside to cool to room temperature.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and salt

until they’re light yellow and very thick. Stir in the vanilla.

Add the flour and brown butter alternately to the egg mixture,
using a folding motion (be gentle!), so the batter loses as little
 volume as possible. Refrigerate the batter, covered, for 45
minutes or so, until it’s thick.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease your madeleine pan

or pans, using melted butter or nonstick vegetable oil spray.
(This recipe requires 24 full-sized cups; bake in batches if
necessary.)

Fill the prepared pans, using 1 slightly rounded tablespoon of

batter for each cookie. Bake the madeleines for 12 to 14
minutes, until they’re light brown at the edges. Cool in the pan
for several minutes, then remove from the pan and cool
completely on a rack.

Sift a light coating of confectioners’ sugar over the madeleines

just before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Gently grasp the madeleine at one end and dip the other end in the chocolate. Set on a rack
(over parchment paper, to catch any drips) until the chocolate hardens.

Lemon-Honey Butter
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons (42g) honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Mix all the ingredients together, stirring until smooth.

VARIATIONS

CHOCOLATE MADELEINES: Place 3 tablespoons (16g)

unsweetened cocoa powder (we prefer Dutch process) into a 1-
cup measuring cup. Spoon unbleached all-purpose flour into the
cup until it’s full; level it off. Whisk or sift the flour and cocoa
together. Use this mixture in place of the flour in the basic
recipe. Add 1 teaspoon chocolate extract to perk up the
cookies’ flavor, and / or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
ALMOND MADELEINES: Substitute ¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-
purpose flour plus ½ cup (48g) almond flour for the flour in the
basic recipe. In addition to the vanilla extract, add ¼ teaspoon
almond extract.
LEMON-POPPY SEED MADELEINES: Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon
juice and the zest from 1 lemon to the eggs and sugar when
beating. Add a drop or two of lemon oil for extra-strong flavor.
Whisk 2 tablespoons poppy seeds into the flour before folding
it in.
ROSE WATER MADELEINES: Reduce the vanilla extract to 1
teaspoon, and add 2 to 3 teaspoons rose water or 1 teaspoon
rose extract. Rose water varies greatly in aroma and strength,
so begin with the lesser amount—you want a very light aroma
and taste.
GINGER-ORANGE MADELEINES: Add 3 tablespoons (35g) finely
minced crystallized ginger to the eggs and sugar once they’ve
been beaten until thick. Whisk 1 tablespoon orange zest into the
flour, and add ⅛ teaspoon orange oil to the finished batter, for
extra flavor.
CATS’ TONGUES
YIELD: 45 TO 50 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 425°F | BAKING TIME: 7 TO 8
MINUTES

The French call these puffy-crisp ovals langues de chat—cat’s tongues,

though finding a house-cat with a tongue this size would be a bit of a
stretch. Enjoy these with a cup of coffee or tea. They’re also the perfect
vehicle for sandwich cookies, filled with Lemon Creme (page 440), or
Vanilla or Chocolate Creme Fillings (page 443).

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

1 cup (198g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites (105g)
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with

parchment (baking these on a parchment-lined baking sheet,
rather than on a greased sheet, will produce a puffier, lighter
cookie).

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar,

vanilla, and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites
until they’re stiff, but not dry.

Sift the flour over the butter mixture. Spoon the beaten egg
whites on top and gently mix everything together. The mixture
will seem very dry at first, but will eventually come together.
Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large ( or so)
plain tube, or into a zip-top plastic bag. If you’re using a plastic
bag, snip off a tiny bit of one corner to make an opening about
in diameter. Pipe strips of dough about 3″ long onto the
prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1″ between the cookies
(side to side), so they have room to spread.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, until they’re a very light

brown around the edges but not brown on top. Remove them
from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
LADYFINGERS
YIELD: ABOUT 40 COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350°F | BAKING TIME: 8
MINUTES

Ladyfingers, very similar in size and shape to Cat’s Tongues (see page
401) are soft and elegantly dry, much like an airy sponge cake. In fact,
they’re made much the same way, with the addition of extra flour to make
them easy to shape. Their texture makes them the perfect building block
for layered desserts such as tiramisu, that classic combination of
espresso-, mascarpone-, and liqueur-enriched cream filling and cookies.
Savoiardi, Italy’s version of ladyfingers, are the basis for tiramisu. A
classic trifle is also delicious made with ladyfingers, which are able to
soak up both cream and fruit juice and still hold their shape (unlike the
rest of us).

3 large eggs, separated

generous ⅓ cup (74g) granulated sugar, superfine preferred
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or a few drops orange-flower water
¾ cup (90g) cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with

parchment (baking these on a parchment-lined baking sheet,
rather than on a greased sheet, will produce a puffier, lighter
cookie).

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks
form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar
and continue beating until stiff peaks form; the meringue will
be glossy and smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar
and the vanilla, beating until thick and lemon-colored.

Sift the flour and salt over the egg yolk mixture. Spoon the
meringue on top. Gently fold everything together.

Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large (3/8″ or
so) plain tube, or into a zip-top plastic bag. If you’re using a
plastic bag, snip off a tiny bit of one corner to make an opening
about 3/8″ in diameter. Pipe strips of dough about 3″ long onto
the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1″ between the
cookies (side to side), so they have room to spread. Sprinkle the
cookies lightly but thoroughly with confectioners’ sugar; wait 5
minutes, then sprinkle again.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, until their edges are barely
beginning to brown, but they’re still soft and very light-colored
in the center. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to
a rack to cool. Wrap tightly once they’re cool. They’ll become
stale quickly, so eat them or use in a dessert immediately, or
freeze for up to 2 weeks, tightly wrapped.
CAKE COOKIE CUTOUTS
YIELD: 2 DOZEN 4½ ̋ COOKIES | BAKING TEMPERATURE: 400°F | BAKING TIME: 15
MINUTES

There’s more than one way to make cutout cookies … and who says they
have to be crisp, anyway? Children love these baby-soft cookies. A thin
layer of cakelike batter is poured into a pan, baked, then cut into any
fanciful shapes you like. For a final touch, frost with a complementary
icing. We recommend Chocolate Ganache (page 432) or Caramel Icing
(page 435).

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks, 170g) unsalted butter

1½ cups (297g) sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2⅔ cups (320g) cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (170g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1½ cups (255g) chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache (page 432), or Caramel Icing (page 435)

Make sure the butter and eggs are at cool room temperature,
68°F to 72°F depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Plan on removing them from the refrigerator 45 minutes to 2½
hours before you begin to prepare the cookies.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 18″ × 13″ half-

sheet pan (or line the bottom of the pan with parchment and
grease the sides). You may also use two 9″ × 13″ pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, at medium speed of an

electric stand mixer or high speed of an electric hand mixer, for
1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 5 minutes.
Dribble in the eggs very gradually, beating all the while, and
beat until the mixture is light colored; this will take 5 minutes.
Be sure to stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder;
set aside. Whisk together the milk, vanilla, and almond extract
in a cup; set aside.

Using a spatula or large spoon (or an electric mixer on low

speed), alternate stirring the flour mixture and the milk mixture
into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
Stir only until the batter is completely mixed. Stir in the
chocolate chips.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or

until it springs back lightly and doesn’t leave a fingerprint
when you gently press the center. (If you’re baking in two 9″ ×
13″ pans, start checking for doneness several minutes sooner.)

Remove the baked batter from the oven and allow it to cool.
Carefully turn it out onto a large rectangular rack by placing
the rack upside-down on top of it, then flipping the whole thing
over, so the cake is upside down on the rack. Use the cookie
cutters of your choice to cut cookies, leaving them in place on
the rack after you’ve cut them. When all the cookies are cut,
pick out the scraps; you can simply nibble on them, or layer
them with instant pudding to make an easy trifle.

Drizzle the icing over the cookies, or spread each with icing
individually. Store the cookies in a single layer, tightly
wrapped.
VARIATIONS

CHIP OPTIONS: Substitute different flavored chips (cappuccino,

butterscotch, mint chocolate) for the chocolate chips, and
substitute a complementary flavor for the almond extract.
DRIED FRUIT: Substitute dried fruit (chopped apricots, cherries,
chopped dates, blueberries, cranberries), or a combination of
dried fruit and nuts, for the chips.
CITRUS: Omit the chips and the almond extract and flavor to
taste with ¼ to ½ teaspoon citrus oil, or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of the
extra-strong flavor of your choice (maple, coconut, hazelnut,
raspberry, etc.).
KRUMKAKE
YIELD: 15 KRUMKAKE

Norwegian krumkake are thin, waffle-like cookies very similar, in shape,

size, and consistency, to Italian pizzelle (see page 407). A favorite way to
serve krumkake is to roll them into a fat cylinder, hot off the iron while
they’re still pliable; a metal cannoli tube is ideal for this task. When
they’re cool, fill them with lightly sweetened whipped cream and serve
with fresh berries. Krumkake can also be shaped around a wooden cone, to
make a delicate waffle cone for ice cream; or they can be pressed into
individual muffin cups to make crisp edible serving bowls for pudding or
other sweets. Alternatively, leave them flat and dust with confectioners’
sugar just before serving.

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (124g) sugar

2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat a krumkake iron and spray it with nonstick vegetable

oil spray. (See page xxxviii for information about the krumkake
iron.)

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sugar and eggs until

thoroughly combined, but don’t beat them. Stir in the butter,
then the flour, salt, and cardamom.

Drop the batter, by the tablespoonful, just back of center on the

circles etched into the bottom plate of the krumkake iron; the
 iron will push the batter forward a bit as it closes, so you don’t
want to center it exactly.

Bake the krumkake for about 75 seconds; you’ll need to test a

few to get the exact time right. Remove them from the iron and
roll immediately, or let them cool flat on a rack. Repeat with
the remaining batter. Store krumkake in an airtight container, or
on a plate, well wrapped.

Using a pastry bag fitted with the star tip, pipe whipped cream into the rolled krumkake just
before serving. If you don’t have a pastry bag, fill a plastic zip-top bag with whipped cream,
snip off one corner, and squeeze cream into the krumkake.

VARIATIONS

Chocolate Krumkake
This nontraditional but delightful chocolate krumkake makes a
tasty bowl for a mini ice cream sundae.
¼ cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process preferred
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 recipe krumkake batter

Mix together the cocoa, butter, and vanilla, and stir it into the
prepared batter. Bake as directed in the krumkake recipe.
 Drizzle the finished krumkake with Chocolate Ganache (page
432), if desired.

MOCHA KRUMKAKE: Make the chocolate krumkake batter,

reducing the vanilla extract to 1½ teaspoons and adding 1
teaspoon espresso powder.

KRUMKAKE STACK CAKE: Remember the famous Chocolate

Refrigerator Cake (page 302), made by sandwiching thin
chocolate wafer cookies with whipped cream in a long roll? Try
the same thing with chocolate or mocha krumkake. Spread one
with about ¼ cup lightly sweetened whipped cream, add
another krumkake, spread with whipped cream, and so forth
until you’ve made a stack as tall as you like. Refrigerate for
several hours to allow the cookies to soften. Cut in half (for
large servings) or in four wedges to serve.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A KRUMKAKE IRON?

Traditional krumkake require an iron—however, it doesn’t have to be a krumkake iron.
Substitute a pizzelle iron, if you have one; the imprint on the cookies will be different
(traditional Italian rather than traditional Norwegian), but other than that it performs the
same function: baking a very thin, very crisp cookie. You need some sort of iron to
make these cookies.

A TIME-TESTED FORMULA FOR KRUMKAKE

The traditional recipe for pound cake calls for a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and
eggs. Krumkake, probably the most beloved of Norwegian cookies, has a similar
traditional formula: for the weight of each egg (weighed in its shell), the baker is
directed to use twice that weight of sugar, butter, and flour, then to season to taste with
salt and cardamom. This kind of formula makes it possible for a baker to easily
increase (or reduce) the size of the recipe. Just to demonstrate once again that old
ways are often the best, the recipe printed here follows almost exactly that traditional
way of stirring up krumkake.
PIZZELLE
YIELD: 23 PIZZELLE

In Italy, these flat, crisp, imprinted wafer cookies are typically street food,
hawked by vendors, especially during the various saints’ days festivals for
which that country is famous. In America, they’ve become a holiday
specialty, appearing regularly at Christmas and Easter—as well as any
other time the craving for pizzelle strikes the fortunate owner of a pizzelle
maker.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
⅞ cup (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons, 173g) granulated sugar
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract‡
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Spray a pizzelle maker with nonstick vegetable oil spray.

Preheat the iron (see page xl for information about the pizzelle
maker).

In a very small saucepan, or in a microwave, heat the butter and

salt until the butter melts. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and

sugar until well combined. Stir in the cooled butter, then the
flour and baking powder. Add the vanilla or flavor of your
choice.
Use a tablespoon cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, to drop a
ball of dough just back of center of each imprint on the pizzelle
maker; the iron will push the batter forward a bit as it closes, so
you don’t want to center it exactly. Close it and lock it closed,
if it has a locking mechanism.

Bake the pizzelle for 45 to 75 seconds; time will vary from iron
to iron. Generally, when they stop steaming, they’re done. Open
the pizzelle maker and check; pizzelle should be a medium-to-
deep golden brown all over.

Use the tip of a table knife or a thin-bladed offset spatula, to

lift each pizzelle off the iron and place it flat on a rack to cool.
If desired, trim off any ragged edges while the pizzelle are still
hot; you can do this with your fingers, or use a pair of scissors.
Repeat with the remaining batter. Cool the pizzelle completely.

Just before serving, dust the pizzelle with confectioners’ sugar.

Store in an airtight container, or stacked on a plate, tightly
wrapped.

VARIATION

Confetti Pizzelle
Adding multicolored nonpareils to the pizzelle batter produces
festive-looking rainbow pizzelle. Our thanks to author and
television personality Mary Ann Esposito for the inspiration
behind this recipe.
1 recipe Pizzelle batter
¼ cup (57g) nonpareils, multicolored or single color

Add the nonpareils to the prepared batter. Bake as directed in

the basic recipe.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PIZZELLE AND
KRUMKAKE?
Not a whole lot, truthfully. Pizzelle are leavened with baking powder and are generally a
bit thicker, a bit less crisp, and typically flavored with rum, anise, orange, or vanilla
extract. Unleavened krumkake, thinner and crisper, are traditionally flavored with
cardamom. Both are baked in an iron. Irons used to sport traditional patterns, often
quite intricate; these days, the patterns are simpler and more generic.
STROOPWAFELS
YIELD: 32 SANDWICH COOKIES

These caramel-cinnamon treats, native to the Netherlands, elevate the term

“sandwich cookie” to new heights. To serve them as they do in
Amsterdam, set a cookie atop your mug of steaming coffee; it will act as a
lid to keep the coffee warm and will soften a bit in the process. Note: You
must have a pizzelle (or krumkake, or waffle cone) maker, preferably a
“mini,” to prepare these.

BATTER
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (160g) brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¾ cups (210g) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder

FILLING
2 tablespoons (28g) water
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
6 tablespoons (¾ stick, 85g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (78g) dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat a mini waffle cone iron or mini pizzelle iron. If you

don’t have a mini-iron, use a regular-sized one; your
 stroopwafels will just be larger than normal.

TO MAKE THE BATTER: In a medium-sized bowl, or in a saucepan

set over low heat, melt the butter; let it cool slightly. Whisk in
the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir
into the butter mixture.

Drop the batter by the teaspoonful onto the lightly greased,

heated iron. Close the lid and bake until golden brown. Irons
vary, so try a test cookie first to determine baking time.
Remove the cookie from the iron and place on a rack to cool
completely before filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan set over low

heat, combine the water, sugar, butter, and corn syrup, stirring
until the sugar is dissolved. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.
Boil for 3 minutes.

In the Netherlands, a stroopwafel often serves as the lid for a mug of hot coffee.

Remove the lid and stir in the cinnamon. Boil until the syrup
reaches the soft-ball stage, 234°F to 240°F. Remove from the
heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
 Place about ½ teaspoon of syrup onto each cookie. Sandwich
pairs of cookies, pressing them together to spread the filling.
Be careful, as the caramel is very hot. If it cools too much,
making it hard to spread, rewarm slightly. Store cookies in an
airtight container.

VARIATION
If you’re one of those folks who think a cookie just isn’t a
cookie without chocolate, try this rich chocolate-hazelnut
filling.
½ cup (156g) praline paste
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1 cup (170g)
bittersweet chocolate chips

Melt the praline paste and chocolate together in a double boiler,

or in a microwave on low power. Place about ½ teaspoon of
filling onto each cookie. Sandwich pairs of cookies, pressing
them together gently. Allow to stand until the filling is set,
several hours at (cool) room temperature or 2 to 3 hours in the
refrigerator. Store cookies in an airtight container.

THAT RAINY DAY FEELING

Humid weather can wreak havoc with crisp cookies, especially some of the ultrathin
ones found in this chapter. To keep crisp cookies crisp, store them in an airtight
container with a moisture absorber (sometimes called a cracker crisper). If
unprotected cookies become soggy, lay them in a single layer on an ungreased baking
sheet and refresh them in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (Thinner
cookies will need less time, thicker, a little more.) Remove them from the oven and
cool them on a rack; this process should restore them to their former splendor.
ROSETTES
YIELD: 3 DOZEN ROSETTES

The fried dough stand is a favorite stop along the midway for many a
county fairgoer. Take fried dough one step further—make it ultrathin and
crisp, and form it into a star, a heart, or something other than its usual
unappetizing blob shape—and you’ve got rosettes. A special dipping iron
is required to make these deep-fried batter cookies, but once you taste
them you’ll gladly add that one extra piece of equipment to your pantry.
Rosettes can easily be flavored to taste. Use 1 teaspoon regular-strength
extract, or a few drops to ⅛ teaspoon extra-strong flavor.

1 large egg
1 cup (227g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour vegetable oil
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

In a medium-sized bowl,§ whisk together all the ingredients

until smooth. For the crispiest rosettes, refrigerate the batter for
2 hours before using.

Heat 1½″ to 2″ of vegetable oil in a wide saucepan or kettle; a

deep electric frying pan is ideal, as you can control the
temperature so easily. Heat the oil to 365°F to 375°F.
1. Dip the batter-covered rosette iron into the hot oil just to cover. 2. Peel the rosette off the
iron with a table knife.

Attach the rosette iron to its handle and immerse the iron in the
hot oil briefly (about 5 seconds) to heat it. Remove it from the
oil, shake off any excess, and dip it into the batter, allowing the
batter to come close to, but not over the top edge of the iron; if
it goes all the way over the top, you’ll have a hard time getting
the rosette off. Hold the iron in the batter for about 5 seconds,
then lift it out and shake off any excess. The batter on the iron
will seem very thin, which is okay. Plunge the iron into the hot
oil far enough to cover it. When the rosette is golden brown and
the oil starts to bubble more gently, use a table knife to gently
coax the rosette off the iron into the oil. Turn it over, grab a
pair of tongs, and lift it out of the oil onto a paper towel–lined
baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Just before serving, dust the rosettes with confectioners’ sugar.

Store them in an airtight container.
BELGIAN SUGAR WAFFLES
YIELD: 35 COOKIES

Sweet, crunchy-soft, buttery. These waffle cookies are a traditional treat in

Belgium, where street vendors cook and serve them to delighted
aficionados. They’ll be crisp-crunchy once they’re cool; store them lightly
covered to retain that texture.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room

temperature
4 large eggs
½ cup (99g) granulated sugar¶
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (114g) coarse sugar

Preheat a greased American-style waffle iron. If your waffle

iron has a browning dial, turn it to the darkest setting. A heart-
pattern iron makes attractive cookies, but any kind of
American-style waffle iron, one that makes thin waffles (as
opposed to a deep-pocketed Belgian iron), will do.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, eggs,

sugar, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry
ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until well combined.
Stir in the coarse sugar.
 Pour ½ cup of batter onto the preheated waffle iron. Bake the
cookie until it’s a deep golden brown (don’t underbake, or it
won’t be crisp). Open the waffle iron and use a flat spatula or a
couple of forks to transfer the cookie—it will be quite tender—
to a wire rack to cool.

While the cookies are still warm, use a pair of scissors to cut
them into pieces. If you used a heart iron, cut out the hearts.
For a plain square iron, cut the cookies into 2″ to 2½″ squares.
Allow them to cool completely, for maximum crispness. Store
in an airtight container.

* For traditional-style fortune cookies, substitute ¾ teaspoon almond extract for the ginger.

† You may use semisweet chocolate chips, but we prefer the flavor of bittersweet chips or
bittersweet chocolate. If you’re using bar chocolate (as opposed to chips), chop it into irregular
½″ to ¾″ chunks.

‡ Or substitute 2 teaspoons of the extract of your choice, or up to ¼ teaspoon extra-strong

flavor or oil. Anise, rum, and orange are traditional flavors; we like hazelnut, butterscotch, and
cinnamon, too.

§ Use a bowl that’s rather flat-bottomed, and at least as wide as the diameter of your rosette
iron.

