Recipes

Ba M ry C

Cocoa Snowball Cookies

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour 3/4 c Dutch-process cocoa powder (see notes) 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 c butter, melted 3 eggs 3/4 c granulated sugar 1/2 c brown sugar powdered sugar

Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, M ry granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix until fully combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll dough in powdered sugar. Place onto baking sheet 2” apart. Once all cookies have been rolled, reroll each ball in powdered sugar and return to baking sheet. (The moisture of the cookies sometimes soaks through. This will ensure the beautiful crackle effect!)

Bake until cookie tops crack, around 14 minutes. The edges will be set, but the centers will appear slightly underdone. Let cook on the baking sheet.

Notes:

Dutch-process cocoa powder will result in a darker cookie. Natural cocoa powder will result in a lighter brown center and a slightly flatter cookie. This recipe uses both baking powder and soda so it can work with the cocoa you’ve got, but “Dutched” is preferred. In either case, ensure it’s unsweetened!

thi ut the i k Cookies

1 c butter, softened 1/2 c granulated sugar 1/2 brown sugar 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 1/4 c all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 c crushed potato chips 3/4 c crushed mini pretzels 1 1/4 chocolate chips (see notes below)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Using a hand mixer, this will take about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the large bowl slowly, mixing until just combined.

Using a spatula, gently fold in potato chips, pretzels and chocolate chips. Scoop 2 T balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Lightly flatten tops. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, if desired. Bake until edges are set and starting to become golden (around 13 minutes.)

Remove from oven and let cool on pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

The magic of this recipe is that it’s infinitely customizable. Using different chocolate chips – or even a mixture of chips – can really change the flavor profile. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, cinnamon or butterscotch baking chips will all change the final bite. Ruffles potato chips hold up well in this recipe. But for those who like a little spice, why not try Grippo’s? For a festive flair, toss some holiday sprinkles on top just before baking.

uitcake ou o t ate

Drie uit i tu e

1 1/2 c. golden raisins 1 1/2 c. dates, chopped 1 c. dried cranberries 1 c. candied red cherries, chopped 1/2 c. candied orange peel, chopped 1/2 c. currants 1/2 c. dried pineapple, diced 1/3 c. candied ginger, diced (optional) 3/4 c. rum, Bourbon or cranberry juice (see notes)

o the Cake

16 T unsalted butter, softened 2 c dark brown sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. baking powder 4 eggs 3 c. all-purpose flour 2 T Dutch-process cocoa powder 1/4 c. dark corn syrup or molasses 1/2 c. cranberry juice 2 c. chopped, toasted nuts (see notes)

In a plastic bag or bowl, combine the fruits with the liquid and let sit overnight. Preheat oven to 300°F. Set the racks in the middle of the oven.

Lightly grease two 9” x 5” loaf pans. (Optional: place parchment paper for easier removal; grease this.) Beat butter and brown sugar together until combined. Beat in salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and cocoa. Add the flour in three batches while gently beating the mixture. Mix in the corn syrup (or molasses) and cranberry juice until just combined. Fold in the nuts and fruit with a spatula. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Fill to about 3/4 full. If you like, decorate the top with extra nuts. Bake for about 2 hours. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool for at least ten minutes. Gently loosen the sides with a knife and remove to the rack.

If desired, brush the warm cake with rum, Bourbon or simple syrup. This make a moist, sticky cake. Let cool completely. Wrap them tightly in Saran wrap and store at room temperature for 6-8 weeks. (see notes)

otes

The most divisive aspect of fruitcake is the dried fruit. The mixtures sold in grocery stores are often too cloying and off-putting for most people. The key to making a fruitcake that you’ll all enjoy is to only include fruits that you find tasty. You’re aiming for 6 1/2 cups (plus ginger, if desired) total of dried fruits. We recommend keeping the cherries and dates; cherries add a festive flair and dates will help keep everything moist. Beyond that, experiment with what you like. Dried apricots, unsweetened dried apples, dried blueberries, dark raisins and dried figs are all welcome substitutions. Just be sure that none of the items are freeze-dried, as that would be too dry for our purposes. As for the nuts? Again, go with your favorites! Pecans, walnuts or almonds would be great. Some people even use pistachios for a little more holiday flair. Finally, if you want a truly boozy fruitcake – I mean, knock your grandma off her feet from across the room boozy – soak a cheesecloth in rum or Bourbon and wrap the cake in that for a week before serving. If the cheesecloth seems to be drying out, drizzle a little more on top. We strongly suggest you not drive with this thing in your car.

