Do you find

yourself making
the same
cookies, from the
same recipes,
every time the
calendar turns to
December?

We get it. Plenty of classics are In the TASTE cookie box, you’ll
classics for a reason, but in TASTE find jewel-like jammers, velveteen
Presents Majestic Cookies, we’re rainbow cookies, and alfajores that
rethinking a few of these old cookie are gilded with banana caramel.
standards. We’re swirling our slice- We’ve assembled some of our favorite
and-bakes with tahini and black treasures from cookie royalty like
sesame. We’re encrusting our Dorie Greenspan, Yotam Ottolenghi,
snickerdoodles with ruby flecks of Molly Yeh, and Margarita Manzke. We
sumac and freeze-dried raspberry. hope you’ll pull out your most regal
We’re gently steering gingerbread in cookie tins, crank that oven to 350°F,
a softly spiced cardamom direction. and bake along with us.

The reason? If you’re going to put —The editors of TASTE

together a box of cookies to give away
to friends and lucky coworkers, why
not make every single one of those
cookies absolutely majestic?
Banana–
Dulce de Leche
Alfajores

In Baking at République, Margarita Manzke

admits that one of her favorite desserts behind the
pastry case at her Los Angeles bakery is a spin on
the alfajor—a South American sandwich cookie
filled with dulce de leche. Jacklyn Yang, Manzke’s
sous chef, takes the caramel filling a step further
and adds bananas, brown sugar, and rum. All
combined, the sweet, rich flavors—reminiscent
of flambéed bananas—are a natural fit and hold
together two soft, delicate butter cookies.

BY MARGARITA MANZKE
4
Banana–Dulce de
Leche Alfajores BY MARGARITA MANZKE

MAKES 8 COOKIES

DULCE DE LECHE ALFAJORES COOKIES

1 (396g / 14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk  1 3⁄4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
BANANA CARAMEL 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
packed 1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 small ripe bananas, mashed 1⁄4 cup cold water
1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Myers’s dark rum
Pinch of fine sea salt

1 To make the dulce de leche: Peel the label off the can of con- 5 Place a large sheet of parchment paper on your work sur-
densed milk and put the can in a deep pot. Pour in enough face. Turn out the dough onto the parchment, and top with
water to cover the can and reach 3 inches from the top of the another large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough
pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then decrease to 1⁄4 inch thick. Transfer the parchment and dough to a
the heat to medium low and cook for 6 hours, periodically baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
checking the pot and adding more water as needed to keep
it at the original level. Using tongs, remove the can from the 6 Lightly flour the work surface. Peel off the top piece of
pot and set it aside to cool overnight. The next day, transfer parchment and invert the dough onto the work surface.
the dulce de leche in the can to a bowl and refrigerate until Remove the second piece of parchment. Reline the baking
ready to use, or for up to 5 days. sheet with parchment.

2 To make the banana caramel: Combine the butter and both 7 Using a 2 1⁄2–inch round cutter, punch out 16 cookies and
sugars in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, place them onto the prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
stirring continuously. When the caramel turns a dark amber
color, turn off the heat and add the bananas, vanilla, rum,
8 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the cookies until the edges
are slightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking
and salt. Turn the heat back to medium and cook the mixture
sheet after 10 minutes to ensure even baking. Remove the
until it’s thickened and has a jam-like consistency, 5 to 8
cookies from the oven and set aside until completely cool.
minutes. Transfer the caramel to a bowl or container and
cool. Transfer it to a pastry bag and keep it chilled in the 9 Separate the cookies into pairs, one for the bottoms of the
refrigerator. sandwich cookies and the other for the tops.

3 To make the alfajores cookies: Sift the flour, cornstarch, 10 Turn over the set of cookie bottoms and pipe a double ring
baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside. of dulce de leche, making sure to stay 1⁄4 inch from the edge
of the cookie. Fill the centers with the banana caramel. Put
4 Place the butter and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a the tops on the cookies, then dust with confectioners’ sugar.
stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and cream
The filled cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to
on medium speed until just combined, but no longer. On low
3 days.
speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the water in
three portions, ending with the water.

