Ginger Sugar Cookies

Recipe featured on the cover of the Dec '10 issue of Food and Wine.

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Royal Icing
1 large egg white
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Water

Directions:
In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the flour and salt at low speed until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, ginger, vanilla and orange zest and beat at low speed until smooth. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working in batches if necessary, roll out the dough a scant 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out shapes as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 14 to 18 minutes depending on their size. Transfer to a rack to cool. Meanwhile, refrigerate the scraps until chilled, then reroll, stamp out more cookies and bake.

To make the icing, in a bowl, beat the egg white at medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating between additions until the sugar is completely incorporated. Add the lemon juice and beat at high speed until the icing holds its shape, about 5 minutes. Thin with water as needed. Decorate!

The baked, undecorated cookies can be wrapped well and frozen for up to 1 month. The decorated cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

An Everyday Food recipe.



Ingredients:
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Creamy Lemon Filling
1 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick.

Take a cardboard paper towel tube and slice it down the center. Open up the cardboard and insert a piece of waxed paper. Place the cookie dough on the waxed paper, on the inside roll of the cardboard. Place as much cookie dough inside the roll as possible. Tightly pack the cookie dough in the waxed paper. Secure the cardboard with rubber bands. Place cookie dough log in the freezer for about an hour.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take dough out of freezer and slice into 1/8 inch thick disks. Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Once cooled, place about 1 teaspoon Creamy Lemon Filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.

Flourless Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Recipe from recipezaar.

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Hershey Kisses

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets.

Beat together peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat until well combined. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten with tines of fork making a cross pattern. Bake until puffed and a golden pale, about 10 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheet about 2 minutes and then push Hershey Kiss into each cookies. Transfer with spatula to rack to cool. May be kept in air tight container at room temperature for 5 days. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Rugelach

Made these treats for Rachel's Chanukah Party!
Recipe courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
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
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor [CB Note: I used seedless raspberry jam and apple butter instead of the apricot preserves]
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions:
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 degrees 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.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin, pecan and cranberry cookies with a smooth cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg, grated
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend, set aside. In a small bowl combine puree, egg and vanilla. Whisk to blend, set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar then beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add pumpkin mixture in several additions. Gradually add flour mixture, scraping down the bowl between additions. Using a rubber spatula fold in the nuts and cranberries.

Drop dough, by rounded tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until set and golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl beat the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon butter until smooth and well combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and milk. Drizzle the cooled cookies with the glaze - I do this by putting the icing in a ziploc bag and cutting a small tip in the corner. Before serving, let stand at room temperature until the glaze sets.

Number of Servings: 30-36

Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart
Makes about twenty-four 6-inch gingerbread people






Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molassesRoyal Icing



Directions:
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide dough in thirds, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (a French nonstick baking mat). Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut into gingerbread people shapes. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.

Cut out desired decorations and place on cookies. Press currants into dough to create eyes and buttons. To create hair, roll a piece of dough into a ball and pass through a clean garlic press. Attach hair to heads. Bake until crisp, but not darkened for about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks.

Decorate with royal icing.