Cookie Mania!

Happy Monday everyone! I was very busy this weekend, making cookie boxes for a very special group of people. Check it out:

Chocolate chocolate!

French Sables

From left: chocolate chocolate, strawberry oat bars,
chocolate chip blondies, sables

For the perfect cookie box, be sure to include a variety of flavors; don't be afraid of bar cookies! Mine are all bite-sized to accommodate my receivers. Here are a few interesting recipes to get your creative cooking juices flowing...

Oatella Cookies

Dagmara Kokonas

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• One 13-ounce jar Nutella
• 2 cups rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, cinnamon and baking soda. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the shortening with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl. Add the Nutella and beat until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then beat in the oats.
2. Scoop 1-tablespoon mounds of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the cookies are just set; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Immediately transfer the cookies from the pan to racks to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.

MAKE AHEAD The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Glittering Lemon Sandwich Cookies

The Gourmet Cookie Book Conde Naste Publications

Ingredients

For Cookies

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• White and colored sanding sugars

For Filling

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

Special Equipment

• a heavy-duty sealable bag

Directions

Make Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
3. Beat together butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.
4. Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant teaspoon of dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled.
5. Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.
6. Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet.

Make Filling and Sandwich Cookies:

1. Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.
2. Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

Notes:

1. The sugared dough balls should be chilled for 30 minutes or frozen for 5 to 10 minutes to help preserve their round shape. Keep the sandwiched cookies chilled.
2. The unsandwiched cookies keep, in a metal cookie tin, at a cool room temperature for up to 4 days.

 Happy baking!