NOTE: For the best texture, it’s important not to overmix this dough and not to overbake the cookies—or they will be too crunchy and not
tender. It’s supposed to be a pale cookie, almost white.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM BAKING AT RÉPUBLIQUE BY MARGARITA MANZKE, COPYRIGHT © 2019. PUBLISHED BY
LORENA JONES BOOKS, A DIVISION OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, INC. PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT © KRISTIN TEIG 5
Crunchy
Peanutpepper
Cookies

If your love of cookies tends to hover around the

savory end of the spectrum, then this crunchy,
salty, cayenne-spiked approach to the classic
peanut-butter cookie is the one for you. Samantha
Seneviratne, author of The New Sugar & Spice
and The Joys of Baking, took inspiration from
Hot Mix—a favorite Indian childhood snack made
from peanuts, raisins, and crunchy noodles. For
pure, unadulterated peanut flavor and texture,
she recommends a natural peanut butter like
Smucker’s.

BY SAMANTHA SENEVIRATNE
7
Crunchy Peanutpepper
Cookies
BY SAMANTHA SENEVIRATNE

MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
3⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for pressing
1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter, stirred well
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat

the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour,
salt, cayenne, and baking soda. In a large bowl, stir
the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until
creamy.

2 Stir in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the

flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and stir to
combine. Stir in the peanuts.

3 Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place

them on the prepared sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Using a fork dipped in sugar, gently press a crisscross
pattern in the top of each cookie, flattening it out to a
2-inch circle.

4 Bake until the cookies are light brown around the

edges and on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating
the sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool for 5
minutes on the sheets on racks, then move them to the
racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container
at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer
for 1 month.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE NEW SUGAR & SPICE, BY SAMANTHA SENEVIRATNE, COPYRIGHT © 2015. PUBLISHED
BY TEN SPEED PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 8
Custard Yo-Yos
with Roasted
Rhubarb Icing

These sandwich cookies from Yotam Ottolenghi

and Helen Goh’s Sweet turn a classic Australian
dessert into a soft, buttery vessel for bubblegum-
pink rhubarb icing, sharpened with a bit of lemon.
The dough’s secret ingredient is custard powder—
an instant pudding mix that does triple duty here,
lending the cookie structure, a sunny yellow color,
and a soft, pleasantly artificial vanilla flavor.

BY YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AND HELEN GOH

Custard Yo-Yos with Roasted
Rhubarb Icing BY YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AND HELEN GOH

MAKES 15 COOKIE SANDWICHES

RHUBARB ICING DOUGH

1 small stalk of rhubarb, trimmed, washed, and cut 1 1/3 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus 1
into 1-inch/3-cm lengths  tablespoon for dusting 
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room 1/2 cup custard powder (or cornstarch)
temperature, cubed 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 
½ teaspoon lemon juice 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed 
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon, if using
cornstarch)

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a small baking 5 Pinch off small bits of dough and use your hands to
sheet with parchment paper.  roll them into 1 1/8-inch round balls; you should have
enough dough for 30 balls, about 1/2 oz each.
2 To make the rhubarb icing, spread the rhubarb out
on the lined baking sheet and roast it for 30 minutes, 6 Place dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spaced
or until softened. Remove from the oven and allow to about 1 1/2 inches/4 cm apart. Dip the back prongs of a
cool before transferring to the small bowl of a food small fork in the remaining 1 tablespoon flour before
processor. Process to a puree, then add the butter. Sift gently but firmly pressing down into the middle of
in the confectioners’ sugar, add the lemon juice, and each cookie. The balls will increase to about 1 1/3 inch-
continue to process for a couple of minutes; it seems es wide, but don’t press all the way to the bottom; you
like a long time, but you want it to thicken, which it just want to create firm lines in the dough rather than
will do as it’s whipped. Transfer to a small bowl and force them to spread out.
chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.
(You don’t want the icing to be at all runny, so add a 7 Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway
little more confectioners’ sugar if necessary; it needs through, until the cookies are dry on the bottom but
to hold when sandwiched between the cookies.) The have not taken on too much color. They will be rela-
icing can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in tively fragile when warm but still firm to the touch.
the fridge. Set aside on the baking sheets to cool for 5 minutes
before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
3 To make the dough, sift the flour, custard powder (or
cornstarch), confectioners’ sugar, and salt into the 8 Sandwich pairs of cookies together with the icing,
bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment with the “forked” sides facing outward. You should
in place. Beat on low speed to combine. Add the butter use about 1/2 oz/15 g of icing in each cookie sandwich.
and continue to beat on low speed until the mixture It will seem like a lot, but trust us—the cookies can
resembles breadcrumbs. Add the vanilla extract, take it. Once assembled, the Yo-Yos can be kept for up
increase the speed to medium, and beat for about 30 to 5 days in an airtight container, so long as they are
seconds, until the dough comes together. not anywhere too warm (in which case the icing will
soften).
4 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM SWEET: DESSERTS FROM LONDON’S OTTOLENGHI BY YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AND HELEN
GOH, COPYRIGHT © 2017. PUBLISHED BY TEN SPEED PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 11
Classic
Jammers

