The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (296 page)

MAKES ABOUT 48 COOKIES

Natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but we found that Dutch-processed yields the best chocolate flavor. Espresso powder provides complexity, but instant coffee can be substituted in a pinch. The cookies are refined enough to serve plain, although a dusting of sifted confectioners’ sugar or chocolate glaze is a nice touch.

COOKIES

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE GLAZE (OPTIONAL)

1. FOR THE COOKIES:
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso; stir until mixture forms smooth paste. Set aside to cool, 15 to 20 minutes.

2.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix remaining 16 tablespoons butter, sugar, salt, and cooled cocoa mixture on high speed until well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl once or twice with rubber spatula. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. With mixer running on low, add flour in 3 additions, waiting until each addition is incorporated before adding next and scraping down bowl after each addition. Continue to mix until dough forms cohesive ball, about 5 seconds. Turn dough onto counter; divide into three 4-inch disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm yet malleable, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Alternatively, shape dough into log, about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter; use parchment paper to roll into neat cylinder and twist ends to seal. Chill until very firm and cold, at least 1 hour.)

3.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll ³⁄
₁₆
inch thick between 2 large sheets parchment paper. If dough becomes soft and sticky, slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

4.
Peel parchment from 1 side of dough and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters; place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (For cylinder-shaped dough, simply slice cookies ¹⁄
₄
inch thick and place on prepared baking sheets.) Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies show slight resistance to touch, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking; if cookies begin to darken on edges, they have overbaked. (Dough scraps can be patted together, chilled, and rerolled once.) Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Decorate as desired.

5. FOR THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL):
Melt bittersweet chocolate with butter in heatproof bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water; whisk until smooth. Add corn syrup and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and shiny. Use back of spoon to spread scant 1 teaspoon glaze almost to edge of each cookie. (If necessary, reheat to prolong fluidity of glaze.) Allow glazed cookies to dry at least 20 minutes.

Replace vanilla extract with 2 teaspoons mint extract. Glaze cookies with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze and dry as directed. Melt 1 cup white chocolate chips and drizzle over glazed cookies. Let dry at least 20 minutes before serving.

In medium skillet over medium heat, toast ¹⁄
₂
cup sliced almonds, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¹⁄
₈
teaspoon cayenne until fragrant, about 3 minutes; set aside to cool. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process cooled mixture until very fine, about 15 seconds. Whisk nut-spice mixture into flour before adding flour to dough in step 2. Proceed with recipe, rolling dough into log. Roll chilled log in ¹⁄
₂
cup raw or sanding sugar before slicing.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Baking holiday cookies should be a fun endeavor, but so often it’s an exercise in frustration. The dough clings to the rolling pin, it rips and tears as it’s rolled out, and moving the dough in and out of the fridge to make it easier to work with turns a simple one-hour process into a half-day project. We wanted a simple recipe that would yield a forgiving, workable dough, producing cookies that would be sturdy enough to decorate yet tender enough to be worth eating. Our first realization was that we had to use enough butter to stay true to the nature of a butter cookie but not so much that the dough became greasy. All-purpose flour had enough gluten to provide structure, while superfine sugar provided a fine, even crumb and a compact, crisp cookie. A surprise ingredient—cream cheese—gave the cookies flavor and richness without altering their texture.

See “MAKING JAM SANDWICHES” illustrations that follow recipe.

See “MAKING CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BAR COOKIES WITH HAZELNUTS” illustrations that follow recipe.

MAKES ABOUT 38 COOKIES

If you cannot find superfine sugar, process granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. If desired, the cookies can be finished with sprinkles or other decorations immediately after glazing.

COOKIES

GLAZE

1. FOR THE COOKIES:
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, and salt at 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 to 2 minutes longer. Beat in cream cheese and vanilla until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.

2.
Knead dough by hand in bowl, 2 to 3 turns, until it forms large, cohesive mass. Transfer dough to counter and divide it into 2 even pieces. Press each piece into 4-inch disk, wrap disks in plastic, and refrigerate until dough is firm but malleable, about 30 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in refrigerator before using.)

3.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll ¹⁄
₈
inch thick between 2 large sheets of parchment paper; slide rolled dough, still on parchment, onto baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

4.
Working with 1 sheet of dough at a time, peel parchment from 1 side of dough and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters; place cookies 1¹⁄
₂
inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. (Dough scraps can be patted together, chilled, and rerolled once.) Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

5. FOR THE GLAZE:
Whisk cream cheese and 2 tablespoons milk together in medium bowl until combined and no lumps remain. Add confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth, adding remaining 1 tablespoon milk as needed until glaze is thin enough to spread easily. Using back of spoon, drizzle or spread scant teaspoon of glaze onto each cooled cookie. Allow glazed cookies to dry at least 30 minutes.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

1.
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough between hands into 1-inch balls. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1¹⁄
₂
inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are lightly browned, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

2.
Dip tops of cookies into glaze and scrape off excess, then dip them into coconut. Place cookies on wire rack and let stand until glaze sets, about 20 minutes.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

Turbinado sugar is commonly sold as Sugar in the Raw. Demerara sugar, sanding sugar, or another coarse sugar can be substituted.

1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds from 1 piece of rolled dough and place on one prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake until cookies are light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

2.
Sprinkle second piece of rolled dough evenly with sugar. Using 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds of sugar-sprinkled dough. Using ³⁄
₄
-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers of sugared rounds. Bake and cool the cookies as directed in step 1, using second prepared baking sheet.

3.
Spread 1 teaspoon jam on top of each solid cookie, then cover with cut-out cookie. Let filled cookies stand until set, about 30 minutes.

MAKES ABOUT 50 COOKIES

1.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Press dough evenly onto prepared sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.

2.
Immediately after removing baking sheet from oven, sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips; let stand to melt, about 3 minutes.

3.
Spread chocolate into even layer, then sprinkle chopped hazelnuts evenly over chocolate. Let cool on wire rack until just warm, 15 to 20 minutes.

4.
Using pizza wheel, cut on diagonal into 1¹⁄
₂
-inch diamonds. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely.