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Recipes: Cashew Butter Cookies 'Plus', Sophie's Ginger-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Last update: November 29, 2006 - 2:21 PM

Cashew Butter Cookies 'Plus'

Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

Note: Both salted and unsalted cashews are called for. "I host an annual cookie dough 'fest' at my home, where we all get together and make 12 or so different kinds of cookie dough, bag it all in Ziplocs and label them for baking at our leisure," writes Suzi Wells of Minneapolis. "This cookie always makes the 'must-do' list."

• 1 1/2 c. sifted flour

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 c. roasted, unsalted cashews

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp. dark rum

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 c. roasted, salted cashews, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 c. rolled oats

• 1 (8-oz.) package Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, divided

• 1 (5-oz.) can macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt, and reserve. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine unsalted cashews and vegetable oil and pulse until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste and reserve.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Add egg and beat well. Add rum and vanilla extract and beat well.

Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Add cashew-vegetable oil mixture and beat well. Using a spoon, stir in salted cashews, oats, three-quarters of Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits and macadamia nuts.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a fork dipped in water, gently flatten cookies into a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of remaining Heath Chocolate Toffee Bits on top of each cookie and bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sophie's Ginger-Raspberry thumbprint cookies

Makes about 2 dozen.

When Michele Ireland's daughter Sophie suggested her mother bake ginger-raspberry cookies, a new cookie was born in the Irelands' Minneapolis kitchen, created by borrowing favorite attributes from standard ginger cookies and thumbprint cookies. "After a bit of experimentation, I came up with a recipe that quickly became a family favorite," writes Ireland. "The raspberry filling gives a very festive look and the ginger makes it a holiday cookie to me."

• 1 1/4 c. flour

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 c. ( 1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

• 1/4 c. sugar, plus extra for rolling cookies

• 1 egg

• Scant 1/4 c. finely chopped crystallized ginger

• Raspberry jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ground ginger and ground cinnamon and reserve.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until combined (if dough is too dry, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time). Stir in crystallized ginger.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar, place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, depress center of each cookie, return to oven and bake an additional 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes (indents may need to be pressed in again if cookies have puffed up) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Fill indents with about 1/2 teaspoon jam.