From her cookbook Dorie’s Cookies, Dorie

Greenspan transforms the standard thumbprint
cookie into what is, quite literally, the cookie of
her dreams (the idea came to her while she was
sleeping) by adding a ring of crumbly, cinnamony
streusel around the jammy center. Using vanilla
sablé, a classic French shortbread, as its base,
virtually any flavor of jam works—like apricot,
blueberry, or raspberry—for the ultimate buttery,
crumbly cookie.

BY DORIE GREENSPAN
Classic Jammers
BY DORIE GREENSPAN

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

1 recipe French Vanilla Sablé dough (see page 15),

rolled and chilled
About ½ cup thick jam, such as blueberry or
raspberry
1 recipe Use-It-for-Everything Streusel (see page 15),
chilled

1 Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°F.

Butter or spray a regular muffin tin—or two tins, if
you’ve got them. Have a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter
at hand.

2 Working with one sheet of dough at a time, peel away

both pieces of parchment paper and put the dough
back on one piece of paper. Cut the dough and drop
the rounds into the muffin tin(s). Save the scraps from
both pieces of dough, then gather them together, re-
roll, chill, and cut. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t
completely fill the molds—it will once it’s baked.

3 Spoon about ½ teaspoon jam onto the center of each

cookie. Spoon or sprinkle streusel around the edges
of each cookie—you want to cover the surface of the
dough but leave the jam bare.

4 Bake the cookies for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the

tin(s) after 11 minutes, or until the streusel and the
edges of the cookies are golden brown; the jam may
bubble, and that’s fine. Leave the cookies in the tin(s)
for about 15 minutes before transferring them to a
rack to cool.

5 Repeat with the remaining dough, making certain that

the tins are cool.

14
FRENCH VANILLA SABLÉS 1 Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
Makes 30 cookies attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat
the butter, both sugars, and the salt on medium speed
for about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. The
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room
mixture should be smooth but not fluffy. Reduce the
temperature mixer speed to low and, one by one, beat in the yolks,
½ cup sugar followed by the vanilla. Turn off the mixer, add the
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted flour all at once, and pulse the mixer until the risk of
½ teaspoon fine sea salt flying flour has passed. With the machine on low, mix
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature just until the flour disappears into the dough. Give the
dough a couple of turns with a sturdy, flexible spatula.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it in
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling half. Gather each piece into a ball and shape it into a
disk.

3 Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the

dough ¼-inch thick between pieces of parchment.
Slide the parchment-sandwiched dough onto a baking
sheet—you can stack the slabs—and freeze for at least
1 hour, or refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

USE-IT-FOR-EVERYTHING STREUSEL 1 You can make the streusel by hand or in a mixer. I

Makes about 1½ cups prefer to use a stand mixer, but fingers are fine. Whisk
the flour, both sugars, the cinnamon, and the salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour together in the mixer bowl or in a large bowl. Drop in
the cubes of cold butter and toss all the ingredients
3 tablespoons sugar
together with your fingers until the butter is coated.
1 tablespoon brown sugar If you’re working with a mixer, fit it with the paddle
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon attachment and mix on medium-low speed until the
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ingredients form moist, clumpy crumbs. When you
5½ tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes squeeze the streusel, it should hold together. Reach-
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ing this stage takes longer than you think it will—you
might have to mix for 10 minutes or more.

2 Sprinkle over the vanilla and mix until blended. Or,

if you’re working by hand, squeeze, mash, mush, or
otherwise rub everything together until you have a
bowlful of moist clumps and curds. Squeeze the streu-
sel and it will hold together. Sprinkle over the vanilla
and toss to blend.

3 Pack the streusel into a covered container and re-

frigerate for at least 1 hour (3 hours would be better)
before using.

USE-IT-FOR-EVERYTHING STREUSEL IS EXCERPTED FROM DORIE’S COOKIES © 2016 BY DORIE GREENSPAN. PHOTOGRAPHY ©
2016 BY DAVID LUCIANO. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 15
Strawberry
Pink-and-Black
Cookies

Black-and-white cookies are the one dessert that

truly channels the no-nonsense attitude of New
Yorkers—the city of its origin. There’s no dainty
piping involved, no careful placing of sprinkles or
toppings—just two elegant, side-by-side swipes of
chocolate and vanilla icing. In this spin, Adrianna
Adarme, the blogger behind A Cozy Kitchen, tinges
the cookie and one of the glazes pink with a little
bit of strawberry puree that gives both a bright,
fruity contrast to the chocolate glaze.

