The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [66]
Break up the cookie dough into large bowl; let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add flour, pecans, toffee bits, and vanilla extract to the cookie dough; mix well with your fingers, the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
Divide dough into two equal halves. On the cookie sheet, shape each dough half into a 12 x 2-inch, ¾-inch-high rectangle, spacing the dough halves about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 26–28 minutes until the logs are deep golden brown and spring back in the center when touched. Remove sheet from oven; keep oven on.
Using two pancake turners, lift logs, one at a time, from the cookie sheet to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut one of the logs into ¾-inch-wide slices. Note: for longer biscotti, cut at a deep diagonal; for shorter biscotti, cut log crosswise. Repeat with second log. Place slices on the same cookie sheet (do not worry about the spacing).
Bake slices for 5 minutes; remove from oven and turn over all of the slices. Return cookie sheet to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Remove sheet from oven and immediately transfer biscotti to a wire rack; cool completely. If desired, dip one end of each biscotti in 1 recipe of the Chocolate Dip; place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
MAKES 28 BISCOTTI.
CHOCOLATE-FILLED AZTEC COOKIES
Offer a plate of these cookies along with an assortment of fresh fruit as a fitting finale to a Mexican-style meal. Leftovers are great additions to weekday lunchbags, too.
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, well chilled
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
18 dark chocolate candy miniatures, unwrapped
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Crumble the cookie dough into large bowl. Let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add the cornmeal, cinnamon, cayenne, and orange zest; mix well with fingers or wooden spoon.
Shape rounded tablespoon of dough around each candy, covering completely. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake for 8–11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
MAKES 18 COOKIES.
CHOCOLATE-FRECKLED SNOWBALL COOKIES
It’s a good idea to have a napkin handy when eating these crackle-top chocolate cookies— the powdered-sugar coating can get all over the place. But they are so very worth the mess!
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted and chopped fine
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Break up the cookie dough into a large bowl. Sprinkle the flour, almonds, chocolate chips, and almond extract over dough. Mix well with fingers until blended. Chill 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 11–14 minutes or until just set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly on cooling rack.
Place powdered sugar in a small, shallow dish. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on cooling rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.
MAKES 42 COOKIES.
CHOCOLATE-KISSED COOKIES
Who doesn’t want to be “kissed” by chocolate? These pretty little cookies are familiar to holiday cookie jars everywhere. Here they are made extra easy with a short list of three ingredients. If the kids are handy, recruit them to help with the rolling of the cookie dough and the placing of the chocolate kisses. Be warned, though: you may need to keep close guard over the chocolates, or else buy an extra bag.
1/3 cup sugar
1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, well chilled
24 milk chocolate “kiss” candies, unwrapped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Place sugar in a shallow dish.
Cut the cookie dough into 12 equal slices. Cut each slice in half. Roll each piece into a ball; roll balls