Meyer Lemon Sablés
I LOVE lemon cookies. These refrigerated butter cookies can be made with regular or Meyer lemons. They are the ultimate in “slice and bake.”
Sablés au Citron from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan.
Meyer Lemon Sablés
Makes about 50 cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 large egg yolks (1 for dough, 1 for coating)
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (to taste)
2 cups all purpose flour
approximately 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until smooth, add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in 1 egg yolk, followed by salt, vanilla and lemon zest. On low speed, add the flour and mix just until flour is incorporated.
Turn dough out onto a counter, gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator. Form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill dough for 2 hours in refrigerator. (Dough logs can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)
Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice cookie logs into rounds 1/4 inch thick and sprinkle with sugar. Or, if you are coating your cookies with sugar, whisk the remaining egg yolk until it’s smooth and liquid enough to use as a glaze. Spread granulated sugar out on a piece of waxed paper. One log at a time, unwrap chilled dough log and brush lightly with the egg yolk. Roll the log in sugar, pressing gently to help the sugar stick. Slice each log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheets, leaving about 1- inch between the cookies. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes until cookies are set but not browned. (It’s okay if the yolk-sugar edges brown slightly.) Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Read MoreIrish Soda Bread Cookies
When I think of Saint Patrick’s Day, I think of Irish Soda Bread. This delicious, traditional bread is made with flour, buttermilk, raisins, an egg, and a touch of sugar. The cookie recipe continues the tradition in a new form.
Irish Soda Bread Cookies
Makes 3 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dried currants
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in currants. Mix in beaten egg. Pour in milk and mix with a fork to make a soft dough (add more milk as needed).
On a floured surface, shape dough into a ball and knead lightly 5 or 6 times. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into squares and triangles with a knife (approximately 2 inches in diameter). Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until slightly browned.
Read MoreRolled Sugar Cookies for Easter
For Easter, there is only one cookie tradition that I know of. It is decorated sugar cookies.This year, I have noticed some great new pastel sanding sugars from India Tree and some fantastic new cookie cutters and “stamps” from Williams Sonoma to help create interesting baskets and eggs. King Arthur Flour also has a cute bunny and lamb shape. But, these ideas are all worthless without the cookie dough. I like my cookies with colored sugars, but they are fun to decorate with Royal Icing or a combination of Royal Icing and sanding sugars.
Rolled Sugar Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
Royal Icing
1 box confectioners’ sugar (1 pound)
5 tablespoons meringue powder or 2 large egg whites
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and meringue powder. Mixing on low speed, add scant 1/2 cup water. For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water. A thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and adding details. Mix until icing holds a ribbon like trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle.
Read MoreCoconut Macaroons with Chocolate Chips
My friend Deb gave me this recipe for coconut chocolate chip cookies. It is good for Easter or Passover, and it is gluten-free.
Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Chips
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
3 cups sweetened coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
4 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar (or less to taste)
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are firm and light brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Read MoreAlmond Meringue Cookies for Passover
Light and sweet, these almond meringue cookies make a terrific afternoon snack or dessert. And they are gluten-free.
Almond Meringue
Makes 2 dozen
2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups ground almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until stiff peaks form (when you lift the blender out of the egg whites, the egg whites will form peaks that don’t collapse on the blender beaters). Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes glossy. Gently fold in almonds, being careful not to deflate egg whites.
Drop teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are firm to the touch. Cool on cookie sheets for two minutes. Remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
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