BY ADRIANNA ADARME
Strawberry Pink-and-Black
Cookies BY ADRIANNA ADARME

MAKES 8 COOKIES

COOKIES PINK GLAZE

5 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and halved 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour  1 tablespoon strawberry puree
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt BLACK GLAZE
2 large eggs 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup white granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 cup whole milk 1 tablespoon whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room
temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with 6 To make the pink glaze, whisk together 1/2 cup pow-
parchment paper.  dered sugar and 1 tablespoon of strawberry puree
until smooth and thick. 
2 Add the strawberries to the bowl of a food processor
and pulse until they’re smooth and resemble a watery 7 To make the black glaze, whisk together the powdered
puree. Using a measuring cup, measure out 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, and heavy cream until smooth.
of puree. A few tablespoons of the strawberry puree Flip over all of the cookies and smear the chocolate
should remain. Transfer it to a small bowl and set it on half of each cookie. Ice the remaining half of each
aside to use when making the glaze.  cookie with the strawberry frosting, and let the frost-
ing set. Store the cookies in an airtight container.
3 In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose
flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 

4 In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar

until smooth. Pour in the strawberry puree and milk,
and whisk to combine. Whisk in the melted butter and
vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, and stir to form
a smooth dough, being sure not to overmix. 

5 Using a 2-ounce cookie dough scoop, drop 5 to 6 cook-

ies per pan, spacing them 3 inches apart. The batter
should spread upon hitting the baking sheet; you may
need to use an offset spatula or butter knife to flat-
ten the cookie dough slightly until it’s about 1/4 inch
thick. Bake the cookies until the edges are light brown
and the center is soft, about 12 to 14 minutes. Gently
transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat until
you’ve worked through all the cookie dough. 

18
Matcha, Red
Bean, and
Almond Rainbow
Cookies

A truly great rainbow cookie condenses three

delicate layers of moist almond cake into a bite-
size treat with a crackly, paper-thin chocolate
encasing. In this spin, blogger and host of Girl
Meets Farm Molly Yeh rethinks the format with a
layer of grassy green matcha cake and an auburn
layer made with red bean paste. It’s all threaded
together with a soft almond flavor and the classic
dark chocolate finish.

BY MOLLY YEH
Matcha, Red Bean, and Almond
Rainbow Cookies BY MOLLY YEH

MAKES 16 COOKIES

3 large eggs, separated 1/4 cup fine red bean paste

2 tablespoons sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar red food coloring
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 tablespoons apricot or raspberry jam
6 ounces almond paste, chopped 4 ounces dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons matcha powder

1 Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease three 8-inch-by-4- 2 loaf pans, spread them out evenly, and then bake
inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper them until the tops are just set and a toothpick insert-
that comes at least 2 inches up the sides of the pan— ed into the center comes out clean. Begin checking
these little wings will help you lift the cookie out of for doneness at 12 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5
the pan. If you don’t have 3 loaf pans, you can bake the minutes, then lift them out and place them on a wire
layers in batches. rack to cool completely.

2 In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with 5 Stack the loaves up with 1 1/2 tablespoons jam between
a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, each layer. Wrap the loaf firmly in plastic wrap, weigh
and then, with the mixer running on medium, gradu- it down with a couple of heavy cookbooks, and refrig-
ally add the 2 tablespoons sugar. Increase the speed to erate it for at least 2 hours or overnight.
medium high and beat to stiff peaks. Set them aside.
6 Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or by micro-
3 In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted waving it for 30-second increments, stirring after
with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, each, until it’s smooth. Remove it from heat and stir
almond paste, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar on continuously until it is no longer hot. Spread it over
medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 min- the top and sides of the cake loaf and stick it in the
utes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the yolks, refrigerator to firm up for about 15 minutes. Cut into 1”
one at a time, beating well after each is added. Beat in slices and then cut each of those slices in half to make
the lemon juice and almond extract, then reduce the 16 cookies. Store at room temperature in an airtight
speed to medium low and gradually add the flour. Mix container.
to combine.

