Icebox Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 9 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature (65-70F)
• 12 oz. granulated sugar
• 2 oz. eggs, room temperature (65-70F)
• 1/2 oz. honey
• 11 oz. cake flour, sifted
• 4 oz. bread flour
• 3 1/2 grams salt
• 2 grams baking soda
• 3 grams vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, place the butter and sugar. Cream the mixture on low speed until properly aerated.
2. Add the eggs (25% at a time), scraping after each addition.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together, and add all at once to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
4. Form cookie logs (1-inch in diameter). Chill or freeze until firm (freeze up to 1 month).
5. Brush the log in egg white and roll in cinnamon-sugar. 
6. Slice cookies 1/4" thick, place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake in a 350F oven for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway. Edges will just begin to color. Do not over bake.

Yield: 2 dozen

Ladyfingers

Ingredients

• 13 egg yolks, room temperature (65-70F)
• 4 oz. granulated sugar
• 13 egg whites
• 9 oz. granulated sugar
• 12 oz. cake flour, sifted
• 6 grams vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whip yolks, vanilla, and first sugar until sabayon (ribbon stage).
2. In another large mixing bowl, whip the whites on medium speed until foamy. Sprinkle the second sugar into the whipping whites. Whip the whites to stiff peak.
3. Temper the meringue into the yolks using the 1/3 2/3 method. 
4. Sift the cake flour into the egg mixture while folding.
5. Immediately place into 2 pastry bags with 804 tips/
6. Pipe onto prepared parchment sheets (about 3 inches long).
7. Lightly sift powdered sugar onto the ladyfingers.
8. Bake in a 375F oven for 12 minutes, or until it springs back and there is slight color on the edges.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 15 oz. unsalted butter, softened (65-70F)
• 10 oz. granulated sugar
• 6.5 oz. light brown sugar
• 11 grams salt
• 8 grams vanilla extract
• 6 oz. eggs, room temperature (65-70F)
• 10 grams baking soda
• 21 oz. all-purpose flour
• 21 oz. chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, place the butter and sugar. With a paddle, cream the mixture until properly aerated.
2. Add the eggs (25% at a time), scraping after each addition.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined.
4. Add the chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
5. Scoop the cookies and deposit onto parchment-lined sheet pans.
6. Bake at 325F for 15 minutes, rotating halfway. Cookies are done when edges are firm, but the center is soft and not completely done.

Yield: 2 dozen large cookies.

Variations

• Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookies: 1 oz. additional butter. Substitute 1 lb. white chocolate chips, and add 1 lb. lightly toasted and chopped macadamia nuts.

Butter Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

• 340 grams softened unsalted butter (65F-70F)
• 142 grams powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 egg (50 grams)
• 1 egg yolk (20 grams)
• 20 grams vanilla extract
• 454 grams cake flour, sifted
• Baking jam, as needed

Directions

1. In a 5 quart mixing bowl, place the butter and powdered sugar.
2. With a paddle, cream very well on medium-high speed. It will have the consistency of a very light buttercream, will lighten in color, and with increase in volume. Scrape down intermittently.
3. Add the eggs and yolks 25% at a time on medium speed until emulsified, scraping after each addition. The dough should now have the consistency of a meringue buttercream. It should look glossy and creamy.
4. Stream in the vanilla and mix on low speed.
5. Add the cake flour all at once to the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined. Do NOT overmix.
6. Place the mixture in a piping bag with an 824 star tip.
7. Pipe 2-inch rosettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
8. Using your finger, make a depression in the center of each cookie.
9. Pipe jam into the depression. Do not overfill.
10. Bake in a 350F oven for 12 minutes or a 325F convection for approximately 9 minutes. Check for doneness by sliding the cookie around on the sheet. If it's able to slide, it's ready

Yield: 4 dozen

Tahini and Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (70 g) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (70 g) whole wheat flour
• 7.5 ounces (210 g) ground almonds (see note**)
• 5 1/2 ounces (150 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (100 g) raw tahini paste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, blend the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, ground almonds, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt, and process until the mixture looks crumbly.
3. Add tahini and process until a smooth dough begins to form. Remove the dough from the food processor bowl and knead it a few times on the counter until smooth. (If the dough feels very dry, dampen your hands and knead the dough slightly.)
4. Create small balls of the dough, place them on the baking sheet, then flatten each one slightly with your fingers. 
5. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and serve.

**Note: Ground almonds are also called almond meal, almond flour, or almond powder.

Classic Tuiles

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (or 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, or 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg whites until well combined—you’re not beating in air and the whites shouldn’t be foamy. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Add the flour and vanilla (or another extract or spice, if using), and whisk to combine; the mixture should be smooth. Refrigerate the batter for at least 4 hours.
2. Start off by baking only one or two cookies at a time until you get a feel for the timing—they firm up quickly and can only be shaped while they’re soft. 
3. Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a very flat, level baking sheet or cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat (or with parchment sprayed liberally with nonstick cooking spray). Spoon a small amount of tuile batter on the baking sheet. Spread as evenly and thinly as possible into a circle the size you want (the size won’t change much during baking).
4. Bake until the cookie is golden brown all over, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately start to maneuver a spatula under the edge of the cookie. After 10 seconds or so, it will hold together and can be slid off the sheet with the spatula. To make the classic “roof tile” tuile shape, lay the hot cookie on a rolling pin, juice bottle or small can. The tuile will firm up in a minute and should release easily.
5. Use a new, cool baking sheet for each batch, or let the sheet cool completely (or run it under cool water and dry it well). If the batter is spooned onto a hot pan, it will melt instantly and become unspreadable.