¶ The traditional sugar waffle is very sweet; we prefer this slightly less sweet Americanized
version, but increase the sugar to ¾ cup for a more traditional Belgian treat.
 — CHAPTER SEVEN —

No-Bake Cookies

HERE AT KING ARTHUR BAKING COMPANY, we do everything we can think of

to get you to bake. So why are we offering recipes for no-bake cookies?
We know any lifelong journey begins with a single step, or in this case, a
bowl and a spoon. Once you’ve seen how easy it is to stir up a batch of
treats that please people without even turning on the oven, we think you’ll
come back to the kitchen (and real baking) again and again. Making these
cookies is a wonderful way for kids to develop the habit of mixing
different ingredients to create their own examples of culinary magic. And
the finished cookies are a great reminder for grownups of how simple life
used to be.
We all know there are times when heating up the kitchen isn’t a
desirable option. That’s when no-bake cookies can come to the rescue. Or
maybe there just isn’t an oven around; who says you can’t make cookies
on a camping trip? Your camp stove, a cooking pot, and a spoon are all you
need to make many of these recipes.
No-bake cookies are simply crunchy things bound together with gooey
things. Crunchy things can be nuts, oats, any kind of cereal, cookie
crumbs, even chow mein noodles for the butterscotch haystacks we all
remember from childhood. Ingredients that bind (the gooey things) run the
gamut from combinations of dried milk and corn syrup, to melted
chocolate, peanut butter, or marshmallows. Many of these cookies benefit
from a little time in the refrigerator, to help them set up.
 If you’re looking for a simple way to recapture some of the memories
and flavors you’ve cherished from childhood, read on.
CRISPY RICE TREATS
YIELD: 24 BARS

This is the one that started it all. The marriage of melted marshmallows
and crisp rice cereal is the ultimate example of opposites blending to make
an irresistible combination. The play of crispy against chewy has been
pleasing kids of all ages for years. It’s an immensely versatile recipe, both
for the shapes it can take and the other flavor variations it can
accommodate.

3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter

½ teaspoon salt
one 10-ounce (283g) package miniature or regular marshmallows
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups (168g) crisp rice cereal

Lightly grease a 9″ × 13″ pan.

In a large saucepan set over low heat, combine the butter, salt,
marshmallows, and vanilla. Cook, stirring frequently, until the
marshmallows melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan
from the heat and add the cereal, stirring until it’s completely
coated. Press the mixture into the prepared pan using a buttered
spatula or your lightly greased hands (see illustration, opposite
page). Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before
cutting.

VARIATIONS
This recipe can be molded into any number of shapes. Try
pressing the warm mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of
 the greased well of a muffin tin or a small bowl. Once the
mixture cools and sets, these edible bowls can be vessels for
pudding, ice cream, or mousse.

In Vermont, in the dead of winter, we desperately need a breath

of tropical air. These bars are a worthy substitute.
1 cup (156g) mixed dried tropical fruits, such as mango, pineapple, and
papaya
1 cup (85g) sweetened flaked coconut
½ teaspoon coconut extract, or a few drops strong coconut flavor
(optional)

Prepare the bars as directed, substituting coconut extract or

flavor for the vanilla, and stirring the fruit and coconut into the
mixture before pressing it into the pan.

For butterscotch or chocolate crispy rice treats it’s easy to add

another flavor to these bars in the form of chips, chocolate or
otherwise. Prepare the bars as directed, adding 1 cup (170g)
butterscotch or chocolate chips to the marshmallow mixture in
the saucepan, before removing from the heat. Stir until the
chips have melted completely and the mixture is smooth.

If you’re pressing the bars into the pan by hand and don’t want to get too messy, put your hand
inside a plastic bag and spray the outside of the bag with nonstick spray.
BUTTERSCOTCH HAYSTACKS
YIELD: 36 COOKIES

We all remember our first encounter with these cookies—it might have
been a grade school bake sale, or a rainy afternoon project with your
family. Peanut butter and butterscotch seem like an unlikely combination,
but after our first taste of this crunchy confection, it’s one that most of us
never forget.

¾ cup (203g) smooth or chunky peanut butter

1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips
1 cup (85g) sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
5 cups (248g) dry chow mein noodles (canned)

In a large saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt

together the peanut butter and butterscotch chips, stirring until
smooth. Add the coconut and chow mein noodles, stirring until
they’re well coated. Drop the mixture by the tablespoonful onto
waxed paper or greased parchment. Chill until set.
BIRDS’ NESTS
YIELD: 8 NESTS

These are great treats for Easter or birthdays, filled with a child’s favorite
candy, or with a little marshmallow chick peering out.

3 cups (129g) miniature marshmallows

3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups (198g) dry chow mein noodles (canned)
small jelly beans, gumdrops, pastel candy-coated almonds, or candy-
coated chocolates

In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave at low

power, melt the marshmallows with the butter. Stir in the
vanilla and add the chow mein noodles. Stir until the noodles
are coated.

Shape into tennis-ball-sized clumps on parchment or waxed

paper. With greased or buttered hands, shape the mixture into
bird’s nests. Allow the nests to cool, then fill with the brightly
colored candy of your choice.

VARIATION
For coconut bird’s nests, increase the marshmallows to 4 cups
and the butter to 4 tablespoons. Stir in 3 cups sweetened
shredded coconut before shaping.
Form the bird’s nest by pressing into the center with your thumbs.
BUTTER-PECAN RUM BALLS
YIELD: 32 COOKIES

These chewy rounds are perfect for holiday gatherings, and go together
very quickly. The butter and rum flavors become pleasantly mellow with a
little aging. If you’re looking for a good cookie to ship to someone far
away, this is an excellent choice.

one 12-ounce (340g) box vanilla wafer cookies, crushed, or Brown-Edge

Cookies (page 24)
2 cups (228g) finely chopped pecans
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (198g, ½ large can) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or a few drops to ⅛ teaspoon butter-pecan
flavor
¼ cup (57g) dark or spiced rum, or caramel syrup
confectioners’ sugar, for coating

In a large bowl, stir together the crushed cookies, pecans, and

salt. Stir in the butter, condensed milk, vanilla, and rum. Mix
until smooth and evenly moistened.

Scoop the mixture by the tablespoonful and roll into balls. Roll
the balls in confectioners’ sugar to coat. Store in an airtight
container.

VARIATION
For chocolate bourbon balls, substitute crushed chocolate wafer
cookies for the vanilla cookies (or Chocolate Snaps, page 299)
and substitute bourbon for the rum.
CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CRISPS
YIELD: 26 COOKIES

Europeans are familiar with the delights of chocolate-hazelnut spread. It’s

a great addition to these crunchy cookies, which are best stored in the
refrigerator.

1 cup (170g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

¾ cup (240g) chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
3 cups (84g) crisp rice cereal
½ cup (71g) hazelnuts, toasted (see page xxx) and chopped

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a small

saucepan set over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and
hazelnut spread, stirring until no lumps remain. In a medium-
sized bowl, pour the mixture over the rice cereal, stirring until
the cereal is coated.

Drop the batter by the tablespoon onto lightly greased

parchment or waxed paper, flattening it into rounds with the
back of a wet spoon. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the
hazelnuts. Chill until set.
Dip a spoon in some water, shake off the excess, and use the back of it to spread the cookie
batter into a flat, round shape.
PEANUT BUTTER GRAHAM SQUARES
YIELD: 24 BARS

These rectangles sport crispy graham cracker bottoms, a wonderfully

smooth and creamy peanut butter middle, and just the right touch of
chocolate on top. They look very grown up when cut and arranged on a
plate, but the flavor appeals to children (of all ages).

11 whole graham crackers (170g)

1½ cups (213g) graham cracker crumbs
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter
2½ cups (284g) confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup (203g) smooth or chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups (213g) chocolate chips

Line a 9″ × 13″ pan with the graham crackers. In a medium-

sized mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter,
sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt, stirring until smooth.
Spread the mixture evenly over the graham crackers and chill
for 1 hour.

When the mixture is chilled, melt the chocolate chips over low
heat, stirring until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the peanut
butter filling, spreading it evenly over the top. Allow the
chocolate to cool until set. Cut into bars to serve.
CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER BARS
YIELD: 35 BARS

These bars are for the peanut-butter purist, who doesn’t want any
marshmallow getting in the way.

1½ cups (405g) smooth peanut butter

one 14-ounce (397g) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup (78g) corn syrup
6 cups (168g) crisp rice cereal
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (optional)

Line a 10″ × 15″ jelly roll pan with parchment or waxed paper.
Spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray.

In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, combine the

peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and corn syrup,
stirring until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.

Place the cereal in a large bowl. Pour the warm peanut butter
mixture over the cereal, stirring until evenly combined. Use a
flexible spatula to press the mixture into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips, if using, over the bars while
they’re still warm and spread the softened chips over the top.
Let the pan sit for 5 minutes and chill until set, then cut into
bars.
BUTTERSCOTCH-OATMEAL
STOVETOP COOKIES
YIELD: 26 COOKIES

Oatmeal and butterscotch chips keep each other company in this quick
stir-together cookie. The comforting chew of the oatmeal is nicely
complemented by crisp cereal and delicious pockets of butterscotch.

1½ cups (134g) rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

1 cup (213g) brown sugar
one 5-ounce (142g) can evaporated milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (28g) crisp cereal of your choice
1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips
½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts (optional)

Place the oats in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, combine the

brown sugar, evaporated milk, salt, and vanilla. Bring the
mixture to a boil, then pour it over the oats and stir to combine.
Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Stir in the cereal and butterscotch chips. Drop by the

tablespoonful onto waxed or lightly greased parchment paper,
pressing to flatten slightly with wet fingers. Chill until set.
CHOCOLATE-OATMEAL DROPS
YIELD: 36 COOKIES

These cookies have a rich, fudgy texture, flecked with chewy oats and
crunchy nuts.

3 cups (267g) rolled oats

1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
1 cup (114g) chopped nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
½ cup (114g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
2 cups (396g) sugar
½ teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chocolate chips, nuts,

and vanilla.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, milk, sugar, and salt, and

bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bubbles
make a snapping sound. Carefully pour the hot mixture over the
oatmeal mixture, stirring to combine.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto waxed paper or parchment, then

chill until the cookies set up.

VARIATIONS

CHOCOLATE–PEANUT BUTTER DROPS: Add 1 cup (270g) smooth

or chunky peanut butter to the mixing bowl with the oat
mixture.
MARSHMALLOW TOPPING: Press miniature marshmallows into
the tops of the cookies while they’re still warm, to make
domino designs.
OATMEAL FRUIT COOKIES
YIELD: 2 DOZEN COOKIES

These cookies are packed with plenty of nutrition and are relatively low in
fat. If you like your cookies soft and chewy, these will fill the bill. If you’d
like squares instead of cookies, the batter can be pressed into a greased 8″
square baking pan, allowed to cool, and cut into squares.

2 cups (178g) rolled oats

3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
½ cup (114g) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups (140g) nonfat dry milk
1½ cups (128g to 255g) dried apples, cranberries, raisins, or any
combination
¾ cup (85g) chopped walnuts (optional)

Place the oats in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, combine the

butter, brown sugar, apple juice concentrate, spices, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour this
mixture over the oats, stirring to combine. Stir in the dry milk
and the fruit.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto lightly greased parchment or

waxed paper. Press to flatten slightly.
ROCKY ROAD NO-BAKES
YIELD: 30 COOKIES

Rocky road, an ever-popular ice cream type, is a great combination of

flavors for cookies, too. These cookies combine chocolate with grace notes
of lightly salted almonds and miniature marshmallows.

3 cups (84g) crisp rice cereal

1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
¾ cup (240g) chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
1 cup (86g) sliced almonds, sprinkled lightly with salt and toasted (see
page xxx)
1 cup (43g) miniature marshmallows

Place the rice cereal in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan set over low heat, or in a small bowl in the

microwave, melt the chocolate chips and hazelnut spread
together, stirring until no lumps remain. Pour the melted
mixture over the cereal and let cool slightly. Stir in the toasted
almonds and marshmallows. Drop by the tablespoonful onto
waxed paper or lightly greased parchment paper and chill until
set.
 — CHAPTER EIGHT —

The Finishing Touch

MANY COOKIES ARE SUBLIME in their simplicity—the combination of flour,

sugar, salt, and butter undergoes a magical transformation in the oven to
become shortbread; add chocolate, eggs, and a bit of leavening, and you
have America’s best-loved cookie, chocolate chip.
Other cookies generate delight not from their simple ingredients, but
from their appearance. Think of a fat gingerbread boy, with iced blue
trousers and a red-buttoned shirt. Or a cutout heart, I Love You written
across its pink-iced face. Then, there are simple cookies that assume a
fancy, downtown aura when you add filling, or top them with a generous
layer of rich chocolate icing (see Baltimore’s Finest, page 261). Take a
couple of cut-out sugar cookies, spread on a tasty layer of jam or
preserves, and what do you have? That Christmas classic, the linzer
cookie.
This chapter focuses on adding panache to your cookies, with icing,
with filling, and even with some special cookie dips. Throughout this book
you’ll find icings and fillings that have been formulated to go with
specific cookie recipes. Feel free to apply them (liberally!) to other
cookies; as always, baking is as much art as science—don’t be afraid to
color outside the lines. In this chapter, we’ve gathered a variety of all-
purpose glazes, icings, fillings, and dips, a wonderful buffet of
possibilities that can be applied to the cookie of your choice. Imagination
is key; it unlocks many doors. Two crisp oatmeal cookies sandwiched
around golden, smooth caramel filling? Reach for the sky—that’s where
you’ll find Cookie Heaven.

Glazes and Icings

From a hard, smooth, shiny coating, perfect for adding a
written message or painted design, to the unctuous luxury of
ganache, the ultimate creamy frosting, there’s all kinds of
magic you can make in topping your baked cookies. Just be
sure cookies are totally cool before spreading on any kind of
topping, otherwise, it’s likely to melt and slide right off.
HARD GLAZE FOR COOKIES
YIELD: 1¼ CUPS GLAZE

This smooth, shiny glaze is ideal for cookies that will be decorated with
food-safe pens or other writers. It covers cookies very well (the color of
your dark gingerbread won’t show through), and dries to a hard enough
finish that iced cookies can be stacked on top of each other, perfect for
storage or assembly of a holiday gift basket. Try building on the base layer
of coating with an outline or decorations in a contrasting color.

¼ cup (43g) meringue powder (see page 459)*

¼ teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups (341g to 454g) confectioners’ sugar
⅓ to ½ cup (76g to 114g) cool water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring or coloring paste

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the meringue

powder, salt, and confectioners’ sugar. Add ⅓ cup cool water
and the vanilla, and stir, or beat on slow speed. The mixture
will seem hard and lumpy, but the sugar will dissolve after 4 or
5 minutes and everything will smooth out. Add more water, 1
tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition to achieve
a spreadable consistency. For a very smooth, shiny glaze, the
icing should be the consistency of corn syrup or molasses. For
colored icing, add food coloring or coloring paste a drop at a
time.

Dip the tops of cooled cookies in the glaze, then sweep a

spatula over them to remove the excess. Place cookies on a rack
for several hours for the glaze to harden and dry. This may take
as long as overnight, depending on the humidity of your kitchen
and the consistency of the glaze.
SIMPLE COOKIE GLAZE
YIELD: ⅔ CUP GLAZE

This glaze, though slightly less opaque than hard glaze made with
meringue powder, dries hard and shiny, and uses ingredients you’re likely
to have in your pantry. It stirs up in a jiffy. Be sure you measure
accurately: too little milk and the glaze won’t spread well; too much and it
will be thin and spotty. The goal is a glaze that isn’t perfectly smooth
when you apply it, but that settles into a smooth surface within half a
minute or so. Glaze one cookie and set it aside for a minute; if the glaze
smoothes out it’s the right consistency. And remember, it’s easier to add
more liquid than to stir in more sugar, so start with a glaze that’s thicker
than you think it should be, then add milk by the teaspoonful to adjust its
consistency.

2¼ cups (255g) confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (33g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, and milk.
The coating should be the consistency of thick, cold honey. Use
an offset spatula or table knife to spread glaze on the cookies.
This amount of coating will cover about 2½ dozen 2″ cookies.
Double the recipe, if you like, for more and / or larger cookies.
VANILLA GLAZE
YIELD: 1 CUP GLAZE

This is the quickest, simplest, most versatile glaze you can make for a
cookie. Not as hard or as shiny as the Hard Glaze for Cookies on page 429,
it’s a nice choice for where you’re after added flavor rather than creating a
blank canvas suitable for decorating. Drizzle the glaze atop cookies, paint
it on with a pastry brush, spread it with a spatula, or serve it in a bowl for
dipping. It dries to a smooth, satiny finish and can be tinted any color you
choose. Looking for another flavor? Start here, and vary the extract or
flavor as you please.

1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup (57g) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift or strain the confectioners’ sugar into a medium-sized

bowl to remove any lumps. Whisk the cream into the sugar to
make a smooth glaze. Stir in the vanilla. Keep the glaze
covered until ready to use, to prevent a crust from forming.

VARIATIONS
MINT GLAZE: Substitute ¼ to ½ teaspoon peppermint extract for
the vanilla extract.
COCONUT GLAZE: Substitute ½ teaspoon coconut extract (or a
few drops strong coconut flavor) for the vanilla extract.
ORANGE OR LEMON GLAZE: Reduce the cream to 2 tablespoons
and add 2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice. Add 2 teaspoons
orange or lemon zest (or a few drops orange or lemon oil), if
desired.
 CAPPUCCINO GLAZE: Add 2 teaspoons espresso powder.
MAPLE GLAZE: Reduce the cream to 3 tablespoons, and add 1
tablespoon maple syrup. Substitute ½ teaspoon maple flavor for
the vanilla extract.
CINNAMON GLAZE: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or a few
drops cinnamon oil.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Reduce confectioners’ sugar to ¾ cup (85g)
and increase the cream to 6 tablespoons (85g). Add ¼ cup (21g)
unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch process) to the
confectioners’ sugar before sifting.
BRANDY, FRANGELICO, OR SHERRY GLAZE: Reduce the cream to 2
tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons brandy, or the liqueur of
your choice.

MILK OR HEAVY CREAM FOR GLAZE?

Many of us grew up with recipes that call for a quick combination of milk and
confectioners’ sugar for glazing baked goods. So why are we calling for heavy cream?
While it’s a bit more expensive, we feel the results are worth the investment. Heavy
cream makes a glaze that’s richer, naturally, but it also spreads better and dries to a
smoother, shinier surface.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
YIELD: 2 CUPS GANACHE

The name rhymes with panache, with good reason. What could be more
sophisticated than the glossy sheen of a perfectly coated chocolate
confection, or the je ne sais quoi of an artfully drizzled design? Flavor this
rich chocolate concoction with anything from vanilla extract to flavored
liqueurs, such as hazelnut, raspberry, or Grand Marnier.

1⅓ cups (227g) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see sidebar,

opposite page)
¾ cup (170g) heavy cream
1 teaspoon extract or flavor, or more or less to taste; or up to 6
tablespoons (85g) liqueur

Place the chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. In a

small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the cream to a
simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the mixture
is completely smooth, with no lumps (see illustrations,
opposite page). Stir in the flavor or the liqueur. If you’re using
a significant amount of liqueur, you may need to add additional
cream to provide sufficient fat to keep the ganache smooth.
WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
YIELD: 1¾ CUPS GANACHE

White chocolate has different qualities than dark, since it’s made of the
cocoa butter that remains after the chocolate “liquor” (chocolate solids)
has been extracted from the crushed cacao bean. It’s sensitive to scorching,
and needs less liquid to form a workable ganache. White chocolate
ganache won’t set up as firmly as its dark chocolate sibling; the surface
stays slightly tacky to the touch, even after it’s cooled and set. One last
thing to note: white chocolate ganache is somewhat translucent, so if
you’re to trying encase something dark, be aware that it will show through
faintly, like the outline of a nearby island on a foggy day at sea.

1⅓ cups (227g) chopped white chocolate (see sidebar, opposite page)

¼ to ⅓ cup (57g to 76g) heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl (see

illustrations, opposite page). Heat ¼ cup of heavy cream to a
simmer and pour it over the white chocolate. Stir until the
mixture becomes completely smooth, with no lumps. If the
mixture is too thick to pour easily, add another tablespoon or
two of the hot cream, as needed.
1. Pour simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. 2. Stir the mixture together; at first it
will look gloppy and fragmented, but that’s normal.

3. As you continue to stir, the chocolate will begin to melt and smooth out. 4. Once all the
cream is incorporated, the mixture will be smooth and shiny, with no lumps. The ganache is
now ready to use.

CHUNK CHOCOLATE OR CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN

GANACHE?
Why should you go to all the trouble of chopping up an expensive bar of chocolate to
make your ganache, when it’s just as easy to open a bag of semisweet chips?
Because better chocolate means better results. Chocolate chips are made with
stabilizers, which help the chips hold their distinctive pointy shape when they’re baked.
These stabilizers affect the chips’ ability to melt smoothly, and also make their
chocolate flavor less intense. In addition, ganache made with chocolate chips won’t set
as firmly or look as shiny and smooth as ganache made with chopped chocolate. But
don’t worry, whichever one you use, you’ll still get lots of oohs and aahs when people
see your beautiful cookies.
FONDANT ICING
YIELD: 2¼ CUPS ICING

This thick, soft icing is a pleasure to pour or paint over cookies. It can be
colored any hue of the rainbow, and reheated again and again without
getting grainy. When cooled, it sets to a beautiful satiny shine without
being stiff or hard. Note that any fondant that runs off the cookies may be
reheated and used again; if it’s full of crumbs, strain it through a fine-
mesh strainer. Leftover fondant also may be made into wafer candies; drop
it by the teaspoonful onto parchment-lined or lightly greased baking
sheets.