4 Use a rubber spatula to fold in the egg whites. Transfer

a third of the mixture to one of the loaf pans, and use
a small offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Transfer
another third of the mixture to a separate bowl, and
fold in the matcha powder. Fold the red bean paste
and a couple of drops of red food coloring into the
remaining third. Transfer these into the remaining

21
Raspberry
Sumac
Snickerdoodle

With her new cookbook, Weeknight Baking,

Michelle Lopez of the blog Hummingbird High is
on a mission to prove that baking doesn’t have to
be a sprawling weekend project. To that point, this
snickerdoodle dough comes together with a stand
mixer in less than 10 minutes, and the dramatic
red coating is as easy as blitzing some freeze-
dried raspberries for a couple of minutes with a
few pinches of citrusy sumac. You can easily order
freeze-dried raspberries online or pick up a bag at
Trader Joe’s.

BY MICHELLE LOPEZ
Raspberry Sumac
Snickerdoodle BY MICHELLE LOPEZ

RASPBERRY SUMAC TOPPING SNICKERDOODLES

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries, finely 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
processed 1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground sumac 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat 5 Use a 3-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion the
the oven to 400°F. Line two half-sheet pans with cookie dough into balls. Roll each in the raspberry
parchment paper. sumac topping, covering them completely. Place the
coated cookies at least 3 inches apart on the prepared
2 Prepare or place the raspberry sumac topping in a sheet pans. Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes, or
shallow bowl. until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey.
The cookies will look puffed when you pull them out
3 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of of the oven, but they will fall and crack into perfect
tartar, baking soda, and salt.
snickerdoodles as they cool. Cool the cookies on the
4 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges
attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to
medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and doubled the touch. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough
in volume, 2 to 3 minutes, using a rubber spatula (or freeze it to bake later). Serve warm or at room
to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as temperature. The cookies can be stored in an airtight
necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up
eggs one at a time, adding the next egg only after the to 3 days.
previous one has been fully incorporated. Add the
vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the
bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low
speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat un-
til just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides
of the bowl once more, and beat on low speed for an
additional 30 seconds.

24
Spiced
Cardamom
Cookies

These simple, warmly spiced cookies from Martha

Stewart’s Cookie Perfection skips the cookie
cutters and royal icing decorations for a charming
wood-grain finish, thanks to a faux-bois (fake
wood) pastry mat. (If you don’t own one, any
textured surface for your rolling pin will do.)
The dough calls for a wintry blend of cardamom,
allspice, cloves, and black pepper, giving these
snackable cookies a hint of subtle spice.

BY MARTHA STEWART
Spiced Cardamom
Cookies BY MARTHA STEWART

MAKES 5 DOZEN COOKIES

5 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
for dusting 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon coarse salt 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon ground cardamom 1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at
room temperature

1 In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda,

salt, cardamom, allspice, pepper, and cloves. Place
butter in another large bowl. In a large saucepan,
bring both sugars, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to
a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot sugar
mixture over butter. With an electric mixer on low,
beat until combined.

2 Add cream, egg, and vanilla, and with mixer on me-

dium, beat until well combined. Turning mixer to low,
gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incor-
porated. Shape dough into 3 disks and wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to over-
night (or freeze up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator
before using).

3 Preheat oven to 350°F. Working with one disk at a

time, roll out between lightly floured parchment to
1/8inch thickness. Place a lightly floured faux-bois mat
on dough, pattern side down. With rolling pin, lightly
roll over mat to imprint dough. Carefully remove mat.
Transfer dough on parchment to a baking sheet and
refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat with
remaining disks.

4 Using a sharp paring knife, cut out shapes to mimic

wood chips about 1 1/2 by 3 inches. Transfer cookies to
parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1
inch apart. Roll out and cut scraps once. Bake cookies
until edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotat-
ing sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks and
let cool. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container
at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)

REPRINTED FROM MARTHA STEWART’S COOKIE PERFECTION. COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA,
INC. PUBLISHED BY CLARKSON POTTER, AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 27
Tahini–Black
Sesame Spiral
Shortbreads

When Boston chef and baker Joanne Chang

attended Harvard in the ’90s, she began selling
chocolate chip cookies to fellow students on a
whim. Her recipe, a hacked version of the recipe
on the Toll House chocolate chip package, was an
instant hit with classmates, and it launched the
former math whiz kid into a career in professional
cookie recipe development (with some restaurants,
bakeries, and popular cookbooks sprouting up
along the way).

