Category: 5. Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 large Best eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a meat mallet or fork if desired. Bake 10-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Test Kitchen tips:Use a glass with a pretty pattern on the bottom to add flair to these cookies.Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light or golden brown sugar. The types are generally interchangeable in recipes. But if you prefer a bolder flavor, choose dark brown sugar.

Nutrition Facts:

1 cookie: 180 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 128mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.

Ingredients:

• 4 ginger tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups water to a simmer in a small saucepan and add the tea bags and 1 cup sugar. Simmer 3 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags (to keep the syrup from getting too bitter). Boil the tea until reduced to a syrup, about 10 minutes. You should have about 1/3 to 1/2 cup tea syrup. Let cool completely.
2. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, allspice, cardamom, cloves, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup tea syrup, then the egg and vanilla, until smooth. (Reserve the remaining tea syrup for another use; see Cook’s Note.) Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and form into two 7-by-2-inch logs. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Slice the logs into rounds about 1/3-inch thick, discarding the very end pieces. Arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake the cookies, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking, until crisp and light golden on the edges, 14 to 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on racks.
6. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in a microwave on 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner with scissors. Drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

Cook’s Note

Any extra tea syrup can be used like honey, such as for sweetening hot tea.

Ingredients:

Lemon Curd:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk 
• 1/3 cup lemon juice 
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 

Cookies:

• Nonstick cooking spray, for the mini muffin tin
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note) 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg, at room temperature 

Meringue Kisses:

• 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar 

Directions:

1. For the lemon curd: Whisk together the granulated sugar, whole egg and egg yolk in a medium bowl.
2. Heat the lemon juice in a small pot over medium heat until just simmering. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the lemon juice into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a milkshake, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted and incorporated.  
3. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until completely chilled and very thick, at least 4 hours and up to overnight. 
4. For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.  
5. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. 
6. Add the granulated sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  
7. Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and, using flour to keep it from sticking to your hands, roll it into a ball and place it into one of the cups of the mini muffin tin. Use your fingers to press it into the cup and up the sides. Repeat with the remaining dough.  
8. Bake until the cookies are light golden along the edges, about 30 minutes. Using the rounded end of the handle of a wooden spoon, gently press into the divot in each cookie to make a deeper cavity. Let the cookies cool slightly in the tin, then use an offset spatula or butter knife to help transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.  
9. For the meringue kisses: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 
10. Put the egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly stream in the superfine sugar and beat until glossy stiff peaks form.  
11. Transfer the mixture to a disposable pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 24 small kisses onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the meringues are beginning to dry, about 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and prop open the door with a spoon handle. Leave the meringue kisses in the oven until very dry, another 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely.  
12. To assemble the cookies, fill the cavity of each cookie with lemon curd. Top each with a meringue kiss.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
2.  In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the cookies.
3.  Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer to racks to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Ingredients:

Cookie Bars:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups (2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons) salted butter, softened 
• 1/2 orange, zested 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons whole milk 
• One 30-ounce can cherry pie filling

Glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk 
• 1 lemon, zested 

Directions:

1. For the cookie bars: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cream together the granulated sugar, butter and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between, then the vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing, then add half the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining milk and mix until the dough comes together.
4. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour over the cherry pie filling and spread it out evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the pie filling. Bake until the edges and top are golden and the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the bars cool and set, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. For the glaze. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk and lemon zest to a bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the bars. Cut into bars in the baking dish and serve.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 seedless dates, chopped 
• Kosher salt 
• One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup honey 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg, at room temperature 
• 2/3 cup raisins 

Directions:

1. Puree 3/4 cup of the oats in a blender, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high, until ground to a fine powder. Add the dates, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 cups cold water and puree until smooth, thick and creamy. Add the condensed milk and puree until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Whip the cream and granulated sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the oat milk mixture until combined and lightened. Fold in the remaining cream until completely combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch pan, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until firm but malleable, about 3 hours; you want the ice cream to hold its shape but be able to be flattened between 2 cookies without breaking them. 
3. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. 
4. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt and soda in a small bowl until combined. Beat the brown sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the honey, vanilla and egg and beat on high until creamy, about 3 minutes more. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups oats and beat on low until combined. Fold in the raisins.  
5. Arrange twelve 1-ounce scoops (1 1/2-tablespoon portions) of cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each. Bake until the cookies have spread and are deep golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Let the baking sheet cool slightly, then continue with the remaining cookie dough. 
6. When ready to assemble. Scoop 1/3 cup of ice cream and sandwich between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining ice cream and cookies. Transfer the sandwiches to a rimmed baking sheet, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least another 8 hours before serving.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces baking chocolate (unsweetened or bittersweet)
• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 2 sticks salted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• Powdered sugar, for dusting 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in the microwave. Stir and let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, mix together the sugar and butter in a large bowl until totally combined. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in the cooled chocolate. Scrape the bowl and mix again. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape the bowl once more and mix.
4. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir it together. Add it in scoops to the mixing bowl with the mixer on low. Scrape the bowl once and mix one final time until all combined.
5. Scoop generous tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, then bake until the cookies are poufy and set, 11 to 12 minutes. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. Once cool, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), at room temperature 
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 1 large egg, at room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam 
• 1/4 cup apricot jam 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. 
3. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. 
4. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and flatten into a disk. Divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a cylinder about 10 inches long and 1-inch wide. Transfer the cylinders to the prepared baking sheets. Lightly press the tops of the cylinders with your fingers to flatten. 
5. Press the handle of wooden spoon with a 1/2-inch thick handle into the center of each cylinder to create a long trough about 1/2-inch deep, leaving a small border all around. (The cylinders will spread to about 1 1/2 inches wide.)
6. Put the raspberry jam in a small piping bag and pipe it into the indentations of 2 of the cylinders. Repeat with the apricot jam and the remaining 2 cylinders. 
7. Bake until the edges of the cylinders are golden, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool, about 10 minutes. 
8. Carefully transfer each cylinder to a cutting board and cut them on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Transfer the cookies to the wire rack and cool completely.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods). You could certainly use your thumb to make an imprint in the dough for the jam, but we found using the handle of a wooden spoon gives you a move even, uniform shape.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• 2 cups candy-coated chocolates

Directions:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
2. Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chocolates, then stir in the remaining 1 3/4 cups of chocolates by hand. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate until chilled through, about 1 hour. 
3. Arrange the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  
4. Roll the dough into 24 balls, each about 3 tablespoons (alternatively, use a #20 large cookie scoop). Place 6 dough balls on each of the prepared baking sheets; stud the top of each dough ball with some of the reserved chocolates. Bake 2 trays at a time until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, rotating the trays halfway through, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolates.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)