The Ideal Holiday Cookie (Kate's Take)

Oh, the holidays.  Now that we're on the other side of that magical, if not chaotic period of time between Thanksgiving and New Year's, I can tell you with certainty that my holidays are entirely about family.  For me, that includes all of the people in my life who are bonded to me by genetics - or by choice.  In fact, I first fell in love with the raspberry thumbprint cookie you see below when a recipe was passed down to me from the mother of a dear friend to me.  While I've tweaked the recipe and experimented with many versions (including the one from Simple Comfort Food.com you see here), I hope you'll enjoy making it and maybe even take a moment to appreciate the many people in your life who make up your family.  By birth - or by friendship.

Best holiday wishes,

k

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe via SimpleComfortFood.com

Ingredients:

1 cup of granulated sugar

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cup of sifted unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 tsp of sea salt

Very good quality raspberry jam

Begin by adding the sugar and butter to your mixing bowl, and mix to cream it. Add in the vanilla extract then slowly add in the sifted flour and salt to form your dough. Once everything is incorporated, remove from the mixing bowl and combine it together to make a ball, then flatten it a bit. Take enough plastic wrap and wrap up the dough. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Once you are ready to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get your cookie tray out. Take a small amount of dough, roughly the size of a meatball or golf ball for that matter, and form it into a ball. Make an indention with your thumb into the center of the ball, and push down a bit, being careful not to split the dough. Shape as necessary.

Take a small spoonful of the jam and place in the indention. Repeat. Bake for 23-25 minutes until golden brown around the edges. When they are finished cooking, let them sit on the sheet for a few minutes before removing with a spatula. Let them cool for about 15 minutes before diving into them.

The dough alone is very amazing, however when you added the jam, it adds this great texture and flavor that keeps you going back to that plate of cookies.

Enjoy!

The Ideal Holiday Cookie (Brigitte's Take)

I love holidays.

I can’t help it.

I blame my mother.

My mother was a greeting card company’s dream. She made each and every holiday a big deal. And she didn’t discriminate. We celebrated them all. Valentine’s Day meant chocolates and pink sweat-shirts and little heart-shaped earrings. St. Patty’s Day called for shamrock socks, Irish music, and a big corned beef and cabbage dinner. But Christmas (CHRISTMAS!) topped them all. In my house, Christmas meant two trees: one family tree and one Victorian Christmas tree, all decked out in flowers and ribbons and candles. A tiny Christmas village with working lights and cotton snow took over every window sill in the house. Each year, we spent days wrapping gifts for everyone we had ever met (from Great Aunt What’s-Her-Name, to my brother’s third grade teacher, to the mailman) while we consumed a truly puke-worthy amount of holiday cookies.

It. Was. Truly. Excellent.

In memory of my mother and in celebration of peace, brotherhood and hot chocolate, I share with you the most amazing holiday cookie recipe I have ever come across (my mom would’ve loved it):

Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies

a la the inimitable Martha Stewart



NB: Cookies are best enjoyed while listening to 24-hour holiday music stations, piecing together popcorn garlands, and hand-addressing cheesy Christmas cards with pictures of your cat to everyone you have ever known.

Ingredients
(Makes 2 dozen)
7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment (or non-stick baking sheet). Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
3. In a second mixing bowl, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water.
5. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture.
6. Mix in chocolate.
7. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
8. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls.
9. Roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
10. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes.
11. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy holidays! Enjoy.