Old-fashioned Fruitcake Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Old-fashioned Fruitcake Cookies, Christmas Cookies



yield: Makes about 9 dozen
Every year, I make homemade fruitcakes for friends and family. I bake the dense pound cakes studded with dried fruits months in advance, then wrap them in muslin. These cookies are similar to my fruitcakes only they all take you a lot less time. For a fun presentation, the cookies are baked in bonbon-size baking cups.


Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup halved dried cherries
• 1 cup dried currants (about 5 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1 cup golden raisins (about 5 ounces)
• 1 cup brown raisins (about 5 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped Simple Candied Orange Peel
• 6 tablespoons bourbon, divided
• 6 tablespoons dry Sherry (preferably imported), divided
• 9 to 10 dozen paper or foil bonbon-size (1-inch-diameter) baking cups
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs

Glaze and garnish:

• 1 cup (packed) powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons (or more) bourbon
• 4 teaspoons (or more) dry Sherry (preferably imported)
• Diced or slivered Simple Candied Orange Peel

Repartion

For cookies:
Toss first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in 4 tablespoons each bourbon and Sherry. Cover; soak 2 to 24 hours.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Arrange about 36 baking cups on each of 3 rimmed baking sheets. Stir walnuts, then 1 cup flour into fruit mixture, coating evenly. Whisk 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in medium bowl.

Beat sugar and butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in dry ingredients, then remaining 2 tablespoons each bourbon and Sherry. Fold in fruit mixture. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into baking cups.

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light brown, about 23 minutes. Cool.

For glaze and garnish:
Mix sugar and 4 teaspoons each bourbon and Sherry in bowl. Add more liquor by 1/2 teaspoonfuls in equal amounts to thin if necessary.

Spoon glaze over cookies; garnish with peel. Let stand until glaze sets, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.

Old-fashioned Fruitcake Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Coconut Oatmeal Lace Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Coconut Oatmeal Lace Cookies, Christmas Cookies

yield: Makes about 36 cookies

active time: 2 hr

total time: 2 hr

An upscale hybrid of antipodean ANZAC biscuits and chocolate digestives from Britain, these crisp cookies are positively elegant. They were an unexpected favorite in our test kitchen, with cooks and editors descending in droves when the cookies’ warm, nutty aroma filled the air.


Ingredients

For cookies:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For decorating:

• 3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped and melted
• 3 ounces fine-quality white chocolate, finely chopped and melted

• Equipment: 2 (17-by 11-inch) nonstick bakeware liners such as Silpats; 2 heavy-duty sealable bags

Repartion

Make cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick liners.

Melt butter with brown sugar and salt in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Stir in coconut, oats, and flour until just combined. Remove pot from heat but keep batter warm over pot (so batter is easier to spread).

Drop rounded teaspoons of batter at least 3 1/2 inches apart on 1 baking sheet and spread each to about 2 inches with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Bake until cookies are bubbling and golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack until firm, 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely. Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet (wipe liners clean and cool between batches).

Decorate with chocolate
Cool melted chocolates slightly. Transfer each to a sealable bag and snip a 1/16-inch opening at a corner of each bag. Put some of cooled cookies on a parchment-lined tray that will fit in freezer, then pipe chocolates decoratively over cookies. Freeze 2 to 3 minutes to set chocolate, then carefully remove cookies from parchment.

Coconut Oatmeal Lace Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Tartan Christmas Tree Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Tartan Christmas Tree Cookies, Christmas Cookies

yield: Makes 10

Tinted white chocolate icing is used to make the festive plaid pattern that decorates these tasty sugar cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 9 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's)
• Blue, red and green food coloring
• 2 small resealable plastic bags

Repartion

Preheat oven to 325&;deg;F. Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour and salt and mix just until combined. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

