Nutella-Filled Sugar Cookies (and Cardamom Sugar Cookies)

When I saw this recipe, it reminded me of a fudge-filled sugar cookie that I loved when I was little (though I can't, for the life of me, remember what brand they were). And they far exceeded my expectations. I love Nutella.

Because of how warm it was today (heat index of 106°), I had to make sure to keep the Nutella blobs in the freezer the whole time. And I ended up running out of them before I ran out of the sugar cookie dough, so I created a cardamom sugar cookie too, which I did by adding a bit of cardamom to the sugar in which I rolled the cookies before putting them on the baking sheet. While the flavor was great, it was a little too subtle. So I'll know to add more cardamom next time. I may have found a new holiday cookie favorite...

Nutella-Filled Sugar Cookies
Courtesy of Buns in My Oven



1/2 cup Nutella
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
 
Using a 1 teaspoon measure, scoop out Nutella and place in small drops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar on medium until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add in the the vanilla.

Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.

Place 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use 2 tablespoons cookie dough for each cookie. Split the piece of dough in half and slightly flatten the bottom half by pressing it together with the palms of your hands.

Use a small metal spatula to lift the mounds of Nutella from the baking sheet and lay on the bottom half of cookie dough. If the Nutella starts to soften, place it back in the freezer for a few minutes.

Cover the Nutella with the other piece of cookie dough. Seal the edges with your fingers and roll the ball in the sugar to coat it. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough and Nutella mounds, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets.

Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. The edges will start to turn brown when they are finished, about 10 to 13 minutes. The centers should still be soft and puffy.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a rack.

Triple Chocolate Cookies with Pretzels and Sea Salt

Oh my. These are such a wonderful combination of sweet and salty. I also feel like it's some sort of personal triumph when I find something chocolatey that my husband loves. He does not exactly have what you'd call a sweet tooth, so I know I've really found something good when he can't stop eating them.

And yes, those are bunny pretzels. Since I made these right around Easter, I thought I'd be festive.

Triple Chocolate Cookies with Pretzels and Sea Salt
Courtesy of Mountain Mama Cooks



1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed pretzels
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla and mix well. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and table salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough by the tablespoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Gently press a few of the crushed pretzels on top and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer baked cookies to a cooling rack and let cool. Then devour.

Oatmeal Cream Pies

I grew up loving Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. So when I came across this recipe on Pinterest (my new favorite internet hobby), I had to try it. And I was not disappointed. These are fantastic.

Oatmeal Cream Pies
Courtesy of Kids in the Sink



Cookies:
1 cup butter
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups quick oats

Cream Filling:
2 teaspoons very hot water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
½ cup shortening
⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir to combine; mix in the oats.

Drop tablespoon-sized scoops onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just starting to brown around the edges. Be careful not to overbake them; they will look moist.

While the cookies are baking, in a small bowl, dissolve the salt in the hot water and allow to cool to room temperature. Combine the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix on high until fluffy. Add the salt water and mix well.

Spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top with another. There you have the most delicious sandwich cookie known to man.

Rugelach

After trying my first rugelach a couple of months ago, I thought I'd try the recipe that I'd seen Ina Garten make several times on her show. It's such a tasty treat. I love the combination of flavors.

Rugelach
Courtesy of Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)



8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread

I actually think I like these better without the chocolate, but they're tasty and pretty all decked out with chocolate and some festive sprinkles. They took a little longer in the oven cut into star shapes, so I'm adjusting the recipe accordingly.

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread
A variation on this recipe from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)



3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.

Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies

Yum! These are great! And very festive. I read the reviews before making them and took the advice to soak the cranberries before adding them to the dough. It made them nice and plump and juicy, which added an extra level of tastiness. They also needed some extra time in the oven since I didn't flatten them out at all after putting them on the cookie sheets (another review suggestion). I really liked how keeping them fat gave them a nice crispy outside and a chewier inside. Just like I like cookies!

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies
A variation on this recipe from Southern Living



1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels

Cover cranberries in boiling water and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in white chocolate morsels and cranberries.

Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Chewy Candy Cookies

I wanted to take the mounds of Halloween candy we have in the house right now and make something a bit more interesting out of it... And I'm a big fan of these kinds of cookies, so here's my version. It has certainly curbed any desire whatsoever to dip into the remaining candy in our pantry. The cookies themselves are wonderfully chewy and delicious, and the candy adds a lovely addition of sweetness and flavor. I will happily make these cookies, post-Halloween and other times when these candies pop up in my life, for years to come.

