Mark Bittman's saffron olive oil cookies

from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Makes about 3 dozen

small pinch (about 1/8 t) crumbled saffron threads
2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t baking powder
pinch salt
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 eggs
2 t grated or finely minced orange zest
2 T Grand Marnier, other orange liquer, or orange juice

Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1 T boiling water with saffron threads in a medium bowl, stir, and steep for a few minutes. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Add the sugar and olive oil to the saffron mixture and beat until light, a minute or two. Add the eggs and continue beating until creamy and fluffy, another couple of minutes. Beat in the orange zest and liqueur. Gently stir the liquid mixture into the dry one, just until well combined.

Use 2 teaspoons to drop mounds of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for no more than a day or two.

coconut-almond macaroons with maple sugar

makes 24 macaroons

4 egg whites
pinch of sea salt
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract (optional)
1/3 c maple sugar
1 c almond flour
1 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

beat egg whites with sea salt until they form stiff peaks. fold in the vanilla and almond extract, maple sugar, almond flour, and shredded coconut. spoon tablespoon-size mounds of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. allow to cool for five minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. store in an airtight container.

torn from a magazine (no idea which one) some time between 2010 and 2014.

cinnamon-almond snaps

These are strangely addictive, especially with tea or coffee. Excellent for the holidays. I have no idea where we found this recipe, but we didn't create it ourselves.

makes about twelve dozen small cookies

3 c all purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 c blanched sliced or slivered almonds

Sift first four ingredients into medium bowl. Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in both sugars. Add egg and egg yolk; beat to blend. Beat in vanilla and salt.

Add flour mixture and beat until dough comes together in moist clumps. Add almonds and knead gently in bowl wiht hands until blended.

David dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into 10" long log, about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" in diameter. Wrap dough in 2 layers of plastic and place in freezer until frozen, at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 month ahead. Keep frozen.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Working with one log at a time, remove plastic and cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick-rounds. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies ot rack and cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature.

Russian tea cakes

from Epicurious.com

2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 c butter, room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c finely chopped husked hazelnuts, toasted
powdered sugar for rolling

Sift flour and salt together. using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl until light. Gradually add 1/2 c powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients in three batches. Mix in hazelnuts. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form dough into 1" balls. Space 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again. Store in airtight container for at least a few days.

cranberry orange oatmeal cookies

adapted from several similar recipes to suit our tastes

1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
10 T vegetable shortening (preferably Crisco butter flavor), room temperature
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t orange oil
1 1/3 c old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 c dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two light colored baking sheets.

Stir dry ingredients in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars in large bowl until blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Add egg, vanilla, and orange oil, and mix thoroughly. Stir in flour mixture and just incorporated, then stir in oatmeal an cranberries.

Using a tablespoon or a #50 disher, drop dough onto sheet. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly golden, rotating baking sheets, front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even browning, about 10-13 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

Will keep for several days in airtight container. Should freeze well.

Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries

[these might be the best cookies ever, we highly recommend doubling the recipe]

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (flour should total 6.25 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 cups rolled oats, old-fashioned, (3 1/2 ounces)
1 cup toasted pecans (4 ounces), chopped
1 cup dried tart cherries (5 ounces), chopped coarse
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped into chunks about size of chocolate chips (about 3/4 cup)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces), preferably dark
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.


2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, stir together oats, pecans, cherries, and chocolate.


3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until just incorporated. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.


4. Divide dough evenly into 16 portions, each about 1/4 cup, then roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using hands, gently press each dough ball to 1 inch thickness. Bake both baking sheets 12 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet, and shiny in cracks), 8 to 10 minutes longer. Do not overbake.


5. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Lebkuchen (German Spice Cookies)

1 egg
1 cup honey
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Grated zest from 1 small orange
1-1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
5 teaspoons water1 teaspoon vanilla
In a large bowl, mix first 10 ingredients and 1-1/2 cups of flour. Mix well with wooden spoon, stir in walnuts, orange zest and rest of flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets. Drop heaping
tablespoon, 1/2 inch apart. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick in center
comes out clean. Remove and cool.

In a small bowl, mix confectioner's sugar,
water and vanilla. Brush cookies when dry. Store in container.

chocolate delight cookies

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ c whole-wheat pastry flour
½ c all-purpose flour
½ t baking powder
½ t salt
½ c unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla
48 chocolate-covered almonds (about 1 cup)

Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave on medium in 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst to ensure even melting, until completely melted.

Meanwhile, whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar until well-combined. Add eggs, and vanilla, beat until creamy. Add the melted chocolate; beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Refrigerate the dough until barely chilled, 15 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350º F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Roll tablespooonsful of dough into 1” balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, 2” apart.

Bake the cookies, one batch at a time, until puffed and slightly dried on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press an almond into the center of each cookie. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the pan to cool slightly between batches.

Makes about 48 cookies.

Per cookie: 113cals, 6g fat, 14mg chol, 15g carb, 1g protein, 1g fiber, 33mg sodium

Gramma's coconut macaroons

2 eggs
1/8 t. salt
¾ c. sugar
½ c. flour
1 T. melted butter
2 c. coconut
6 oz. chocolate chips
1 t. grated lemon rind
1 t. vanilla

Beat eggs & salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beat until thick and ivory colored (6-7 minutes). Fold in flour and melted butter, stir in coconut, chips, lemon and vanilla. Drop by teaspoons on lightly greased and floured cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees 12-15 minutes.

pecan shortbread

(from the Barefoot Contessa)

1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c sugar, plus 2 T for sprinkling
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 1/4 ounces whole pecan halves, toasted
2 drops almond extract

Cream together the butter, 1/2 c sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer, until mixture is light in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour, salt, pecans, and almond extract, and mix until combined and the pecans start to break up.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least 1 hour or overnight. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/2" diameter fluted cookie cutters, cut cookies, and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Return to refrigerator 1 hour more. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle cookies with the remaining sugar, and bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.

boiled chocolate cookies

2 c sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 c milk
3 T cocoa
1/2 c peanut butter
2 c quick oats

Combine sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa in a heavy saucepan and boil for 90 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add peanut butter and quick oats and blend well. Drop by spoonfuls quickly onto wax paper and allow to set.