Queen of Christmas...Cookies!

 

JAM FILLED THUMBPRINT COOKIES

 

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup assorted jam
(I like seedless raspberry or apricot)
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1-1/2 Tablespoons water

Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a light or medium-colored heavy-weight baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl.
In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add flour mix until incorporated and dough comes together.
Form dough into 1-inch balls (approx. 1 T dough) and arrange on prepared baking sheet.
Make indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a small spoon.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are just barely golden. Remove baking sheet from oven. If indentations look shallow, press them slightly with the back of a spoon and then fill each with a rounded ¼ teaspoon jam. Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until jam melts slightly and edges of cookies are lightly golden. Let stand on baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool.
Optional Glaze:
Whisk ingredients in a small bowl to combine. Drizzle over cookies
Y = approx. 3 dozen cookies

 

FORGOTTEN COOKIES

My absolute favorite. These are a crisp, glossy meringue cookie, which are put into a hot oven which is then turned off. The cookies are “forgotten” overnight, and the next morning there is an oven full of finished treats!


2 large egg whites ( room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
(optional, I make them without)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites until foamy. You can do this by hand with a whisk or it's much faster to use a hand mixer or a standing mixer on medium speed.
Gradually add the sugar and continue beating the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
Fold in vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts if using.
Drop by rounded teaspoon on parchment or foil lined baking sheet.
Put in pre-heated oven and close door. Turn oven off, and leave cookies in oven without opening door, overnight or 10 hours.

 

GINGER COOKIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

 

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar, plus additional sugar for coating
¾ cup canola oil
1 large egg
¼ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 oz. white chocolate, chopped



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Beat sugar and canola oil in another large bowl until pale in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
Roll 2 tablespoonfuls of dough into a ball, then roll in sugar to coat. Repeat, forming about 6 dough balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet (cookies will spread). Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges and cracked on top, about 12 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on sheet; transfer cookies to rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until melted. Dip fork into chocolate and drizzle over cookies. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes. (Can be made on day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature)