holiday cookies 2019 96
1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room
temperature
1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon (383 grams)
all-purpose fl our, sifted
1 cup (85 grams) Dutch process cocoa
powder
1¼ teaspoons (2.5 grams) ground cardamom
¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the
paddle attachment, beat butter and cream
cheese at medium speed until combined, 1 to
2 minutes. Add granulated sugar and brown
sugar; increase mixer speed to high, and beat
until light and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce
mixer speed to low. Add egg, egg yolk, and
vanilla, beating until combined. - In a medium bowl, sift together fl our, cocoa,
cardamom, and salt. Add fl our mixture to
butter mixture all at once, and beat at low
speed just until combined. Using a rubber
spatula, briefl y stir to ensure everything is
incorporated. (Dough will be sticky.) Transfer
dough to a large piece of plastic wrap, and press
into a rough rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic
wrap, and refrigerate until fi rm, 3 to 4 hours or
overnight. - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line
2 baking sheets with parchment paper. - Divide dough in half; return half of dough
to refrigerator. On a lightly fl oured sheet of
parchment paper, roll remaining dough to
⅓-inch thickness. (You may need to give dough
a few bangs with rolling pin to help fl atten it
a little before you start rolling. This dough is
on the stickier side, so rolling it out on a sheet
of parchment paper means you can easily
transfer it back to the refrigerator to chill a little
if needed.) Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut
dough, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place on
prepared pans. (If at any time dough becomes
too warm and hard to work with, return to
refrigerator to chill briefl y.) Refrigerate for
10 to 15 minutes. - Bake, one batch at a time, for 9 to
10 minutes. (Cookies will still look very soft
when they come out of the oven but will fi rm
up as they cool.) Let cool completely on pans.
Place a stencil* on top of cooled cookies, and
dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Store
in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
*Make your own stencil with a snowfl ake paper punch,
available online or in local craft stores. A piece of lace
draped on top of the cookies also works well.
BROWNED BUTTER
SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
Makes 20 to 24 cookiesRecipe by Elisabeth FarrisThe classic fl avor of snickerdoodles with a unique
twist! Browned butter is the perfect addition
to these festive cookies, giving them the most
delicious nutty fl avor. Use your favorite holiday
cookie cutters to make diff erent shapes and
designs, and they will be the hit of any party!1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons
(24 grams) granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs (100 grams)
1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose fl our
2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon,
divided
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
Glaze (recipe follows)
Gel food coloring, for decorating
Small food-safe paintbrush
Clear vodka, for decorating- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan,
melt butter over medium heat. Cook until
butter turns a medium amber color and has a
nutty aroma, about 10 minutes. Remove from
heat, and let cool to room temperature. Pour
browned butter into a glass measuring cup, and
freeze just until solidifi ed, about 1 hour. - In the bowl of stand mixer fi tted with the
paddle attachment, beat browned butter and
1 cup (200 grams) sugar at medium speed until
light and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to
scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, and
beat until combined. - In a medium bowl, whisk together fl our,
1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon, baking powder,
and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add
fl our mixture to butter mixture, beating until
dough comes together. Turn out dough onto
a lightly fl oured surface, and shape into a disk.
Wrap disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at
least 1 hour or up to 3 days. - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line
2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. In a small bowl, stir together remaining
2 tablespoons (24 grams) sugar and remaining
1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon. Set aside.
6. On a lightly fl oured surface, roll dough to
¼-inch thickness. Using a 3½-inch holiday
cookie cutter (use any shape you like or
multiple shapes), cut dough, rerolling scraps as
needed. Place 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake until lightly golden around the edges,
8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire
racks.
8. Place Glaze in a piping bag, and cut off tip;
outline each cookie with Glaze. After outline
has set, fi ll it completely with Glaze, and use
a wooden pick or knife to spread it out and
fi ll in holes. Let glazed cookies stand at room
temperature for at least 5 hours or overnight
before decorating or painting.
9. Use a toothpick to place a few drops of
gel food coloring on a sheet of wax paper
or parchment paper. With a fi ne-tipped
paintbrush, use vodka or clear extract to dilute
the food coloring and paint* your design on
the cookies. (See page 18 for a step-by-step
tutorial.) After dipping your brush in the
paint, lightly dab it on a paper towel so the
colors don’t become too wet and bleed. When
changing colors, remember to rinse and dry
your brush between each use. Store decorated
cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
*I used Wilton Cake Decorating Tools, 5-Piece
Brush Set.Note: This dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap
and frozen for up to 3 months. Place it in the
refrigerator overnight to thaw out.GLAZE
Makes about 1½ cups3 cups (360 grams) confectioners’ sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 grams) whole
milk, room temperature- In a medium bowl, whisk together
confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth.
When you run your whisk through the glaze,
it should settle back down after 10 seconds.
If glaze is too thick, add more milk, and if it’s
too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar. Color
glaze with food coloring as desired. If you’re not
going to use your glaze immediately, cover with
a wet paper towel so it doesn’t dry out.
PRO TIP
To help keep them moist, these cookies
don’t have any leaven in them, so the
thickness that you roll the dough out to will
be the thickness of your fi nished cookie.