These spiral shortbreads, from Chang’s book

Pastry Love, are an ode to those who prefer their
cookies on the less sweet side. Chang originally
started playing around with tahini as a possible
substitute for peanut butter. The result is this
buttery, rich shortbread. The black sesame version
is slightly stronger tasting: Swirled together, they
make a beautiful, simple cookie that goes well
with tea. If you prefer smaller cookies, roll the
shortbreads starting from the wide edge of the
sheets of dough rather than the narrow edge.

BY JOANNE CHANG
Tahini–Black Sesame Spiral
Shortbreads BY JOANNE CHANG

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN LARGE COOKIES

Tahini Shortbread (see page 31) 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Black Sesame Shortbread (see page 31) 3 tablespoons sanding sugar
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds

1 Using a rolling pin, carefully roll the tahini shortbread firm up. Every 15 minutes, remove it from the refrig-
between the two sheets of parchment paper into a erator to reroll it (still in the parchment) so it sets into
rectangle roughly 10 inches wide from side to side, 15 a nice, round shape. The first few times you do this, it
inches long from top to bottom, and just under ½ an won’t really hold its shape, but it will start to flatten.
inch thick. Set the dough aside. It will firm up and stay more and more in the desired
shape as it chills; after about 3 hours, it should hold its
2 Carefully roll the black sesame shortbread into a rect- shape fully. (At this point, the spiral shortbread can
angle similar in size to the tahini shortbread, about be stored in the refrigerator, well wrapped, for up to
10x15 inches. Place both doughs on baking sheets and 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If frozen,
refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up (so you can remove from the freezer 24 hours before using and let
move them easily). defrost in the refrigerator overnight.)

3 Decide if you want larger or smaller cookies. For larg- 6 For smaller cookies: Use the instructions above, but
er cookies: Remove the doughs from the fridge and orient the sheets of dough so that they are wider from
orient both so they are 10 inches wide from side to side side to side than they are long from top to bottom;
and 15 inches long from top to bottom. Peel off the top offset the black sesame sheet from the tahini sheet by
piece of parchment from the tahini dough. Then peel about ½ an inch and proceed as directed, rolling the
off the top piece of parchment from the black sesame sheets together into a longer and skinnier roll.
dough and quickly invert it directly onto the tahini
dough, but about ½ inch offset from the top; i.e., the 7 Preheat the oven to 325°F and place racks in the center
black sesame sheet should be about ½ inch further and bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets
from you than the tahini sheet, so that you can see the with parchment paper.
tahini sheet peeking out from under the black sesa-
me sheet. Peel the parchment from the black sesame 8 Combine the white and black sesame seeds and sugar
dough. Let the dough sandwich come to room tem- in a small bowl. Pour the sesame-sugar mixture out
perature so it will be easy to roll, 10 to 15 minutes. onto a flat plate or rimmed baking sheet, and roll the
dough around in it until it is totally coated, pressing
4 Orient the dough sheet so that the shorter edge is par- the dough into the seeds to help them adhere. Slice
allel to the edge of the work surface and the exposed the dough into ¼-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices flat,
tahini dough is furthest from you. Fold the exposed about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.
top ½ inch of tahini shortbread directly over onto the
black sesame dough. Lift up the parchment under the 9 Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, rotating the baking sheets
tahini sheet and use it to fold the dough toward you, and switching their positions midway through the
nudging the shortbread to roll it into a 10-inch-wide baking time, until the cookies are medium golden
log; keep rolling the doughs together like a jelly roll. brown on the edges, light gold in the centers, and
baked all the way through.
5 When the log is rolled up completely, gently roll it
back and forth to tighten up the spiral. Enclose the roll 10 Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1
with parchment and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to week.

30
TAHINI SHORTBREAD 1 In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix
¾ cup / 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed
¾ cup sugar for 3–4 minutes, until super light and fluffy. Stop the
mixer from time to time and scrape the paddle and
⅔ cup tahini (white sesame paste)
bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the butter
1 large egg, at room temperature is mixing with the sugar. Add the tahini and beat on
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract medium for another 30 seconds, until the tahini is
2 cups all-purpose flour combined into the butter and sugar. Add the egg and
1 teaspoon kosher salt vanilla and mix on medium for another 30 seconds to
combine. Add the flour and salt and mix on low, just
until the flour is completely mixed in, 10 to 15 seconds
more. Scrape the paddle and the bottom of the bowl
and give another mix to make sure the dough is homo-
geneous. Scrape the dough onto a piece of parchment
paper, flatten it into a rough square, and top it with
another piece of parchment. Use immediately.