1 cup (170g) white confectionery coating or white chocolate pieces

4 cups (454g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
½ cup (114g) hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring (optional)

TO MAKE THE ICING: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a large

bowl, then whisk in the corn syrup and hot water, stirring until
smooth. In a saucepan set over very low heat, or in a double
boiler or the microwave, melt the white coating or chocolate,
stirring until smooth.

Add the melted coating to the sugar mixture, then add the
vanilla and color. If the icing is too thick to pour, reheat it
briefly over low heat and stir in 1 to 3 tablespoons additional
water. The icing is easiest to work with, and coats smoothly, at
about 100°F. Keep it warm and covered, laying a lightly
greased piece of plastic wrap on the surface to keep it from
drying out and forming lumps.

TO ICE THE COOKIES: Place cooling racks over parchment paper

or baking sheets. Dip the cookies into the icing, or drizzle the
icing with a spoon, coating the tops. Place the cookies on the
racks, allowing the extra icing to drip off onto the parchment.

You can decorate the top of each cookie with sugar decorations,
sprinkles, or Royal Icing flowers (see page 146) while the
fondant is still soft. Decorations may also be added after the
icing hardens; you’ll just need to use a bit of softened icing to
hold them on.

VARIATION
For chocolate icing, replace the white confectionery coating
with chopped unsweetened (baking) chocolate.
CARAMEL ICING
YIELD: 3 CUPS ICING

This is a quick and easy way to put a golden caramel finish on your
cookies. This icing is thin enough to be spread with a pastry brush, but
also has enough body that you can use a small spatula.

8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (213g) brown sugar
¼ cup (57g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups (454g) confectioners’ sugar

Melt the butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the salt and
brown sugar and heat the mixture to boiling, stirring just until
the sugar is totally dissolved. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes.
Stir in the milk and return to a full boil, without further
stirring. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to lukewarm.

Stir in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’

sugar. Adjust the consistency with a little more milk if
necessary.
MOCHA GLAZE
YIELD: 1¼ CUPS GLAZE

A coffee-lover’s dream, this glaze can work overtime as cookie or cake

frosting, too.

5 tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (11g) unsweetened cocoa (Dutch process or natural)
4 teaspoons espresso powder, or 2 tablespoons instant coffee
¼ cup (57g) boiling water†
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and cocoa. In another

small bowl, combine the espresso powder with the boiling
water and salt, then stir it into the butter mixture. Add the
confectioners’ sugar and stir until smooth.
PEANUT BUTTER ICING
YIELD: 2 CUPS ICING

This is a very peanut-buttery icing that dries to a smooth finish. It won’t

become totally hard, so be careful not to stack iced cookies on top of each
other.

1 cup (270g) smooth peanut butter

¼ cup (78g) corn syrup
½ cup (114g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)
1 cup (114g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, heat

the peanut butter, corn syrup, and milk together, stirring until
smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners’
sugar and vanilla.

Fillings
Take two cookies. Add filling. Sandwich together. Voilà! A
whole that’s ever so much more wonderful than its parts.
Fillings give you an opportunity to play with complementary
tastes—add cinnamon to marshmallow and use it to sandwich
two oatmeal cookies; sugar cookies sing when you pair them
with caramel filling. Go ahead, experiment, it’s very difficult to
come up with anything less than tasty here.
CREME FILLING
YIELD: 2 CUPS FILLING

This filling has the same texture as store-bought snack cake fillings, but
tastes a whole lot better, mostly because of the butter. It pipes and spreads
very easily and has just a hint of toasted-marshmallow flavor.

4 tablespoons (¼ cup, 57g) unsalted butter

½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
½ teaspoon salt, dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (227g) confectioners’ sugar
½ cup (43g) marshmallow creme

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and shortening, then

beat in the salt water, vanilla, and sugar. Beat until the mixture
becomes fluffy, scraping the bowl at least once. Add the
marshmallow creme and beat until incorporated.

VARIATION
For malted milk filling, add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder and 6 tablespoons malted milk to the confectioners’
sugar before adding it to the butter mixture.
PEANUT BUTTER FILLING
YIELD: 3 CUPS FILLING

This filling is fairly stiff; it’s most suitable for sandwiching between
sturdy roll-out cookies, or spreading on top of a crisp or crunchy cookie
before covering with chocolate ganache. For a more spreadable filling, add
up to an additional ½ cup milk.

1 cup (270g) peanut butter

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups (284g) confectioners’ sugar
6 to 8 tablespoons (85g to 114g) milk (regular or low fat, not nonfat)

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the peanut butter and vanilla at

medium speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until the
mixture smooths out. Add the milk as necessary to make a
pliable but relatively stiff filling.
MARSHMALLOW FILLING
YIELD: 7 CUPS

Moon Pies have it. Mallomars have it. Where would we be without
marshmallow filling? This recipe makes nearly a lot (2 quarts) of smooth,
creamy marshmallow, tastier by far than the marshmallows you buy at the
supermarket. Don’t worry, we give instructions for making your own
individual s’more-friendly marshmallows out of any leftovers.

1½ cups (341g) cold water

4 packages (7g or ¼ ounce each) unflavored gelatin
3 cups (594g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (78g) light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract‡
½ cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar (if making marshmallows)

Pour ¾ cup of the water into the bowl of an electric stand

mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and let it soften for 5
minutes.

Bring the remaining ¾ cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup,

and salt to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan set over high
heat. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the soft-
ball stage (234°F to 240°F), about 10 minutes.

Using your mixer’s whisk attachment, beat the hot syrup into
the gelatin mixture at low speed. Gradually increase the speed
to high, and beat until the mixture forms soft peaks, 3 to 5
minutes. Beat in the vanilla. (While the marshmallow is
 beating, line up half the cookies to be filled, flat side up, so you
can spread them with filling quickly.)

Spread half the cookies with a generous dollop of

marshmallow. Top with the remaining cookies.

Homemade Marshmallows

The filling recipe makes enough for you to have some left over
once all the cookies are filled; this is easily made into impress-
your-friends homemade marshmallows.

To make marshmallows from the leftover filling, you’ll need to

have a pan prepared for them before you start. Spray an 8″
square (or 9″ round) cookie pan with nonstick vegetable oil
spray. Line the pan with parchment, leaving enough overhang
so it comes up over the edge of the pan. Spray the parchment
with nonstick spray.

Prepare the marshmallow filling as directed in the recipe (see

opposite page). After frosting the cookies, beat the remaining
marshmallow for about a minute to soften it. Immediately
spoon it into the prepared pan, smoothing it with an offset
spatula dipped in water. It won’t be totally smooth on top, but
will continue to settle and smooth out as it cools. Let it set,
uncovered, until it’s firm, about 3 hours at room temperature.

Sift a thin layer of confectioners’ sugar onto a clean work

surface, making a square or circle about the same size as your
pan of marshmallows. Invert the marshmallows onto the sugar
and peel off the parchment. Sift more sugar over the uncoated
surface.

Cut the marshmallow into squares, using a bench knife sprayed

with nonstick vegetable oil spray (or whatever shape you like,
 using a well-oiled cutter). Roll the cut surfaces in
confectioners’ sugar.

Store the marshmallows in a plastic bag.

Gently roll the marshmallows in confectioners’ sugar, being sure to coat all the cut sides.

JAMS AND JELLIES—YOU CAN’T BEAT THIS SPREAD!

One of the best fillings you can use is your favorite jam or jelly. Apricot, raspberry, and
strawberry are flavors most frequently used with cookies, but if you’re an orange
marmalade fan, by all means, have at it! If you want to use jam or jelly to fill a cookie,
here are some tips to make it easier.
• Jam will spread or pipe better if it’s warmed first. You can do this at medium power
in the microwave, or over low heat on the stove.
• After adding a dollop of jam as a topping, or coating a cookie with jam, let it air-dry
overnight. This will remove enough of the jam’s water to give you a clear, nonsticky
surface.
• We like seedless preserves for our fillings, but if you can’t find them, you can strain
the seeds out of your jam after warming it. A flexible spatula is helpful with this, to
push the jam through a strainer.
LEMON CREME FILLING
YIELD: 1½ CUPS FILLING

Use this smooth creme filling with its bright, sunny flavor to make
sandwich cookies. Thinly rolled shortbread, or the Lemon Tea Snaps on
page 310, are an ideal place to start.

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons (28g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
2½ cups (284g) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest, or ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil

Combine the gelatin and lemon juice in a small cup. Place the
cup in a larger dish of hot water and leave it there until the
gelatin is completely dissolved and the liquid is transparent.
Remove the cup from the hot water and let the liquid cool until
it’s room temperature, but hasn’t begun to set. This should take
about 5 minutes.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the shortening, then

beat in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, beating until
the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the lemon zest, then the
gelatin.
CREAM CHEESE AND GINGER
FILLING
YIELD: 2 CUPS FILLING

We used this filling to devastating effect in the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies on

page 394. It would do just as nicely layered between the Honey Crisps on
page 384 for a quick Napoleon-style dessert.

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons (28g) cool water
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
4 ounces (114g) cream cheese (reduced fat [Neufchâtel] or full fat),
softened
2¼ cups (255g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (23g) finely chopped crystallized ginger

In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and water to soften the

gelatin, and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until
fluffy. Place the bowl of gelatin and water over hot water, or
heat it at low power in the microwave, until the gelatin
dissolves completely. Set aside.

Add half the confectioners’ sugar to the butter mixture, beating

thoroughly. Add the gelatin, stirring to combine. Mix in the
remaining sugar, then stir in the ginger.
CARAMEL FILLING
YIELD: 4 CUPS SOFT CARAMEL

This caramel filling is great on chocolate shortbread, or sandwiched

between your favorite roll-out cookies. It stays pliable at room
temperature, but is thick enough to slice. The recipe is easily halved for a
smaller batch.

2 cups (426g) brown sugar

1 cup (312g) light corn syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
1 cup (227g) cream (light, heavy, or whipping), or evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large (3½-to 4-quart) heavy-bottomed saucepan combine

the sugar and corn syrup. If you have a large nonstick saucepan,
now’s the time to use it. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring
constantly. Cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes without
stirring, to wash off any sugar crystals from the insides of the
pan.

Uncover the pan, stir in the butter, and continue to boil, stirring
often, until the caramel reaches the soft-ball stage, 234°F to
240°F on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is boiling,
gently heat the cream or evaporated milk in a saucepan over
medium heat until it’s hot but not boiling.

Remove the syrup from the heat and slowly stir in the hot
cream and the vanilla. Return the mixture to the burner and
cook without stirring until the mixture reaches the firm-ball
stage, 245°F to 248°F. Pour the caramel into an 8″ square pan
and cool for 30 minutes, or until it’s cool enough to work with.
VANILLA CREME FILLING
YIELD: 1½ CUPS

You know those rows and rows of sandwich cookies you see lined up on
the supermarket shelves? This is our take on the white filling that’s the
center of those sweet sandwiches. While we’re always happy to duplicate a
store-bought favorite, in this case we think our version is better!

1 teaspoon plus a heaping ¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons (28g) cold water
½ cup (92g) vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups (284g) confectioners’ sugar

Combine the gelatin and water in a small cup. Place the cup in
a larger dish of hot water and leave it there until the gelatin is
completely dissolved and the liquid is transparent. Remove the
cup from the hot water and let the liquid cool until it’s room
temperature, but hasn’t begun to set. This should take about 5
minutes.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the shortening, then

beat in the vanilla and sugar a little at a time, beating until the
mixture comes together. Be sure to scrape the bowl once. Beat
in the gelatin. Use immediately, or store, well-wrapped, at room
temperature.

VARIATION

Chocolate Creme Filling

 YIELD: 2 CUPS

Vanilla filling for chocolate cookies? Here’s chocolate filling

for vanilla cookies, or, for you true chocolate lovers, for
chocolate-on-chocolate cookies.

Prepare Vanilla Creme Filling, adding ½ cup (42g) Dutch-

process cocoa, 2 tablespoons (23g) vegetable shortening, and 1
tablespoon (14g) water. Add up to 2 teaspoons espresso powder,
if desired, to make mocha filling. Use immediately, or store,
well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Dips
What, you never heard of cookie dip? We hadn’t either, but why
not? If you can heighten the potato chip experience by dipping
them into something savory, why not do the same with cookies
and sweet dip?
CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DIP
YIELD: 1½ CUPS DIP

If you were one of those kids who had a hard time deciding whether to go
with the chocolate or the caramel sauce on your ice cream sundae, this
one’s for you. Here they’re stirred together, making a warm, smooth,
unforgettable combination, perfect for scooping up with a crisp cookie.

½ cup (85g) chocolate chips

½ cup (142g) caramel§
⅓ cup (76g) heavy cream or evaporated milk
2 tablespoons (28g) butter
⅛ teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan and cook

over low heat, stirring just until everything is melted and the
dip is smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into small bowls
for dipping. Serve warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator,
heating briefly in the microwave to soften.
RASPBERRY-WHITE CHOCOLATE DIP
YIELD: ¾ CUP OF EACH DIP, 1½ CUPS TOTAL

The right cookie at the right time makes for a happy moment. If you’re
feeling playful, any rollout or shortbread cookie is suitable for swirling
through this classic combination of flavors.

RASPBERRY DIP
¾ cup (255g) seedless raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons (28g) water

WHITE CHOCOLATE DIP

¾ cup (128g) white chocolate, chopped or chips
2 tablespoons (39g) light corn syrup
2 tablespoons (28g) water

FOR THE RASPBERRY DIP: In a saucepan set over low heat, or in

the microwave, heat the raspberry preserves with the water,
stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE DIP: Melt the white chocolate, corn
syrup, and water together over low heat, or in the microwave,
stirring until the mixture is smooth.

TO SERVE : Pour the raspberry dip into one side of a bowl, and
pour the white chocolate dip into the other side. Swirl the two
together as much or as little as you like.
1. Pour the two dips into a bowl, side by side. 2. Swirl them together to make a pretty pattern.
3. Dip your favorite cookie into the combination.
HOT FUDGE DIP
YIELD: 1½ CUPS DIP

This makes a dip that’s nicely pourable when hot, but thick like peanut
butter after it’s been refrigerated—all the better to spoon it directly from
the fridge into your mouth on those late-night food forays. To serve the dip
hot, as soon as it’s made, boil it for 3 minutes; this will thicken it without
it having to cool first.

¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder¶
dash of salt
4 tablespoons (½ stick, 57g) unsalted butter
1½ ounces (43g) unsweetened baking chocolate
½ cup (114g) light cream or evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and salt.

In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the butter

with the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir in the cream—the
mixture will look streaky and curdled, which is okay.

Stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Stirring

constantly, heat the mixture until it’s boiling vigorously around
the edges; boil for 1 minute and remove it from the heat. Stir in
the vanilla.

Cool the dip to room temperature. Store any leftovers in the

refrigerator. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave.
* Available at cake decorating specialty stores and on websites that sell baking ingredients.

† For frosting, decrease the water to 2 tablespoons. Beat the mixture until fluffy, adding a
teaspoon or two of water if the frosting seems stiff.

‡ Substitute your favorite flavor for the vanilla extract, adding to taste; use 2 to 3 teaspoons
extract; much less (a few drops to perhaps 1 teaspoon) of a strong flavor or oil.

§ Use homemade Caramel Filling (page 442), purchased block caramel, or individual vanilla
caramels. If you use individual caramels, unwrap them and pack them tightly into the
measuring cup.

¶ Use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa; we prefer the smoother taste of Dutch-process.
Whisking the cocoa with the other ingredients prevents it from forming lumps in the sauce.
 — CHAPTER NINE —

Ingredients

IF BAKERS COMMUNICATE via recipes, then surely a recipe’s ingredients are

the heart of that communication. Cookbooks from the turn of the twentieth
century often list a recipe’s ingredients, without providing any directions;
apparently cooks and bakers back then were more knowledgeable about
basic techniques than we are today. But these days, you will never find a
baking book that lists directions without specifying ingredient amounts;
while cooks may “add a little of this and a little of that,” bakers have to
stick to prescribed parameters for the food chemistry to work.
We always maintain that there are no failures in baking (only more
food for the birds), but there are ways to ensure that you reach your baking
goals: tasty treats that look good, taste great, and please your audience.
The following survey of baking ingredients will help you understand what
role each plays in your cookies, and how you can (sometimes, carefully)
interchange and substitute ingredients.

Wheat Flour
The basic building block of almost any cookie is flour. But not
just any flour: wheat flour, specifically unbleached,
unbromated all-purpose flour, is the cookie flour of choice. To
assure consistent performance from cookie batch to cookie
batch, we recommend using King Arthur All-Purpose Flour,
because it is milled to the finest specifications and will turn out
the finest flavor. Its moderate protein level (always 11.7%), has
the perfect combination of strength and tenderness. While high-
protein bread flour helps yeast bread hold its structure as it
rises, and low-protein pastry flour makes an ultratender
piecrust, all-purpose flour, as its name connotes, is a wonderful
combination of both of those attributes. When used in cookies,
this means your chocolate chippers will be tender and light, yet
will still be able to achieve and hold their desired shape (rise a
bit, spread a bit) as they bake.
There’s been some buzz in recent years about cake flour and
its role in cookie baking. Cake flour is a low-protein (8%) flour
that’s bleached with chlorine gas. This bleaching process makes
the starch in the cookie better able to link with the fat and sugar
in the recipe. Why is this important? Because cookies have a
very high ratio of sugar and fat to flour, both of which tend to
make cookies spread. In order to control spread, it’s important
that the flour help “carry” the fat and sugar, and this is better
accomplished by cake flour, or by pastry flour, with its finer
granulation. Alternatively, you can use King Arthur’s
unbleached cake flour, which is also low protein (10%) but uses
a blend of flours rather than bleach to lower the protein level.
Cake flour’s effect won’t be apparent in all cookies, but
cookies such as springerle, patterned shortbreads, stamped
cookies, thumbprints, or cutout cookies may hold their shape
better, retaining the sharpness of their design, when made with
cake flour.
Clearly, we couldn’t test every cookie recipe in existence
with cake flour. But if you have a cookie recipe that aggravates
you by spreading too much, try substituting cake flour for all-
purpose, as well as trying some of the solutions on page 15.
Should you try cake flour in cookies? Sure, if you like. But
be aware the cookies may be lighter-colored and you may be
able to detect a slight chemical aftertaste. Our advice? Stick
with all-purpose flour for your cookie baking, unless your
 recipe specifically calls for another type of flour or you’re not
happy with the cookie’s degree of spread.
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR—flour milled from the entire wheat berry,
including the germ and bran—can be used successfully for
cookie baking if you want to add fiber to those sugar-, butter-,
and chocolate-filled gems issuing from your oven. Try
substituting whole wheat flour for one third of the all-purpose
flour in your recipe. If you like the result and want to venture
further down this road, go for it. Cookies made with whole
wheat flour tend to be denser, harder, and drier. To avoid the
somewhat astringent aftertaste whole wheat sometimes has, try
100% white whole wheat flour, a flour that’s nutritionally
identical to traditional red whole wheat flour, but lacking the
chemical in the bran layer that produces that signature “whole-
wheaty” taste—which some like, and some don’t.

Other Flours and Grains

Corn
CORNSTARCH, milled from the starchy endosperm of the corn
kernel, is used primarily as a thickening agent. However, it can
also be added sparingly to all-purpose flour to lower its protein
just a bit, producing a more tender (but also more spreadable)
cookie. The classic Sugar Puffs (page 25), an extremely tender,
fragile cookie, contain a high percentage of cornstarch.
CORNMEAL is sometimes added to cookies to give them a
pleasantly gritty crunch. If you’re making a crunchy cookie (no
sense doing this with chewy or soft cookies), substitute
 cornmeal for an eighth to a quarter of the all-purpose flour in
your recipe, and see what happens.

Oats
OLD-FASHIONED ROLLED OATS (thick oat flakes)—the familiar
breakfast oatmeal you find in a canister at the supermarket—
are made by husking oat berries, steaming to soften them, then
rolling them flat. Quick-cooking oats are made the same way,
but the berries are sliced before being steamed, producing
thinner (quicker-cooking) rolled oats. Rolled oats are, of
course, the key ingredient in oatmeal cookies (one of our
Essentials—see pages 33–44). They’re also sometimes found in
traditional shortbread (page 73), and often in the base or
topping for bar cookies. The nutty taste and chewy / tender
texture of oats are welcome additions wherever you find them,
but we don’t recommend adding them unbidden to a recipe
unless you’re an experienced baker. You have to increase the
amount of liquid, which gets tricky when the only liquid in the
cookie comes from its fat and eggs.
To add a hint of oat flavor to your cookies without having to
adjust the recipe, try substituting oat flour (or finely ground
rolled oats) for a quarter of the wheat flour in your recipe.

Rice
RICE FLOUR is milled two ways: white rice flour is hulled before
milling, while brown rice flour (the equivalent of whole wheat
flour) is not. White rice flour is often used in traditional
shortbread, to give it its signature tender, “sandy” mouth-feel.
 However, since it’s a gluten-free flour and is incapable of
building structure, it is rarely used beyond shortbread.

