Martha Stewart’s Espresso Biscuits
Yield: 16 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa
- 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso beans
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees with two racks spaced evenly apart. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together flour, cocoa, and espresso beans; set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, scraping down sides of bowl twice.
Step 3: Roll 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hand to form a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining batter, spacing cookies two inches apart. Using a dinner fork, press tines into dough, and gently press into biscuit shape. Bake biscuits just until firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve these dessert biscuits with coffee ice cream.
Pecan Puffs
Yield: 32 1.5″ cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pecan meats
- 1 cup cake flour
- Confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Step 1: Beat butter until soft. Add in sugar and blend until creamy. Add in vanilla.
Step 2: Measure out pecans, and then grind in a nut grinder.
Step 3: Stir the pecans and the flour (sift before measuring) into the butter mixture.
Step 4: Roll the dough into small balls. Place them on a greased baking sheet (or parchment paper). Bake them in a slow oven 300 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Step 5: Roll the puffs while hot in Confectioners’ sugar.
Step 6: When cold, roll them again in confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Yield: 22 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 4 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (about 3 1/4 oz.) unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso granules
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup (about 2 oz.) powdered sugar
Directions
Step 1: Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, espresso granules, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in a separate bowl until smooth and blended. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture using a wooden spoon; stir until well combined. Cover bowl, and place in refrigerator; chill dough 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Place powdered sugar in a small bowl; place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a separate small bowl. Shape chilled dough into 22 balls (1 1/2 tablespoons each). Roll dough balls in granulated sugar to coat; roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Step 3: Bake cookies in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until puffed and crackly, about 12 minutes per baking sheet, rotating halfway through bake time. (Cookie edges will look more done than the centers.) Cool completely on baking sheets, about 30 minutes.
Ginger Snap
Yield: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspo0n salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar for rolling
Step 1: Cream room temperature butter and brown sugar in mixer. Once well blended, add in molasses and egg.
Step 2: In separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, ground cinnamon, and cloves.
Step 3: Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, scaping the sides of the bowl to ensure it’s well mixed. Don’t over mix, the dough is done once it’s all comes together and sticks to itself forming a large ball.
Step 4: Form 1 inch balls of dough and roll each ball in the sugar before placing on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cookies will expand, so leave about 2 inches between each ball.
Step 5: Bake in 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they start to expand and crack.