Instant espresso powder gives these drop cookies grown-up appeal. If you’d rather not remove the hazelnut skins yourself, as described below, look for blanched nuts at specialty shops, then toast them. —Editors of Everyday Food

convert Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder (do not use instant coffee)
2 cups hazelnuts (about 10 ounces), skins removed (see Note below), coarsely chopped

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), with racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until each is incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the espresso powder.

3. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the hazelnuts with a wooden spoon.

4. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough 1 1/2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Bake, rotating the sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until the cookies are golden, about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days in airtight containers.

Note: Removing Hazelnut Skins
Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Place the raw (shelled) hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the skins crack, about 20 minutes. Immediately transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and roll up. Let steam in the towel 5 minutes. Rub the nuts with the towel until most of the skins have come off. (It’s okay if some remain.)

Recipe © 2010 Editors of Everyday Food. Photo © 2010 Minh + Wass. All rights reserved.
© 2010 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Dede Wilson | Unforgettable Desserts | John Wiley & Sons, 2009 | Makes eighty 2-inch cookies

Classic shortbread cookies will never go out of style. The rich, buttery flavor and irresistible crumbly texture are incomparable. Shortbreads are also very simple to make and lend themselves easily to variations. Matcha is Japanese green tea that is finely ground into a powder and used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It is very concentrated in flavor and color, and you will probably have to mail-order it unless you have a well-stocked tea purveyor near you. As with all teas, there is a huge range of quality and prices. Ito En is a Japanese tea company that offers many matchas from which to choose. For baking I like their Kiri No Ne matcha, which not only has a lovely color and flavor profile, but also happens to be less expensive than many. I suggest a range for the amount of the matcha; it has a distinct flavor that some might prefer on the nuanced side, in which case use the lesser amount. If you are a matcha fan, use the more generous proportion. The optional coarse sanding sugar can be sprinkled on half of the cookies; after baking, when both the sugared and plain cookies are arranged on a platter, it creates a nice contrast between sparkly and matte. The sugar can be ordered from Beryl’s. The leaf-shaped cookie cutter is a playful nod to that fact that these contain leaves—tea leaves.—Dede Wilson

convert Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons matcha (powdered green tea), to taste
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon coarse sanding sugar, optional

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Method
1. Line 2 jelly-roll pans with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Whisk the flour and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed with the flat paddle attachment until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the matcha and beat until the mixture is a uniform green color and very creamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating on high speed until very light and fluffy. Turn the machine off, add about one third of the flour, then turn the machine on to low speed. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing just until blended, scraping down the bowl once or twice. The mixture will look crumbly; if you squeeze it between your fingers, it will come together. Gather it together into a ball with your hands while it is still in the bowl.

4. Roll out the shortbread dough to a 1/4-inch thickness between two pieces of lightly floured parchment. Peel off the top parchment and cut the dough in half. Sprinkle the sanding sugar evenly over one half of the shortbread dough and gently, with hardly any pressure, roll over it with a rolling pin to help it adhere. Using a 2 x 1-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible from both doughs and place on the prepared pans 1 inch apart. Use the back of a sharp paring knife to make vein patterns on each shortbread (see photo above). Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight, if desired.

5. Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) . Bake the shortbreads for 17 to 22 minutes, or until the cookies are dry and firm to the touch; their color will not change. The shortbreads should retain their shape if you try to pick one up, and there should also be a fragrant butter and matcha scent emanating from the oven. Cool on the pans set on racks for a couple of minutes, and then carefully transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely. Store the shortbreads at room temperature for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Tip: I used a “rose leaf” cookie cutter that is just shy of 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, which you can find at Beryl’s. You can certainly use a larger cookie cutter, or even a different shape, but the yield and baking times might change.