Gluten-Free Baking and Flours

Gluten is a combination of proteins in flour that form the
elastic network responsible for the structure of baked goods.
The most common grains and flours that contain gluten include
wheat, barley, and rye, as well as spelt, kamut, and other wheat
relatives.
To replace gluten, a combination of gluten-free flours and a
gelling agent, such as xanthan gum, are necessary to provide
that structure in baked goods. These ingredients change the
game considerably. Gluten-free baked goods can be wonderful
but they’re never going to be exactly like the wheat-flour based
products they’re replacing.
The landscape for gluten-free baking has improved by leaps
and bounds in the last decade, with excellent new gluten-free
flour blends. King Arthur Baking Company spent years
perfecting a range of products for gluten-free baking.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE seamlessly replaces the flour in your
favorite recipes, and works particularly well in cookies. A
blend of rice flours, sorghum flour, tapioca and potato starches,
and xanthan gum, it substantially eases the transition to gluten-
free baking.
GLUTEN-FREE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR is a blend of brown and white
flours and potato starch and is best in recipes designed for
gluten-free baking, which will likely also call for xanthan gum.
XANTHAN GUM helps solves a common problem with gluten-free
baking: because such baked goods lack the proteins necessary
for structure-building, they can sometimes become crumbly, or
not rise very well. Xanthan gum—a thickener, emulsifier, and
 stabilizer—improves the texture, “body,” and rise of gluten-
free baked goods.

Sweeteners
How sweet it is! We can truthfully make this claim for just
about any cookie out there. In many cookies, sugar is the main
ingredient, but even when its presence is somewhat less, it’s
always a leading player.
Sugar plays many roles in cookie baking. First, since it’s
hygroscopic (attracts and holds liquid), it helps keep cookies
soft and tender. And, since cookies become stale by losing their
liquid, sugar helps keep them fresh. Second, sugar crystals melt
and migrate to the cookie’s surface as it bakes, and there they
caramelize and help turn the cookie brown. (This is called the
Maillard Reaction, for those of you who want to impress your
friends with your copious knowledge of baking science.) And
third, and probably most important, sugar gives cookies a lot of
their delightful taste. Studies done with newborn infants have
shown that even in our first days on earth, sugar is a
pleasurable experience; it’s no wonder we continue to crave it
throughout our lives.

Dry Sugars
GRANULATED SUGAR: By far the most commonly used sweetener
in baking, granulated sugar is milled from sugarcane or sugar
beets, and is highly processed. It’s a good sugar to choose for
baking because its flavor is pure, unadulterated sweetness: no
other flavors fight for attention, as they do in brown sugar,
honey, or maple syrup.
 About 70% of the world’s granulated sugar supply comes
from sugarcane, while the remainder comes from sugar beets.
There are those who maintain that beet sugar has a slightly
different flavor than cane sugar, but to us it’s indistinguishable.
When you purchase granulated sugar, be sure it’s sucrose; most
bags of granulated sugar will list cane sugar as their only
ingredient. There are some sugar blends on the market that look
like granulated sugar, but are actually a blend of dextrose and
sucrose. Caveat emptor! This sugar doesn’t work consistently
well in baking. If you’ve purchased it by mistake, save it for
your coffee.
SUPERFINE SUGAR: Granulated sugar milled to a much finer
crystal is called superfine, bar, or castor sugar. It’s useful due to
its ability to dissolve very quickly and thoroughly. Use it in
fudgy brownies, when you want them to exhibit a shiny,
ultrathin crust on top, or in meringues, where superfine sugar
dissolves quickly, making a smoother meringue.
CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Called icing sugar in Britain and sucre
glace in France, this is the finest grind of granulated sugar,
combined with about 3% cornstarch to prevent it from
clumping. It ranges in crystal size from 10X (the finest crystal,
the kind found in supermarkets) to less expensive 6X, used in
institutional baking. Cookies are often dusted with
confectioners’ sugar, or iced with confectioners’ sugar frosting,
but unless your recipe calls for it as an ingredient in the dough,
don’t substitute—it won’t work well.
GLAZING SUGAR: Finer than confectioners’ sugar and mixed
with maltodextrin rather than cornstarch, glazing sugar has a
truer sweet flavor; use it in place of confectioners’ sugar if you
can find it.
DECORATING SUGARS: Sanding sugar, coarse sugar, decorating
sugar, sparkling sugar—these are all granulated sugars that
have been tinted in different shades (or left white) to sprinkle
atop cookies and other baked goods as decoration. Most of
these sugars come in crystals about four times larger than
granulated sugar crystals, although it’s also possible to find
“fine sparkling sugars,” whose crystals are similar in size to the
grains of sand found in an hourglass.
PEARL SUGAR, often imported from Sweden, is granulated sugar
that’s been processed into bright-white grains that range from
about six times larger than one granulated sugar crystal, to
nuggets about the size of peas (or sometimes even larger). This
is a wonderful sugar to sprinkle atop cookies before they bake,
as it won’t melt in the oven.
FLAVORED SUGARS: Granulated sugar is the perfect blank canvas
for imaginative flavoring. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar with
2 tablespoons cinnamon for cinnamon sugar (the topping that
makes a sugar cookie into a snickerdoodle); with ¼ teaspoon
citrus oil for citrus sugar; with 1 or 2 chopped vanilla beans for
vanilla sugar; or with a few drops of highly concentrated flavor
(apricot, coconut, creamy hazelnut, peppermint …) for just
about any flavor sugar you can imagine. In all cases, put the
sugar and add-in into a jar, screw on the lid, and shake
vigorously. All except the cinnamon sugar will benefit by
resting a few days before using, for the flavor to be fully
absorbed by the sugar.
BROWN SUGAR: Originally, brown sugar was granulated sugar
that hadn’t been highly processed, with some of the molasses (a
by-product of sugar processing) left in. Nowadays, brown sugar
is granulated sugar with molasses added back in (more for dark
brown, less for light brown.) Brown sugar has a deeper, more
complex flavor than granulated sugar and, because it contains
more liquid, will make a softer cookie. As brown sugar ages, its
moisture evaporates and it can become rock-hard. To keep it
soft, put it in an airtight container with a terra cotta sugar
softener, or with a slice of apple that you exchange for a fresh
slice every few days.
 What’s the difference between light brown and dark brown
sugar? Simply the amount of molasses added to it in the
production process. Use them interchangeably, to taste; dark
brown sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavor and will
yield a darker cookie.
BARBADOS (MUSCOVADO) SUGAR, most commonly found in
England, is very similar to American brown sugar in
appearance, but it’s more strongly flavored. It’s a less processed
form of granulated sugar.
TURBINADO AND DEMERARA SUGARS: Used as cookie toppings,
these are less processed granulated sugars, with some of the
molasses left in. Demerara is a coarser grind of turbinado.
MAPLE SUGAR: Pure maple syrup from which almost all of the
liquid has been removed becomes maple sugar. It’s available in
two forms: one has the soft, somewhat moist consistency of
brown sugar, while the other looks exactly like the “pourable”
brown sugar (Brownulated) you’ll find at the supermarket.
Recipes in this book that call for maple sugar are referring to
this second, more easily obtainable type.

CAN I USE BROWN SUGAR AND GRANULATED WHITE

SUGAR INTERCHANGEABLY?
If you’re making a cookie without any chemical leavening (such as shortbread, or
some roll-out cookies), yes, you can. The finished product will be a bit darker in color;
have that distinctive molasses–brown sugar taste, may spread more, and be a bit
softer. Using white sugar in place of brown will give you the opposite results: the flavor
will be less complex, the cookie will be lighter-colored, and it may be a bit crisper and
spread less.
However, if you’re making a brown sugar cookie with leavening, be aware that the
leavening—most likely baking soda—is there to help balance the acidity in the brown
sugar, acidity that’s mostly missing in granulated sugar. If you’ve run out of brown
sugar, add 1 to 4 tablespoons molasses to 1 cup granulated sugar (the lesser amount
to approximate light brown sugar). Stir until the mixture is well combined and looks like
store-bought brown sugar; don’t give up, this takes a few minutes. The result? A
generous 1 cup of brown sugar.
Liquid Sweeteners
The majority of cookies rely on dry sugar as their sweetener.
However some, such as molasses cookies, use a liquid
sweetener. Why use a liquid sweetener instead of plain sugar?
First, for flavor: molasses, dark corn syrup, maple syrup,
sorghum syrup, golden syrup, refiner’s syrup, and honey all
have their own distinctive taste. And second, if you’re making a
soft, moist, chewy cookie, a liquid sweetener adds water to the
cookie dough, which will result in a softer cookie with better
keeping qualities. The following liquid sweeteners are the ones
most likely to appear in cookie recipes.
CORN SYRUP (Karo syrup) is 25% water, the remainder glucose,
corn solids, salt, and vanilla. It comes in light (clear) and dark
varieties, the dark is more strongly flavored. Corn syrup is less
sweet than other liquid syrups.
MOLASSES is a by-product of granulated sugar production,
what’s left over after all the sucrose has crystallized. Golden or
light molasses is lighter in color and flavor than dark molasses,
which is the result of repeated boiling and extraction. The very
darkest molasses, blackstrap, is only 50% sugar and is
unsuitable for most baking because of its bitter flavor. Use it
only if it is specifically called for in a recipe.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE A LIQUID SWEETENER FOR A DRY

ONE TO MAKE MY COOKIES SOFTER?
As with many baking-related issues, the answer is: sometimes. Don’t substitute 1 cup
liquid sweetener for 1 cup granulated sugar; you’ll have soupy cookie dough. Also, the
texture of some cookies comes from the air trapped by sugar crystals when they’re
creamed with butter; liquid sweeteners are unable to trap air effectively.
Try substituting a couple of tablespoons of corn syrup, molasses, honey, or maple
syrup for an equal amount of granulated sugar in your recipe. See where that takes
you, softness-wise, and go from there.
 If sulfur is used in processing (very rare these days),
molasses is labeled sulfured; sulfured molasses generally has a
stronger flavor, and is suitable only for dark, spicy cookies
such as gingerbread or molasses.
HONEY is the only syrup that can be used without any
processing, once it’s removed from the beehive and strained of
any waxy comb, it’s ready to eat. Honey is a popular liquid
sweetener due to its unique flavor, but be aware that it’s
sweeter than sugar, and also browns much more quickly. Watch
cookies made with honey carefully because they tend to burn.
MAPLE SYRUP, the sap of maple sugar trees boiled down until
it’s thick and golden, can be used interchangeably with
molasses. For the best flavor in baking, choose Grade B, the
darkest syrup; it’s boiled from the very end of the sap run and
makes a strong-flavored syrup.

IS SPLENDA THE ANSWER TO LOWER-CALORIE BAKING?

Maybe. Sometimes. Splenda is sucralose, a type of sugar. In its initial form it’s 600
times sweeter than sugar, but it’s been formulated into Splenda Granular, which
measures cup-for-cup like sugar.
Splenda has no calories, which is a tempting attribute for some bakers. However, it
doesn’t bake exactly like granulated cane sugar. Splenda is best when it’s used for
sweetening rather than for structure; a recipe that calls for creaming sugar and fat
together will result in a denser cookie when made with Splenda. In addition, Splenda
won’t brown like cane sugar, so cookies made with it will remain pale. Finally, cookies
made with Splenda will bake more quickly than those made with sugar, so check them
several minutes before the end of the baking time to see if they’re set (remember, they
won’t be brown).

Salt
Salt is food’s greatest flavor enhancer. Without salt, many
prepared foods taste insipid. Even sweet foods, like cookies,
need a dose of salt to intensify their other flavors. Salt, like
 sugar, is hygroscopic, and attracts and holds water; however, its
presence in cookies is so minimal compared to sugar that its
role in balancing the amount of liquid in cookie dough is
inconsequential. In baking, salt is present strictly for flavor.
If what you’ve baked tastes flat or lifeless, lack of salt may
be the problem. Since sodium (the chemical responsible for
salt’s saltiness) is present in both baking soda and baking
powder, as well as in salted butter, it’s difficult to give a ratio
of salt to flour that will work for every recipe; the amount of
salt will vary with the amount present in the other ingredients.
However, between ¼ teaspoon and ½ teaspoon salt per cup of
flour (with the ½ teaspoon reserved for recipes without
chemical leaveners or other sources of salt) should yield
satisfactory results.

Fat
Without fat in the dough, cookies would be unpleasantly tough
and hard. Fat coats and separates the particles in the flour,
leaving them unable to bond tightly, and thus making a cookie
that’s crisp, tender, or soft, rather than brick-hard. In addition,
fat contributes to the texture of some cookies by trapping air
when it’s creamed together with sugar, thus helping to leaven
the cookies and make them light. Fat is also an emulsifier and a
flavor carrier; it moves easily throughout cookie dough
(emulsifies), carrying flavor molecules with it, much like
alcohol does. Finally, when the fat is butter, it lends its own
compelling taste.
SHORTENING: In the completely literal sense, shortening refers
to all fats and oils. Since they have the ability to break up and
weaken the gluten connections in dough, they’re said to
“shorten” the dough. In this book, shortening refers to
hydrogenated vegetable oil shortening (such as Crisco).
 What is hydrogenated vegetable oil shortening, exactly?
Hydrogenation is a chemical process whereby some of the
polyunsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oil are changed to
saturated fats, thus changing the oil from a liquid to a solid and
making it suitable for many cakes and cookies (which rely on
solid fat for their structure). Current medical knowledge has
labeled these altered fats trans fatty acids and condemned them
for a negative effect on human cholesterol levels. There is
currently no exact substitute for hydrogenated vegetable
shortening; bakers wishing to attain a certain specific texture in
their sweet baked goods have no choice but to use it.
Manufacturers are working on producing a shortening
substitute. Luckily, only a few cookie recipes benefit from the
use of shortening rather than butter.

AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE SHILLS …

We have to say, Crisco is the shortening of choice in our King Arthur test kitchen. It
gives the baker noticeably better results than competing store brands we’ve tested
against it.

In addition, bakers were making cookies long before the

invention of hydrogenated shortening, using butter, lard, or
other animal fats. You can substitute an equal amount of
unsalted butter for the shortening called for in any cookie
recipe, usually with no effect on the taste or texture of the final
product, and sometimes with minimal effect: the cookie may be
slightly less crisp, may spread a tiny bit more, or may not be
quite as white (in the case of sugar cookies). But, if you’re
trying to avoid trans fatty acids in your diet, you may want to
make this switch.
When creamed (beaten) with sugar, shortening traps air
molecules, which helps to leaven cookies and make them
tender. Shortening’s other important role is to help create the
cookie’s structure in the oven. Shortening has a fairly high
 melting point, which allows cookie dough to rise and set
(harden) while being supported by the solid shortening.
Eventually the shortening melts, but the cookie’s structure is
firm enough by then that it doesn’t collapse. Finally,
shortening, like all fat, makes cookies tender by preventing
long strands of gluten from forming in the dough.
Shortening will keep, tightly covered at room temperature,
for about three months. If you plan on storing it longer than
that, refrigerate it.
BUTTER: Ah, one of the four basic food groups (sugar, butter,
flour, and eggs) of cookie baking! A fresh, buttery cookie, hot
from the oven, is right up there on the comfort-food scale with
warm bread or chocolate. Only butter among the baking fats,
with its unmatched flavor, provides this kind of pleasure. In
addition, butter’s melting point—98.6°F—exactly mimics our
body temperature; thus butter’s satisfying “melt in your mouth”
quality.
Contrary to popular belief, butter isn’t 100% fat; it’s “only”
80% fat, with the remainder being water and milk solids. This
refers to a typical American supermarket butter. European
butters (such as Plugrá), some of which are now available in
this country, can range up to 88% fat. That extra 8% is evident
in butter-heavy pastries (those made with laminated dough,
such as croissants), and less evident in cookies, although when
using a European high-fat butter, you may want to cut back on
the butter a bit to avoid a greasy texture.

GREASING PANS WITH VEGETABLE OIL SPRAY

Remember how your mom used to grease cookie sheets with a piece of paper towel
she kept folded inside the shortening can? You can choose to do the same, but an
easier, more thorough method, with probably fewer fat grams, is to spray the cookie
sheet with a nonstick vegetable oil spray. Beware of sprays that contain gums
(carrageenan, guar) or lecithin; these tend to leave a dark, sticky residue on your pans
over time.
 The recipes in this book are written for unsalted butter,
unless otherwise indicated. (To substitute salted butter for
unsalted, reduce the amount of added salt in your recipe by ¼
teaspoon per ½ cup—1 stick, 113 g—of butter.) Butter is salted
to help preserve it; salt masks any “off” tastes. Salted butter
will keep in the freezer for about 6 months, while unsalted is
good for about 3 months. We prefer unsalted butter, as it allows
us to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe to exactly our taste.
In addition, unsalted butter is generally fresher than salted.
Either way, we suggest buying butter as you need it, rather than
stocking up; butter is best at its freshest.
SOFT BAKING BUTTER is a Land O'Lakes blend of canola oil and
butter and is wonderful for roll-out cookies, as the refrigerated
dough can be rolled directly upon coming out of the
refrigerator, with no waiting period for the butter to soften. It’s
also ideal for bar cookie crusts that call for the butter to be cut
into the flour; the process is much easier with this softer, more
“plastic” butter. Soft baking butter retains butter’s wonderful
flavor, but adds shortening’s ease of use.
MARGARINE (oleo) is actually closer to vegetable shortening
than it is to butter. Made from hydrogenated vegetable oil,
sometimes with added milk solids, margarine has neither
butter’s flavor nor shortening’s high melting point. We consider
it an inferior substitute for either, and we prefer to use butter or
vegetable shortening.
Oils that come primarily from plants—vegetables, seeds,
and nuts—are 100% liquid fat. Thus they mimic neither butter
(80% fat), nor shortening (100% solid fat) in their baking
quality.
VEGETABLE OIL will sometimes be used in cookies where the
flavor of butter isn’t key, and the structure provided by a solid
fat isn’t necessary, e.g., a soft, flat, chewy cookie. If your recipe
calls for vegetable oil, use one with mild flavor, such as canola,
vegetable (a blend), sunflower, or safflower; highly flavored
 oils, like olive, corn, sesame, and peanut, should be saved for
salads and sautés.

I’M WATCHING MY CHOLESTEROL, CAN I USE

MARGARINE IN PLACE OF BUTTER?
It used to be a fairly straightforward procedure to substitute margarine for butter in your
baked goods: margarine, like butter, was 80% fat, so the two acted similar to one
another in baking, even though they don’t taste alike. Now, however, margarine comes
in all kinds of low-fat versions, some of which can contain less than 50% fat. This will
definitely affect your baked goods, both by reducing the effect of fat’s good qualities
(flavor, tenderizing), and adding water, which affects the flour / liquid ratio and may
make cookies spread too much.
Margarine has lost popularity due to its reliance on hydrogenation and the resulting
trans fatty acids (deemed a nutritional no-no) to give it its structure. However, if you
really want to use it, be sure you purchase plain, full-fat stick margarine, not a low-fat
substitute or margarine in a tub. And if you’re following one of the recipes in this book—
all of which call for unsalted butter, when butter is used—reduce the salt in the recipe
by ¼ teaspoon, because nearly all margarine is salted.

… OR HOW ABOUT SHORTENING IN PLACE OF BUTTER?

Using shortening in place of butter (or butter in place of shortening) will yield results
that aren’t identical, but probably acceptable. Because shortening’s melting point is
higher than butter’s (119°F vs. 98.6°F), cookies made with shortening won’t spread as
much. So if you’re having issues with cookies spreading, try substituting shortening.
You’ll lose some of butter’s rich flavor, but may solve your spreading problem. You
may also choose to substitute butter for shortening; while shortening is 100% fat to
butter’s 80%, the difference isn’t appreciable enough in most cookies. However, you
may notice the obverse of the behavior above: cookies made with butter will spread
more than cookies made with shortening. So if you have a cookie you’d like to have
relax a bit on the pan, try substituting butter for half the shortening (for a little more
spread), or for all of the shortening (for a lot more spread).

Eggs and Dairy

Good sources of both protein and fat, eggs and dairy products
enhance cookies in a variety of ways. Structure, flavor,
leavening, browning—in most cookies, all of these rely at least
in part on eggs, and somewhat less on other dairy products.
EGGS are made up of fat (the yolk), and protein (the white). Egg
yolks add some of fat’s characteristics to cookies: tenderness
and crispness. They help cookies brown when they’re in the
dough or brushed on top before baking. Egg whites enhance
structure, both by capturing air that’s beaten into the dough and
by contributing to the protein building blocks that allow a
cookie to rise and stay risen. (Meringue cookies and macaroons
rely entirely on egg whites for their structure.) Finally, the
liquid in eggs helps keep cookies moist and fresh.
The recipes in this book call for large eggs, which weigh
about 57g each. Volume-wise, it takes about 5 eggs to fill a cup.
As it takes about 3 medium eggs to yield 2 large eggs, you can
see it’s important to use the size of eggs the recipe calls for.
Although it’s not always crucial, it’s good practice to bring
eggs to room temperature before using them. If you’re adding
eggs to butter that’s been creamed with sugar, cold eggs are
liable to chill the butter enough that it “breaks,” releasing all
the air you’ve just beaten into it. The best way to bring eggs to
room temperature is to remove them from the refrigerator an
hour or so before you want to use them. Another way, and one
we use here often (being both busy and forgetful!), is to place
eggs in their shells in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15
minutes.
A useful shortcut ingredient is meringue powder, a mixture
of dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gum. Meringue powder is
a key ingredient in royal icing, one of the staples of the icing
world, as well as in buttercream frosting, and in the
“construction” icing used to make a gingerbread house.
While dairy products don’t play as integral a part in most
cookies as eggs do, they’re sometimes added for flavor and
structure. All milk products contain protein, which can
contribute to a cookie’s structure. And most milk products
contain fat, which enhances texture. In addition, the lactose
 (sugar) in milk helps cookies brown nicely as they bake; and
the water in milk jump-starts gluten development, thus
contributing even more to the cookie’s structure and final
shape.
Usually the amount of milk (or cream) in cookies (as
compared to the amount of milk served with cookies) is so
small that these effects are minimal, but if your recipe calls for
milk, don’t think you can substitute water without
consequences.
BUTTERMILK, SOUR CREAM, OR YOGURT, being acidic, help
tenderize gluten strands in the cookie dough, thus producing a
cookie that’s soft and tender, or snapping-crisp, but never rock-
hard. In addition, they lend an elusive but delightful tang: the
flavor of sugar cookies made with sour cream or buttermilk is
much more complex, and richer, than that of “plain” sugar
cookies.

