#52. Caramel Cinnamon Pecan Bites

I was a bit skimpy with the caramel glaze in the first batch because the cookies are sufficiently moist as is; however, feel free to add an extra ladle (and grab some extra napkins) if you want a better syrup to cookie ratio.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup chopped sugar-glazed pecans

• caramel sundae topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine the 3 tablespoons white sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Blend dark brown sugar and white sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Add butter and blend until grainy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until light and fluffy.

4. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to sugar mixture, mixing at low speed just long enough to combine. Mix in glazed pecans.

5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, then roll each ball into cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place cookies on cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool completely. Drizzle caramel topping over cookies.

#47. Pillsbury Blitz, Part I: Sugar Cookie Truffles

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part I: Sugar Cookie Chocolate Truffles

Confession: These are aren’t my favorite type of truffles. I prefer this variety:

And while those that know me, know that I would, with minimal prompting, eating a whole savory truffle by itself, the sweet kind are infinitely more poppable. (And actually less likely to give me a sick stomach.)

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies 

• Chocolate-flavored candy coating

• Festive sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Shape each cookie into a ball; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

3. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown (center of cookies will be soft).

4. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Shape each cookie into a ball. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes or until completely cooled and firm.

5. Line a third (cool!) baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WATER IN BOWL OR CHOCOLATE WILL SEIZE.

7. Dip cookie balls, one at a time, into melted candy coating. Immediately decorate with candy sprinkles. Refrigerate truffles about 10 minutes or until coating is set. Store covered in refrigerator.
   

#42. Chocolate-Dipped Sugar Wafers

Tis the season for freezing temperatures and melting chocolate! I am a fan of pretty much chocolate-dipped anything; a solid cocoa coating can do wonders to enhance plain pretzels, and of course, cookies.

The hardest aspect of this recipe is melting the chocolate in a perfectly dry bowl. A single drop of water left over from the dishwasher can (I kid you not) cause your chocolate to ‘seize’ and become totally worthless.

Directions

1. First, make the wafers, and allow them to cool completely.

2. Line two baking sheets (not the ones you used for the cookies, duh) with wax paper.

3. Place your melting chocolate (you can use wafers but I prefer bars) in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwaves in 30-second intervals and remove when chocolate is just transitioning from solid to liquid form. Stir vigorously.

4. Dip wafers halfway into chocolate. Leave plain or sprinkle with additional chopped candy bars. Set on baking sheets to allow chocolate to re-harden.

#40. Vanilla Pretzel Sugar Cookies

I am putting these cookies in the “fancy” category only because of their twisted construction. The recipe, as you will see, is very straight-forward. I went with the traditional course white sugar for topping but you can also use crushed nuts, sprinkles, or toffee bits.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 2-3 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese using a hand-held mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.

4. Incorporate dry ingredient mixture, roughly 1/4 cup at a time, into wet ingredient mixture using beaters.

5. Divide dough evenly into spheres and refrigerate for 1 hour.

6. Roll each sphere into a rope about 5 inches long and twist into pretzel shape. Here’s a handy how-to guide.

7. Place pretzels evenly spaced on baking sheet and sprinkle generously with course sugar.

8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until just barely brown.

9. Consume with cocoa.

#24. Dorie Greenspan's Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

Dorie Greenspan is a baking genius.

I would say a "master baker" but the pun distracts from her enviable prowess as a manipulator of flour, sugar, butter, and salt. I received her book Baking as a wedding gift and it's been a second Bible ever since.  

I was initially tempted to make her chocolate cloud cookies, but was in the mood for a biscuit that would pair well with tea. These flaky, mildly sweet vanilla cornmeal shortbread are the perfect nibble with a cuppa Irish breakfast. 

The recipe below (only slightly modified) is that of Dorie Greenspan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted, room temperature butter

• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the cornmeal, and set the mixture aside.

2. Add sugar, butter ,and extract to the bowl of a stand mixer or other large bowl, the bowl and, using either your stand mixers paddle attachment or whisk, or a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture is very smooth (about 3 minutes).

3. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the flour streaks have disappeared into the dough (do not over-mix).

4. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough (which will be soft and sticky) into a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag.

5. Leaving the top open, place the bag on a flat surface and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2-inch rectangle that's about 1/4-inch thick. Be sure you don't roll all the way to the open end of the bag, you want to still be able to close it. As you are rolling the dough, turn the bag occasionally to prevent creasing.

6. Pressing out as much air as possible, seal the bag and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. The sealed dough will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

PAUSE

7.  Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds. Preheat the oven to 350F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silplat mats.

8. Place the dough-filled plastic bag on a cutting board, slit it open, and discard the bag. Using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork (be sure the tines go all the way through to the baking sheet).

9. Place the baking sheets in the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the cookies for 25-30 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time. The cookies should be set and just slightly golden.

10. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.

11. Eat with abandon.

Makes 32 cookies