Category: Cookies

Butter Pecan Cookies

When I started to make these, I had no idea how similar to the Russian Tea Cakes they would turn out to be (I didn’t read the recipe before hand).? I just saw “butter pecan” and decided to make them because I like butter pecan ice cream.? Of course, this doesn’t take away from their deliciousness at all, but it does give you an idea of what they will be like.

Butter Pecan Cookies
4 tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 c powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c pecans, finely chopped
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325oF. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1/3 c. powdered sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla, salt, and flour and mix until blended. Stir in the pecans and mix until evenly distributed.
3. With floured hands, shape the dough into 3/4-inch balls and place on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Be sure to press gently to prevent them from rolling off. Bake until the cookies are very light brown, 15-18 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 10 minutes.
4. Put some of the powdered sugar into a bowl.? Roll each cookie in the sugar until it is evenly coated, and shake off the extra.

Makes about 36 cookies

Sugar Cookies

Everyone loves a good sugar cookie.  They’re really amazing for decorating, because you can put candy or coloured sugar or even a paint on them, and you can use cookie cutters or a knife to create different shapes.

sugar cookies

Sugar Cookies
5 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 c (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 c sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp fresh lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons
Coloured/coarse sugar (optional)

1.    In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt.  Set aside.
2.    Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Continue to mix on medium-high speed until just combined.
3.    With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour.  Mix until just combined.  Remove the dough, shape into 2 discs, and wrap in parchment paper.  Refrigerate 2 hours.
4.    Preheat oven to 350oF. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes (scraps can be balled up, refrigerated, and used again). Transfer to ungreased baking sheets lined with parchment paper; refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 30 2 1/2 inch cookies

Spicy Chocolate Cookies

Back when the Mayans used to prepare chocolate, they would mix peppers in to give it a little kick.? These cookies take a leaf from their book and use a similar technique, including a bit of cayenne!

spicy chocolate cookies

Spicy Chocolate Cookies
1½ c all-purpose flour
¾ c unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high until fluffy, about 1 minute.? Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until the butter is just incorporated.
2. Turn the dough out onto wax paper.? Use the paper to shape and roll the dough into a cylinder about 10 in. long and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in more wax paper, folding or twisting the ends to seal. Chill for at least 45 minutes or freeze until needed (up to 3 months).
3. Before baking, preheat oven to 375o
4. Let cool until the cookies are firm enough to be moved. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Russian Tea Cakes

There are many different names and varieties of these cookies – “Mexican wedding cakes” is a pretty common one, as are “Kouranbiedes” and “Snowballs”.  However, the one thing they all have in common is a powdered sugar base with nuts, which creates a melt-in-your-mouth sensation.

russian tea cakes

Russian Tea Cakes

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 c pecan halves
2 c confectioners’ sugar

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350oF. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the pecans with 1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar in a food processor. Pulse until nuts are finely ground. In a large bowl, whisk together with the flour and salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine the butter with 3/4 c. confectioners’ sugar. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until soft dough comes together in large clumps.
4. To form each cookie, roll a level tablespoon of dough between your palms into a 3/5-inch ball. Place the balls 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Make sure to set them firmly onto the baking sheet so they stay in place.
5. Bake the cookies until the bottoms are light brown and the tops are lightly coloured, 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Sift the remaining confectioners’ sugar into a bowl and roll the cookies in it, coating evenly.  You will not use all of the sugar.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Orange-Ginger Rounds

Orange and ginger are quite complementary – a combination of tart, spicy and sweet, which is quite lovely.  They’re really easy to make, since they are log cookies an you refrigerate them and then slice them

orange ginger rounds

Orange Ginger Rounds

1 1/4 c whole blanched almonds
1 c confectioners’ sugar
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 tbs finely grated orange zest (2 to 3 oranges)
1 large egg
1 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
6 oz. crystallized ginger, finely chopped (about 1 c)

1.    Place almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, and set aside.
2.    Place butter and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until white and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, add the almond mixture, and beat until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add egg and lemon juice, and combine. Add flour, and beat until combined. Wrap in plastic; store, refrigerated, up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.
3.    Place two 12-by-16-inch pieces of parchment on a work surface. Divide dough in half; form each half into a rough log on parchment. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press dough into a 1 1/2-inch cylinder. Wrap. Chill at least 3 hours.
4.    Heat oven to 350oF. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Spread crystallized ginger on a work surface. Unwrap logs; roll in ginger to coat. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; place on sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until edges turn slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 5 dozen, depending on size