CAN I USE YOGURT INSTEAD OF SOUR CREAM OR

BUTTERMILK IN MY COOKIES?
Yes, though the results won’t be exactly the same. The closest match to sour cream is
plain full-fat yogurt; low-fat or nonfat (don’t go there!) yogurts will yield a somewhat less
tender product, due to their reduced fat. In addition, their taste will be a bit more acidic.
As for buttermilk, it’s similar enough to both yogurt and sour cream in acidity that you
can substitute it for either. However, keep in mind that buttermilk includes a greater
percentage of water; you’ll want to reduce the amount you use by about 25%.

CREAM CHEESE looks like butter, tastes somewhat like sour

cream, and brings to cookies some of the attributes of both.
Cookies made with cream cheese will have wonderful flavor,
and the fat in the cheese will keep them soft or crisp. In
addition, the milk protein will help with structure. Cream
cheese begins with cream that’s about 33% butterfat, so it
doesn’t bring as much fat to cookies as butter, but it’s a
wonderful addition to butter in many recipes.
 SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK, seldom used in cookie dough,
sometimes appears as a topping for bar cookies. One cup of
condensed milk began as 2½ cups of whole milk and ½ cup
sugar. Don’t substitute sweetened condensed milk for any other
kind of milk, use it only where called for.

Leavening
Where would the cookie baker be without baking powder and
baking soda? Stuck with shortbread, that’s where. There are
very few cookies that don’t use some form of chemical
leavening to give them their light, crisp (or chewy) texture.
How do chemical leavens work? First, they dissolve in
whatever liquid is in the dough. Next, they release carbon
dioxide as they dissolve; the CO2, in turn, is absorbed into the
dough’s liquid, and then into the air bubbles that you’ve beaten
into the dough as you prepared it. Once the cookies begin to
bake, the carbon dioxide in these air bubbles causes them to
expand, and they keep expanding until the dough becomes hot
enough to set and become firm—to be fully baked. Thus
chemical leavens are the agent mainly responsible for how high
a cookie rises as it bakes. Without leavening, sugar cookies
would be shortbread, chocolate chip cookies would be flat
puddles of dough with chocolate chip islands, and crisp oatmeal
cookies would be as hard and dense as a piece of granite. Here
are the most common (and important) chemical leavens:
BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate, or sodium acid carbonate)
is a natural alkaline. In this country, it’s manufactured from ore
mined in Wyoming by the makers of Arm and Hammer baking
soda. Baking soda is the key component in baking powder;
when mixed with liquid and an acid, it immediately releases
carbon dioxide, and the leavening process begins.
Any recipe leavened with baking soda must also include an
acidic ingredient; these can range from the obviously acidic
 (sour cream, lemon juice) to the less apparent (chocolate,
brown sugar, honey). If there’s not enough acid in the recipe to
neutralize baking soda’s alkalinity, your cookie may have a
soapy taste, or a brownish-yellow cast. In the absence of any
other acidic ingredients, ½ teaspoon baking soda will be
neutralized by 1 cup yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or citrus
juice; or ¾ cup brown sugar, honey, or molasses; or ½ cup
natural cocoa powder.
BAKING POWDER is composed of baking soda (an alkaline or
base), sodium acid pyrophosphate (an acid), and a neutral
medium (usually cornstarch) to keep the two from reacting too
soon. Baking powder takes baking soda a step further. Since the
acid / alkaline content in baking powder is already perfectly
balanced, the baker need not think about the acidity of other
ingredients. In addition, double-acting baking powder—the
type found most often in the market today—begins to react
when it meets liquid, and again when it’s heated, giving cookie
bakers a double shot of leavening power.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKING SODA AND

BAKING POWDER?
They look alike, they do the same thing … well, not quite. Baking soda is the basic
component in baking powder, thus baking powder is a more “advanced” form of
chemical leaven. Where baking soda needs both liquid and acid to begin its work,
baking powder includes acid right in its composition. In addition, double-acting baking
powder includes two different acids: one that works as soon as it meets liquid, and one
that doesn’t start working until it’s heated. For this reason, cookie dough that must be
refrigerated before being used will produce a lighter cookie when it’s leavened with
baking powder, since even if the liquid-activated acid starts to lose its oomph in the
fridge, the heat-activated one will kick in nicely in the oven.

WHAT IF I RUN OUT OF BAKING POWDER?

Since cream of tartar and baking soda are the key elements in baking powder and,
unlike baking powder, they’re shelf stable indefinitely, it’s useful to keep them both on
hand. If you run out of baking powder, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (or Maine Bakewell
Cream, generally less expensive) mixed with ¼ teaspoon baking soda makes the
equivalent of 1 teaspoon baking powder. Since this will be a single-acting rather than
double-acting baking powder (see above), it shouldn’t be substituted in recipes that are
refrigerated or left to rest at room temperature before baking; the leavening will lose its
oomph shortly after the batter or dough is made, so it needs to be baked right away.

HELP! THIS RECIPE DOESN’T HAVE ANY BAKING POWDER

…
Most cookie recipes—aside from shortbread, some roll-out cookies, and molded
cookies—use either baking soda or baking powder. But mistakes get made. If you run
across a recipe with neither—this often happens in the haste of one baker copying
down a recipe for another—keep this rule of thumb in mind: for every cup of flour in the
recipe, use ½ to 1 teaspoon baking powder (the more you use, the higher-rising and
puffier the cookie will be). If the cookie contains a liquid sweetener, such as molasses,
honey, or maple syrup, add ¼ teaspoon baking soda for each ½ cup of sweetener.

CREAM OF TARTAR (acid sodium pyrophosphate) and Maine

Bakewell Cream (tartaric acid) are both acids that react with
baking soda to make it work. These ingredients are never used
on their own in cookie baking, except for in meringues, where
cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites’ protein, allowing
them to trap more air as they’re beaten.
BAKER’S AMMONIA, the common name for ammonium carbonate
or ammonium bicarbonate, is an old-fashioned chemical
leaven, one that predates both baking powder and baking soda.
It produces incredibly crisp cookies. Originally made from
hartshorn, the antler of a red deer, baker’s ammonia works fast
when it meets liquid. The telltale smell of ammonia it produces
is unpleasant, but dissipates completely by the time the cookie
is baked. However, due to its somewhat tricky nature, baker’s
ammonia should only be used in recipes where it’s specified.
YEAST appears very seldom in cookie recipes. Though long ago
all leavening was done with some form of yeast, the advent of
easy-to-use, fast-acting chemical leavens pretty much relegated
yeast to yeast breads. The occasional cookie will rely on this
live, one-cell organism for its leavening; Crystal Diamonds
 (page 26), and Zwieback (page 362) are the only recipes in this
book calling for yeast. Because of its ease of use, fast action,
and strength, we recommend using instant yeast; SAF is a
reliable brand.

Flavors and Extracts

VANILLA EXTRACT, beloved ingredient of cookie bakers, is but
one of a host of flavors and extracts that can lend amazing taste
to your cookies. From vanilla, almond, and peppermint to the
more exotic butter-rum, coconut, hazelnut, and apricot, flavors
and extracts are often the smallest part of your cookie volume-
wise, but giants in the taste department.

CAN I MAKE MY OWN VANILLA?

Sure. It won’t be as rich and full-flavored as vanilla manufactured the traditional way,
but shortcut vanilla is easy to make, and works fine in most applications where vanilla
doesn’t play a starring role. To make vanilla, combine 2 or 3 vanilla beans, slit open
and snipped into 1″ pieces, with 1 pint vodka (organic is excellent) or unflavored
brandy in a glass jar with tight-fitting lid. Allow the mixture to sit for at least two weeks,
preferably four, before using.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EXTRACT, AN

OIL, AND A FLAVOR?
Extracts (vanilla, almond) are made from an essential oil (or flavoring components) of
natural ingredients, dissolved in alcohol, or glycerin and water. You’ll generally add 1 to
2 teaspoons extract to a typical cookie recipe.
Oils (orange, lemon, anise, cinnamon, and others) are extracted from natural
products. Their intense flavor means you need add only a few drops to ¼ teaspoon to
a cookie recipe. Included in this category is Fiori di Sicilia, a blend of citrus and vanilla
flavors that’s a widely used specialty ingredient in Italian baking.
Flavors—or flavoring oils, or candy flavoring—are highly concentrated compounds
that may or may not include natural ingredients. Food scientists are able to chemically
match the natural flavors in a variety of sources, and blend and package these
compounds for use in baking. While they’re not all-natural, we’ve derived great
pleasure from the huge array of flavors—butter-pecan, pineapple, eggnog—that
wouldn’t otherwise be available to us. Add flavor oils to cookie dough drop by drop, to
taste. Finally, flower waters, which are used in many Middle Eastern confections,
including cookies, are the mildest of the extract-flavor-oil group. Rose water and
orange flower water can be added to cookie dough, but because of their unassertive
flavor, which in truth is based mostly on their aroma, we feel they’re more effective
when very lightly sprinkled onto baked cookies.

HOW CAN I GAUGE THE STRENGTH OF A FLAVOR OR

EXTRACT?
You’ll notice that many of the recipes in this book call for “strong” flavors or extracts.
There are two basic strengths of flavor available to the home baker: regular, such as
those purchased at the supermarket (think almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon
extract); or strong, flavors that are often classified as “flavor oils” or just plain “flavors,”
rather than extracts. These flavors usually come in small bottles and are often called
candy-flavoring oils; the label will read “highly concentrated.” Compared to extracts,
they come in a huge variety of flavors, everything from butter-rum to blackberry to
pralines and cream. And they’re very strong, usually requiring only a few drops in your
dough or batter to make their presence known.
How can you tell if a flavor is strong enough to warrant using only a few drops?
First, take a cautious whiff; if it tickles your nose in an almost unpleasant way, it’s
strong. (In comparison, a whiff of vanilla is pleasurable, inviting you to smell it again.)
Second, add the flavor or extract to your dough a few drops at a time, to taste; if, after
adding ⅛ teaspoon or so, you still can’t taste it, it probably isn’t a strong flavor.

Vanilla, the most expensive spice in the world after saffron,

comes from the bean pod of an orchid plant, vanilla planifolia.
It takes more than sixteen months to produce vanilla from an
immature pod, in a very labor-intensive process. Seventy-five
percent of the world’s vanilla is produced in Madagascar
(formerly called the Bourbon Islands, whence comes the term
Bourbon vanilla), with the remainder coming from Tahiti,
Indonesia, and Mexico. Each vanilla has its own particular
flavor; Tahitian vanilla is described as flowery, Mexican as
interesting and complex. But all share that wonderful,
comforting vanilla scent and taste we’ve loved since childhood.
ALMOND EXTRACT, next to vanilla the most commonly used
extract in baking, is made from bitter almonds (cousin to the
 sweet almonds we consume as nuts). Oil from these almonds
contains prussic acid, a highly toxic substance that can actually
be fatal if consumed in quantity. However, prussic acid is
destroyed during processing, and the remaining oil is either
sold as is (bitter almond oil) or combined with alcohol to make
almond extract. Bitter almond oil is prized by bakers for its
“true” almond flavor, though the much more commonly
available almond extract is the product used most often.

Spices
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves … where would we
be without these aromatic spices?
Spices, like flavors and extracts, are used in tiny quantities
in baking, yet lend tremendous flavor. A snickerdoodle without
cinnamon is just a sugar cookie, while gingersnaps sans ginger
are mere molasses cookies.
For ease of use, most bakers purchase ground spices.
However, try to purchase them in small quantities that you can
use in a reasonable amount of time; ground spices gradually
lose their pep, no matter how carefully you store them. Another
option is to purchase whole spices, which have a much longer
shelf life, and grind them yourself.
Here are some of the key spices used in cookie baking:
ALLSPICE, the dried berry of a tree in the myrtle family, is
grown mainly in Jamaica. Its taste is reminiscent of cinnamon
and cloves, with a touch of nutmeg. It’s often used in molasses
or other spice cookies.
CARDAMOM, the third most expensive spice in the world (after
saffron and vanilla), is the seeds and pod of a tropical herb.
Cardamom is available green (dried in the oven), white
(bleached), or brown (dried in the sun); green is considered the
most aromatic. It’s often crushed, pod and all, but cardamom
seeds crushed without the pod have stronger flavor.
CINNAMON, perhaps the most beloved and widely used of all
spices, adds a distinctive and compelling aroma to baked
goods. There are two types of cinnamon grown: Ceylon
cinnamon, native to Sri Lanka and India, and cassia cinnamon,
which grows in Southeast Asia. Cinnamon is the bark of either
of these two trees. To tell the two apart, whole Ceylon
cinnamon looks like a rolled-up paper tube, while cassia
cinnamon curls inward from both ends, like a scroll. Cassia
cinnamon is the type most often sold in the United States; it’s
richer in flavor and has a higher oil content than Ceylon
cinnamon.
CLOVES are the unopened flower bud of a tropical evergreen
shrub. Cloves have a strong, pungent flavor and are best used in
very small quantities to enhance the flavor of other spices,
rather than standing on their own.
GINGER, native to Southeast Asia, spread across the world in
ancient times. Ginger and black pepper were two of the most
widely used spices in medieval England; in those days,
gingerbread held the exalted culinary position that chocolate
holds for us today. The mature root of the ginger plant, dried
and ground, yields the spice that lends its name to gingersnaps
and gingerbread men. This same root, harvested when
immature, is diced, simmered in sugar syrup, and dried to
produce crystallized or candied ginger, a moist, sweet-hot
addition to many kinds of chewy spice cookies.
NUTMEG AND MACE both come from a tree native to Indonesia.
This tree bears fruit whose pit (nutmeg) is covered by a thin,
lacy, leathery reddish tissue (mace). Ground nutmeg is a key
ingredient in eggnog cookies, and also adds its distinctive
flavor to other sugar-type cookies.
 WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPICE AND AN
HERB?
Herbs usually come from the leafy green part of a plant, while spices come from its
roots, bark, seeds, buds, or stems.

Chocolate
Can you imagine life without chocolate? (If your answer is yes,
turn the page!) Chocolate, like vanilla, is a flavor that we
embrace early, and carry like a first love in our hearts
forevermore.
CHOCOLATE, theobroma cacao (“food of the gods”) is one of the
greatest gifts given by the New World to the Old. A native of
South America, where it was prized by both the Aztec and
Mayan civilizations, chocolate is produced today around the
world between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (20° above
and 20° below the equator). Most of the world’s chocolate now
comes from western Africa.
Chocolate is made from the seeds (beans) of the fruit of the
cacao tree. As with vanilla, making chocolate from cacao beans
is a labor-intensive process. First the pods are harvested, split
open with a machete, then left to dry for 24 hours. The seeds
are removed from the pulp and allowed to “sweat” and ferment
for several days. Then they’re dried, their husks removed, and
ground. During grinding, heat is applied to liquefy the beans’
cocoa butter, thus producing a soft, rich-brown mass called
chocolate liquor, which consists of 47% chocolate solids and
53% cocoa butter.
Chocolate liquor can be made into unsweetened baking
chocolate simply by molding it into cakes and chilling it. For
eating chocolate (bittersweet, semisweet, milk, etc.), additional
cocoa butter and sugar (and milk solids) are added, then the
liquor is kneaded (“conched”) for up to three days, to aerate its
texture and mellow its flavor. After conching, it’s molded into
bars or blocks and cooled. Finally, chocolate liquor can be
made into cocoa by pressing it to remove a certain percentage
of the cocoa butter; the remaining chocolate solids are ground
into cocoa. From these three types of chocolate spring the
myriad variations we see around us, from Hershey Bars to
Godiva truffles.
Certainly the most familiar chocolate in the cookie baker’s
world is the chocolate chip; after all, more than half the cookies
consumed annually in the United States are chocolate chip
cookies. But cocoa and unsweetened baking chocolate have
significant roles as well—think brownies. And chocolate
crinkles. It’s useful to understand the various types of
chocolate, what to look for in each, and how to use them.
UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE (BAKER’S CHOCOLATE) contains no
sugar. It commonly comes in 1-ounce squares, which are
melted before using. It can also come pre-melted, in 1-ounce
pouches. Use this chocolate in any recipe calling for
unsweetened chocolate.
BITTERSWEET OR SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE must, by law, contain a
minimum of 35% chocolate liquor (though most excellent-
quality bittersweet chocolate contains up to 70% or so
chocolate liquor). After that, the amount of added sugar
determines whether a chocolate is labeled bittersweet or
semisweet. And, since there’s no agreement worldwide on what
percentage of added sugar makes chocolate semisweet vs.
bittersweet, labeling of chocolates is unofficial and left to the
individual manufacturers. In addition to sugar, most chocolate
will also contain vanilla, which enhances its flavor. Beyond
that, some chocolates contain salt, added vegetable fat, and
sometimes spices.
Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate comes in bars, blocks,
chunks, and chips. Chocolate chips usually have soy lecithin
added to keep them from melting and spreading too much as
 they bake; but some imported chips are lecithin-free. When a
recipe calls for melting bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, it’s
best to choose a block or bar chocolate, as the lecithin in chips
may affect the chocolate’s melting ability.
MILK CHOCOLATE—and milk chocolate chips—substitute 15% to
20% milk solids for an equal amount of the chocolate liquor.
Most bakers eschew the use of milk chocolate, considering it
much better for eating than for baking.
WHITE CHOCOLATE as a term has been batted around by the FDA
and chocolate manufacturers for years. Until recently, white
chocolate wasn’t permitted to be labeled chocolate, as it
contains no chocolate liquor. However, FDA officials recently
declared it legal to call white chocolate white chocolate.
(Whew! Aren’t you relieved?) At any rate, white chocolate, that
luscious, creamy-white, rich confection, consists of cocoa
butter, sugar, milk solids, and vanilla.
CONFECTIONERY COATING, which often masquerades as true
white chocolate, is in fact not chocolate at all. A blend of
vegetable fat (not cocoa butter), milk solids, sugar, and
flavorings, confectionery coating melts nicely and doesn’t need
tempering, so it’s often used to coat candy. However, it doesn’t
have the rich taste of true chocolate.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE is a versatile blend of chocolate and hot
cream, stirred to a smooth consistency. It’s used to coat cakes,
frost brownies, or dip cookies. It can also be flavored with
liqueurs, then cooled and whipped to form chocolate truffle
centers. See page 432 for a recipe.

SUBSTITUTING COCOA FOR BAKING CHOCOLATE

If you find yourself without any unsweetened baking chocolate on hand, but with plenty
of unsweetened cocoa powder, you’re in luck. For recipes that call for 1 square (1
ounce) of unsweetened baking chocolate, substitute 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus
1 tablespoon solid fat, either vegetable shortening or butter.
 COCOA (UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER) is manufactured with
two different amounts of fat. Baking cocoa is 12% to 16%
cocoa butter; high fat (“breakfast”) cocoa is 22% to 24% cocoa
butter. We prefer to use high-fat cocoa for baking, as fat is a
flavor carrier, and we feel high-fat cocoa has a better, stronger
taste.
NATURAL COCOA is cocoa treated with alkali to reduce its
acidity. Many consider Dutch-process cocoa a superior baking
cocoa due to its less-sharp taste; richer, redder, darker color;
and the fact that it doesn’t need to be balanced in the recipe
with something alkaline (e.g., baking soda).
BLACK COCOA is the very darkest cocoa (think the color of Oreo
cookies). It’s treated with even more alkali than regular Dutch-
process cocoa. Use it as is for the blackest chocolate cookies
you’ve ever made, or in conjunction with regular Dutch-process
cocoa, for a cookie somewhat darker than normal.

Food Coloring
Food coloring is a wonderful addition to cookie icings and
glazes. Add them to icing, by the drop, to attain the exact color
you want—from palest pink to midnight black. For the most
intense color, use food coloring paste or gel, rather than liquid;
you can find these specialty colors in stores carrying cake
decorating supplies, or online.

Dough Relaxer
When added to roll-out cookie dough, dough relaxer takes the
“fight” out of gluten; it makes rolling out the dough a much
easier task, and results in cookies that are tender, not tough.
Add-Ins
Want to go stir-crazy? There are any number of tasty
ingredients you can add to cookie dough to liven up your
cookies. The following are just some of the options.
NUTS: Pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts …
Any nut you enjoy eating out of hand is a good choice to add to
cookie dough. You may choose to leave nuts whole in some
cases—a plain sugar cookie looks lovely with a whole almond,
pecan half, or walnut half placed in its center. However, keep in
mind that some whole nuts may look peculiar in your finished
cookie if it’s not large enough to support their outsized
presence. In addition, whole nuts in cookies tend to give you
just one bite of nut; for this reason, we usually suggest dicing
nuts.
Be aware that some nuts burn more quickly than others. The
higher the oil in a nut, the more likely it is to scorch. Pine nuts,
in particular, may burn if they’re exposed to heat that’s too high
or baked too long.
NUT FLOURS are simply nuts that have been very finely ground.
Typical nut flours include hazelnut, almond, and pecan (often
called pecan meal). Nut flours are usually available in both
plain and toasted versions; toasted nut flour has a bit more
flavor. Substitute nut flour for one-quarter to one-third of the
regular flour in your recipe, for a delicate, sandy texture and
added flavor.
NUT PASTES, including almond, hazelnut (praline), and
pistachio, are a mixture of ground nuts and sweetening. They
are sometimes used as a cookie ingredient, but more often used
to fill pastries. Marzipan takes almond paste one step further—
it includes unbeaten egg whites, to make it pliable. While it’s
sometimes used as an ingredient, marzipan is most often made
into edible decorations, particularly for cakes.
 DRIED FRUIT is a wonderful addition to chewy cookies; think
hermits with raisins, or chewy oatmeal cookies with chopped
dates or dried cranberries. In general, it’s not a good idea to add
dried fruit to crisp cookies; the fruit tends to dry out and
become unpleasantly hard or, if there’s enough of it, it makes
the crisp cookies soft.
Adding fresh fruit to cookies is usually a no-no, given the
amount of liquid it will exude as the cookies bake. Possible
exceptions are finely diced apples or pears, which can add nice
moisture and flavor to an already soft, chewy cookie.
The zest (grated rind) of citrus fruits adds wonderful flavor
to a plain sugar cookie or shortbread.