Chewy Candy Cookies
A variation on this recipe from Fun and Food Blog



2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup combination of M&M’s and Reese's Pieces, divided

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and keep ready.

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 2/3 cup candy. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, leaving enough space in between to let them expand. Press 4-5 of remaining candy on each cookie before baking.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on the wire rack. Eat a few immediately, storing others in air-tight containers for later.

Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I think I prefer just plain pumpkin whoopie pies. These are quite tasty though, and I certainly had no problem eating them.

Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Courtesy of Burn Me Not



For the cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup canned solid pumpkin
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with non-stick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and both sugars. Using the paddle attachment, mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then milk and vanilla, and finish with the remaining flour mixture.

Drop about a tablespoon of dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched. Place baking sheet on wire rack and let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare filling: In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth, scraping down bowl as necessary.

Assemble whoopie pie: Pipe or spoon filling on the flat sides of half the cookies then sandwich with remaining cookies.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

Meh. Not great. If I'm going to make shortbreads, I'll make these. And if I want holiday chocolate cookies, I'll make these. Oh well. They were worth a try.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
Courtesy of Simply Recipes



1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. (Do not skip this step as cocoa powder has a tendency to clump. You want the dry ingredients sifted to ensure a tender cookie.) Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a mixer for 5 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom as needed. Add the vanilla and orange zest and mix for 30 seconds. Add about half the flour mixture and mix on low speed. Scrape down the bottom and sides and add the rest of the flour mixture. Once incorporated mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and place the dough on it. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin. (You can also lightly flour a work space, but I find my method far easier, cleaner, and the shortbread keeps a sandy texture by not picking up the extra flour.) You may find the dough getting too soft. If it does, place it in the freezer for ten minutes to firm it up before you continue rolling or cutting. (The dough is very hard to work with when soft.) Cut into desired shapes and place on the baking sheets about 1-inch apart.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. It can be difficult to tell when these cookies are done, so when they smell like freshly baked cookies and the edges are slightly firm but still give a bit then consider them done (simply enough, it takes some judgment on your part). Remove the pans and allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ruguh-Love

This was my first time ever having rugelach. And now I'm wondering why I waited so long. Holy cow, these are good. I think I just generally like doughs that are made with cream cheese, but the other flavors in here make these particular cookies especially awesome.

Jillie decided she thinks we should have them for breakfast, which I think is in no small part because of the cinnamon sugar. After eating oatmeal with cinnamon and honey for the better part of the last year, I think she's conditioned to associate those flavors with breakfast. I just might take her advice tomorrow morning...

Ruguh-Love
Courtesy of Cookie Couture via Martha Stewart



For the Coating:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

For the Filling:
2 cups premium raspberry preserves
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts

Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter, cream cheese, and salt on low until well combined; add flour and mix until a dough has formed. Turn out onto work surface and cut into 4 equal pieces; wrap each piece with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

Unwrap 1 piece of dough and place on a floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch round and, using a pizza wheel, cut into 8 equal wedges. Repeat process with remaining pieces of dough.

To Fill: Spread 1 tablespoon raspberry preserves on each piece of dough; sprinkle 1 teaspoon nuts on the short side of each piece. Starting with the short side of the triangle, fold corners in toward the center and roll up each piece to enclose filling. Repeat process with remaining dough, preserves, and nuts.

Make the coating: In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Dip each rugelach first in melted butter and then in sugar mixture to coat, pressing on open ends to enclose. Place on a baking sheet 1/2 inch apart.

Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until browned and caramelized, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another successful chocolate chip cookie! Woot! I have new baking soda, which always seems to do the trick when it comes to avoiding getting flat cookies (at least for me).

I had some help making these since I was inspired to find this recipe after Jillie pretended to make them for one of her stuffed animal's birthday party. She's quite the cook and baker in her little world, and I'm enjoying starting to teach her how to do it in real life.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Courtesy of allrecipes.com



1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate (I used mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

I used to love the Mother's Iced Oatmeal Cookies when I was little. So when I saw this recipe, I had to give it a try. And it is definitely a wonderful (though chewier and a bit healthier) homemade version, which I am happily serving as an after-school snack this week.

I realized that I didn't have enough butter after I had come home from already running errands and mixing together the dry ingredients. So I found out online that 3/4 cup of canola oil can be substituted for every cup of butter a recipe calls for. I don't know how much of a difference the butter would have made, but I'll probably try the recipe with butter next time (as long as I remember to properly account for my ingredients before going grocery shopping).