Roll out dough on floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness, frequently lifting and turning dough to prevent sticking. Using 5-inch Christmas tree cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Gather dough scraps together. Repeat rolling and cutting dough scraps to make 10 cookies total. Transfer cookies to 2 heavy large baking sheets, spacing apart. Bake until cookies begin to brown around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Divide melted chocolate among 3 small bowls. Working quickly so that chocolate does not harden, mix 8 drops blue food coloring into 1 bowl. Spread blue chocolate evenly over surface of cookies. Mix 8 drops green food coloring into second bowl of melted chocolate. Mix 8 drops red food coloring into third bowl of melted chocolate. Spoon green chocolate into plastic bag. Cut off 1 bottom tip of bag to allow small ribbon of chocolate to come out. Repeat procedure with pink chocolate and another plastic bag.

Using green chocolate, pipe 4 diagonal lines from left to right across cookies, spacing evenly. Using pink chocolate, pipe 4 diagonal lines from left to right across cookies, alongside green lines. Repeat with diagonal lines going from right to left. Let cookies stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store cookies between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.)

Tartan Christmas Tree Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Lora Brody's Rugelach, Christmas Cookies

Lora Brody's Rugelach Christmas Cookies

yield: Makes 4 dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies

These are, without a doubt, the best rugelach I've ever tasted, and, to my mind, there is no point whatsoever in improving on perfection. From my friend Lora's wonderful book Cooking with Memories, this recipe was passed down to her from her mother.

One of the reasons these rugelach are so special is that the dough itself contains a little sugar, making it softer and more cozy and buttery than the usual. Then there is the extra zing of tartness from the apricot preserves and the sweet, sharp sting of lots of plump golden raisins. As I mentioned, perfection! As Lora warns: "Beware, you can't eat just one!"

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (8 ounces = 227 grams)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces = 227 grams)
• 1/4 cup sugar (1.75 ounces = 50 grams)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
• 2 cups (sift into the cup and level off) bleached all-purpose flour (8 ounces = 228 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt* (optional)

Filling

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (2.5 ounces = 75 grams)
• 1/4 cup (firmly packed) light brown sugar (2 ounces = 54 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup golden raisins (3.75 ounces = 108 grams)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (3.5 ounces = 100 grams)
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves (well stirred) (4 ounces = 113 grams)

Topping

• 1/4 liquid cup milk (2 ounces = 60 grams)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (0.75 ounces = 25 grams)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• *Lora does not use salt in the dough. It is not strictly necessary because the cream cheese contains salt. I like a little extra.

Equipment:

• cookie sheets lined with parchment or foil; rolling pin.

Repartion

Food Processor Method:
Into a food processor with the metal blade, place the cream cheese. Cut the butter into a few pieces and add it with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and process until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and the optional salt and pulse in just until the dough starts to clump together.

Electric Mixer Method:
Soften the cream cheese and butter. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour and the optional salt until incorporated.

For Both Methods:
Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it together to form a ball. Divide the dough into 4 portions and cover each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts and stir with a spatula or fork until well mixed.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for about 15 minutes or until it is malleable enough to roll.

Lora Brody's Rugelach, Christmas Cookies

Meringues Chocolate Walnut, Christmas Cookies

Meringues Chocolate Walnut, Christmas Cookies

yield: Yield: 45 cookies

Type: Drop cookie
Habitat: United States
Description: These are my first-ever memorized recipe, which I make again and again. These are easy and quick to make and combine sweet, crunchy vanilla-scented meringue with toasted walnuts and dark chocolate morsels.
Field Notes: My mom found this recipe in a church cookbook, where they were called Surprise Meringues. The surprise is that you only see a hint of the chocolate and nuts inside the cookie; when you bite into them, there is an explosion of flavor and textures.
Lifespan: 2 weeks at room temperature in airtight container.

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and finely chopped

Ingredients

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium, clean, grease-free bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually, whipping until stiff but not dry peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by generously rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

3. Bake until completely firm and dry, but still white, about 25 minutes; you should be able to lift cookies from pan. Slide parchment onto racks to cool cookies completely.

Meringues Chocolate Walnut, Christmas Cookies