Recipe © 2009 Dede Wilson. Photo © 2009 John Kernick. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Sara Perry | Holiday Baking | Chronicle Books, 2005 | Makes 35 to 40 bars

With their flaky crust, smooth caramel filling, and deep chocolate glaze speckled with toasted cashews, these scrumptious cashew cookies are rich, habit-forming, and perfect for gift giving. (In Ghana at Christmastime, the cashew tree grows freely, and in courtyards throughout the country, it’s often decorated like a Christmas tree.)

The secret to the flaky crust? It’s not complicated pie dough, layers of transparent phyllo, or something even more exotic. No, this crust is made from simple supermarket soda crackers. The crackers take on a taste and appearance that would impress the most discerning cookie connoisseur. (The secret is revealed when the baker inverts the cookies to cut them.)—Sara Perry

Note: This recipe requires a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan.

convert Ingredients
1 1/4 cups butter, melted, divided
35 Nabisco Premium Saltine crackers
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toasted unsalted cashews, chopped medium coarse

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). To make the cookies easy to remove, line a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with a sheet of foil, shiny side up, leaving a few inches hanging over the longer edges. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter onto the foil-lined pan, and brush to cover the bottom of the pan. Line the pan with the crackers (don’t worry if there are small gaps).

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 cup butter and the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, until the mixture forms a thick syrup (248°F/120°C) on a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the condensed milk until blended. Pour the mixture over the crackers, making sure all the crackers are covered.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. The top will be bubbly and brown. Remove from the oven, scatter the chocolate chips over the topping, and allow them to melt for 5 minutes. Using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, spread the chocolate over the surface and sprinkle with the nuts. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the nuts into the chocolate. Freeze until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

4. Remove from the freezer and invert the pan onto a clean surface (don’t worry if you lose some nuts from the surface; they’ll be great for topping an ice cream sundae or for adding to cookie dough). Carefully peel back the foil to reveal the soda-cracker underside of the cookies. Using a sharp knife, cut the cookies along the cracker outlines. This is easier to do when the cookies have begun to thaw slightly. Invert and cut the squares into quarters for bite-size pieces or thirds for finger-size pieces.

Variation: For Crunchy Nut Caramel Bars, follow the main recipe, substituting your favorite toasted nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, or walnuts.

Recipe © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photo © 2005 Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

This cookie dough is conveniently made in a food processor, just as you might make pastry dough. The stars have a delicate crunch and lovely earthy-nutty flavor from toasted walnuts. (Using toasted nuts is important, so don’t skip this step!) The chocolate drizzle is icing on the cake…I mean cookie.

Cookie cutters are needed. They should be star shapes that measure from about 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches across the “arms.”—Lisa Zwirn

convert Ingredients
1 cup (about 4 ounces) walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons cold water

For the chocolate drizzle
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 8 minutes or just until you start to smell them. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Turn off the oven.

3. Pulse the cooled, toasted walnuts and the granulated sugar in a food processor until the nuts are finely chopped (not quite finely ground). Transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

4. Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, and salt to the food processor. Pulse once to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until it’s chopped into tiny bits. Add the walnut mixture and pulse twice to combine. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of water and process just until the dough feels moist when pinched. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon more water, as needed, and pulse a few more times until the dough just starts to clump together.

5. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and gather into a ball. Press into a disk shape, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, at least 1 hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use star cutters to stamp out cookies, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared sheet. Re-roll the scraps. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes or until light golden. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Make the chocolate drizzle
1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup or bowl in the microwave in 20- to 30-second bursts on medium power, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.

2. Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes. Place the cookies close together, but not touching, on racks set over wax paper. Pour the chocolate into a small plastic bag or squeeze bottle. If using a bag, seal it and make a tiny cut in one corner. Working quickly, drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern to make diagonal lines over the stars. Let the chocolate set completely before storing the cookies.

3. Store, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe © 2008 by Lisa B. Zwirn. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

There is something magical about chocolate crinkle cookies. Little balls of dark chocolate dough are cloaked in a generous coating of confectioners’ sugar and lined up in neat rows on a baking sheet. Then, once in the oven, they are transformed, breaking through the protective white powder and organized line-ups, spreading and cracking as they please. These wondrously crispy and chewy medallions are not only beautiful, but they pack a powerful chocolate punch, as well.

