The Twelfth Day of Christmas "Cookies": Double Fudge Brownies (Martha Stewart)

Yes, I know. Brownies aren’t cookies. But this is what happens when your oldest asks for brownies for his birthday dessert, and his birthday happens to be on Christmas Day.  

I love this Martha Stewart brownie recipe – I’ve been making it for years. It’s even better with toasted walnuts.

Fudgy Double Chocolate Brownies (Martha Stewart)

1        stick unsalted butter, cut into large pieces

6        ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I use bittersweet disks)

1 1/2  cups sugar

3        large eggs

1/4    cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2    teaspoon salt

1/2     cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1        cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving a slight overhang on all sides. Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Whisk in cocoa and salt. Fold in flour until combined. Fold in toasted walnuts.

2.               Pour batter into pan. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift brownies from pan using parchment. Remove parchment, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Cut into 9 squares.

The Eleventh Day of Christmas Cookies: Gingerbread Men (America's Test Kitchen)

I’m a sucker for just about any cookie, but especially gingerbread men. In fact, if they’re soft (but not too soft), relatively thick, and have a healthy amount of icing, they’re all but irresistible.

I can’t say I’ve done a ton of experimenting with various gingerbread recipes, but I like this one from America’s Test Kitchen.

Gingerbread Cookies (America’s Test Kitchen)

3        cups all-purpose flour

3/4    cup packed dark brown sugar

1         tablespoon cinnamon

1        tablespoon ginger

3/4    tablespoon baking soda

1/2    tablespoon cloves

1/2     teaspoon salt

12     tablespoons (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, cut into 12 pieces

3/4    cup light molasses

2        tablespoons whole milk

Directions

1.              Process the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process to a very fine meal, about 15 pulses. With the machine running, slowly pour the molasses and milk through the feed tube and process until the dough forms a soft mass, about 10 seconds.

2.       Scrape the dough onto a counter and divide it in half (I like putting it directly onto a large piece of parchment paper – it’s a more containable mess). Working with ½ the dough at a time, roll it out a 1/8 thickness (here, again, I go for a bit thicker) between two large sheets of parchment paper. [I like to fold over the parchment paper on top of the dough before rolling it – then I don’t have to worry about the dough sticking to the rolling pin.] Slide the rolled dough and parchment onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

3.              Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut shapes out of the rolled dough using cookie cutters and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 3/4  inch apart. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.

4.            Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. When cooled, glaze, decorate (and eat).

The Tenth Day of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Sally's Baking Recipes)

I thought I already had a pretty good repertoire of cookie recipes at my disposal, but these chocolate sugar cookies have helped me realize that there are still untapped levels of cookie deliciousness for me to explore.

This recipe, recommended by a friend (h/t Shelly Astle) has been on my list to try for some time, but I’ve only now gotten around to it.

In short: They are a new favorite.

My worry about chocolate sugar cookies was that the difference would mostly be cosmetic – just enough cocoa powder to make the cookies look chocolatey without adding a significant chocolate flavor. This recipe, though, uses a healthy amount cocoa powder, and it completely shifts the flavor toward a genuinely chocolate cookie.

I’m still a fan of soft and thick cookies, so I aim for a thickness between 1/3 to 1/2 inch (as opposed to the recommended ¼ inch), while still holding to an 11-minute baking time.  

I’m already looking forward to making these again.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Sally’s Baking Recipes)

1.5      cups all-purpose flour

3/4    cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or dutch process)

1         teaspoon baking powder

1/8     teaspoon salt

3/4    cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1        cup granulated sugar

1        large egg, at room temperature

1        teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.       Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2.       In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides.

3.       Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.

4.       Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. I like to use two large pieces of parchment paper, and place half the dough on each. With a rolling pin lightly dusted with cocoa powder (or flour), roll the dough out to about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness (original recipe calls for ¼ inch thick). Cover the dough (I like to make the parchment paper big enough to fold it over and wrap it up. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

5.       Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough, using more cocoa powder or flour to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin, and continue cutting the dough until all is used.

6.       Arrange shaped cookies on baking sheets 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges are set, rotating the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

The Ninth Day of Christmas Cookies: Sugar Cookies (Alton Brown) with Royal Icing (Nigella Lawson)

Sugar cookies are synonymous with several holidays, but none more than Christmas (at least in the Clark household). In fact, when my kids were smaller, they understood that the only cure for the “grinch bug” was sugar cookies. Just the mention of that cure could often turn a frown upside down.

