Cookie Time

BAKING UP HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

A collection of holiday cookie recipes fit for Santa, a cookie swap, or simply to enjoy with loved ones

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WRITTEN BY Jennifer McGruther

AMERICA’S FIRST CHRISTMAS

cookie is a beast of a recipe. It calls for a full pound of butter rubbed into 3 pounds of flour, a pound and a half of sugar, and nearly a cup of coriander seed all mixed with sour milk and a bit of pearlash (a sort of old-fashioned baking soda). If that’s not enough, the recipe’s author, Amelia Simmons, suggests aging the cookies in an earthenware container for six months—meaning you’d have to start planning to make this Yuletide treat right around the summer solstice.

Published in 1796, Simmons’s book, “American Cookery,” reflected a time of rapid change as the new nation began to define its own culinary legacy. Prior to its publication, most culinary education focused on British recipes. Simmons was the first to capture the American spirit, through her inclusion of New World crops such as pumpkin and corn.

She also drew from immigrant communities. In the 17th and 18th centuries, German and Dutch immigrants settled in the Northeast, and they brought their traditions with them. Among them was the “koekje,” from which Simmons is believed to have drawn inspiration for her buttery, coriander-spiked treat, which she named “Another Christmas Cookey.” Many of America’s most beloved recipes today, from sugar cookies and spritz cookies to gingerbread men, originated in the traditions of these immigrant communities.

These sweets are now readily found at Christmas cookie swaps and on bake trays throughout America, but others have remained more localized. About the time that the Dutch and German settlers were bringing their spritz and gingerbread to New England, the Spanish brought their recipes to the American southwest. Nicole Maes, a New Mexico native, grew up baking Christmas biscochitos: a distinctive New Mexican shortbread made with flour, sugar, lard, and plenty of anise seed, and dusted in cinnamon-sugar. She recalls how, at age 5, she sat at her grandmother’s kitchen table and watched her mix the lard into the flour; the room would fill with a subtle bacon-like aroma as the cookies baked. Maes estimates that her family has made the cookies for as long as they have been around.

Like Maes, Daniel Sluys remembers growing up baking his family’s cookies. They ran Sluys’ Bakery in Poulsbo, Washington, which he now operates today. In business for over 100 years, the bakery has fed the quiet coastal community for generations. It’s a region whose temperate climate lends itself well to farming, and many Norwegian immigrant families found a home there in the late 19th century. Among the most popular items at the bakery are the pepparkakor, spiced Scandinavian cookies akin to gingersnaps, with a crisp texture and plenty of spice. Once, they baked 140 dozen for a community bonfire.

While chocolate chip cookies and fudge remain unfailingly popular across America, it’s these regional Christmas cookies that often hold the greatest character. Passed down from parent to child for generations, these festive recipes tell sweet stories of American heritage, celebration, and the legacy of the family kitchen. •

Biscochitos

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RECIPE BY Nicole Maes

NICOLE MAES has been making her family’s biscochito recipe for years. It’s a delicately sweet cookie with a delightful punch of anise and a little cherry brandy for good measure. She cautions that you may need to hide half of them because your guests will snap them up quickly. For the Cookies • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 3/4 cup pork lard • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon anise seed • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 egg • 1/4 cup cherry brandy For the Topping • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream the lard and sugar together with anise seed, vanilla, and eggs until well-combined.

Beat the lard mixture into the flour mixture until the dough turns crumbly, then pour the brandy over the dough and mix it until it just comes together. Form the dough into two balls, wrap them with plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge to chill overnight.

The next day, heat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Dust your working surface with flour, then roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into individual cookies. Working in batches, place the cut-out cookies onto prepared baking sheets and bake until golden and barely set, about 10 minutes.

While the cookies bake, prepare the topping by mixing the cinnamon and sugar together. Dip the cookies into the cinnamon sugar while they’re still hot.

Pepparkakor

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RECIPE BY Rose Levy Beranbaum

MY HUSBAND WOODY’S T’ai Chi Sifu (master), Paul Abdella, gave Woody his treasured family recipe for this unusual, flavorful, waferthin Norwegian cookie. The black pepper gives the cookie a subtle underlying sensation of heat on the palate, bringing the spicy flavors into harmony. These are absolutely addictive and have become a top favorite of ours. They are perfect as they are, but they also make a delicious and unusual hors d’oeuvre when spread with a soft goat cheese.

Plan Ahead: Freeze the dough for at least 8 hours before baking the cookies.

Special Equipment: Two 17- by 14-inch cookie sheets, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray and then wiped to leave just a thin coating; Optional: a cardboard tube from a paper towel roll (1 5/8 inches inside diameter), cut into thirds; A sharp heavy knife with a 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide blade

Makes 60 to 68 (2-inch) round cookies

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick / 113 grams) unsalted butter • 1 1/3 cups (lightly spooned into the cup and leveled off) plus 2 teaspoons (167 grams) bleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon (2.7 grams) baking soda • 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 grams) fine sea salt • 1/2 tablespoon (2.7 grams) ground ginger • 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) ground cloves • 1 teaspoon (2.2 grams) ground cinnamon • 3/4 teaspoon (2 grams) black pepper • 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar • 1/4 cup (80 grams) light molasses, preferably Grandma’s brand • 1/4 cup (50 grams) pearl or demerara sugar, for topping

Mise en Place

Thirty minutes to 1 hour ahead, cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces. Set on the counter to soften.

Make the Dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Scrape in the molasses and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Detach the beater and use it to stir in the dry ingredients until moistened. Reattach the beater and beat on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated, about 15 seconds. The dough will resemble a thick, fluffy buttercream.

Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Use it to knead the dough a few times until it becomes one smooth piece. Wrap the dough loosely with the plastic wrap and flatten it into a 5-by-4-inch rectangle.

Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to shape. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read below 63°F / 17°C.)

Shape the Dough Into Logs

Divide the dough into thirds (about 153 grams each). Wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Work with one piece at a time and keep the rest refrigerated.

Begin by rolling the dough between the palms of your hands, then use plastic wrap to shape the dough into a log just under 1 5/8 inches in diameter and about 4 inches long. Lightly tamp each end on the countertop to flatten it.

Wrap the dough log in plastic wrap and slide it into one of the cardboard tubes, if using. Stand the tube on end on the countertop. With your fingers, press the dough log down until it reaches the bottom and fits snugly into the tube. Wrap the tube with plastic wrap to keep the dough from slipping out and stand it on end in the freezer. (Alternatively, if not using the cardboard tube, roll the dough logs to 1 5/8 inches in diameter. Wrap and freeze the dough logs for 1 hour, remove them from the freezer, and quickly roll them again to minimize flattening. Then stand them on end in the freezer.)

Repeat with the other two pieces of dough.

Freeze the dough logs for at least 8 hours to firm them for even cutting. The dough cuts most easily when frozen solid.

The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack at the middle level. Set the oven at 350°F / 175°C.

Cut the Dough Into Cookies

In a small bowl, place the pearl sugar.

Remove one of the frozen dough logs from the freezer and let it sit for 10 minutes on the counter. Cut it into 20 to 23 1/8-inch-thick slices. While you are cutting the dough, the log will start to flatten. Simply roll it lightly to maintain the round shape.

Place the dough rounds 1/2 inch apart on a prepared cookie sheet. Smooth any rough edges with a small metal spatula. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the pearl sugar and bake at once.

Bake the Cookies

Bake for 4 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway around. Continue baking for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the cookies are set to the touch. Pressing on a cookie should only leave a slight impression.

While each batch of cookies is baking, remove the next dough log to soften slightly and then slice it for the next batch.

Cool the Cookies

Set the cookie sheet on a wire rack and let the cookies cool for about 1 minute, or just until they can be lifted with a thin pancake turner without distorting their shapes. (Do not leave them on the cookie sheet, as they will continue to bake and become too brittle.)

Continue with the remaining two batches. Store: Airtight: room temperature, 2 weeks; refrigerated, 1 month; frozen, 4 months.

Reprinted from “The Cookie Bible” by arrangement with Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 2022, Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Holiday Cookie Cutouts

vvv RECIPE BY Rose Levy Beranbaum

I DESIGNED THIS DOUGH to make cookies strong enough to decorate, hang from a tree, or ship as gifts, and also to be thin, crisp, tender, and flavorful.

Special Equipment: Two 17- by 14-inch cookie sheets, no preparation needed or lined with parchment; Your favorite cookie cutters

Makes 24 (3-inch) cutout cookies • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick / 85 grams) unsalted butter • 1/2 large egg (1 1/2 tablespoons / 25 grams), lightly beaten before measuring • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 1/3 cups (lightly spooned into the cup and leveled off) (160 grams) bleached all-purpose flour • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt • 1/2 tablespoon (loosely packed) (3 grams) lemon zest, finely grated • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 grams) sugar

Mise en Place

For the food processor method: Thirty minutes ahead or longer, cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Wrap and refrigerate.

For the mixer method: Thirty minutes to 1 hour ahead, cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces. Set on the counter to soften.

Thirty minutes ahead, into a 1-cup glass

measure with a spout, weigh or measure the egg. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set on the counter.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

With dishwashing liquid, wash, rinse, and dry the lemon before zesting it. Set the zest in a small bowl.

Make the Dough

Food processor method: In a food processor, process the sugar with the lemon zest until very fine.

Add the butter and pulse until all the sugar disappears. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

With the motor running, add the egg mixture and process until uniform. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough begins to clump together. Pinch a little of the dough, and if it doesn’t hold together, pulse in a few drops of water.

Stand mixer method: Chop the lemon zest into very fine pieces.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy.

Gradually add the egg mixture, beating until blended.

On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Add just a few drops of water and continue beating until the dough just begins to come away from the sides of the bowl.

Both methods: Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use it to knead the dough together. Wrap the dough in the plastic and flatten it into a thick disc.

Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days. If it’s been refrigerated for longer than 3 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature to soften enough for rolling.

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack at the middle level. Set the oven at 350°F / 175°C.

Roll and Cut the Dough

Have ready a small bowl of flour for dipping the cookie cutters.

Set the dough on a lightly floured dough mat or sheet of plastic wrap. Lightly flour the dough and cover it with plastic wrap. Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick.

Before cutting out the first cookie, run a small piece of dough along the edges of the cookie cutter so that the flour will adhere. Then dip the cutter in flour every few cuts to prevent sticking.

Cut out 12 cookies and use a small metal spatula to transfer them to a cookie sheet, no closer than 1 inch apart.

If you are planning to hang the cookies, make a small hole in each one with the blunt end of a wooden skewer.

Gather up the scraps and press together to reroll. Wrap and refrigerate.

Bake the Cookies

Bake for 5 minutes. If you have made holes in the cookies and they have become too small, set the cookie sheet on a wire rack and enlarge the holes with the skewer. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway around. Continue baking for 3 to 7 minutes, or until the cookies are pale gold and the edges have deepened slightly in color.

Set the cookie sheet on a wire rack and use a thin pancake turner to lift the cookies onto another wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat with the second batch.

Store: Airtight, room temperature, 3 months.

Baking Gems

Rolling the dough with plastic wrap on top prevents cracking.

If the dough softens, refrigerate the cutout cookies before lifting them off the rolling surface. If using a dough mat, set it on a cookie sheet.

Reprinted from “The Cookie Bible” by arrangement with Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 2022, Rose Levy Beranbaum.