SHOULD I ADD THOSE NUTS, OR NOT?

If you’re unsure whether nuts will burn in your cookie, or whether those malted milk
balls will melt into puddles, or whether the currants will dry out and you should use
raisins instead, do a test before committing yourself. Make the dough without the add-
ins. Then break off enough for a single cookie, add whatever ingredient(s) you’re
questioning, and bake. If you’re happy with the results, stir the additional ingredients
into the dough. If not, try something else.
This is also a good test when you’re questioning whether your cookies will spread
too much. Test-bake one first; if it spreads more than you like, add some flour and test
again. If you want more spread, rather than less, add vegetable oil or water. Either way,
make adjustments in small increments; sure, it takes a little time, but it’s better than
being disappointed with an entire batch of cookies.

SEEDS: Sunflower, poppy, caraway, anise, and sesame seeds all

make appearances in cookie recipes, particularly those from
cultures other than our own. Use them for added crunch and
flavor, and treat them like nuts—they may burn, so if you’re
unsure, test first (see Toasting Nuts and Coconut, page xxx).
CANDY: Cookies and candy—what could be a more natural
pairing? Chocolate chips are the dowager queen of cookie add-
ins, but chocolate isn’t the only flavor chip you can use. Try
peanut butter, butterscotch, raspberry-chocolate, white
 chocolate, mint, or any of the gourmet flavors (cappuccino,
lemon, cherry) available from specialty retailers.
How about jelly beans, or gumdrops? Chopped peppermint
patties, hard candies, or a chopped Snickers bar? It’s worth it to
test-bake one cookie with the desired add-in first (see page
469). If you’re trying something like a chopped chocolate bar
and you think it might melt, try chopping, then freezing the
chopped bits before adding them to the cookie dough; being
frozen when they hit the oven might just give them enough
time to remain fairly firm throughout the bake.
If marshmallows are one of your favorite ingredients, no
doubt you’ll be tempted to add them to that fudgy cookie
recipe. Don’t! Marshmallows melt and disappear way before
the cookie is done baking, leaving only a moist, creamy-
colored hint of their presence. Your best bet with
marshmallows is to halve large marshmallows and plop them
onto your nearly baked cookies (sticky side down). Bake for an
additional minute or two, just until the marshmallow starts to
soften and/or brown, but before it melts.

Resources
Many of the ingredients listed in this book are available from
King Arthur Baking Company. The Baker’s Catalogue is the
prime source of fine tools, ingredients, and recipes for the
home baker. Many are also available in grocery and gourmet
stores throughout the United States. Some of the tools
mentioned in this section are available at quality kitchen
accessory stores; all can be purchased from The Baker’s
Catalogue, or online (where you’ll also find many more recipes
and resources) at www.kingarthurbaking.com. When you’re in
Vermont, stop by The Baker’s Store in Norwich, which carries
everything in the catalogue and more. Feel free to ask an
employee-owner to sign your book!
– SHAPED COOKIES –
Speculaas
PAGE 356

– THE ESSENTIALS –
The Essential Shortbread
PAGE 73
 – THE ESSENTIALS –
Spiced Rye Ginger Cookies
PAGE 56
 – THE ESSENTIALS –
Decorator’s Dream Cookies
PAGE 142
 – BATTER COOKIES –
Chocolate Whoopie Pies
PAGE 392

– THE ESSENTIALS –
The Essential Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
PAGE 4
– SHAPED COOKIES –
Magic in the Middles
PAGE 331
– AMERICAN-STYLE BISCOTTI PAGE 100
– DAISIES PAGE 235
– VERMONT GRANOLA BARS PAGE 172

– ANZAC BISCUITS PAGE 44

 – THE ESSENTIALS –
Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
PAGE 13
– THE ESSENTIALS –
Cakey Brownies
PAGE 126
– SPAPED COOKIES –
Macarons
PAGE 378

– ROLL-OUT COOKIES –
Linzer Cookies
PAGE 315
 – BARS & SQUARE –
The Very Best Hermit Bars Ever
PAGE 166
– THE ESSENTIALS –
Cranberry Chews
PAGE 39
– BARS & SQUARES –
Lemon Squares
PAGE 206
– SHAPED COOKIES –
Cherry-Nut Rugelach
PAGE 344
– FLOURLESS FUDGE COOKIES
PAGE 289
– ANIMAL CRACKERS
PAGE 377
– BUTTER-PECAN FANTASIES
PAGE 223

– ROYAL ICING PAGE 146

– DROP COOKIES –
Wedding Cookies
PAGE 254
 – THE ESSENTIALS –
Scout’ Honor PB Sandwiches
PAGE 66
– BARS & SQUARES –
Rocky Road Bars
PAGE 171
– THE FINISHING TOUGH –
Raspberry-White Chocolate Dip
PAGE 445

– BATTER COOKIES –
Chocolate Krumkake
PAGE 406
 – THE ESSENTIALS –
The Essentials Peanut Butter Cookies
PAGE 59
 – THE ESSENTIALS –
Cranberry-Orange Biscotti
PAGE 105
Acknowledgments

The longest journey begins with a single step. And this long
journey began in 2002 with The Countryman Press, whose
editor, Kermit Hummel, and colleagues, Jennifer Thompson
and Clare Innes, provided valuable advice on the book’s outline
and content, then supported us in myriad ways through the
ensuing months of work. Our thanks, also, to the late and
esteemed W. W. Norton editor Maria Guarnaschelli, whose sage
counsel right at the outset of the project helped design this
book’s compelling architecture.
Our thanks to the many King Arthur bakers, past and
present, whose treasured family recipes grace these pages:
Pierre Bourque, Carol Colby, Michelle Diamond, Joan Dunn,
Cindy Fountain, Sue Gray, Jeffrey Hamelman, Bonny Hooper,
Kate Hookway, Jane Korhonen, Jennifer Korhonen, Janet Matz,
Kelly Mousley, Tracy Peer, Robin Rice, Brinna Sands, Robyn
Sargent, Ali Scheier, Beth Spaulding, Mary Tinkham, and Patti
Vaughan.
Cookbook author, teacher, and longtime King Arthur friend
Lora Brody stepped in to save the day with some much-needed
expertise and a pocketful of recipes, when it seemed this book
would never get done. And Nik Hamel spent countless evenings
tightening up and enlivening headnotes. Back at the test
kitchen, Susan Reid, Jen Korhonen, and Brenda Hickory spent
months photographing tips and techniques and supervising their
illustration.
King Arthur baker Robby Kuit, who test-baked (and test-
baked again) the vast majority of recipes in this book, never
faltered in her pursuit of cookie perfection. Whether it meant
rising at 4 a.m. to bake cookies at home before coming into
work, mixing up batches of dough on Sunday night to be ready
for Monday morning, or just being a good sport when we asked
her to “Try that crunchy oatmeal cookie just one more time,
pretty please?” Robby was always there when we needed her.
This book wouldn’t have happened without Robby.
The King Arthur publications team, led by Toni Apgar,
visualized a cookie book and then made it happen. Author
Susan Reid’s imagination and playful creativity is evident in
such recipes as Midnights and Rocky Road No-Bakes. When
she wasn’t writing or plotting out the order of illustrations in
each chapter, Susan cheerfully pitched in and helped with the
test-baking. To Toni fell the job of pulling together bakers,
writers, editor, publisher, and photographers to produce a book
that’s cogent, compelling, … and completed on time. And
finally, author P.J. Hamel parked herself at her computer in the
late summer of 2003, and emerged nine months (and thousands
of words) later with this book, an extraordinary testament to the
teamwork that makes The King Arthur Baking Company a very
special place.
Now, nearly 20 years later, a small team led by Chris
McLeod set out to refresh this classic cookbook. Writer Posie
Brien selected which of our favorite new recipes would find a
home in this book, while King Arthur creative director Ruth
Perkins reinvigorated these pages with new photography. At
The Countryman Press, Allison Chi, Jess Murphy, Ann
Treistman, and Devon Zahn helped coordinate the revisions.
We’d like to dedicate this book to longtime King Arthur
owners Frank and Brinna Sands, whose tireless pursuit of
excellence has for years provided America’s bakers with the
best flour in the world. Brinna’s baking expertise, her love of
culinary history, and her stubborn refusal to let American
baking fade away has earned her the admiration and love of
fellow bakers everywhere. Frank’s enthusiasm for flour, his
unwaveringly ethical business practices, and his knowledge of
wheat and the milling industry made King Arthur a great
company. And in 1996, their re-creation of the business as an
employee-owned company paved the way for the ensuing
energy and hard work that have inspired King Arthur’s growth
ever since.

—THE KING ARTHUR BAKING COMPANY

Index

Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You can use your device’s
search function to locate particular terms in the text.

A
Alfajores, 310
allspice, about, 464
almond extract, about, 464
almond(s)
almond flour brownies, 218
almond flour shortbread cookies, gluten-free, 95
amaretti, 358
-apricot squares with chocolate ganache, 188
caramel candy bars, over-the-top, 178
cardamom-almond cookies, 252
cherry-almond chocolate chip cookies, 9
Chinese restaurant almond cookies, 256
Chinese restaurant almond cookies, chocolate-frosted, 257
clouds, 237
coconut-almond crisps, ethereal, 274
crisps, 253
double-butter bars, 200
Dutch chocolate-almond biscotti, 108
extract, about, 464
florentines, 390
Italian biscotti, classic, 115
joyfuls, 285
kourabiedes, 262
lemon-almond biscotti, 116
lemony almond bars, 180
linzer cookie bars, 185
macarons, 378
ossi da morto, 350
pennies, 246
 pignoli cookies, 236
raspberry-almond bars, elegant, 208
rocky road bars, 171
rocky road no-bakes, 425
students’ biscuits, 352
stuffed butterballs, 336
tuiles, 388
zimsterne, 320
Amaretti, 358
American-Style Biscotti, 100
about, 97
Angel Kisses, 290
variations, 290
anise
chews, 244
in Italian Biscotti, Classic, 115
in koulouria, 339
in licorice drops, self-frosting, 273
in springerle, 354
Animal Crackers, 377
Anzac Biscuits, 44
variations, 44
apple(s)
fillings, 197, 340
pie bars, Dutch, 216
apricot(s)
-almond squares with chocolate ganache, 188
squares, classic, 176
variations, 177
in Vermont granola bars, 172

B
baker’s ammonia, 462
The Baker’s Catalogue, 470
baking chocolate
about, 466
substituting cocoa for, 467
baking in batches, xviii
baking pans, xxx–xxxiii
greasing, xxiii
lining, xxiv
baking powder
about, 461–62
 baking soda vs., 461
recipe proportions, 461
substitutions for, 461
baking sheets. See cookie sheets
baking soda, 460–61
baking soda vs. baking powder, 461
Baltimore Berger Cookies, 292
Barbados (muscovado) sugar, 452
bars & squares
about, 157–58
avoiding a hard crust, 196
bars vs. cookies, 167
cooling, xix
cutting into, xx, xxi, 160, 217
preventing ridges, 165
preventing sticking, 183
setting, 203
spreading batter, 162
spreading jam smoothly, 199
almond-apricot squares with chocolate ganache, 188
almond flour brownies, 218
apricot squares, classic, 176
blizzard blondies, 161
breakfast crunch bars, 194
brown sugar oat cookies, 270
build-a-bars, 190
butterscotch bars, vintage, 160
café au lait bars, 169
Camelot dream bars, 181
Cape Cod cranberry bars, 197
cappuccino bars, double-shot, 202
caramel apple bars, county fair, 192
caramel candy bars, over-the-top, 178
chocolate chip cookie bars, Ruth Wakefield’s, 159
chocolate crunch bars, sinfully rich, 174
chocolate-raspberry bars, Marlita’s, 173
coconut bars, golden, 195
coconut-caramel candy bars, 196
coconut chocolate drizzles, 282
coconut rum bars, 184
crumble bars, summer berry, 182
date-nut bars, chewy, 165
date squares, bakery, 198
double-butter bars, 200
 Dutch apple pie bars, 216
fig squares, 213
frosted delights, 201
ginger squares, hot & sweet, 204
granola bars, s’more, 213
granola bars, Vermont, 172
hermit bars ever, the very best, 166
Key lime bars in coconut crust, 205
lebkuchen, 168
lemon squares, 206
lemony almond bars, 180
linzer cookie bars, 185
Nanaimo bars, 207
one-step bars, about, 158
peanut brittle bars, 163
peanut butter smoothies, 162
peanut butter squares, fudgy, 186
pecan pie bars, rich, 187
pumpkin bars, harvest, 164
raspberry-almond bars, elegant, 208
rhubarb dreams, 209
rocky road bars, 171
strawberry cheesecake bars, 210
tea & spice squares, 170
two-step bars, about, 174
white chocolate-cashew bars, 212
batter cookies
about, 381–82
dicing sticky fruit, 391
keeping cookies crisp, 410
measuring marshmallow, 393
shaping, xxvii, 387
Belgian sugar waffles, 413
brandy snaps, 386
cake cookie cutouts, 403
cats’ tongues, 401
florentines, 390
fudgies, 398
honey crisps, 384
krumkake, 405
lace cookies, 383
ladyfingers, 402
madeleines, 399
pizzelle, 407
 rosettes, 411
stroopwafels, 409
tuiles, 388
whoopie pies, chocolate, 392
whoopie pies, oatmeal, 396
whoopie pies, pumpkin, 394
Belgian Sugar Waffles, 413
bench knives, baker’s, xxxiv
Benne Wafers, 248
Berger Cookies, Baltimore, 292
Berlinerkranser, 342
berries. See also specific berries
summer berry crumble bars, 182
birds’ nests, 418
variations, 418
biscotti
about, 96–97
adding flavor, 104
add-ins, chopping, 105
additions and substitutions, 101
combining chocolate and espresso, 108
dipping, 117
doneness, 115
melting chocolate, 111
storing, 120
top crust, 101
very vanilla, 113
American-style, 100
brown sugar-cinnamon, 107
butter-pecan, 104
chocolate-chocolate chip, 114
chocolate-coconut, 110
cinnamon mocha, 102
cinnamon-raisin, 118
cranberry-orange, 105
Dutch chocolate-almond, 108
gianduja, 103
gingerbread, 120
granola, 107
hazelnut-cappuccino, 117
honey-sesame, 122
Italian, classic, 115
Italian-style, 98
lemon-almond, 116
 maple-walnut, 119
mini, 118
orange, creamy, 109
orange-cashew, 110
piña colada, 112
pine nut, fennel, and raisin, 106
pistachio-cherry, 102
rum-raisin, 121
biscuits
Anzac, 44
digestive, English, 314
students’, 352
vs. cookies, 314
wine, 347
bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, about, 466–67
Black-and-White Cookies, 260
variations, 261
Black-and-White Shortbread, 88
Blizzard Blondies, 161
variations, 161
Bonbons, Brattleboro, 364
Bonbons, Holiday, 328
Bones of the Dead (Ossi da Morto), 350
bowl(s)
about, xxxiii
scraper, xxxiv
scraping, xxvii
brandy
brandied cherry-nut cookies, 234
in chrusciki, 360
in Kourabiedes, 262
snaps, 386–87
Brazil nuts, in Alfajores, 310
Breakfast Crunch Bars, 194
Brickle ‘Bread, 87
variations, 87
Brown-Edge Cookies, 24
brownie innovations
about, 128
choosing chocolate for, 130
spreading batter, 162
brownie macaroons, 132
brownies with spirit, 136
cheesecake swirl, 130
 chocolate ganache icing, 128
chocolate mint, 129
Irish cream cheesecake, 131
peanut-mallow, 134
raspberry truffle, 133
toffee-coffee, 132
triple play, 137
whole grain, 138
whoopie brownies, 135
brownies. See also brownie innovations
about, 123–24
choosing chocolate for, 130
doneness, 124
spreading batter, 162
stirring batter, xxix
almond flour, 218
cakey, 126
fudgy, 125
on-the-fence, 127
Brownies with Spirit, 136
variations, 136
brown sugar
about, 452
-cinnamon biscotti, 107
cookies, 32
crinkles, 242
measuring, xii
oat crunchers, 270
Brown Sugar Oat Crunchers, 270
Build-a-Bars, 190
variations, 191
butter
about, 456–57
soft baking, about, 457
Butterballs
stuffed, 336
walnut, 250
buttermilk
about, 459–60
substituting yogurt for, 459
Butter-Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies, 10
butter-pecan
biscotti, 104
cookies, salty sweet, 293
 crunch, 308
fantasies, 223
rum balls, 419
variations, 419
shortbread, 78
Butter-Rum Drops, Frosted, 265
butterscotch
bars, vintage, 160
breakfast crunch bars, 194
butter-nut chocolate chip cookies, 10
butter-pecan biscotti, 104
butter-pecan cookies, salty sweet, 293
butter-pecan fantasies, 223
chews, 277
double-butter bats, 200
in frostings, 186
golden crunch cookies, 227
-granola chippers, 7
haystacks, 417
monster cookies, 226
-oatmeal stovetop cookies, 422
peanut-chocolate half-moons, 68
sundae cookies, 263
thins, 297
triple play brownies, 137