I like my sugar cookies soft and thick, and I like them best when the frosting on the cookie has just crusted over.

For years I’ve faithfully used Alton Brown’s sugar cookie recipe for the dough. Recently, I’ve started playing with adding almond extract to the mixture.

For frosting, I prefer Nigella Lawson’s royal icing.

Sugar Cookies (Alton Brown)

3        cups all-purpose flour

3/4    teaspoon baking powder

1/4     teaspoon salt

1         cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1        cup sugar

1        egg, beaten

1        tablespoon milk

1/2    teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Powdered sugar, for rolling out the dough

Directions

1.       Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours..

2.       Preheat oven to 375 °F.

3.       Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick (mine are typically just under ½-inch thick). Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.  

Royal Icing (Nigella Lawson)

2        large egg whites (or substitute powdered egg whites)

3        cups confectioners' sugar

1         teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1.       Combine the egg whites and confectioners' sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice, this will thin out the icing. Beat for another couple of minutes until you reach the right spreading consistency.

The Eighth Day of Christmas Cookies: Mexican Wedding Cookies (America's Test Kitchen)

 

Growing up, I only knew them as Russian Tea Cakes. And the way my mom made them, they had a Hershey Kiss at the center (which I loved at the time, though it meant the chocolate was the dominant experience; and if you kept the cookies in cold storage, biting into them was like biting into a piece of granite).

This America’s Test Kitchen recipe maximizes the nutty flavor – taking it well beyond a simple shortbread cookie caked in powdered sugar.

My two cents: the Mexican Wedding Cookie is one of the most underrated Christmas cookies. They’re never going to be the flashiest cookie on your party platter, but my goodness are they delicious (especially this version, sans the chocolate rock in the middle).

Mexican Wedding Cookies (America’s Test Kitchen)

2        cups pecans or walnuts (I almost exclusively use pecans here)

2        cups all-purpose flour

3/4    teaspoon salt

16      tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/3    cup superfine sugar

[If you don’t have superfine sugar lying around, you can put 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a food processor for 30 seconds, then measure out 1/3 cup.]      

1 1/2  teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1.       Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Process 1 cup of the nuts in a food processor to the texture of coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds, then transfer to a medium bowl. Process the remaining 1 cup nuts in the food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 seconds, then stir into the bowl of finely ground nuts, along with the flour and salt. Set aside.

2.       Beat the butter and superfine sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric mixer until light and fluffy (3 to 6 minutes). Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the nut mixture until combined (about 30 seconds). Scrape the bowl and beaters with a rubber spatula and continue to beat on low speed until the dough is cohesive (about 7 seconds).

3.       Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time (I use a small ice cream scoop), roll into 1-inch balls and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake until the tops are pale golden and the bottoms are just beginning to brown, about 18 minutes. Rotate and switch the baking sheets halfway through baking. [This is a good time to get a head start on the dishes!]  

4.       Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar to coat. Just before serving, re-roll the cookies in additional powdered sugar, gently shaking off the excess.  

The Seventh Day of Christmas Cookies: Snickerdoodles (America's Test Kitchen)

Few cookies evoke happier memories for me than snickerdoodles. First it was my friend Sean’s mother who made them for us in the halcyon days of sleepovers and the 8-bit Nintendo. And then it was Michelle surprising me with 2 or 3 dozen of these cookies on my birthday – less than two months after we married (she baked those cookies while I was working an early morning custodial job and had given me the impression she’d only made one batch, having hidden the extra 2+ dozen for me to find later in the day).

I love how snickerdoodles seem to melt in your mouth, and how they’re light enough that I could probably eat a dozen at a time if I’m not careful.  

These days I use the America’s Test Kitchen recipe rather faithfully.

Snickerdoodles (America’s Test Kitchen)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1        tablespoon cinnamon

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2        teaspoons cream of tartar

1        teaspoon baking soda

1/2    teaspoon salt

8        tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2    cup vegetable shortening

2        large eggs

Directions

1.       Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine ¼ cup of sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow dish for coating and set aside. Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2.       Beat the butter, shortening, and remaining 1.5 cups sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3.       Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined.

4.       Using wet hands (or for me a 2 tablespoon size ice cream scoop), roll 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into balls, then roll the cinnamon sugar to coat and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2.5 inches apart. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes (10 for me), rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

5.       Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.     

The Sixth Day of Christmas Cookies: The New York Times (Jacque Torres) Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not all chocolate chip cookies are created equal.

