side only. Place the cookies, sugar side up, on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container.
Morsels
If your cornmeal is
medium or coarse ground,
give it a whirl in the
food processor.
Citrus Glitters
Pignoli Almond Cookies
PIGNOLI ALMOND COOKIES
MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES
RICH, BUTTERY ALMOND FLAVOR, a dense chewy center, and a sprinkle of pine nuts make these Italian bakery-inspired cookies special. Pignoli cookies are holiday favorites, too, so include a batch at your next big-time cookie swap. Make sure to use only almond paste and not marzipan here; we like the almond paste that comes in a handy foil-wrapped tube, but any kind will do the trick.
7 ounces almond paste, sliced into
1-inch cubes
A pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup nonhydrogenated margarine,
softened
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup pine nuts
2 to 3 tablespoons almond milk for
dipping
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two medium-size baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Pulse almond paste, salt, baking powder, and ⅓ cup of the sugar in a food processor until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and remaining ⅓ cup sugar with an electric mixer until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the almond paste mixture and almond extract and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour and beat until a slightly crumbly yet soft dough forms.
4. Pour the pine nuts into a shallow bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of almond milk into a small saucer. For each cookie scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it in your palms to form into a ball. Dip one end of the ball in the almond milk and press this moistened end into pine nuts. If necessary, use your fingers to press the pine nuts into the dough. Place the dough balls, pine nut side up, on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 14 minutes until cookies have puffed and spread a little and the nuts are just slightly toasted. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before carefully transferring them to wire racks. Store in a tightly covered container.
Morsels
These cookies are
super-soft right out of the oven,
so be sure to allow them a full
5 minutes to firm up on the
cookie sheet before transferring
to wire racks to complete
cooling.
OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHERE OR HOW these humble ingredients came together to form the power couple of the cookie world, but we’ll just have to chalk it up as one of life’s happy little miracles. Some people prefer a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie and some prefer crunchy, so here’s a little secret: 10 minutes in the oven will get you your chewy cookies and 12 minutes will get you your crunchies.
⅓ cup soy milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups quick-cooking oats
½ cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together the soy milk and flax seeds. Add in the sugar and oil and mix until it resembles caramel, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Sift in the flour, spices, and salt, mixing the dry ingredients as they are being added. Fold in the oatmeal and raisins.
3. Drop dough in generous tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets. Flatten the tops a bit, since they don’t spread much. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in a
Celine Roberts
Gavin Deas
Guy Gavriel Kay
Donna Shelton
Joan Kelly
Shelley Pearsall
Susan Fanetti
William W. Johnstone
Tim Washburn
Leah Giarratano