u o t u Cookies luten ee u Cookies

For the Cookies:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose fl our 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 egg 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Frosting: 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar 1/4 c. butter, softened 2 T milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 °F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together fl our, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together granulated sugar, cream cheese and 1/2 c. butter on medium speed until fl uffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until just smooth. Slowly add the fl our mixture, beating slowly until fully combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and refrigerate 15 minutes. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake until edges are set, about 11 minutes. Remove from oven and let cook on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and cool completely. In a separate bowl, beat together powdered sugar, 1/4 c. butter, milk and vanilla until smooth and fl uffy. If the frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk 1 tsp. at a time. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Spread each cookie with frosting and top with sprinkles, if desired.

For the Cookies:

1 c. granulated sugar 1/2 c. shortening 1/2 c. butter, softened 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 egg 2 1/2 c. Betty Crocker™ All-Purpose Gluten Free Rice Flour Blend 1/2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt

For the Glaze:

1 c. gluten-free powdered sugar 2 T milk

Beat granulated sugar, shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together fl our, baking powder and salt. Beat into the wet mixture until fully combined.

Divide dough in half and shape into disks. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°F.

On a work surface lightly dusted with the glutenfree fl our blend, roll out each half of dough to 1/4” thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until edges are lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Stir together glaze ingredients; add food coloring, if desired. Drizzle over cookies. Add sprinkles or granulated sugar, if desired. Let stand until glaze is set. (adapted from Betty Crocker)

Royal Icing

3 egg whites 1 lb. powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Gel food coloring

Using a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy. Add vanilla. Add powdered sugar in three batches, mixing on low speed until mixture is shiny. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form. Divide into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring. Use piping bags to decorate cookies. First, pipe the edges of each color, then fill. To create puffier areas, pipe the edges, then pipes lines where you'd like the cookie to "puff" – when dry, flood the area. When the cookies are dry, pipe over your designs to give them a 3D effect (like the Christmas lights here!) If you'd like to add edible glitter, sprinkles or sugar, add that over the wet "flood" icing. For a more artistic touch, use a clean paint brush to add intricate details to cookies using gel food coloring. Try flicking the bristles for a splatter effect, or watering the gel down for a watercolor look.

Wreath:

On a round cookie, draw a white circle and flood the center with white. Using green icing, draw a circle of dots. Drag a toothpick through the dots in a circle. This will pull the dots into connecting hearts that look like leaves. Add dots of red to look like holly berries!

Gooey i ea Cookies

2 1⁄4 c. all-purpose fl our 2 tsp. baking powder 1⁄4 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1⁄2 tsp. ground allspice 1⁄2 tsp.ground nutmeg 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 1⁄2 c. unsalted butter, softened 1 c. granulated sugar 1⁄2 c. brown sugar 1 T molasses 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1⁄2 tsp. salt 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 1 c. confectioners’ powdered sugar, sifted

In a medium bowl, combine the fl our, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until light and fl uffy. Add in the egg and egg yolk. Beat until creamy. On low speed, gradually add in the fl our mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-12 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone mat or parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl, then set aside. Form dough into generous 1.5” balls, using cookie scoop and roll into the powdered sugar to lightly coat. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet at least 2” apart. Then roll each ball of dough in the powdered sugar once again. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and crackly. It is important not to overbake, as the center of these cookies should be soft.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Serve and store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 1 c. shelled pistachios, plus more to serve 1⁄2 c. unsalted butter, softened 1⁄4 c. granulated sugar 1⁄4 c. brown sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1⁄2 c. all-purpose fl our 1 c. dark chocolate chips Coconut fl akes, to serve