This recipe is a play on the traditional chocolate crinkle cookie. The generous infusion of powdered and crystallized gingers gives the crinkle cookie a spicy wallop that excitingly enhances and intensifies the chocolate experience.—Jennifer Lindner McGlinn

convert Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
7 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
Confectioners’ sugar for rolling

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Method
1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

2. Combine the butter and 3 ounces of the chocolate in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 1 1/2 inches of simmering water (being sure not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water) and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. (You can also melt the mixture in the microwave, heating it at about 20-second intervals and stirring periodically until it is melted and smooth.)

3. Stir the granulated and brown sugars into the melted chocolate mixture, using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, mixing briskly until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Fold in the remaining 4 1/2 ounces of chocolate and the crystallized ginger. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Shape the chilled dough into walnut-size balls, roll in confectioners’ sugar, and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If your kitchen is quite warm and the dough becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator until chilled and fairly firm.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and the tops are cracked.

6. Cool the chocolate-ginger crinkle cookies on the baking sheets set on wire racks for about 2 minutes before removing them to the racks to cool completely. Store the crinkle cookies in an airtight container or in a zip-top bag for up to 4 days.

Recipe © 2009 Jennifer Lindner McGlinn. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Christie Matheson | Salty Sweets | Harvard Common Press, 2009 |Makes 20 to 24 cookies

I first made these toffee cookies seven or eight years ago, when I was just starting to learn about the merits of really, really good chocolate. And wow, do these showcase what a difference good chocolate can make. The toffee cookies are sweet and rich, the perfect foil for an intense layer of dark chocolate.—Christie Matheson

convert Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Fleur de sel

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Method
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, then add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2-inch round cutter and place the cookies on the baking sheet.

5. Bake the toffee cookies for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Bring water to a simmer in a double boiler, or set up a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan with water in the bottom. Melt the chocolate over the simmering water. When the toffee cookies are cool, spread them gently with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, sprinkle lightly with the pecans and a few grains of fleur de sel. Let the chocolate set. The toffee cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Recipe © 2009 Christie Matheson. Photo 2009 Joyce Oudkerk Pool. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Christie Matheson | Salty Sweets | Harvard Common Press, 2009 | Makes about 20 shorttbread

There’s a little market near my house in San Francisco that stocks an eclectic assortment of gourmet crackers, olive oils, prepared foods, and baked goods. One day, in dire need of a treat, I wandered in there, wondering if I would find anything to make me feel better. (It was one of those days.) And there on the counter near the door was a glass cookie jar filled with lavender fleur de sel shortbread. I had a feeling that would work as a mood elevator, and I was right. The flavor combination is fantastic, and lavender is very soothing. Aaah. I came up with this recipe so I could make the shortbread for myself whenever I need to de-stress. Look for culinary lavender at gourmet stores, or purchase one of my favorite kinds, from Matanzas Creek Winery in Santa Rosa, California, online at matanzascreek.com.—Christie Matheson

convert Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons chopped dried lavender blossoms
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fleur de sel

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Method
11. Sift the flour and fine sea salt together in a small bowl.

2. Combine the sugar and lavender in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix for 15 to 20 seconds to combine. Add the butter and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until it forms a soft dough.