I also only noticed the note that you should use less kosher salt in the cookie dough if you're using the Morton brand (which is what I have) once I had put the first pans of cookies in the oven, so I just tried to make up for the extra salt by not adding the recommended salt to the icing. The batch I made was a bit salty, but not horribly so. I think I'll manage to eat them. It's always such a hardship to have delicious snacks in the house.

Oh, and make sure when you're rotating the cookie sheets that you don't accidentally tilt the sheet too far, managing the tip the contents of the sheet into the oven, and in your rush to pick the sheet back up, touch it without using an oven mitt. OUCH.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Courtesy of smitten kitchen



Cookies:
Parchment paper or butter for baking sheets
2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon old fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour*
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt**
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs

Icing:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt**

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Rub two baking sheets with butter. In a food processor, grind 1/2 cup of oats to a fine powder, then add remaining oats and grind them all together until it resembles coarse meal, with only a few large flakes remaining.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back any bits of grains or other ingredients that remain in the sifter. In a small bowl, whisk butter and eggs until combined. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Scoop balls of dough about 2 to 3 tablespoons in size (I used a #40 cookie scoop, which scooped 2 tablespoon-sized balls) onto cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. When tops are evenly brown, take them out and transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Let cookies cool completely before icing.

In a bowl, whisk icing ingredients together until smooth. It should have a honey-like consistency. Drizzle the frosting over the cookies. Let the frosting set for 30 minutes before eating. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

* The original recipe replaced this volume with a multigrain flour mix that worked out to 1/2 cup barley flour + 1/4 cup millet flour + 1/4 cup rye flour. If you have any of these flours, swap them in and reduce the volume of all-purpose.

** Saltiness of kosher salt varies by brand. I’d recommend 2 teaspoons if you use Diamond kosher salt, and about half as much if you use Morton kosher salt or another brand.

Barb's Gingerbread Cookies

Every Christmas, my mother-in-law makes these incredible gingerbread cookies. I've nicknames them the "crack cookies" because they are seriously addictive. I'm fairly certain I gained about 5 pounds from eating so many of these cookies during one particular Christmas several years back.

In an attempt to keep my children occupied during the weeks when they don't have camp this summer, I put together themes for each week. This week was Holiday Week, and we celebrated Christmas today, so I thought it was time for me to try out my mother-in-law's recipe. I was very nervous, but it is a solid recipe, definitely tried and true, and the cookies came out wonderfully. Benjamin's best friend was over for a playdate to celebrate with us, so they are also especially pretty this time around.

Barb's Gingerbread Cookies



1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon salt

Cream butter, sugar and molasses. Add egg; beat well.

Combine dry ingredients and mix in to molasses mixture until just blended.

Divide dough into 4-5 loose lumps. Roll each lump out to ¼- to ½-inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut into shapes and put on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350°F for 5-5 ½ minutes. Cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired (royal icing, sprinkles, etc.).

Glazed Cornmeal Cookies

These are a lot of fun. They were fun to make and had a great savory-sweet quality that the cornmeal provided.

Glazed Cornmeal Cookies
Courtesy of Martha Stewart



2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 drops food coloring

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar on medium-high until creamy, 3 minutes. Add egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.

Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl; roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat with sugar. Transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. With the bottom of a glass, flatten balls to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Press a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter into each (do not cut through). Bake until cookies are golden at edges, 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on wire racks.

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 3/4 teaspoons cold water. Whisk in food coloring. With a small spoon, spread glaze inside heart. Let set 15 minutes.

ChocoToffee Chip Cookies

I tweaked a chocolate chip cookie recipe I found and, voilà!, these were born. They are my second instance of successful chocolate chip cookies, in that they didn't totally deflate after I took them out of the oven, so woohoo! I also love that they have a bit of a savory-sweet element because of the mild saltiness that the toffee bits provide.

ChocoToffee Chip Cookies



3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits

Heat oven to 375°F.

Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls (or by using a small ice cream scoop) 3 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 10-11 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

Black and White Cookies

I can't ever seem to find black and white cookies anywhere and they're some of my favorites, so this was a very happy recipe find. It's a pretty decent version, and it was fun "painting" on the icing.

Black and White Cookies
Courtesy of Gourmet



For cookies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg

For icings:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Make cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill completely.

Make icings while cookies chill:
Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

Ice cookies:
Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.

Raspberry Pinwheels

Because I tend to lean toward chocolate sweets, I try to remember to include a non-chocolate sweet during the holidays. These cookies have become a favorite of mine because of how simple and tasty they are. They go perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

It is also very convenient because you can make the dough and freeze it ahead of time. No thawing necessary either. The dough is actually easier to slice cleanly when it's frozen.