I’ve only started making this recipe in the last few years – after stumbling upon an article about a supposedly killer Jacque Torres chocolate chip cookie recipe made famous by the New York Times. I’ve had lots of really good chocolate chip cookies over the years, so I was equal parts skeptical and curious about claims that *this* recipe was the end-all-be-all for this most ubiquitous cookie.

But after making these cookies (repeatedly), I can at least attest that I haven’t yet been able to falsify that hypothesis. I can also say that, with all my years of baking, no other cookie has made me quite as many friends as this one.

This recipe admittedly requires some extra planning and effort, both because it requires some out-of-the-ordinary ingredients (e.g., cake flour, bread flour, bittersweet chocolate disks) and because it asks you to make the dough 24-36 hours before baking.  

It’s all worth it.

To really make this recipe work, make sure you also have a kitchen scale to properly measure out the ingredients and apportion the cookie dough.

I will note that the original recipe calls for sea salt sprinkled on top. I tried that, but I found the cookies were already salty enough (Michelle also thinks we don’t have the right kind of sea salt).

At the recommended 3.5 oz of dough per cookie, these cookies are big without being gaudy – in my mind the perfect size to feel truly contented with just one. There aren’t many homemade cookies I can say that about.

New York Times (Jacque Torres) Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour (8.5 ounces)

1 2/3 cups bread flour (8.5 ounces)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (2.5 sticks)

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (10 ounces)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (8 ounces)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 lbs. bittersweet chocolate disks or feves (I get these locally at Winco Foods)

Directions

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light. About 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients until just combined – about 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them (trying not to break them). Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate 24 to 36 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat (nonstick baking mat). Set aside.

4. Scoop six 3.5 ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto a baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Bake until golden brown but still soft (16 minutes for me, though the original recipe calls for 18 to 20 minutes). Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough (makes 18-19 cookies).    

The Fifth Day of Christmas Cookies: Alisha's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

There might not be another cookie in the Clark household as consistently popular as the chocolate peanut butter cup cookie. My sister Alisha used to make these, and it’s only in the last 5-6 years that I took up the recipe myself.

I’ve since made some tweaks.  

First, I make these cookies big, using the 2” ice cream scoop to portion and shape them. At this size, the recipe will make about 22 cookies.

Second, the original recipe called for cutting up 8-10 full-size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and mixing them into the dough. That’s fine, but I now use the smaller-sized cups and simply push one cup into each scoop of dough after you’ve scooped it but before dropping the dough onto the cookie sheet (so the cup ends up hidden in the bottom center of the cookie). This allows the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup to hold its form (it always made me a little sad when the cut-up Reese’s would further break apart as they were mixed into the dough). It also ensures an equal distribution of Reese’s across the cookies.

Finally, after years of experimentation, I decided to take the recipe one step further: adding Reese’s Pieces to the top. Just about everyone I've polled prefers the crunchy addition of these candies to an otherwise soft cookie. [In fact, only one person doesn’t prefer the Pieces -- I think we all know who that is.]

I like to undercook these at about 8 minutes per cookie sheet. I also like to give these cookies extra time to cool on the sheet (15-20 minutes) before removing them to a rack. Otherwise, the Reese’s on the bottom of your cookie will leave chocolate streaks on your Silpat/parchment and spatula.

These cookies are at their best if you can bring yourself to wait an hour or two before eating (allowing them to fully cool).  

Alisha’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

22 small-size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder together in a medium-sized bowl.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time. Mix in the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

4. Use a 2” ice cream scoop to portion the dough. Into each scoop of dough (while it’s still in the ice cream scoop), insert a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Then place the cookie dough on the cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.  

5. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 8-10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through. Afterward, let the cookies cool on the sheet for 15 minutes before removing them to a rack [this might be a good time to do your dishes]. 

The Fourth Day of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are the cookie version of brownies, and I love them for that.

I started making these myself a few years ago, hewing closely to the America’s Test Kitchen recipe. They became even more popular in our home when I felt free to add in the optional espresso powder (it was less about the dark notes for my kids than the feeling of sanctioned rebellion).

I will confess that I haven’t yet used unsweetened chocolate bars in this recipe; I’ve settled Kirkland semi-sweet chocolate chips. Someday!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Makes about 22 cookies

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups packed (10 1/2 ounces) brown sugar

3 large eggs

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped [or semi-sweet chocolate chips, if you’re willing to settle]

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (2 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.