Black and White Cookies

Ingredients

For cookies

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

For icings

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions

1. Make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.
3. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
4. Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.
5. Make icings while cookies chill: Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.
6. Ice cookies:
7. Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.

Cooks' note: If you can stand the wait, cookies taste better if cooled without being chilled.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon-sugar coating:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• Dash of allspice

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
2. In a KitchenAid mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
3. Blend in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.
4. To make the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Chill for an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.
6. To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of the cookie batter. Flatten it like a pancake and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese in center. Form another tablespoon of the cookie batter into a flat pancake shape and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
7. Repeat until the dough is gone and flatten the cookie dough balls with a heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup.
8. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy!

Pina Colada Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup toasted coconut, divided
• 1/2 cup diced, dried pineapple

Rum glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (can use more coconut extract if you don't like rum)
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk
• 1-2 Tablespoons pineapple juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Stir in egg, vanilla and extracts until light and fluffy. Add in dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scrape the edges of the bowl and mix again to ensure cookie dough is mixed evenly. Stir in 1/2 cup toasted coconut and the small pieces of dried pineapple. Scoop onto prepared cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes until cookies have spread and edges have become lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
3. For the glaze, stir powdered sugar with rum extract and milk until it's the consistency of elmer's glue. Drizzle over cookies and top with remaining toasted coconut and maraschino cherries if desired.

Chocolate Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
2. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. On lightly floured board or between 2 pieces of wax paper, roll small portion of dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. lightly. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire racks. Cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.

Brookie/Crownies

Ingredients

Brownie Cookie Batter:

• 10 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter:

• 10 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (mini size preferred)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silpat liners or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. For the brownie cookie batter, in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light in color.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate while making the chocolate chip cookie batter.
4. For the chocolate chip cookie batter, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
5. Blend in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, mixing for 2-3 minutes until the batter is very light in color. In a separate small bowl (you can use the same one as the brownie batter dry ingredients), whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter with the chocolate chips and mix until no dry streaks remain and the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.
6. To assemble cookies, portion each set of dough into about 3-4 dozen equal pieces (depending how large you want your cookies) ;)
7. Grabbing one chocolate chip cookie ball and one brownie batter ball, press them together and use your hands to gently form into a cookie shape, flattening and turning to smooth the edges and form a flattish but still thick cookie shape; they'll spread out while baking.
8. Bake the cookies on the prepared baking sheets for 8-11 minutes (depending on their size). Don't overbake the cookies or they will be dry and crunchy - underbake just slightly for a soft, chewy texture. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes before scooping onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour or until firm. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch thick circle. Cut into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.) Bake for 8 -10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 bag Earl Grey Tea Leaves, 2 bags can be used for a stronger flavor
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 tsp. zest, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350­ degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cream butter and confectioners sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer.
3. Add in flour, salt, tea leaves, and lemon zest (if desired). Continue to mix until a soft dough forms. Mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together.
4. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's 1/4-inch thick.
5. Cut out cookies using a 2-in. round cookie cutter.
6. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 18-20 minutes or until edges are a golden brown.

French Macarons

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup almond meal/almond flour
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Food coloring (optional)
• Desired filling (i.e. ganache, buttercream, curd, fruit preserves/jelly, etc.)

Directions

1. To make the macarons, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Repeat this process with the almond meal. Discard any large chunks of almond (you want a very smooth batter). Whisk the powdered sugar and almond meal until combined.
2. In a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 4 minutes. Continue beating, slowly adding the granulated sugar until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes longer. (Do not beat to stiff peaks or you won't get smooth cookies.)
3. Fold in the salt.
4. If using food coloring, mix it in now (use a color darker than the color you're looking for, because it will bake up lighter).
5. Using a spatula, gently fold about one-third of the almond mixture into the egg white mixture, about 17-20 stroked. Repeat this process two more times (the batter now should be like very thick lava, able to slightly run off the spatula when lifted).
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Spoon the batter into a decorating bag fitted with the coupler or a large circle tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds 3/4-inch apart on the parchment paper. Tap the baking sheet to release any air bubbles and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking to develop a "skin".
8. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Bake the cookies until they have puffed up and look dry (they should not brown), about 16-20 minutes. They will develop a rough-looking layer called the "foot". You will be able to tell when they're done when they peel easily off of the parchment. Let them cool completely on the pan.
10. Turn half of the macarons upside down. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of desired filling onto each. Top with remaining macarons.
11. Store in an airtight container for several hours to let shells soften. If not eating immediately, keep refrigerated. 