BLACK SESAME SHORTBREAD 1 In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment,

¾ cup / 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed
¾ cup sugar for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is super light and
fluffy. Stop the mixer from time to time and scrape
⅔ cup black sesame paste (look for this in Asian grocery
the paddle and bowl with a rubber spatula to make
stores or online—black sesame seeds should be the only sure all the butter is mixing with the sugar. Add the
ingredient listed) black sesame paste and beat on medium for anoth-
1 large egg (about 50 grams), at room temperature er 30 seconds, until the paste is combined into the
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on
2 cups all-purpose flour medium for another 30 seconds to combine. Add the
flour and salt and mix on low, just until the flour is
1 teaspoon kosher salt
completely mixed in, 10 to 15 seconds more. Scrape the
paddle and the bottom of the bowl and give another
mix to make sure the dough is homogeneous. Scrape
the dough onto a piece of parchment paper, flatten it
into a rough square, and top it with another piece of
parchment. Use immediately.

TAHINI–BLACK SESAME SPIRAL SHORTBREADS IS EXCERPTED FROM PASTRY LOVE: A BAKER’S JOURNAL OF FAVORITE RECIPES
© 2019 BY JOANNE CHANG. PHOTOGRAPHY © 2019 BY KRISTEN TEIG. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
HARCOURT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 31
Chocolate Malted
Oatmeal Cookies
with Salted
Peanuts

The oatmeal cookie is polarizing. Well, when

raisins are involved, there’s a whole camp of
people who run away from that plate as quickly
as possible. But what about oatmeal and . . .
malt? Haters are likely not going to hate. Malt is
having a moment in the collective home-baking
consciousness, and this inventive recipe from Joy
Wilson (of Joy the Baker fame) uses malted milk
powder in an inventive way.

BY JOY WILSON
Chocolate Malted Oatmeal Cookies
with Salted Peanuts BY JOY WILSON

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES

2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats 2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup whole milk
¾ cup malted milk powder 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
1 teaspoon baking soda 1½ cups chopped salted peanuts
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar

1 Put racks in the center and upper third of the oven

and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets
with parchment paper.

2 In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, malted

milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3 In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,

beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed
until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Add the eggs one at
a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each
addition. Reduce the speed to medium low and slowly
add the milk, then the vanilla. Mix until well com-
bined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually
add the oat mixture, mixing until barely combined.
Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips and
peanuts.

4 Scoop the cookie dough, about 2 tablespoons per

cookie, onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about
2 inches between each cookie. Bake until they are just
set and golden around the edges, about 12 minutes.
Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then
transfer to wire racks to cool completely. The cookies
will keep in an airtight container at room temperature
for up to 4 days.

REPRINTED FROM JOY THE BAKER HOMEMADE DECADENCE. COPYRIGHT © 2014 BY JOY THE BAKER. PHOTOGRAPHS
COPYRIGHT © 2014 BY JOY WILSON. PUBLISHED BY CLARKSON POTTER, AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 34
The New
Linzer

When we reached out to Ovenly cofounder and

entrepreneur Erin Patinkin for her ideas on a new
classic cookie, there was one that jumped out first:
the linzer, in all its jammy, sandwichy glory. Here,
Patinkin and her business partner, Agatha Kulaga,
rethink the sandwich portion with a cookie spiced
with cinnamon and cardamom. “Agatha and I
created this cookie because it was the perfect
intersection of so many of the buttery, jammy
cookies we ate growing up with Eastern European
grandparents (me) and parents (Agatha),” says
Patinkin of the cookie’s inspiration. This recipe
also features a good bit of black pepper, which
pairs great with the fruity jam filling. “They also
make awesome gifts—put them in a box, wrap it
with a bow.” And, voilà. The best edible gift your
oven can bake.

BY AGATHA KULAGA AND ERIN PATINKIN

The New Linzer
BY AGATHA KULAGA AND ERIN PATINKIN

MAKES 40 COOKIES

DOUGH FILLING
1 cup whole nuts of your choice (walnuts and pecans work 2 cups Quick & Easy Berry Jam (see page 38)
great)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 4 rimmed sheet pans with 8 Cut the dough with a 2-inch circular cookie cutter (or
parchment paper. choose your favorite festive one) and place the cutouts
1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet (about 12 per
2 Toast the nuts on a rimmed sheet pan for 10 minutes, pan).
then let cool. Grind the nuts in a food processor until
they form a fine meal. Dump into a bowl. Leave the 9 Re-flour your surface. Incorporate the scraps from
oven on. the first piece of dough into the second piece. Roll it
out, and cut more cookies. Repeat with the last piece
3 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, zest, and of dough. (If you have room in your freezer, freeze
spices.  cookie sheets for 10 minutes—they’ll keep their shape
better; if not, go ahead and bake.)
4 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle at-
tachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and 10 Bake the cookies until they are light golden brown,
confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until soft and 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and cool the
light, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ground nuts and mix on whole sheet on a cooling rack. Do not remove the
low for 30 seconds. cookies from the sheet until they are cooled.

