Almond Biscotti

Just like Pizzelles, Biscotti are a uniquely Italian cookie. Literally meaning "twice baked" these cookies are hard and dry and meant to keep for a long time. The variations on the recipe are almost endless. I've made cinnamon sugar biscotti and look forward to trying a chocolate variety as well as anise. Most traditionally enjoyed dunked in a mug of your favorite hot beverage, these cookies are just sweet enough to make you smile. :) 

Almond Biscotti

recipe adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook

Yields: 30-40 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped or slivered 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in almond, vanilla, and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in almonds until evenly combined.

Mixture will be coarse and crumbly. Pour half of the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently by hand until the dough holds together. Form the kneaded half of the dough into a 10x3 inch rectangle, rounding edges slightly. The form will be rough-looking. 

Repeat the kneading and forming process with the remaining half of the dough. 

Place both logs onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and center is firm to the touch. Cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Transfer each form to the cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice into 1/2-1 inch cookies. 

Place the slices, cut side down, back onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown. Be sure to check the undersides of the cookies to avoid over baking. 

Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with your favorite hot beverage--tea, coffee, or cocoa!

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S'mores Cookies

I have been a huge fan of S'mores ever since I can remember. My family went camping from the time I was 8 or 9 years old, and roasting those marshmallows to huge, puffy, golden brown orbs of gooeyness was my favorite part of the experience. We always squished TWO marshmallows in between our graham crackers and chocolate. If you're going to get sticky, you might as well go all out, right? :) 

These cookies are reminiscent of those evenings around the campfire--telling stories, laughing, and being mesmerized into silence by the flickering flames. 

S'mores Cookies

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Yields 3-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2-1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup graham cracker pieces (2-1/2 sheets of graham crackers largely chopped)

for topping:

6 large marshmallows, torn into 6 pieces each 

1-2 sheets of graham crackers, broken into small pieces 

1-1/2 Hershey bars, broken into small pieces (approximately 4 pieces out of each square of chocolate)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine, shortening, brown sugar and sugar. Add in vanilla and eggs and beat until evening combined. 

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. Add in this flour mixture into the creamed ingredients in three additions. Do not over mix. 

Stir in chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces. 

Using a cookie scoop (1-1/2 Tbsp) arrange dough on the cookie sheet. On each cookie, place 1 marshmallow piece in the center followed by a piece of chocolate and graham cracker. (Please put that marshmallow in the MIDDLE of the cookie. The first two pans I baked had marshmallows along the sides, and I ended up with a really big mess of marshmallow overflow.) Bake for 9 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let cool on pan 2 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. 

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Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies always remind me of my dad. I remember having a package of the Keebler variety in the cabinet, and as a young girl I couldn't figure out why anyone would choose a pecan cookie over a chocolate chip cookie. Now I know why. These shortbread-esque cookies are the purest form of dessert. 

Butter.

Flour.

Sugar. 

Done. 

A simple list of ingredients, quick to put together, impossible to stop eating, these cookies are just asking to be made by you! :D  

Pecan Sandies

recipe adapted from browneyedbaker.com

Yields: 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamed. Mix in vanilla extract. Add flour and salt and stir until just combined. Stir in pecans. 

Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls or use a cookie scoop. Arrange on cookie sheet and flatten balls slightly with the dampened bottom of a glass. 

Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled completely, dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired. 

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I am forever willing to try new chocolate chip cookie recipes. It's never bad to have a fresh cookie to indulge my sweet tooth, and I just might come across something wonderful! This adaptation (egg plus egg yolk) of my standard cookie recipe results in a perfectly chewy cookie, with a crisp exterior, and the appearance of perfection. Yumalicious! 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Yields: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla 

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk 

2-1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine, shortening, brown sugar and sugar. Mix in vanilla and egg and egg yolk until combine. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. 

Drop by tablespoonful onto a large cookie sheet (preferably lined with a silicone baking mat.) Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges and tops of cookies are just golden. Let rest on the cookie sheet 2 or 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

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