Classic French Madeleines

Ingredients

• 4 oz (1 stick), plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. If you feel you can get it slightly toasty brown, go right ahead and do so by leaving it to bubble in the pan until it smells toasty and starts to color. Just remember that the butter will turn very quickly from toasty to burnt and that it will continue to color after it is off the heat unless you pour it into a new container. Spoon 3 tablespoons of butter into a small bowl or cup and set aside. Let the rest of the butter cool slightly.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together one cup of the flour and the sugar, and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk the two eggs with the vanilla, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the eggs are frothy.
3. Add the eggs to the flour. Using a spatula, stir until just combined. Add the 4 ounces of melted butter and continue to stir. It may take a minute for the butter to blend into the mixture but do not over mix.
4. Cover the bowl with a plate (or plastic wrap) and place in the refrigerator to rest at least one hour and up to overnight.
5. Add the remaining one tablespoon of flour to the 3 tablespoons reserved butter and stir to combine. Using a pastry brush, brush the interiors of the shells with the butter-flour mixture so that they are well coated. Place the pans in the freezer for at least an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and one pan from the freezer. Fill each well in the madeleine pan with 1 tablespoon of the batter. Remove the other pan and fill in the same way.
7. Place both pans on a baking sheet for easy handling and place in the oven. Check after 8 minutes and rotate plans. Check again 5 minutes later. The madeleines should be browning around the edges and puffed up a little in the middle. Using your forefinger, press lightly on the center hump -- when the madeleines are finished baking, it should spring back at your touch.
8. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Using a fork, gently loosen the madeleines from their molds and then tip the whole pan out onto a cooling wrack or tea towel. Once cool, dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve. If you are freezing or storing the madeleines, do not dust with the sugar until you are about to serve.
9. Store cooled madeleines in an airtight container for a few days or freeze them in a double wrapping of plastic wrap for several months. Let the cakes defrost before dusting with sugar.
10. Makes 24 madeleines

Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans)
• 1 cup (or more, depending on preference) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients a little at the time, and mix until fully combined. Fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
4. Scoop into 1-inch balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure there are about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until puffed yet set. Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Yields 4 dozen cookies.

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• *optional- sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball. Sprinkle with sea salt. (optional)
4. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, approximately 11-14 minutes. Do not overbake.
5. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6. Yields about 24 big cookies.

Chocolate Crinkles

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one-inch balls. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Icebox Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Food coloring
• Sprinkles

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla.
3. Turn the mixer off. Add the flour and then beat just until combined. Remove the dough and separate it into two equal pieces. Shape one piece of the dough into an 8-inch square, wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. (This will be the white portion of the cookies.)
4. Return the remaining piece of dough to the stand mixer bowl, and with the mixer on "low," add in the food coloring, drop by drop, until it reaches your desired pink color. Remove the pink dough, shape it into an 8-inch square, wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
5. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut each square in half to form two rectangles. Wrap half of each color of dough in plastic wrap and return it to the fridge. Place the white dough in between two pieces of wax paper and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Roll out the colored dough between two separate pieces of wax paper until it is a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick.
7. Peel the top layer of wax paper off of the white dough and then peel the wax paper off one side of the pink dough and use the other side to transfer the colored dough on top of the white dough. Very lightly roll the two layers together.
8. Starting at the shorter end of the rectangle, roll the dough as tightly as possible into a log. Repeat the rolling and stacking process with the remaining dough in the fridge. Wrap the logs in wax paper and then plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 1 hour.
9. Remove the dough logs and roll them on the counter several times so they don't develop a flat side. Unwrap the dough logs and place the sprinkles in a large, shallow dish. Roll the dough logs in the sprinkles until they are completely coated. Re-wrap the dough logs in wax paper and plastic and refrigerate them for 4 more hours.
10. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and slice each log into 1/4-inch rounds. Place the rounds about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, as the cookies will expand when baked.
11. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until pale golden, and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Madeleines

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons cake flour, sifted
• 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly grease 18 madeleine forms with butter, using a paper towel or a piece of plastic wrap to spread the butter into all the little grooves.
2. Using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, beat the sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest together in a medium-sized bowl until thick and pale, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer twice during the process to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3. Resift half of the flour over the egg mixture, and fold in gently with the rubber spatula so that it is almost, but not completely, incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour.
4. Pour the melted butter over the batter in a thin stream, folding it in with gentle strokes.
5. Scoop approximately 2 Tablespoons of batter into each madeleine cup, so the batter reaches to about 1/8-inch from the top. Then jiggle the pan slightly to distribute the batter evenly.
6. Place the pans on the center rack of the oven and bake until the cakes are puffed and set, with deep golden edges, 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Cool the madeleines in the pans for 10 minutes. Then use a small spatula or butter knife to gently loosen them, and transfer them to wire racks to cool, flat side down.
8. When the madeleines are cool, place them in an airtight container, layered with plastic wrap, parchment,  or waxed paper, and keep them at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. (Their flavor enhances with time.) For longer storage, place the container in the freezer for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before eating.