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of a large olive. Roll the ball in the confectioners’ sugar, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making sugared balls, spacing them about 1½ inches apart, until the baking sheet is full. (It may be easier to make all the balls first, then roll them all in the confectioners’ sugar—that way, you are less likely to transfer confectioners’ sugar back into the chocolate dough.) Return any unused dough to the refrigerator.

Bake until the cookies have spread and cracked at the edges and are somewhat firm to the touch, about 16 minutes.

To cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack using a metal spatula (they are still fragile because they’re so fudgy inside). Cool the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking further batches; if using parchment paper, replace it if it is greasy, crinkled, or browned. Let the baked cookies cool completely on the wire rack.

To store: Place in a sealed container for up to 4 days at room temperature; because of their soft insides, freezing is not recommended.

Variations: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground ginger with the flour.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses

Studded with chocolate chips, these crisp cookies are smaller than traditional meringues so they have more crunch per bite. Makes about 48 small meringue cookies

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup superfine sugar (see Note)

1 cup mini-semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, raise the speed to high, and beat until you can create soft peaks in the mixture by dabbing the turned-off beaters into it, about 3 minutes.

With the mixer running, add the sugar in 1-tablespoon increments, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure the sugar grains are getting fully incorporated into the egg whites. Once all the sugar has been added, beat until stiff and shiny peaks can be formed in the mixture, about 1 minute. You should feel absolutely no graininess from undissolved sugar between your fingers; if you do, keep beating.

Add the chocolate chips and pulse the beaters a few times just to incorporate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until dry, about 45 minutes.

To cool: Leave the kisses on the baking sheet 30 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

To store: Seal in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (do not refrigerate or freeze).

Peppermint Meringue Kisses: Substitute crushed peppermint candies or candy canes for the mini-chocolate chips.

Toffee Meringue Kisses: Substitute finely crushed toffee for the mini-chocolate chips.

Almond Macaroons

These—like all classics—are a little temperamental: you have to pipe them out onto the baking sheet. High humidity will definitely destroy the batter, so make them on a sunny, dry day. Despite all that, there’s a big payoff: a moist, domed almond cookie that’s perfect with a bowl of berries. Makes about 30 cookies

One 7-ounce tube almond paste

1 cup sugar

2 large egg whites, whisked until foamy in a small bowl, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt, optional

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Place the almond paste and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended, in soft but dry pieces, somewhat like the feel of Play-Doh but not smooth or creamy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the egg whites in 1-tablespoon increments, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. When all the egg whites have been added, beat until the batter is the consistency of caulk or grout, a little grainy but very smooth, and able to hold its shape.