Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
jam (Smuckers Seedless Black Raspberry Simply Fruit is our favorite)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, then add to the butter mixture and mix until combined. (In a heavy-duty mixture you can put everything in at once and mix for a minute or so.)

Using a 2-teaspoon scoop, place balls of dough about 2″ apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the dough balls to create a 1/2″ indent. Place about 1/3 of a teaspoon of jam in the intent.

Bake until light brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a rack.

When completely cool, store in an airtight container with parchment or waxed paper between layers of cookies.

Ellie Krieger’s Breakfast Cookies

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup strained carrot baby food

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup bran cereal flakes

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant, then chopped

1. Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Patty O’s Sugar Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon, or mint extract)

Mix all ingredients. Shape dough into a disk and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Flour board and roll dough out to 1/4″. Cut into shapes. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly golden.

Cindy’s Maple Snickerdoodles

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cream of targar
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugars.

Add vanilla, syrup and egg and beat until well combined.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Then slowly incorporate into wet ingredients.

Chill at least 1 hour.

Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl

Roll dough in 1.5″ balls, and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

Bake 8-10 minutes until set and the tops crack.

Snickets

2 sticks salted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon extract
zest of 4 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer until well blended. Using 2 teaspoon scoop, drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press tines of a fork on each dough ball to flatten to about 1/3″. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired. Bake 15 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. Cool on a rack.

Sam’s Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softerened
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a Kitchenaid mixer, combine all ingredients except sprinkles.

Place the sprinkles in a small bowl.  Using a 2 Teaspoon scoop, scoop dough and dip one side into the sprinkles.  Place the dough balls, sprinkle side up, on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 3″ between cookies.  Press down slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.  Bake until pale golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, let rest a minute or two on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Granola Biscotti

Very slightly modified from the recipe in smitten kitchen EVERY DAY

Makes 36 biscotti.

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1.5 cups plus 2 tablespoons (130 grams) rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
6 Tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted, or virgin coconut oil, warmed until liquified
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated or raw (turbinado) sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) light- or dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 cup (45 grams) thinly sliced almonds (I used slivered and it was fine)
1/2 cup (40 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup (about 150 grams) dried fruit of your choice, such as raisins, cranberries, cherries or chopped dried apricots, or a mix
1 egg white (I skipped this and it was fine)

Mix the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bow. Whisk the melted butter (or coconut oil) and sugars in a large bowl.  Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit.  Expect a stiff batter.

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

OPn a floured board, using floured hands, roll half the dough into a log a little shy of the length of your baking sheet, 12 to 14 inches.  Transfer the dough log to the baking sheet, and pat lightly to flat it to about 1/2″ thickness.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.  Beat the egg white until foamy, and brush it over the logs.  Bake the logs for2 0 minutes, untl they are lightly golden brown and begnning to form crakcs.

Let cool almost completely (it’s okay if the centers are still lukewarm), about 1 hour.  With a serrated knife, ut the logs on the bias into 1/2″-thick slices.  They will be crumbly; cut as gently as possible.  Transfer the slices back to the parchment-lined baking sheet, and lay on their cut side in a single layer.  Bake for another 20 minutes, until toasted and crisp.

Cool on the baking sheet, or transfer to a rack.

NOTE:  This recipe should prove very tweakable; you could use cinnamon, or almond extract, add citrus zest, very the fruits and sweeteners.  You could add some chocolate chips.

DO AHEAD:  They keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 weeks, and longer if well wrapped in the freezer.

Chewy Oatmeal Cherry Toffee Crisps

adapted from a recipe by BadTadMD

1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup chocolate chips
8 oz toffee baking bits

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, salt and soda.Mix in oats, cherries, chocolate chips and toffee bits until evenly distributed.

Drop by 2 teaspoon scoop onto cookie sheets about 2″ apart – they will spread.

Bake 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whole-Grain Brownies

From King Arthur Flour

Oh my goodness.  Rich, perfect density, super-chocolatey, and not too sweet.

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa (I used Hershey’s and it was fine)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, or instant coffee powder, optional but recommended
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour (I used Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and they were great)
• 2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan; line the pan with parchment paper if desired.
2. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.  (4 cup glass measure in microwave)
   
3. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly just till it’s hot (about 110°F to 120°F) but not bubbling. Don’t worry if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder if using, and vanilla.
5. Add the eggs, stirring till smooth.
6. Then add the flour and chips, again stirring till smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. (35 minutes for me) Remove them from the oven, and cool completely on a rack.
8. Cover and let sit overnight before cutting and serving; this gives the bran a chance to soften and become “invisible” in your mouth.
9. Yield: 2 dozen 2″ brownies.

Tips from our bakers

• You can add 1 cup of nuts, or try other flavor combinations that appeal to you: toffee chips, or white chocolate, peanut butter, cappuccino, or mint chips. The total volume of mix-ins shouldn’t exceed 3 cups, and may increase baking time by 3 to 5 minutes.
• If you want to cut shapes out of the brownies, line the baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Use a paper or metal spring clip to secure the parchment to the edge of the pan so it doesn’t flop down on the batter as it bakes. After the brownies are cool, you can use the parchment to lift the slab of brownies out of the pan, making them easier to frost or glaze, and cut.

Ma  yes
Anna  yes
Sam  yes
Da  no

Lingonsgrottor

Swedish “Lingonberry Caves”
Makes about 40

1.5 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
zest from one lemon
2 teaspoons cold water
lingonberry jam (and/or apricot, blackberry, etc.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg yolks until incorporated. Stir in the flour, ground almonds, and ground cardamom until a flaky dough is formed. Add the zest and water gently working the dough until it forms a ball.

Form dough into balls about 3/4″ in diameter. Place each ball onto the baking stone or baking sheet, pressing your thumb into the center of each and slightly flattening. The cookies will not spread.

Spoon about 1/3 teaspoon lingonberry jam to each thumbprint. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.