3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut it into 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-inch shapes (circles, squares, or hearts) using a cookie cutter or knife. Place the shapes on the baking sheet, sprinkle with some fleur de sel, and place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes, until the dough is stiff.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

6. Bake the lavender shortbread cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The shortbread keeps for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Recipe © 2009 Christie Matheson. Photo 2009 Joyce Oudkerk Pool. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

I have eighteenth-century cookery book author Amelia Simmons to thank for inspiring this confection. In her 1796 cookbook, American Cookery—the first cookbook authored by an American—she included two spiced Butter Drop cakes (cookies, really) among her no less than five gingerbread recipes. My version of these buttery gingerbread butter drops indeed puts me in mind of the small spice cakes and sugary confections that adorned dessert tables in Europe and America centuries ago. Usually arranged on silver or glass épergnes or surtouts de tables (ornamented center dishes), sweetmeats of this kind were as visually dazzling as they were celebrations of the confectioner’s skill. Cloaked elegantly in sheer white glaze, these petite treats would have been well suited to a gleaming eighteenth-century silver dish or glistening cut-glass tray.

Fortunately, these tender gingerbread butter drops, flavored delicately with lemon and spice, are easier to prepare today than they might have been centuries ago. The dough comes together quickly and requires no chilling before shaping and baking. The glaze (which often seems daunting but really isn’t) is also a snap and only requires whisking together a handful of ingredients.

Served for dessert, as part of a petit four tray, or packaged as gifts, these gingerbread butter drops offer a unique and elegant twist on traditional dark gingerbread.—Jennifer Lindner McGlinn

convert Ingredients
For the drops
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or oil

For the lemon glaze
4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup hot water
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon oil (optional)

Royal icing for decorating (optional)

For the royal icing
(Makes 3 cups)
4 cups (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 large fresh or pasteurized egg whites

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Method
Make the drops
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

3. Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Incorporate the cream and lemon extract, mixing until smooth. Reduce the mixing speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. (The dough should form a fairly moist clump when you squeeze a bit in your hand. If it seems too crumbly, mix in additional cream, about 1 teaspoon at a time, until you’re satisfied.)

4. Turn the dough out onto a flat work surface and shape into a cylinder about 3 inches in diameter. Divide the dough into quarters. Divide each piece into quarters again, and then cut each of those pieces in half, creating 32 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. (The butter drops expand slightly during baking.) Press the balls lightly so they stay put and don’t roll around on the sheet.

5. Bake the butter drops for about 20 minutes, or until they are very light golden brown. Cool the butter drops on the baking sheets set on wire racks for about 2 minutes before removing them to the racks to cool completely. (You can store the butter drops at this point in airtight containers for up to 5 days, or proceed to coat them with glaze.)

Make the glaze
1. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, hot water, lemon juice, and lemon extract (if desired) in a large bowl until smooth. Warm the glaze in the microwave at about 10-second intervals until it is just barely warm to the touch. (Warming the glaze will loosen it a bit and make it easier to coat the butter drops).

Finish the drops
1. Arrange the cooled butter drops on a large wire rack set over a large baking sheet or sheet of aluminum foil. Drop the butter drops, one at a time, into the glaze, turning them with a fork to coat them completely. Using the fork, lift the butter drops out of the glaze, tap gently on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess glaze, and return them to the wire rack. Warm the glaze again in the microwave, if necessary, about halfway through the batch.

2. After the butter drops have dried for about 5 minutes, gently reposition them on the rack, using a clean fork or paring knife, to prevent the glaze from clumping at the bases. Set the coated butter drops aside in a dry, cool area until the glaze is firm, about 45 minutes. Coat the butter drops a second time in the same manner, warming the glaze again to loosen it. (Store any leftover glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

Optional:
Make the royal icing
1. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and begin beating on medium-low speed. Add the egg whites, increase the mixing speed to high, and continue beating until the icing is smooth, thick, and glossy, about 7 minutes, stopping at least once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. (If you’re working on a particularly dry day, you might need to drizzle in more egg whites to reach this consistency.)

2. Scrape the icing into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing the wrap directly on top of the icing to prevent it from drying. (Use the icing immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Warm the icing to room temperature before beating again until smooth).

3. To decorate the butter drops, pipe dots or swirls of royal icing on top of the butter drops, if desired. Set aside to dry completely, about 1 hour. (Store the butter drops in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper, for up to 1 week.)

Recipe © 2009 Jennifer Lindner McGlinn. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.