Place pistachios in a small bowl and cover with water; set aside for 30 minutes. Drain pistachios and allow to dry on paper towels. Roughly chop pistachios and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fl uffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Fold in the fl our and chopped pistachios. Roll dough into a log, about 2” in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place dough on a cutting board and slice dough into ¼” rounds. Place dough on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and coconut fl akes. Allow to set before serving.

lice ake ista io Cookies

hese eci es cou tes o

e C u t Cake

For the Cake:

2 1/2 T orange zest 3/4 c. orange juice 2 tsp. orange liqueur 4 eggs, at room temperature 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 c. fresh cranberries 2 c. sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 18 T unsalted butter, softened

For the Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar 1/4 tsp. orange zest 1 T orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan. Mix together orange zest, juice, liqueur and eggs. In a separate bowl, toss cranberries with 1 T flour. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and remaining flour. On low, slowly add the butter 1 T at a time; mix until pea-sized crumbles form. Turn the speed up to medium and slowly stream in the orange mixture; turn to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the cranberries. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, around 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Invert the pan on a wire rack to remove the cake. If it doesn’t budge, gently loosen the edges using a knife. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Whisk together glaze ingredients; add more powdered sugar or orange juice to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. If desired, top with macerated cranberries; toss cranberries with granulated sugar in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight. (adapted from Food Network)

Figgy Pudding

1 c. currants 3/4 c. dark raisins 3/4 c. golden raisins 2 T candied orange peel, chopped 2 T candied lemon peel, chopped 2 T walnuts, chopped 1/2 c. brandy 2 c. white breadcrumbs 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 c. dark brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 4 oz. beef suet, shredded (see notes) 2 eggs 1 apple, cored, peeled and grated 1 T molasses zest of one lemon zest of one orange

Place currants, raisins, candied citrus and walnuts in a nonreactive bowl. Add in brandy, and toss to combine. Let sit overnight. Generously grease a pudding mold. If you don’t have one, any heat resistant 3.5 pint dish should work. Place breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and spices in a bowl. Whisk to combine. In the fruit mixture bowl, add suet, eggs, apple, molasses and zest.

Add your dry mixture to the wet. Mix until completely combined; the mixture will be thick and sticky. Scoop the batter into the prepared pudding mold. Smooth down the top with a rubber spatula. Cut a piece of parchment paper, roughly the diameter as the top of the pudding mold. Grease and gently press the greased side down on top of the mixture. Gently wrap the whole pudding mold in parchment paper twice and secure with twine. Tie it loosely enough that the pudding can expand if need be, but tight enough to prevent excess moisture from getting in. In a large pot, add enough water to the pot that it would come halfway up the pudding mold; bring the water to a low simmer. Add a heat-resistant silicone trivet or clean, folded towel to the bottom of the pot and set the putting on top. Add more water to ensure that the water reaches halfway up the pudding’s sides. Cover the pot with a lid. Steam over very low heat for at least four hours (up to seven; the longer it steams, the darker it will become). Periodically add more water to keep the level to the halfway point of the mold. Carefully lift the mold out of the pot and let sit at least five minutes on a cooling rack. To demold, invert the pudding on a plate. Let sit until the pudding slides free. (adapted from The Daring Gourmet • daringgourmet.com)

Notes:

If you wish to set your pudding aflame – as is traditional – warm 1/4 c. of brandy in a saucepan. Bring the saucepan to the table and turn off the lights. Set the brandy on fire using a long match or grill lighter. Gently pour the flaming brandy over the pudding. Let the flames naturally extinguish themselves before serving. If all that showmanship isn't really your jam (or you'd rather not burn off your eyebrows), simply dust the top with powdered sugar. It's traditional to place a spring of holly on top, though we advise against it; holly berries are slightly poisonous. If you wish to add festive greenery decorations, go with faux. Finally, if you can't get beef suet from your butcher, vegetable suet or shortening are good alternatives.