Walnut Horns
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups flour
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
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1 cup each: light brown sugar, ground walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Confectioners' sugar (optional)
Mix butter with flour in medium bowl by hand or with electric mixer. Add sour cream to egg yolk; mix. Add to flour mixture; beat until sticky dough forms. Divide dough into four sections; wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon in a bowl. Take one section of dough from the refrigerator; sprinkle flour on both sides of the dough. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Spread a thin layer of filling on the dough, almost to the edges. Cut the dough with a pizza cutter into quarters; cut into 3 to 4 wedges per quarter.
Starting at the widest end, gently roll up each wedge like a crescent roll. Place on greased, light-colored cookie sheets with the tail end of the dough tucked under; bake 13 to 18 minutes per batch. Cool; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Yield: 64 cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie: 70 calories, 57 percent of calories from fat, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 3 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
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Butter Cookies
2½ sticks (1¼ cups) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine butter, eggs, sugar and salt in large bowl; stir with wooden spoon until smooth, about 1 minute. Combine 2¼ cups of the flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring to make a soft, sticky dough. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup of the flour on counter; place dough on the flour. Knead, incorporating more flour just until dough is no longer sticky. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator; cut off a 2-inch piece. Re-wrap remaining dough; return to refrigerator. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets; bake until edges turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining chilled dough.
Yield: 100 cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie: 51 calories, 43 percent of calories from fat, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 26 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Cherry Pie Almond Thumbprints
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon each: vanilla, almond extract, salt
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1½ cups flour
1 cup finely chopped almonds, plus sliced almonds for garnish
FILLING:
2 cups pitted tart cherries, thawed, drained
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon each: vanilla, almond extract
1 tablespoon butter
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl; beat with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract. Stir together salt and flour in small bowl. Add to butter mixture; beat until smooth.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg whites in small bowl until frothy; dip cookies in egg white to coat. Dip cookies in nuts to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on parchment-paper lined cookie sheets. Press an indentation in the middle of each cookie with your thumb. Bake until lightly browned on bottoms, rotating pan once, about 14 minutes per batch. Remove to wire rack; cool.
Meanwhile for filling, combine cherries, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan; heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to a boil. Boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, almond extract and butter. Cool. Fill each cookie with a tiny scoop of cherry filling. Garnish with an almond slice, if desired.
Yield: 28 cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie: 115 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 7 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 28 milligrams cholesterol, 12 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 48 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Apricot Marzipan Hearts
½ cup each: softened butter, sugar
1 egg
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1 cup marzipan paste
1 cup flour, plus more for rolling
1 cup finely-chopped roasted, unsalted almonds
¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup apricot jam, melted
Confectioners' sugar, optional
Combine butter and sugar in large bowl; beat until fluffy with electric mixer. Beat in egg until smooth. Beat in marzipan paste. Stir in flour until incorporated. Stir in almonds, apricots and lemon zest. Chill dough at least 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured board (dough will be very sticky). Cut into shapes with a floured heart-shaped or other cookie cutter. Place hearts on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Spread a thin layer of jam on one cookie; top with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Sift confectioners' sugar over tops.
Yield: 26 cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie sandwich: 175 calories, 49 percent of calories from fat, 10 grams fat (3 grams), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 10 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Coconut Islands
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
¼ cup hot, strong coffee
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped coconut plus more to finish
FROSTING:
½ (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup sour cream
1½ to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Sift flour with soda and salt. Melt the chocolate in the coffee and set aside.
Beat butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in chopped coconut.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto pans. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.
To make frosting, melt chocolate and butter in sour cream. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until spreading consistency achieved. Frost still-warm cookies and cap with a little coconut.
Yield: 42 cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie: 107 calories, 42 percent of calories from fat, 5.3 grams fat (3.3 grams saturated, 1.4 grams monounsaturated), 13.7 milligrams cholesterol, 1.3 grams protein, 15.1 grams carbohydrates, 0.7 grams fiber, 67.6 milligrams sodium.
Cherry Winks
2¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries
2½ cups cornflakes, crushed
Additional cherries for garnish
Sift flour with baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside. Beat shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat in the dry ingredients. Add the pecans, dates and cherries and mix well.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet. Shape into balls, using a level tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Roll each ball in crushed cornflakes and place on pan 1 inch apart. Top each cookie with ¼ maraschino cherry. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely before storing.
Yield: About 5 dozen cookies.
Approximate nutritional analysis per cookie: 80 calories, 45 percent of calories from fat, 4.1 grams fat (0.8 grams saturated, 1.9 grams monounsaturated), 7.1 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram protein, 10.3 grams carbohydrates, 0.5 grams fiber, 51.4 milligrams sodium.
Lemon Mardi Gras Squares
1½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs, separated
1 cup confectioners' sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
½ cup chopped pecans
GLAZE:
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cream or milk plus more as needed
1 cup confectioners" sugar
Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift the flour with salt and baking powder. Set aside. Beat egg whites until soft mounds form. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Add dry ingredients alternately with lemon juice, beating well after each addition. Stir in zest and pecans. Fold in egg whites gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
For glaze, stir vanilla and 1 tablespoon cream into confectioners' sugar, adding up to 1 tablespoon more cream for spreading consistency. Spread glaze on still-warm bars. When cool, cut bars.
Yield: 24 bars.
Approximate nutritional analysis per bar: 140 calories, 39 percent of calories from fat, 6.2 grams fat (2.8 grams saturated, 2.2 grams monounsaturated), 36.6 milligrams cholesterol, 1.8 grams protein, 19.9 grams carbohydrates, 0.4 grams fiber, 89.8 milligrams sodium.
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
COOKIES:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
FILLING:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring
¼ cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)
For cookies: Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet five minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.
For the filling: Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well-blended. Add peppermint extract and two drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well-blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of one cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.
Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling).
Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to three days or freeze up to two weeks.
Yield: About 18 sandwich cookies.
Choco-Butter Sweets
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling (see recipe)
Chocolate drizzle (see recipe) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla thoroughly. In another bowl, combine flour and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix well. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press thumb gently into center.
Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool completely.
While cookies cool, prepare filling and chocolate drizzle.
Fill indentations of cooled cookies with filling, then pipe on the chocolate drizzle.
FILLING::
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons flour1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup flaked coconut In bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
Combine ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Cook over low heat until melted, stirring until smooth.
Yield: About 24 cookies.
German Anise Christmas Cookies
2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon anise seed
2 teaspoons anise extract
2½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flavorings. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and mix well then add to creamed mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until easy to handle.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with medium-size cutters and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and cool on wire rack.
Decorate cookies with icing and crystal sugar.
Yield: 48 cookies.