C
Café au Lait Bars, 169
variations, 169
Cake Cookie Cutouts, 403
variations, 404
cake flour, about, 448
cake testers, xxxiv
Cakey Brownies, 126
Camelot Dream Bars, 181
variations, 181
candy, about, 470
candy bar(s)
coconut-caramel, 196
cookies, 9
over-the-top caramel, 178
candy thermometers, xxxiv
cannoli forms, xxxiv–xxxv
Cape Cod Cranberry Bars, 197
cappuccino
bars, double-shot, 202
variations, 203
hazelnut-cappuccino biscotti, 117
mocha mudslides, 264
caramel
apple bars, county fair, 192
candy bars, over-the-top, 178
variations, 179
chips, in icing, 137
chocolate-caramel dip, 444
filling, 442
homemade, 193
icing, 435
rocks, 327
swirl shortbread, cinnamon-, 93
cardamom
about, 465
-almond cookies, 252
Carrot Drops, 241
cashews
orange-cashew biscotti, 110
white chocolate-cashew bars, 212
Cats’ Tongues, 401
cereal, crisp
breakfast crunch bars, 194
build-a-bars, 190
butterscotch-oatmeal stovetop cookies, 422
chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
crispy rice treats, 416
golden crunch cookies, 227
peanut butter bars, crunchy, 422
rocky road no-bakes, 425
s’more granola bars, 213
toffee crunchers, 232
Chai Shortbread, 85
Checkerboards, 371–72
cheesecake
bars, strawberry, 210
brownies, Irish cream, 131
swirl, 131
swirl brownies, 130
cherries, candied, in Coconut Jumbles, 280
cherry(ies)
-almond chocolate chip cookies, 9
dried cherry filling, 177
-nut cookies, brandied, 234
-nut rugelach, 344
-pistachio biscotti, 102
Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies, 256
Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies, Chocolate-Frosted, 257
Chip ‘n’ Chunk Cookies, 271
Chip ‘n’ Nut Drops, 268
chippers
butterscotch-granola, 7
mega-, 6
orange-pistachio milk chocolate, 8
chocolate. See also brownie innovations; brownies; chocolate chip cookies
about, 466–68
chocolate and espresso, 108
grating chocolate, 10
melting chocolate, xxiv, 111
bars & squares
almond flour brownies, 218
chocolate chip cookies bars, Ruth Wakefield’s, 159
chocolate-raspberry bars, Marlita’s, 172
coconut-caramel candy bars, 196
crunch bars, sinfully rich, 174
peanut butter smoothies, 162
rocky road bars, 171
s’more granola bars, 213
batter cookies
cake cookie cutouts, 403
fudgies, 398
whoopie pies, 392
biscotti
chocolate-chocolate chip, 114
chocolate-coconut, 110
cinnamon mocha, 102
Dutch chocolate-almond, 108
gianduja, 103
hazelnut-cappuccino, 117
create-a-cookies
chocolate cookie dough, 366
chocolate-vanilla swirls, 375
cookie wheels, 376
peppermint sticks, 374
decorated cookies
breakfast crunch bars, 194
dips
chocolate caramel, 444
hot fudge, 446
drop cookies
chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
chocolate chunks, awesome, 284
chocolate crinkles, 224
chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons, 291
chocolate-frosted Chinese restaurant almond cookies, 257
chocolate wakeups, 286
chocolate-walnut holiday cookies, 267
fudge cookies, flourless, 289
ginger fudge cookies, flourless, 288
marathon cookies, 266
midnights, 272
mocha mudslides, 264
mocha walnuts, 233
monster cookies, 226
nut butter chippers, 278
raspberry-fudge sandwich cookies, 269
spiked coffee cookies, 281
toffee-chocolate rounds, tender, 221
fillings
chocolate creme, 443
chocolate ganache, about, 467
icings and glazes
chocolate ganache icing, 128
chocolate glaze, 90
chocolate icing, 260, 261
mocha glaze, 436
no-bake cookies
chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
chocolate-oatmeal drops, 423
peanut butter graham squares, 421
rocky road no-bakes, 425
peanut butter cookies
peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, flourless, 71
peanut-butter half-moons, 68
roll-out cookies
chocolate dipping sticks, 306
chocolate graham crackers, 305
 chocolate refrigerator cake, 302
chocolate snaps, 299
shaped cookies
caramel rocks, 327
magic in the middles, 331
mandelbrot, over-the-top, 330
students’ biscuits, 352
shortbread
chocolate, 76
chocolate chip, 77
toppings, 32, 326
Chocolate Caramel Dip, 444
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Ruth Wakefield’s, 159
variations, 159
chocolate chip cookies
about, 2–3
grating chocolate, 10
butter-nut, 10
butterscotch-granola chippers, 7
candy bar, 9
cherry-almond, 9
chocolate-peppermint snaps, 12
classic crunchy, 5
the essential chewy, 4
gianduja delights, 8
good-as-store-bought, 11
mega-chippers, 6
with nuts, 6
orange-pistachio milk chocolate chippers, 8
rye chocolate chip cookies, 13
white chocolate-macadamia, deluxe, 7
Chocolate Chip Shortbread, 77
variations, 77
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Biscotti, 114
variations, 114
Chocolate Chunks, Awesome, 284
Chocolate-Coconut Biscotti, 110
Chocolate Cookie Dough, 366
Chocolate Creme Filling, 443
Chocolate Crinkles, 224
variations, 224
Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons, 291
Chocolate Dipping Sticks, 306
Chocolate-Frosted Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies, 257
Chocolate Ganache, about, 467
Chocolate Ganache Icing, 128
Chocolate Graham Crackers, 305
Chocolate-Hazelnut Crisps, 420
Chocolate Icing, 260
Chocolate Icing, Rich, 261
Chocolate Mint Brownies, 129
variations, 129
Chocolate-Oatmeal Drops, 423
variations, 423
Chocolate-Peppermint Snaps, 12
Chocolate-Raspberry Bars, Marlita’s, 173
variations, 173
Chocolate Refrigerator Cake, 302
Chocolate Shortbread, 76
Chocolate Snaps, 299
Chocolate-Vanilla Swirls, 375
Chocolate Wakeups, 286
variations, 286
Chocolate-Walnut Holiday Cookies, 267
chow mein noodles
birds’ nests, 418
butterscotch haystacks, 417
Chrusciki, 360
testing for crispness, 361
Cigarette Cookies, 389
cinnamon
about, 465
-brown sugar biscotti, 107
bun cookies, 368
-caramel swirl shortbread, 93
in chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
mocha biscotti, 102
-raisin biscotti, 118
-raisin rounds, 259
variations, 259
citrus ingredients. See lemon(s); lime(s); orange(s)
Citrus Sizzlers, 287
cloves, about, 465
cocoa powder, unsweetened
about, 468
straining, xxix–xxx
substituting, 467
coconut
 -almond crisps, ethereal, 275
variations, 275
almond joyfuls, 285
Anzac biscuits, 44
bars, golden, 195
brownie macaroons, 132
Camelot dream bars, 181
-caramel candy bars, 196
chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
chocolate-coconut biscotti, 110
chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons, 291
chocolate drizzles, 282
in crust, 207
jumbles, 280
Key lime bars in coconut crust, 205
macaroons, classic, 231
piña colada biscotti, 112
rum bars, 184
stuffed butterballs, 336
thumbprint cookies, 238
toasting, xxx
two-bit wonders, 225
Vermont granola bars, 172
coffee. See also espresso
cookies, spiked, 281
-toffee cookies, 132
confectioners’ sugar, about, 451
cookie cutters, xxxv
cookie dough add-ins for, 468–70
avoiding cookie spread, 15
chilling, xix, 298
cutting out, 300
docking, xxi
freezing, xxii–xxiii
making cutout cookies, 21
rolling into a ball, xxiv–xxv
rolling on parchment, 303
rolling out, 296
scooping, xxv
scooping, stick-free, 12
slicing with floss, 368
utilizing scraps, 308
cookie dough, types of
chocolate, 366
 fruit-flavored, 365
vanilla, 365
cookie molds, stamps, and plaques, xxxv
cookie names, 22
cookie presses, xxxv–xxxvi
cookies, about. See cookie dough; ingredients; techniques; tools and equipment
cookie scoops, xxxvi
cookie sheets
about, xxxii
greasing, 3, 457
parchment on, xxxviii
rotating, 357
cookie wheels, 376–77
cooling cookies, xix
cooling racks, xxxvi
corn, about, 449
cornmeal, about, 449
cornstarch, 449
corn syrup
about, 453
dark vs. light, 60
County Fair Caramel Apple Bars, 192
cracker crisper (moisture absorber), xxxvi
cranberry(ies)
bars, Cape Cod, 197
in marathon cookies, 266
-orange biscotti, 105
cream cheese
about, 460
cheesecake bars, strawberry, 210
in cherry-nut rugelach, 344
cream cheese swirl, 130
in crust, 187
and ginger filling, 441
jam-packeds, 338
Key lime filling, 205
lemon coolers, 276
stained glass cookies, 318
in topping, 190, 191
cream of tartar, about, 462
create-a-cookies
about, 365
cookie presses, 366
slicing dough, 368
 animal crackers, 377
checkerboards, 371
chocolate-vanilla swirls, 375
cinnamon bun cookies, 368
cookie dough, chocolate, 366
cookie dough, fruit-flavored, 365
cookie dough, vanilla, 365
cookie wheels, 376
macarons, 378
Neapolitans, 373
neon-colored cookies, 374
peppermint sticks, 374
pinwheels, 369
pretzel cookies, 366
Crinkles, Brown Sugar, 242
Crispy Chip Cookies, 240
Crispy Rice Treats, 416
variations, 416
Crumble Bars, Summer Berry, 182
Crunch Bars, Breakfast, 194
Crunch Cookies, Golden, 227
Crunchers, Brown Sugar Oat, 270
crust(s)
graham cracker, 305
leveling, xxiv
Crystal Diamonds, 26
cutout cookies
cake cookie, 403
hearty rolled-oat, 307
making, 21
peanut butter, 62
your favorite jammies, 94
cutting in technique, xx

D
dairy, about, 359–60. See also buttermilk; cream cheese; sour cream; yogurt
Daisies, 235
date(s)
-ginger cookies, extra-spicy, 51
-nut bars, chewy, 165
pinwheels, 332
squares, bakery, 198
variations, 199
 -stuffed cookies, Nora’s, 243
-stuffed oatmeal sandwiches, 40
decorated cookies
about, 139–40
colors, 150–51
icing in two stages, 151
making, 140
outlining and filling, 149
pastry bag use, 148
preparation, 147
rolling and cutting, 140
tools, 147
working with fondant, 152
decorator’s dream cookies, 142
gingerbread cookies, 144
gingerbread house, building a, 153
light spice cookies, 143
royal icing, 146
simple cookie glaze, 145
decorating sugars, about, 452
Decorator’s Dream Cookies, 142
Demerara Shortbread, 89
Demerara sugar, 452
Dipping Sticks, Chocolate, 306
dips
about, 444
chocolate-caramel, 444
hot fudge, 446
raspberry-white chocolate, 445
Dipsticks, Fudge-Coated, 326
Double-Butter Bars, 200
dough. See cookie dough
dough dockers, xxxvi
Doughnut Cookies, Easter, 346
dough relaxer, 468
drop cookies
about, 219–20
adjusting cookie size, 227
cookie sheet placement, 220
crisp vs. chewy, 263
doneness, xxi
dough by the tablespoonful, xxii
shipping, 249
storing, 263
almond clouds, 237
almond crisps, 253
almond joyfuls, 285
almond pennies, 246
angel kisses, 290
anise chews, 244
Baltimore Berger cookies, 292
benne wafers, 248
black-and-white cookies, 260
brown sugar crinkles, 242
brown sugar oat crunchers, 270
butter-pecan cookies, salty sweet, 293
butter-pecan fantasies, 223
butter-rum drops, frosted, 265
butterscotch chews, 277
butterscotch sundae cookies, 263
cardamom-almond cookies, 252
carrot drops, 241
cherry-nut cookies, brandied, 234
Chinese restaurant almond cookies, 256
Chinese restaurant almond cookies, chocolate-frosted, 257
chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
chocolate chunks, awesome, 284
chocolate crinkles, 224
chocolate wakeups, 286
chocolate-walnut holiday cookies, 267
cinnamon-raisin rounds, 259
citrus sizzlers, 287
coconut-almond crisps, ethereal, 275
coconut chocolate drizzles, 282
coconut jumbles, 280
coconut macaroons, chocolate-dipped, 291
coconut macaroons, classic, 231
crispy chip cookies, 240
daisies, 235
date-stuffed cookies, Nora’s, 243
fudge cookies, flourless, 289
ginger fudge cookies, flourless, 288
golden crunch cookies, 227
granola cookies, chewy, 283
harvest moons, 247
hobnails, 222
kourabiedes, 262
 lavender cookies, 251
lemon coolers, 276
lemon-zucchini drops, 248
licorice drops, self-frosting, 274
maple cookies, Vermont, 228
maple-walnut crisps, 245
marathon cookies, 266
marmalade morsels, 258
meringues, about, 230
midnights, 272
mocha mudslides, 264
mocha walnuts, 233
monster cookies, 226
nut butter chippers, 278
orange blossoms, 273
pecan puffs, 250
pignoli cookies, 236
raspberry-fudge sandwich cookies, 269
sherry cookies, 239
spiked coffee cookies, 281
St. Patrick’s Day pistachio cookies, 255
thumbprint cookies, 238
toffee-chocolate rounds, tender, 221
toffee crunchers, 232
two-bit wonders, 225
walnut butterballs, 250
wedding cookies, 254
dulce de leche
in alfajores, 310
making homemade, 311
Dutch Apple Pie Bars, 216
Dutch Chocolate-Almond Biscotti, 108
Dutch process cocoa, about, 130, 468
Dyall, János, 352

E
Easter Doughnut Cookies, 346
Eggnog Sandwich Cookies, 316
variations, 317
eggs
about, 458–59
separating, xxvii
technique tips, xvii, xviii, xxvii
egg white glaze, 367
Elephant Ears, Mini, 348
variations, 349
English Digestive Biscuits, 314
equipment. See tools and equipment
espresso
in café au lait bars, 169
cappuccino bars, double-shot, 202
in chocolate-chocolate chip biscotti, 114
and chocolate combination, 108
hazelnut-cappuccino biscotti, 116
in midnights, 272
mocha glaze, 436
mocha mudslides, 264
mocha walnuts, 233
spiked coffee cookies, 281
toffee-coffee brownies, 132
essential recipes
about, viii
American-style biscotti, 101
cakey brownies, 126
chewy chocolate chip cookies, 4
chewy oatmeal cookie, 34
chewy sugar cookie, 16
crisp molasses cookies, 48
crisp oatmeal cookie, 37
crisp sugar cookie, 19
crunchy chocolate chip cookies, classic, 5
crunchy oatmeal cookie, 36
crunchy sugar cookie, 17
decorator’s dream cookies, 142
fudgy brownies, 125
gingerbread cookies, 144–45
Italian-style biscotti, 98
light spice cookies, 143
on-the-fence brownies, 127
on-the-fence molasses cookies, 49
peanut butter cookie, 59
shortbread, 73
soft molasses cookies, 47
soft oatmeal cookie, 38
extracts, about, 463. See also almond extract, about; vanilla extract
F
fats
about, 455–58
solid, measuring, xii
Faux-Reos, 300
variations, 300
fennel
pine nut, fennel, and raisin biscotti, 106
fig
filling, 177
squares, 214
Filled Double Shortbread, 81
variations, 82
fillings
about, 437
quantity, 67
spreading, xxii, 333
almond, 189, 328
apple, 192, 193, 216, 217
apricot, 188, 189
berry, 182
brown sugar-cinnamon, 409
caramel, 178, 327, 442
cherry-nut, 344
chocolate, 186, 352, 353
cream cheese and ginger, 441
cream cheese-ginger, 394
creme, 437
date, 198, 243, 332
dried cherry, 177
eggnog, 316
fig, 177, 198, 214, 215
fruit, 197, 340
fruit preserves or jam, 184
jam or preserves, 81, 338
jams and jellies, about, 440
Key lime, 205
lemon creme, 440
marshmallow, 392, 396, 438
marshmallows, homemade, 439
mincemeat, 177
mint, 129
peanut butter, 66, 331, 438
 praline, 312, 313
raspberry jam, 185, 198
raspberry preserves, 208
rhubarb, 209
strawberry cheesecake, 210, 211
vanilla, 202
vanilla creme, 443
vanilla pudding, 207
varied, in bars, 190
whoopie pie, 135
finishing touches, about, 427–28. See also dips; fillings; glazes and icings
flavored sugars, about, 452
flavors and extracts, 462–64
Florentines, 390
variations, 391
flour. See also wheat flour, about; whole wheat flour, about
measuring, xi
sifter, xxxvi
flourless recipes
amaretti, 358
angel kisses, 290
butterscotch-oatmeal stovetop cookies, 422
chocolate crunch bars, sinfully rich, 174
chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
chocolate-oatmeal drops, 423
coconut chocolate drizzles, 282
coconut macaroons, chocolate-dipped, 291
coconut macaroons, classic, 231
crispy rice treats, 416
fudge cookies, 289
ginger fudge cookies, 288
oatmeal drops, 42
oatmeal fruit cookies, 424
1-2-3-4 peanut butter cookies, 70
peanut butter bars, crunchy, 422
peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, 71
pecan puffs, 250
rocky road no-bakes, 425
s’more granola bars, 213
sparkling sugar kisses, 229
two-bit wonders, 225
Vermont granola bars, 172
fondant
about, 152
 icing, 434
variations, 434
food coloring, 468
Freckled Fruit Shortbread, 83
variations, 83
French Tile Wafers (Tuiles), 388
Frosted Delights, 201
frostings. See also glazes and icings chocolate, 135, 178, 207, 258
chocolate-nut, 30
cream cheese, 164
espresso, 132
peanut butter, 186
rum, 265
fruit. See fruit, dried; specific fruits
fruit, dried. See also apricot(s); cranberry(ies); date(s); raisin(s)
about, 469–70
dicing sticky, 391
in fillings, 340
freckled fruit shortbread, 83
in marathon cookies, 266
oatmeal fruit cookies, 424
in sherry cookies, 239
in tea & spice squares, 170
Fruit-Flavored Cookie Dough, 365
neon cookies from, 374
Fudge-Coated Dipsticks, 326
Fudge Cookies, Flourless, 289
Fudgies, 398
Fudgy Brownies, 125
Fudgy Peanut Butter Squares, 186

G
ganache
chocolate, 189, 432
chunk chocolate vs. chocolate chips in, 433
white chocolate, 432
gianduja
biscotti, 103
variations, 103
delights, 8
wafers, 309
ginger
about, 465
 cookies, spiced rye, 56
crisps, 54
crisps, raisin-filled, 55
date-ginger cookies, extra-spicy, 46
filling, cream cheese and, 441
fudge cookies, flourless, 288
in lebkuchen, 168
squares, hot & sweet, 204
Gingerbread Biscotti, 120
Gingerbread House, Building a, 153
Girl Scout cookie renditions
chocolate mint brownies, 129
coconut-caramel candy bars, 196
mint dips, 301
Scout’s honor PB sandwiches, 66
glazes and icings. See also fondant; frostings
about, 429
heavy cream vs. milk, 431
brandy or apple juice glaze, 168
caramel icing, 435
chocolate ganache, 432
chunk chocolate vs. chocolate chips, 433
chocolate ganache icing, 128
chocolate glaze, 202, 328, 390
chocolate icing, 68, 260, 285, 292
chocolate icing, rich, 261
chocolate-peppermint glaze, 301
coffee-chocolate glaze, 281
confectioners’ sugar icing, 346
cookie glaze, simple, 145, 430
cookies, hard glaze for, 429
creamy liqueur, 170
egg white glaze, 367
fondant icing, 434
lemon glaze, 180, 182, 249
maple glaze, 228
mocha glaze, 436
mocha icing, 309
orange icing, 273
peanut butter icing, 436
pumpkin-spice, 247
royal icing, 146
vanilla glaze, 430
white chocolate ganache, 432
 white icing, 260
glazing sugar, about, 451
gluten-free baking and flours, xxiii, 450
gluten-free recipes
almond flour brownies, 218
almond flour shortbread cookies, 95
amaretti, 358
angel kisses, 290
chocolate crunch bars, sinfully rich, 174
chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons, 291
chocolate-oatmeal drops, 423
coconut chocolate drizzles, 282
coconut macaroons, classic, 231
fudge cookies, flourless, 289
ginger fudge cookies, flourless, 288
macarons, 378
oatmeal drops, flourless, 42
oatmeal fruit cookies, 424
1-2-3-4 peanut butter cookies, 70
peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, flourless, 71
pecan puffs, 250
pignoli cookies, 236
sugar kisses, sparkling, 229
two-bit wonders, 225
Vermont granola bars, 172
Go-Anywhere Shortbread, 75
Golden Coconut Bars, 195
Golden Crunch Cookies, 227
Good-as-Store-Bought Cookies, 11
graham cracker(s)
the best, 303
chocolate, 305
crust, 305
peanut butter graham squares, 421
granola
bars, s’more, 213
bars, Vermont, 172
biscotti, 107
butterscotch-granola chippers, 7
cookies, chewy, 283
peanut butter pick-me-ups, 69
granulated sugar, about, 451, 453
graters, xxxvii
H
Half-Moon Cookies. See also Black-and-White Cookies
jam-packeds, 338
peanut-chocolate, 68
Hamantaschen, 340
Hamelman, Jeffrey, 364
hard glaze for cookies, 429
variations, 429
Harvest Moons, 247
Harvest Pumpkin Bars, 164
hazelnut(s)
-cappuccino biscotti, 117
chocolate chunks, awesome, 284
chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
gianduja biscotti, 103
gianduja delights, 8
gianduja wafers, 309
linzer cookie bars, 185
rocky road no-bakes, 425
totenbeinli, 323
heavy cream
chocolate refrigerator cake, 302
ultrapasteurized vs. pasteurized, 301
herbs vs. spices, 465
Hermit Bars, The Very Best Ever, 166
high-altitude baking, xxvi
Hobnails, 222
Holiday Bonbons, 328
Holiday Cookies, Chocolate-Walnut, 267
honey
about, 454
crisps, 384–85
lemon-honey butter, 400
-sesame biscotti, 122
Hot Fudge Dip, 446

I
Iced Spice Rings, 343
icings. See glazes and icings
ingredients
about, 447
add-ins, 468–70
chocolate, 466–68
 substituting cocoa for baking, 467
common, ix–x
corn, 449
creaming, xix–xx
dairy and eggs, 458–60
dough relaxer, 468
dry sugars, 451–53
brown vs. white, 453
Splenda, 454
eggs and dairy, 458–60
fat, 455–58
flavors and extracts, 462–64
comparison of, 463
homemade vanilla, 462
strength of, 463
folding, xxii
food coloring, 468
gluten-free baking and flours, 450
leavening, 460–62
baking powder quantities, 461
baking powder substitutions, 461
baking soda vs. baking powder, 461
liquid sweeteners, 453–54
measuring, about, x, xi
measuring, by volume, xi–xii
measuring, by weight, xii
measuring tools for, xxxviii
oats, 449
resources for, 470
rice, 450
salt, 455
spices, 464–65
vs. herbs, 465
Splenda, 454
sweeteners, 450–54
weight chart for, xii–xvii
wheat flour, 448–49
Irish Cream Cheesecake Brownies, 131
Italian Biscotti, Classic, 115
Italian-Style Biscotti, 98
about, 97

J
jam and preserves
in daisies, 235
filling, 338
as fillings, about, 440
jammies, your favorite, 94
jam-packeds, 338
in linzer cookies, 315
in thumbprint cookies, 238
Jammies, Your Favorite, 94
Jam-Packeds, 338
Joe Froggers, 50
variations, 50

K
Key lime
bars in coconut crust, 205
in citrus sizzlers, 287
King Arthur’s Special Roll-Out Sugar Cookies, 20
Kipferl, Vanilla, 334
kitchen scales, xli
knives, xxxvii
Koulouria, 339
Kourabiedes, 262
Krumkake, 405. See also Pizzelle
iron, 406, xxxviii
shaping, 406
time-tested formula for, 406
variations, 406