2. Whisk together brown sugar, eggs, espresso powder (if using), and vanilla together in a large bowl. Combine chocolate and butter in a bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Fold in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

4. Place granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar in separate shallow dishes. Working with 2 tablespoons dough (or use #30 scoop) at a time, roll into balls. Drop dough balls directly into granulated sugar and roll to coat. Transfer dough balls to confectioners’ sugar and roll to coat evenly. Evenly space dough balls on prepared sheets, 11 per sheet.

5. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheet before serving.

The Third Day of Christmas Cookies: Monster Cookies

The Third Day of Christmas Cookies features a recipe I’ve used longer than any other. In fact, I don’t even remember baking cookies before I started baking these.

This recipe came to us from friends in Irvine and started out as a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe. That suited our needs for years, and the shortening/butter fat combination offered some nuance I didn’t find in other recipes (the shortening also allowed these cookies to bake a little thicker than cookies that rely solely on butter for the fat).

Over the years, I started tinkering with the recipe by adding to the mixture nuts (and later toasted nuts), coconut, and sometimes even chopped-up candy bars. The kid in me was also drawn to the aesthetic and added crunch of milk chocolate M&Ms on top (Michelle doesn’t seem to appreciate the M&Ms, but she tolerates those of us who do).

In the current evolution of this recipe, the M&Ms are still a mainstay. I now use coconut oil in place of shortening (which provides the coconut aroma without the added dryness that comes with using actual coconut). I also refuse to make these cookies unless I’m including toasted pecans (toasted walnuts could work too, but I’m of the mind that they’re more suited for brownies). As with the molasses spice cookies and most of the other cookies I bake, I like these best when I bake them large (with a 2” ice cream scoop), aiming for a soft interior and slightly crusted exterior.

They’re workman-like cookies as they lack the sophistication of some of my other favorites, but one of my sisters claims they’re her favorite (and I like to believe she’s not just saying that to humor me).

This recipe also makes a ton of cookies (well, more like 24+ using the large scoop).

One last thought: I find that these cookies taste even better the second day – after the chocolate has a chance to “set” into the cookie. If you know, you know.

Original Monster Cookies

1 Stick (1/2 Cup) of Butter

1 Cup Coconut Oil (or Shortening)

1 1/4 Cup White Sugar

1 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar

1 Tbls. Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

4 Cups White Flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (we prefer the Kirkland Signature brand, but only if they’re the “real” chocolate chips)

1 Cup Toasted Pecans or Walnuts

1 Cup (or so) of Milk Chocolate M&Ms

Directions

Toast and roughly chop the pecans, if you haven’t already.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl for two minutes or so. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add the flour. Mix well. Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.

On parchment paper or a Silpat, use a 2” ice cream scoop to drop generous balls of cookie dough a few inches apart (I can fit 8 safely on a regular size cookie sheet). Place the M&Ms on top of the dropped cookie dough balls. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet at the halfway point. Aim for the edges of the cookies to just start to turn golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes, then remove them to a rack. 

The Second Day of Christmas Cookies: Molasses Spice Cookies

 “I nailed it.”

The comment laid bare my conceit, but this latest batch of cookies deserved it. Even my 16-year-old – who seems to delight in nothing more than contradicting her father – nodded in assent.

The Second Day of Christmas Cookies is devoted to one of my favorite recipes: a variation on Martha Stewart’s molasses spice crisps.

I love the smell and flavor of these cookies. They’re synonymous now with fall and Christmas (though I’m not shy about making them any time of year). I’m also particularly fond of how the salt in the recipe helps highlight the cloves and cinnamon.

I should also tell you upfront that I’ve never made these cookies intending them to be “crisps” [if you’re into crispier cookies generally, that’s ok, but we might have trouble relating]. From the outset, I’ve tinkered with the baking time and temperature (as well as the size of the cookie), looking for the perfect balance of soft cookie interior with slightly crusted exterior.

In my last few batches, I’ve come as close to that perfect balance as ever by going bigger with the cookies (using the 2” ice cream scoop) and lowering the baking temperature to 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Here’s my variation of the recipe:

Molasses Spice Cookies (Inspired by Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment (since Michelle doesn’t like the residual cinnamon smell on the Silpats); set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine shortening and 1 cup sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and molasses, then beat to combine. Add dry ingredients and beat on low to combine.

3. Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Using a 2-inch ice-cream scoop, form balls of dough. Roll dough balls between the palms of your hands until smooth. Roll in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in the center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets once after 5 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool, 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack until completely cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Makes about 12 cookies [closer to 24 if you use the 1 ½ inch ice cream scoop].