I did manage the dough a little differently than the original recipe suggests. I divided the dough in half but then just spread the jam on each rectangular and rolled them from there. That made it so that I couldn't really slice the pinwheels very thickly without making enormous cookies, so they were baked sideways. I don't think it did anything detrimental to the texture, and it was easier that way, rather than having row after row of tiny cookies to slice and bake off. I did it that way when I made them before, so they were kind of pop-in-your-mouth cookies. But they're just as tasty this way.

I'll include the original recipe so that you can decide how you would like to do it.

Raspberry Pinwheels
Courtesy of Real Simple



3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 8-ounce bar cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or coarse sanding sugar

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing until just incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead it 2 to 3 times, just to bring it together. Form the dough into two 1-inch-thick squares. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll one of the dough squares into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread half the jam over the dough. Cut the dough crosswise into thirds, making three 9-by-4-inch rectangles. Starting from a long side of each rectangle, roll into logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

(To freeze: Instead of refrigerating the logs, freeze them for up to 2 months. To bake, follow the recipe instructions, cutting and baking the dough from frozen, and using the upper end of the time range.)

Heat oven to 350°F. Slice the logs into 1-inch pieces and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1½ inches apart. Brush with the egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Garam Masala-Chocolate Gingerbread

Oh. My. Goodness. These are phenomenal. I was a little curious about how the garam masala would blend with the other flavors. So, of course, I had to try making them. We had also watched the last season of The Next Food Network Star when Aarti Sequeira won, so I was excited to try out one of her recipes. If you like Indian food, these are absolutely for you. Even if you've never had Indian food, these are a delicious twist on tradition gingerbread.

I would definitely suggest waiting to have them until they've sat for a few hours. The ones I had straight out of the oven were good, but the ones I've had today are seriously awesome. The flavors have had time to blend, and it's worth the wait.

Garam Masala-Chocolate Gingerbread
Courtesy of Aarti Sequeira



3 cups all purpose flour, plus for dusting
2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup molasses
Chocolate Glaze, recipe follows
Royal Icing, recipe follows
Toasted fennel seed, dried rose petals and gold or silver dragees, for garnish

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and garam masala in a large bowl. Set aside.

Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and ginger; continue to beat over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Add the molasses and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour in 2 batches and mix on low until combined and forms a sticky dough. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and pat into 2 (1/2-inch thick) rectangles. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust racks to the bottom and top half of the oven. Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.

Roll each portion of the dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle (if the dough becomes soft, chill for a bit in the refrigerator). Cut the dough with 3-inch cookie cutters, lay on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart, and chill for 10 minutes. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Decorate, as desired, with Chocolate Glaze or Royal Icing. Garnish with toasted fennel seeds, dried rose petals, or silver dragees.

Chocolate Glaze:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons corn syrup
3 tablespoons water

Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cook until the chocolate melts, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir to smooth out and combine.

Royal Icing:
1 1/2 tablespoons egg white powder
3 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons water

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer over medium-high speed until it forms thick and glossy peaks, about 6 minutes.

Coffee Cordials

Wow. These totally surprised me. I made them because they sounded interesting, I wanted to bring a hostess gift to a party I was going to, and I had all of the ingredients on hand. They're perfect little after-dinner treats.

The kids are a little annoyed that they can't have any since Jonathan and I have been raving over them, but oh well. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy need treats of their own.

Coffee Cordials
Courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray



1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 pinch salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons whiskey
36 chocolate-covered espresso beans

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons espresso powder at high speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg, baking powder, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt at medium speed. Beat in the flour and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar at low speed.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Using a glass with a flat bottom, flatten the balls 1/3 inch thick. Bake, switching and rotating the pans halfway through, until just soft in the center, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder, 1 pinch salt and the whiskey. Using a pastry brush, coat the hot cookies with the glaze; press a chocolate espresso bean in the center of each cookie, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Snickerdoodles

I don't know where snickerdoodles have been all my life, but I'm so very happy I've found them... These are awesome. I haven't had enough snickerdoodles in my life to know how they stack up against others, but I'm very happy with them.

Snickerdoodles
Courtesy of Sunset



1 cup (1/2 pound) butter, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, and the powdered sugar until very smooth. Beat in eggs until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended.

In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place balls 3 to 4 inches apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

Bake in a 375°F oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.

Using a spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.