5 Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the flour 11 While the cookies bake and cool, prepare the filling. 
mixture with a large rubber spatula, mixing until
combined. 12 Turn half of the cookies upside down so that the flat
side is facing upward. Put a heaping teaspoon of the
6 Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work sur- filling on each of the upturned cookies, then top with
face and, using a bench knife, divide into 3 pieces. Set remaining cookies (bottom side down).
2 aside and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

7 Flour one of the pieces of dough and gently roll it

out into a circle with 1/4-inch thickness. The dough
may seem dry, so you may have to press any cracks or
crevices with your fingers. However, don’t worry—the
dough will bake beautifully. 

37
QUICK & EASY BERRY JAM 1 Place the berries, honey, and salt in a medium sauce-
2 pounds fresh or frozen berries of your choice  pan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly
1/4 cup honey to prevent burning, about 4 minutes or until juices
begin to bubble and release.
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of one lemon or 1/2 an orange 2 Once the berries begin to sweat, turn the heat to high.
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat to low and
simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally until
jam is thick. Remove from heat and stir in zest and
vanilla extract.

3 Let cool before using.

38
Pistachio
Orange
Biscotti

Biscotti have developed a bad reputation thanks

to the enormous, stale, dusty versions that tend to
be served at coffee shops. Next time you’re looking
for something a little sweet and a little nutty to
dip into that morning espresso or to eat alongside
that after-dinner digestivo, try these zested-up,
pistachio-jeweled cookies. Sliced thinly and twice
baked, they are the perfect crisp, delicate end for a
meal—whether that meal is breakfast or dinner.

BY LAURIE ELLEN PELLICANO

Pistachio Orange
Biscotti BY LAURIE ELLEN PELLICANO

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 120 COOKIES, 3”X ¼”

1 cup (200g) sugar

2 tablespoons orange, tangelo, or tangerine zest (from
2–4 fruits)
2 ¼ cups (320g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (100g)
1 stick / ½ cup (112g) butter, melted
1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as curaçao or triple sec
1 ½ cups (200g) pistachios
1 egg white

1 Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with 7 In a small bowl, whisk your egg white until frothy, and
parchment paper or brush with additional butter. brush all over the surface. This will also help smooth
things out.
2 In a large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with
your hands until the sugar has the texture of wet sand 8 Bake for 28–32 minutes, until your log is firm to the
and is tinted bright orange, and your entire room is touch and golden brown all over, rotating once after
perfumed with citrus. 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, but leave your
oven on.
3 In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, bak-
ing powder, and salt. Set aside. 9 Let cookie logs cool slightly, about 10–15 minutes.
While still warm, transfer each log to a cutting board
4 Add the eggs to the citrus sugar and whisk to combine. to slice, using an offset serrated knife at a slight angle
Add about half the butter, whisking slowly so as not and a sawing motion, into ¼-inch cookies. Lay your
to splash, then incorporate the remaining butter. The cookies flat on 2 unlined sheet pans. Note: You can
mixture should look smooth and glossy. crowd these trays as much as possible, as baking the
cookies at this point is for texture, and they will not
rise or spread.
5 Add the reserved flour mixture all at once, channel
your inner Italian grandma, and stir until halfway
combined with a wooden spoon. Add your pistachios 10 Bake cookies for 6 minutes. Remove trays from
and continue stirring the dough until no streaks of oven, flip cookies over, and bake for an additional 3–6
flour remain and the dough looks soft but uniform. minutes to evenly brown. At this point, you are baking
the cookies to crisp up. Trust your eyes and your nose.
6 Fill a small bowl of water and divide your dough into
3 even pieces. Form each piece into logs widthwise 11 Remove cookies from oven, let cool on trays, and
across your baking sheet, about 2x10 inches, spacing store in a container with a tight-fitting lid such as a
each a few inches apart and a few inches from the cookie tin or a Mason jar for up to 1 month. Biscotti get
edge. Use a little water to help keep your hands from better with age.
sticking to the dough while forming. Don’t worry
about making the log perfectly even and rounded—a
little character is nice.

41
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