Honey Spritz Cookies

I really wasn’t planning on baking spritz cookies this year. I’ve made them several times already, and they aren’t exactly the most flavorful cookie around. A big plus for spritz cookies is that you get a ton of them from one recipe, which is handy if you’ve got plenty of cookie eaters around, and they are pretty which makes them a good choice for gift baskets.

I got Food Network’s December issue last month, and found this recipe. Honey Spritz Cookies sounded good to me, they were definitely going to taste better than the regular kind, I thought. I was right. The added honey makes them bake to a deeper caramel color than you would get from the regular kind, and you do taste and smell the honey in there. These would probably taste even better if you drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate on top… if you have the time. I opted for a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon.

Helga

Honey Spritz Cookies

Yield: About 60-70 cookies
Recipe from Food Network

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coarse sugar and/or nonpareils, for decorating (optional)

Procedure:

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the egg, honey and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated (the dough will be soft).
Fill a cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer’s instructions; press out the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets.
Decorate the cookies with coarse sugar and/or nonpareils. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until the cookies are just golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

05:51 PM
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- Baking, christmas, cookies, holidays, honey, spritz
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Gingerbread Cookies: Take 2

Whatever cookies I plan to bake for Christmas, Gingerbread Cookies are always on the list. They are mandatory. I used the recipe we shared last year for Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies but changed the decorating style, and also tweaked the recipe a tiny bit. The original recipe asks for 2/3 cups molasses. I used half the amount of molasses and completed the 2/3 cup with honey. I will bake them this way from now on, the added honey makes them smell and taste even better!

I used white royal icing for the decorations, and little M&M type candies.

I noticed I didn’t provide this tip on the recipe last year. After you take the dough out of the refrigerator to start rolling it, you do need to apply quite a lot of flour to prevent it from sticking. Otherwise, cutting out the shapes is impossible. I dusted quite a bit of flour on my counter, placed the dough on top and dusted with flour heavily on top of the dough as well. I had to do this about 3 times before my dough became workable. Cutting out shapes was a breeze after that. Also, divide the dough into two, and keep half in the refrigerator while you cut out shapes from the other half. This also helps.

05:40 PM
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- christmas, cookies, decoration, gingerbread, royal icing
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Classic Shortbread Cookies

If you have a Sugar Cookie fan at home, these Classic Shortbread Cookies are going to be a hit. Since I made the cookie dough ahead of time, it was just a matter of thawing it correctly (moved down from the freezer to the fridge overnight) and baking them the morning of Christmas eve. I popped them in the oven, and as soon as they started baking my dad came around and got their scent. He thought that they were regular Sugar Cookies! But by the time he tried them, he was hooked! I have to say that these cookies have been one of the best ones I’ve baked – and the ones that I’ve got great feedback from too.

Shortbread Cookies

Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Holiday Shortbread Cookies
Yield: Makes 24-30, depending on the size

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup coarse or sanding sugar (optional), for decorating

Directions:

In a food processor, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt; process until smooth.
Add flour and pulse just until combined.
Form dough into an 8-inch-long round or square log; wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip edges in sugar if desired or add Christmas colored sprinkles, and transfer to two baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets.
Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.