Iced Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
With a touch of nutty and caramel favor from the brown butter and a touch of salt to balance things out, these cookies will become instant favorites.
Ingredients
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
8 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons half and half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 pearlized sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat; cook 6 minutes or until dark brown. Pour butter into a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add egg yolks, and beat at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute).
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead gently 7 times. Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter into 32 cookies; reroll scraps as necessary. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
4. Combine powdered sugar, half-and-half, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, stirring with a whisk until icing is smooth. Spoon about 3/4 teaspoon icing onto each cookie; spread to edges. While icing is wet, sprinkle each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon pearlized sugar. Dry on wire racks.
Popcorn Brittle
Replacing nuts in the brittle with popcorn helps cut down on the fat, while still being delicious, and results in a wonderful hybrid - part caramel popcorn, part brittle. The brittle is crunchy and sweet, with just a hint of saltiness.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
5 1/2 cups of popcorn, popped without salt or fat
1 1/2 cups of sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place popcorn in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Crush popcorn using a meat mallet or rolling pin; set aside.
3. Combine sugar, syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 270° (about 8 minutes). Stir in molasses and butter; cook until thermometer registers 290° (about 5 minutes). Stir in baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir popcorn into boiling syrup mixture. Working quickly, pour popcorn mixture onto prepared pan; spread to 1/4-inch thickness using a wooden spoon coated with cooking spray. Cool completely; break into large pieces.
4. Note: Store brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringue Kisses
A delicious blend that is sure to please everyone, this simple treat is easy to make and can be enjoyed by the handful
Ingredients
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Dash of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine hazelnut mixture, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold hazelnut mixture and vanilla into egg mixture.
4. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 48 (1 1/2-inch-round) mounds onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until meringues are done and dry to the touch. (Meringues are done when surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Turn oven off; partially open oven door. Cool meringues in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove meringues from paper.
Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies
A very pretty treat, the lemon and ginger flavors work flawlessly together.
Ingredients
Ginger Dough:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg yolk
6 ounces all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of ground allspice
Lemon Dough:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. To prepare ginger dough, place 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add molasses and egg yolk; beat until well blended. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 6 ounces flour, ginger, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice); stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
2. To prepare lemon dough, place 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 3 minutes). Add egg white; beat until blended. Beat in rind and vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 6 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
3. Unwrap ginger dough. Roll ginger dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 8 1/2–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes. Unwrap lemon dough. Roll lemon dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13 x 9–inch rectangle (3/16 inch thick); chill 10 minutes. Carefully stack ginger dough on top of lemon dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. Starting with the long side without a border, roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion. Seal edges (do not seal ends of roll). Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Unwrap dough. Cut with a sharp knife into 40 slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Reshape rounds, if necessary. Arrange slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 8 to 9 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
Give these recipes a try and give your holiday season a little extra cheer.
Brett Royster
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