Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam , apricot preserves or strawberry preserves

Directions

TO MAKE DOUGH:

Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg yolk and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a dough forms. Form into a disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE COOKIES:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll a level teaspoon of dough into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly (to 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch thick). Make a deep indentation in center of each round with your thumb. Make more cookies, arranging them 1 inch apart on baking sheets.

Fill indentations in each cookie with about 1/8 teaspoon jam.

Bake until cookies are baked through and golden-brown on edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

by Tim Dineen

Swedish Christmas Cookies

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, unsalted, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• colored sanding sugars

In a bowl whisk the flour, ginger, and salt. Set aside

In a stand mixer or large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined, scraping down the sides as you go.

Add the flour in two additions, mixing until completely combined.

Divide dough in half and roll each into a log in parchment or plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cut each log in half again and roll in sanding sugar.

Cut each log into 1/4" slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheets.

by Tim Dineen

Springerle Cookies

• 1/2 teaspoon baker's ammonia (Hartshorn) or baking powder
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar (1 - 1 1/2 #)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened but not melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of anise (if substituting fruit flavored oils, use 3 teaspoons)
• 2 lb. box sifted cake flour (Swansdown or Softasilk)
• grated rind of orange or lemon - optional (enhances flavor of the traditional anise or the citrus flavors)
• more flour as needed

Dissolve hartshorn in milk and set aside. Beat eggs till thick and lemon-colored (10-20 minutes). Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, then the softened butter. Add the hartshorn and milk, salt, preferred flavoring, and grated rind of lemon or orange, if desired. Gradually beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, then stir in the remainder of the 2 lbs. of flour to make stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead in enough flour to make a good print without sticking. Follow general directions for imprinting and drying cookies.

Bake on greased or baker's parchment-lined cookie sheets at 255° to 325° till barely golden on the bottom, 10-15 minutes or more, depending on size of cookie.

Store in airtight containers or in zipper bags in the freezer. They keep for months, and improve with age. Yield 3 to 12 dozen.

by Tim Dineen

Snowdrop cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup mix of light blue and white sanding sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the flour and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter until pale yellow and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture gradually until incorporated. Add the pecans and mix until the dough is studded throughout.

Working with 2 teaspoonsful of dough at a time, roll it into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Continue with remaining dough. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread the remaining powdered sugar on a shallow plate. Roll the warm cookies into the powdered sugar and let cool. Set the powdered sugar aside. On a second plate spread the sanding sugar mix. Roll the cooled cookies in the powdered sugar again, followed by a roll in the sanding sugar. Transfer to a tray and repeat with remaining cookies.

by Tim Dineen

Pumpkin Cookies

COOKIES

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons minced candied ginger

GLAZE

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat the oven to 350° and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla followed by the pumpkin puree and candied ginger. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients until evenly incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop level tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Using a lightly moistened finger, smooth the tops. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time in the center of the oven, until risen and firm, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar with the butter and milk and stir until smooth and spreadable. While the cookies are still slightly warm, spoon a teaspoon of the glaze onto each one and spread slightly. Let cool completely, then transfer to a platter.

by Tim Dineen