Coooooookiiiieeeeeeess

I made cardamom butter cookies today for my undeserving nephews for Valentimes.

Sure! It's the Cook's Illustrated basic butter cookie recipe with the salt increased and cardamom added. There's a glaze you're supposed to add for additional prettiness, but cutting into shapes is as cute as I get.

2 1/2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 tsp table salt (originally 1/4 tsp, I didn't think doubling it to 1/2 tsp was enough but I am aware I like my cookies saltier than most people)
1–2 tsp ground cardamom (1 tsp for a nice background flavor, 2 tsp for more of a cardamom punch)
2 sticks butter, cut into 16 pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cream cheese
vodka if necessary

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, salt, and cardamom on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.  NOTE: if your dough is not coming together in large clumps, mix in a tablespoon of vodka (and another if it's still not).

Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; divide in half, pat into two 4-inch disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in refrigerator before using.)

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to even 1/8-inch thickness between 2 large sheets parchment paper; slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with second disk.

Working with first portion of rolled dough, cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters (or pizza cutters or knives, if you’re not going for anything fancy) and place shapes on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Repeat with second portion of rolled dough. (Dough scraps can be patted together, chilled, and re-rolled, but be aware that these will be a bit tougher.) Cool cookies on wire rack.



(I had to use 2 Tbsp vodka yesterday.)

I'm allowed to make cookies for the cafe. Yay!
So far I've made:
*mexican hot chocolate
*cornmeal-lime (should I add tequila? yeah.)
*lemon-lavender butter cookies
*honey rosemary pecan bars (insanely good)

What else should I make? I'd like to do matcha cookies, and maybe something with pistachio and rosewater

So even though this is an iPhone ad, I kinda love it. There are so many great little details. Including all of the cookies in the background.

These chocolate cherry almond oatmeal cookies have been my contribution to many a potluck. I found out quite by accident that subbing in dried cranberries for the cherries isn't half bad.

I'm wondering if diced up crystallized ginger would work in the place of the cherries for a completely different taste. Will report back eventually.

I have a new brownie recipe! Well, an old one: Katharine Hepburn's Brownies.

They're similar to my usual recipe, but a bit simpler and quicker to prepare. They're fantastic! Like from a mix, but better.



I made two batches in the past three days: the first followed the recipe exactly (with walnuts), but for the second I used peanuts because that was all I could afford, and I was running low on cocoa so I tossed in some *chocolate. Still tasty, but not as good as the first batch.

I'm so happy I saved this recipe, and love to think of Kate baking these for her family and friends.


*I have some baking chocolate but didn't feel like chopping it, so I used this fancy hot chocolate I found in the cupboard. Like chocolate chips, but made for melting into milk.

You goddamn people and your talent!

Thanks! This wasn't too hard, with a simple and recognizable shape. I'm happy with the results, not sure if I should plot a more ambitious design for Christmas.

Pastafarian you don't know how many times I've looked at that recipe. Did you make them? Are they insanely good? *checks cupboard for ingredients*

I am now contemplating Christmas cookies.

I'm definitely going to make pfefferneusse, and probably some pecan or pretzel brittle (not a cookie but whatever). I guess I'll have to ask my husband if he has a favorite Christmas cookie he wants this year, because otherwise I might be inclined to stop there. (I will also be making loads of party (Chex) mix.) He likes cut-out cookies and last year we made Italian butter cookies, the kind that are usually fancy shaped but I don't own a pastry piping bag so ours were simple but delicious.

I did not have the energy to do two batches of cookies yesterday, so we went with the simpler ones - snickerdoodles. They turned out beautifully and we are pleased.

Pfeffernusse maybe tonight. Maybe.

So this evening I went by the contract company office to pick up the TV I won and feel stupidly guilty over, and while I was there I accepted several of these cookies from the office girl who said they did a cookie swap today, but I regret nothing because they were some of the best cookies I have ever had and I am a monster.

Apparently, they're in every Kroger's! I'll have to stop and get some one day this week. Nice packaging, too.

Apparently these cookies are blowing up the internet lately, I've not yet tried them myself, wondering if anyone else has?

Alison Roman's Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/255 grams total (2¼ sticks) salted butter, cold (room temperature if you're using a handheld mixer), cut into ½-inch pieces (see note)
½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar
¼ cup/55 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups/326 grams all-purpose flour (see note)
6 ounces/170 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (not too fine, you want chunks, not little shards)
1 large egg, beaten
Demerara sugar, for rolling
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars, and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer). Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.

Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don't be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That's part of why it's so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼-inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).

Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together – the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.