Ginger-Molasses Cookies

I suppose any form of cookie with both ginger and molasses could be considered a gingerbread type cookie but, you know, it’s weird to have identically named entries.  These are big and chewy and really lovely.

ginger molasses cookies

Ginger-Molasses Cookies

3/4 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses (not robust)
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350oF.  Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.  Add the egg and molasses and beat until smooth.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and allspice.  Add the dry ingredient to the low ingredient and mix until blended.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Bake about 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are browned and firm to the touch.  Let cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 40 cookies

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

What sort of cookie website would this be if I didn’t include a chocolate chip cookie recipe? These come to you based on a recipe from Williams Sonoma’s Essentials of Baking, which was my bible in my nascent stages of bakerness.

chocolate chip cookies

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tbs granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c plain chocolate chips
3/4 c white chocolate chips
3/4 c dark chocolate chips

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350oF. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well blended. Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.
4. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons on to the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until the edges and bottoms are lightly browned and the tops feel firm when lightly touched, about 10-13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

NOTE: Chocolate chip cookies are amazingly versatile. You can make the basic dough and then mix in any number of things (chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, etc.). Experiment! It’s fun!

Makes about 30 large-ish cookies

Chocolate Orange Pinwheels

These look far more difficult than they actually are, although the rolling process can be a bit iffy.  Make sure your dough is well-refrigerated.  They come out with a crisp yet airy texture.

Chocolate Orange Pinwheels

1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated orange-zest
2 tsp Dutch-process cocoa powder

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler placed over hot, barely simmering water.  Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts.  Remove from over the water and set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated and the dough is smoothing.
3. Divide the dough in half.  Put one-half of the dough in a separate bowl and stir in the orange zest.  Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder to the dough remaining in the large bowl and mix on low speed until completely blended into the dough.  Gather up each portion, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
4.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  One at a time, place each dough portion between 2 sheets of waxed`paper and roll out into a rectangle 10 by 5 inches and about 1/8 inch thick.  Remove the top piece of waxed paper from each rectangle.  In a small bowl, using a fork, beat the egg white until foamy.  Brush it lighting over the top surface of the chocolate dough.  Using the waxed paper, flip the chocolate dough onto the orange dough and press the doughs together.  Peel off and discard the top piece of waxed paper.  Trim the dough edges evenly.  Roll up the 2 layers of dough into a tight log, removing the remaining piece of waxed paper as you roll.  Gently press the seam along the roll to seal it.  Trim the ends evenly.  The roll should be about 9 inches long.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
5. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350oF.  Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.  Unwrap the log and slice into slices about ¼ inch thick.  Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until the edges just begin to turn slightly golden about 8-12 minutes.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 30 cookies

Gingerbread

It wouldn’t be winter without some gingerbread.  This is the same recipe that my mother, sister and I have been using to make gingerbread houses every December for many years.  Since it is intended for house-making, should you be making the cookies for personal consumption, you could easily halve the recipe.

Gingerbread

2 c (4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 c unsulfured molasses
4 tbs vinegar
10 c sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt

1.    Cream shortening and sugar.  Beat in eggs, molasses, and vinegar.
2.    Sift dry ingredients and blend in.  Chill at least 3 hours.
3.    Roll dough on lightly floured surface until 1/8 in. thick.  Cut in shapes and bake in 375oF oven on lightly greased cookie sheets 5 to 6 minutes.
4.    Cool and remove from pan.  Let stand overnight to dry.

Makes a lot, a lot, a lot!

TO DECORATE: Mix one egg white with about 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar (and maybe a bit of meringue powder, if you happen to have it) and 1/4 cup of water until it forms a thick paste. Transfer to a plastic bag with a very small hole cut in one of the corners or a pastry bag with a small tip.  Pipe designs on and let dry.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Earl Grey was my favourite tea variety for many, many years, so when I found this recipe in Real Simple about 4 years ago, I knew I had to make it.  Understandably, it is very popular with tea lovers.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c confectioners’ sugar
2 tbs Earl Grey tea leaves (approximately 6 tea bags)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1.    Heat oven to 375oF. Sift together the dry ingredients.
2.    Cream the vanilla and butter.  Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, followed by 1 tsp. of water.  Mix until a dough is formed.
3.    Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4.    Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Makes about 6 dozen (you may want to halve the recipe)