L
Lace Cookies, 383
Ladyfingers, 402
Lavender Cookies, 251
leavening, 460–62
adjusting in high altitude, xxvi
Lebkuchen, 168–69
lemon(s)
-almond biscotti, 116
in citrus sizzlers, 287
coolers, 276
variations, 277
creme filling, 440
 drops, 29
essences, 79
-honey butter, 400
lemony almond bars, 180
in mailanderli, 322
rings, golden, 351
in springerle, 354
squares, 206
variations, 206
squeezing, 237
tea snaps, 310
in totenbeinli, 323
-zucchini drops, 248
Licorice Drops, Self-Frosting, 274
Light-As-Air Sugar Cookies, 26
Light Spice Cookies, 143
lime(s)
Key lime bars in coconut crust, 205
Linzer Cookie Bars, 185
Linzer Cookies, 315
liqueurs in recipes
amaretti, 358–59
brownies with spirit, 136
chocolate ganache, 432
Irish cream cheesecake brownies, 131
spiked coffee cookies, 281
liquid ingredients
boiling, xviii–xix
measuring, xii
liquid sweeteners
about, 451–54
substituting, 454

M
Macadamia Cookies, Deluxe White Chocolate-, 7
Macarons, 378
macaroons
chocolate-dipped coconut, 291
classic coconut, 231
mace, about, 465
madeleine pan, xxxii
Madeleines, 399
variations, 400
Magic In The Middles, 331
Mailanderli, 322
Mandelbrot, 330
maple
cookies, Vermont, 228
shortbread, 84
variations, 84
sugar, about, 452–53
syrup, about, 454
-walnut biscotti, 119
-walnut crisps, 245
variations, 245
Marathon Cookies, 266
margarine
about, 457
in place of butter, 458
Marlita’s Chocolate-Raspberry Bars, 173
Marmalade Morsels, 258
marshmallow
birds’ nests, 418
chocolate whoopie pies, 392
creme filling, 437
crispy rice treats, 416
homemade marshmallows, 439
measuring, 393
peanut-mallow brownies, 134
rocky road bars, 171
rocky road no-bakes, 425
s’more granola bars, 213
marzipan, in Pignoli Cookies, 236
measuring ingredients
about, x, xi
tools for, xxxviii
by volume, xi–xii
by weight, xii
Mega-Chippers, 6
meringue(s)
about, 230
superfine sugar, 451
in angel kisses, 290
powder, about, 459
in sparkling sugar kisses, 229
Midnights, 272
variations, 272
milk chocolate, about, 467
mincemeat filling, 177
Mint Dips, 301
Mint Filling, 129
mixers, xxxviii
mocha
biscotti, cinnamon, 102
glaze, 436
mudslides, 264
walnuts, 233
molasses
about, 453–54
choosing, 51
measuring, 46
in brandy snaps, 386
in gingerbread cookies, 144
in gingerbread house, building a, 153
molasses cookies
about, 45–46
crisp, 48
date-ginger cookies, extra-spicy, 51
ginger crisps, 54
ginger crisps, raisin-filled, 55
Joe Froggers, 50
on-the-fence, 49
snaps, 53
variations, 53
soft, 47
spiced rye ginger cookies, 56
sugar & spice drops, 52
Monster Cookies, 226
muscovado sugar (Barbados), 452

N
Nanaimo Bars, 207
Neapolitans, 373
Neon-Colored Cookies, 374
no-bake cookies
about, 415–16
birds’ nests, 418
butter-pecan rum balls, 419
butterscotch haystacks, 417
butterscotch-oatmeal stovetop cookies, 422
 chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
chocolate-oatmeal drops, 423
crispy rice treats, 416
oatmeal fruit cookies, 424
peanut butter bars, crunchy, 422
peanut butter graham squares, 421
rocky road no-bakes, 425
Nora’s Date-Stuffed Cookies, 243
nut butter
chippers, 278
homemade, 279
nut flours, about, 469
nutmeg, about, 465
nut pastes, about, 469
nut(s). See also nut butter; specific kinds
about, 468–69
toasting, xxx
chocolate chip cookies with, 6
and meringue topping, 201
in thumbprint cookies, 238

O
Oatcakes, Sweet, 80
oatmeal cookie(s)
about, 33–34
Anzac biscuits, 44
chewy, the essential, 35
crisp, the essential, 37
crunchy, the essential, 36
fruit, 424
oatmeal drops, flourless, 42
oatmeal sandwiches, date-stuffed, 40
old-fashioned, 41
salty, 43
soft, the essential, 38
variations, 38
whoopie pies, 396
oats. See also oatmeal cookie(s); rolled oat(s)
about, 40, 449
in animal crackers, 377
oils, about, 463
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies, 41
Old-Fashioned Raisin Sugar Cookies, 31
1-2-3-4 Peanut Butter Cookies, 70
On-the-Fence Brownies, 127
On-the-Fence Molasses Cookies, 49
orange(s)
biscotti, creamy, 109
blossoms, 273
-cashew biscotti, 110
and cranberry biscotti, 105
in florentines, 390
-pistachio milk chocolate chippers, 8
Oreo cookies. See Faux-Reos
Ossi Da Morto (Bones of the Dead), 350
Over-the-Top Caramel Candy Bars, 178

P
parchment, xxxviii
pastry tools
bags
about, xxxviii–xxxix
filling, xxii
piping with, xxiv
using, 147, 148
blender or fork, xxxix
brushes, xxxix
pastry wheel, xxxix
pizza wheel, xxix–xl
tips and couplers, xxxix
Peanut Brittle Bars, 163
peanut butter. See also peanut butter cookie(s)
bars, crunchy, 422
breakfast crunch bars, 194
butterscotch haystacks, 417
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
choosing, 58
double-butter bars, 200
graham squares, 421
magic in the middles, 331
monster cookies, 226
nut butter chippers, 278
peanut-mallow brownies, 134
smoothies, 162
squares, fudgy, 186
triple play brownies, 137
peanut butter cookie(s)
about, 57–58
blossoms, 64
chews, 60
crisscrosses, 59
cutouts, 62
the essential, 59
old-fashioned, 61
1-2-3-4, 70
peanut butter chocolate chip, flourless, 71
peanut-chocolate half-moons, 68
pick-me-ups, 69
Scout’s honor PB sandwiches, 66
spritz, 63
variations, 63
triple play, 65
peanuts. See also peanut butter; peanut butter cookie(s)
candy bar cookies, 9
peanut brittle bars, 163
pearl sugar, about, 452
pecan(s)
Brattleboro bonbons, 364
brown sugar crinkles, 242
butter-pecan biscotti, 104
butter-pecan cookies, salty sweet, 293
butter-pecan crunch, 308
butter-pecan fantasies, 223
butter-pecan rum balls, 419
butter-pecan shortbread, 78
butterscotch chews, 277
butterscotch sundae cookies, 263
Camelot dream bars, 181
cherry-nut cookies, brandied, 234
chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
chocolate chip cookie bars, Ruth Wakefield’s, 159
chocolate chunks, awesome, 284
cinnamon mocha biscotti, 102
in crust, 210
double-butter bars, 200
in fillings, 332
fudge-coated dipsticks, 326
-fudge shortbread, toasted, 90
in glazes, 90
golden coconut bars, 195
 good-as-store-bought cookies, 11
marmalade morsels, 258
oatmeal cookie, the essential chewy, 35
pecan pie bars, rich, 187
pecan puffs, 250
-praline sandwich cookies, 312
sherry cookies, 239
stuffed butterballs, 336
peppermint
snaps, chocolate-, 12
sticks, 374
Petticoat Tails, 91
Pignoli Cookies, 236
Piña Colada Biscotti, 112
pineapple, in Piña Colada Biscotti, 112
Pine Nut, Fennel, and Raisin Biscotti, 106
Pinwheels, 369
variations, 370
Pinwheels, Date, 332
piping technique, xxiv
pistachio(s)
-cherry biscotti, 102
cookies, St. Patrick’s Day, 255
orange-pistachio milk chocolate chippers, 8
Pizzelle, 407
maker, xl
variations, 408
vs. krumkake, 408
plastic bags, xl
plastic wrap, xl
potato chips
crispy chip cookies, 240
in toffee crunchers, 232
Pretzel Cookies, 366
pumpkin
in harvest moons, 247
harvest pumpkin bars, 164
whoopie pies, 394

R
raisin(s)
cinnamon-raisin biscotti, 118
cinnamon-raisin rounds, 259
 -filled ginger crisps, 55
hermit bars, the very best, 166
hobnails, 222
lemon-zucchini drops, 248
oatmeal cookies, 35, 41
pine nut, fennel, and raisin biscotti, 106
rum-raisin biscotti, 121
sugar cookies, old-fashioned, 31
tea & spice squares, 170
Vermont granola bars, 172
raspberry(ies)
-almond bars, elegant, 208
filling, 197
-fudge sandwich cookies, 269
in truffle brownies, 133
-white chocolate dip, 445
Refrigerator Cake, Chocolate, 302
resources for ingredients, 470
rhubarb
dreams, 209
variations, 209
rice, about, 450
rice cereal, crisp. See also cereal, crisp
breakfast crunch bars, 194
build-a-bars, 190
chocolate-hazelnut crisps, 420
crispy rice treats, 416
peanut butter bars, crunchy, 422
rocky road no-bakes, 425
toffee crunchers, 232
rice flour, about, 450
Rocky Road Bars, 171
Rocky Road No-Bakes, 425
rolled oat(s)
about, 449
animal crackers, 377
butterscotch-oatmeal stovetop cookies, 422
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
chocolate crunch bars, sinfully rich, 174
chocolate-oatmeal drops, 423
crispy chip cookies, 240
cutouts, hearty, 307
date-stuffed cookies, Nora’s, 243
the essential crisp oatmeal cookie, 37
 the essential crunchy oatmeal cookie, 36
the essential soft oatmeal cookie, 38
flourless oatmeal drops, 42
good-as-store-bought cookies, 11
granola bars, Vermont, 172
harvest moons, 247
lace cookies, 383
marathon cookies, 266
monster cookies, 226
oat crunchers, brown sugar, 270
oatmeal cookies, old-fashioned, 41
oatmeal cookies, salty, 43
oatmeal fruit cookies, 424
oatmeal whoopie pies, 396
old-fashioned, about, 449
Scout’s honor PB sandwiches, 66
summer berry crumble bars, 182
sweet oatcakes, 79
rolling pins, xl–xli
roll-out cookies. See also King Arthur’s Special Roll-Out Sugar Cookies
about, 295–96
chilling cookie dough, 298
cookies vs. biscuits, 314
cutting out, 300
dough scraps, 308
rolling dough on parchment, 303
alfajores, 310
butter-pecan crunch, 308
butterscotch thins, 297
chocolate dipping sticks, 306
chocolate refrigerator cake, 302
chocolate snaps, 299
English digestive biscuits, 314
faux-reos, 300
gianduja wafers, 309
graham cracker crust, 305
graham crackers, the best, 303
graham crackers, chocolate, 305
lemon tea snaps, 310
linzer cookies, 315
mailanderli, 322
mint dips, 301
rolled-oat cutouts, hearty, 307
sandwich cookies, eggnog, 316
 sandwich cookies, pecan-praline, 312
stained glass cookies, 318
totenbeinli, 323
zimsterne, 320
Rosette(s), 411–12
iron, xli
Royal Icing, 146
Rugelach, Cherry-Nut, 344
rum
balls, butter-pecan, 419
butter-rum drops, frosted, 265
in chrusciki, 360–61
in Joe Froggers, 50
piña colada biscotti, 112
-raisin biscotti, 121
Ruth Wakefield’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, 159
Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies, 13
Rye Ginger Cookies, Spiced, 56

S
salt
about, 455
extra-fine, 25
Salty Oatmeal Cookies, 43
sandwich cookies
alfajores, 310
date-stuffed oatmeal, 40
eggnog, 316
faux-reos, 300
filling quantity, 67
linzer cookies, 315
pecan-praline, 312
raspberry-fudge, 269
Scout’s honor PB, 66
stroopwafels, 409
tea, 30
saucepans, xxxii–xxxiii
scales, kitchen, xli
Scout’s Honor PB Sandwiches, 66
seeds, about, 470. See also sesame seeds
sesame seeds
in benne wafers, 248
in koulouria, 339
 sesame-honey biscotti, 122
in topping, 122
shaped cookies
about, 325
cookie presses, 366
doneness, xxi
lining baking sheets, 335
rotating cooking sheets, 357
slice and bake technique, xxix
spreading sticky fillings, 333
amaretti, 358
berlinerkranser, 342
Brattleboro bonbons, 364
butterballs, stuffed, 336
caramel rocks, 327
cherry-nut rugelach, 344
chrusciki, 360
date pinwheels, 332
Easter doughnut cookies, 346
fudge-coated dipsticks, 326
hamantaschen, 340
holiday bonbons, 328
jam-packeds, 338
kipferl, vanilla, 334
koulouria, 339
lemon rings, golden, 351
magic in the middles, 331
mandelbrot, over-the-top, 330
mini elephant ears, 348
ossi da morto, 350
speculaas, 356
spice rings, iced, 343
springerle, 354
students’ biscuits, 352
wine biscuits, 347
zwieback, 362
Sherry Cookies, 239
shipping cookies, xxvii, xxviii
shortbread
about, 72
cutting, 79
fancy bite-sized, 86
molds, xli round pans, 74
shaping, 88
 almond flour, gluten-free, 95
bite-sized, 86
black-and-white, 88
brickle ‘bread, 87
butter-pecan, 78
chai, 85
chocolate, 76
chocolate chip, 77
cinnamon-caramel swirl, 93
Demerara, 89
the essential, 73
filled double, 81
freckled fruit, 83
go-anywhere, 75
lemon essences, 79
maple, 84
petticoat tails, 91
sweet oatcakes, 80
toasted pecan-fudge, 90
tweed cakes, 86
your favorite jammies, 94
shortbread molds, xli
shortening
about, 455–56
in place of butter, 458
silicone pan liners (mats), xli–xlii
S’more Granola Bars, 213
Snickerdoodles, 22
sour cream
about, 459–60
substituting yogurt for, 459
Sparkling Sugar Kisses, 229
variations, 230
spatulas, xlii
Speculaas, 356
Spice Cookies, Light, 143
Spice Drops, Sugar &, 52
Spice Rings, Iced, 343
spices
about, 464–65
vs. herbs, 465
Spice Squares, Tea &, 170
Spiked Coffee Cookies, 281
variations, 281
Splenda, 454
Springerle, 354
spritz cookies
about, 366
peanut butter, 63
Stained Glass Cookies, 318
variations, 320
storing cookies, xxix
Stovetop Cookies, Butterscotch-Oatmeal, 422
St. Patrick’s Day Pistachio Cookies, 255
variations, 255
strainers, xlii
strawberry(ies)
cheesecake bars, 210
streusel topping, 204, 216
Stroopwafels, 409
variations, 410
Students’ Biscuits, 352
Sugar Cakes, Soft, 28
sugar cookies
about, 14–15
making cutout cookies, 21
brown-edge, 24
brown sugar, 32
chewy, the essential, 16
crisp, the essential, 19
crunchy, the essential, 17
variations, 18
crystal diamonds, 26
lemon drops, 29
light-as-air, 26
old-fashioned raisin, 31
roll-out, King Arthur’s special, 20
snickerdoodles, 22
soft sugar cakes, 28
sugar puffs, 25
tea sandwiches, 30
vanilla dreams, 23
Sugar Kisses, Sparkling, 229
Sugar Puffs, 25
sugars, dry. See also Splenda
about, 451–53
brown sugar vs. white sugar, 453
sugar softeners, xlii
Sugar & Spice Drops, 52
Summer Berry Crumble Bars, 182
variations, 183
sunflower seeds, in Vermont Granola Bars, 172
superfine sugar, 451
sweetened condensed milk, about, 460
sweeteners
about, 450–51
dry sugars, 451–53
liquid sweeteners, 453–54
Sweet Oatcakes, 80

T
Tea Sandwiches, 30
Tea & Spice Squares, 170
techniques
about, xvii
baking in batches, xviii
batter cookies, shaping, xxvii
boiling liquids, xviii–xix
chilling cookie dough, xix
cookie doneness, xxi
cooling cookies, xix
creaming, xix–xx
cutting in, xx
cutting into bars, xx, xxi
docking dough, xxi
dropping dough by tablespoonfuls, xxii
eggs, adding one at a time, xvii
eggs, separating, xxvii
egg whites, beating, xviii
filling a pastry bag, xxii
filling cookies, xxii
folding ingredients, xxii
freezing cookie dough and baked cookies, xxii–xxiii
gluten-free baking, xxiii
greasing a pan, xxiii
high-altitude baking, xxvi
leveling (smoothing) the crust, xxiv
melting chocolate, xxiv
nuts and coconut, toasting, xxx
piping, xxiv
rolling dough into balls, xxiv–xxv
 rolling out dough, xxv
scooping cookie dough, xxv
scraping the bowl, xxvii
shipping cookies, xxvii, xxviii
sifting flour, xxvii
slice and bake, xxix
stirring doughs and batters, xxix
storing cookies, xxix
unsweetened cocoa, straining, xxix–xxx
thermometers, xlii–xliii
Thorne, John, 26
Thumbprint Cookies, 238
timers, xliii
toffee
brickle ‘bread, 87
butter-pecan fantasies, 223
candy bar cookies, 9
-chocolate rounds, tender, 221
-coffee brownies, 132
crunchers, 232
mandelbrot, over-the-top, 330
pecan-praline sandwich cookies, 312
tweed cakes, 86
Toll House Recipes Tried and True (Wakefield), 2–3
tongs, xliii
tools and equipment. See also pastry tools
about, xxx
baking pans, xxx–xxxiii
bowls, xxxiii
cutting utensils, 217
tools, xxxiv–xliv
Totenbeinli, 323
Triple Play Brownies, 137
Triple Play Peanut Butter Cookies, 65
Truffle Brownies, Raspberry, 133
Tuiles (French Tile Wafers), 388
shaping, 389
variations, 389
turbinado sugar, about, 452
Tweed Cakes, 86
Two-Bit Wonders, 225
variations, 225
U
unsweetened baking chocolate. See baking chocolate

V
vanilla
biscotti, very, 113
chocolate-vanilla swirls, 375
cookie dough, 365
cookie wheels, 376
creme filling, 443
variations, 443
dreams, 23
filling, 443
glaze, 430
variations, 431
kipferl, 334
sugar, 334
vanilla extract
about, 462, 464
making homemade, 462
vanilla wafer cookies, in Butter-Pecan Rum Balls, 419
vegetable oil, about, 457
Vermont Granola Bars, 172
Vermont Maple Cookies, 228
Vieira, Marlita, 239
Vintage Butterscotch Bars, 160

W
wafer(s). See also vanilla wafer cookies
benne, 248
cookies, shaping, 389
French tile, 388
gianduja, 309
waffle cookies
Belgian sugar waffles, 413
Wakefield, Ruth, 2–3
chocolate chip cookie bars, 159
walnut(s)
brown sugar-cinnamon biscotti, 107
butterballs, 250
butterscotch bars, vintage, 160
cherry-nut cookies, brandied, 234
 cherry-nut rugelach, 344
chip ‘n’ chunk cookies, 271
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
chocolate chip cookie bars, Ruth Wakefield’s, 159
chocolate-raspberry bars, Marlita’s, 173
chocolate-walnut holiday cookies, 267
cranberry-orange biscotti, 105
date-nut bars, chewy, 165
in fillings, 332
good-as-store-bought cookies, 11
hobnails, 222
lemon-zucchini drops, 248
maple-walnut biscotti, 119
maple-walnut crisps, 245
marathon cookies, 266
mocha walnuts, 233
oatmeal cookie, the essential chewy, 35
sherry cookies, 239
Wedding Cookies, 254
wheat flour, about, 448–49
whisks, xliv
white chocolate
butter-nut chocolate chip cookies, 10
-cashew bars, 212
chip ‘n’ nut drops, 268
chocolate chunks, awesome, 284
creamy orange biscotti, 109
in frostings, 186
ganache, 432
in icings, 137, 260
-macadamia cookies, deluxe, 7
melting, 111
raspberry-white chocolate dip, 445
white icing, 260
Whole Grain Brownies, 138
whole wheat flour, about, 448–49
Whoopie Brownies, 135
whoopie pies
chocolate, 392
oatmeal, 396
pumpkin, 394
Wine Biscuits, 347
X
xanthan gum, 450

Y
yeast, about, 462
yogurt
about, 459–60
substituting, 459
Your Favorite Jammies, 94

Z
Zesters, xliv
Zimsterne, 320–21
Zucchini Drops, Lemon-, 248
Zwieback, 362
variations, 363
Copyright © 2021, 2013, 2004 by King Arthur Baking Company, Inc.

Previous editions published under the title The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The
Essential Cookie Cookbook

All photography by King Arthur Baking Company, unless otherwise noted below:
Photography by Liz Neily: Spiced Rye Ginger Cookies, Decorator’s Dream Cookies, The
Essential Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, American-Style Biscotti, Anzac Biscuits, Cakey
Brownies, The Very Best Hermit Bars Ever, Cranberry Chews, Lemon Squares, Cherry-Nut
Rugelach, Flourless Fudge Cookies, Butter-Pecan Fantasies, Chocolate Krumkake, The
Essential Peanut Butter Cookie, Cranberry-Orange Biscotti
Photography by Shilpa Iyer: Speculaas, The Essential Shortbread, Chocolate Whoopie Pies,
Vermont Granola Bars, Wedding Cookies, Scout’s Honor PB Sandwiches, Rocky Road Bars
Photography by Nick Holbrook: Magic in the Middles, Daisies, Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies,
Macarons, Raspberry-White Chocolate Dip

All rights reserved

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Cover design: Ruth Perkins

Cover photograph: Rick Holbrook
Production manager: Devon Zahn
Prepress production director: Joe Lops
Art director: Allison Chi
Production editor: Jess Murphy

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The Countryman Press

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A division of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

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978-1-68268-657-7
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