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Sable Cookies
Dessert American

Sable Cookies

3.7

Prep
20 min
Cook
Total
47 min

Instructions

  1. 1 Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt together in a food processor until just combined, about 5 times.
  2. 2 Add butter to processor, and pulse until mixture is crumbly, about 12 times.
  3. 3 Add egg yolks and vanilla, and process until dough begins to clump together, about 30 seconds.
  4. 4 Shape dough into a disc about 1 inch thick; wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
  5. 5 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. 6 Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch fluted, round cookie cutter, cut as many cookies as you can from dough. Re-roll dough as needed. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
  7. 7 Stir 1 teaspoon water and egg white together in a small bowl until combined. Lightly brush over cookies, and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar.
  8. 8 Bake in the preheated oven in upper and lower thirds, 2 baking sheets at a time, rotating top to bottom and bottom to top, halfway through, until set and lightly golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets, about 15 minutes. Can be stored for up to one week in an airtight resealable container.

By Anna Theoktisto

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Dessert American

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

4.4

Prep
30 min
Cook
Total
70 min

Instructions

  1. 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. 2 Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated.
  3. 3 Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until well combined, about 2 minutes.
  4. 4 Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, then roll balls in sanding sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Press the center of each ball with your thumb (about 1/2-inch deep and 1/2-inch wide).
  5. 5 Bake in preheated oven in upper and lower thirds, 2 baking sheets at a time, rotating top to bottom and bottom to top halfway through, until cookies are set and almost firm, 8 to 10 minutes.
  6. 6 Let cool on baking sheets, about 15 minutes. When cool, press the center of each ball with your thumb again—the indentations will have puffed in the oven.
  7. 7 Heat cream in a small microwavable bowl on HIGH until just steaming, about 45 seconds. Remove from the heat, and add chopped chocolate. Let the mixture sit, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Place about 1 teaspoon filling in the center of each cookie. Slide the cookies into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the filling. The cookies will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

By Anna Theoktisto

Giant King Cake Pop-Tart
Dessert American

Giant King Cake Pop-Tart

Prep
40 min
Cook
20 min
Total
70 min

Instructions

  1. 1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. 2 Mix brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt together for the tart in a medium bowl with a fork or clean hands until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
  3. 3 Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; set aside.
  4. 4 Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Place one sheet of puff pastry on the surface; gently pinch the seams of the sheet together. Lightly dust surface of pastry with flour and roll into a 9x13-inch rectangle.
  5. 5 Carefully transfer the puff pastry sheet to the prepared pan and prick the entire surface with a fork. Spread the brown sugar-cinnamon filling all over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Use a pastry brush to brush this 1-inch border with egg wash.
  6. 6 Repeat rolling process detailed in step 4 with the second sheet of pastry. Using your rolling pin, carefully place the second sheet of pastry on top of the first, lining up the corners and edges. Seal the two sheets of pastry around the edges by pressing together with the prongs of a fork. Prick the entire surface with a fork and brush all over with egg wash.
  7. 7 Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. 8 While the tart cools, beat cream cheese and butter together for icing until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread the icing over top of the tart. Decorate as desired with sanding sugars.

By Darcy Lenz

Smart Cookie Strawberry Shortcakes
Dessert American

Smart Cookie Strawberry Shortcakes

5.0

Prep
50 min
Cook
10 min
Total
60 min

Instructions

  1. 1 Crush about 1/4 of the strawberries with a fork; mix together with the remaining strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Set aside to macerate for up to 1 hour.
  2. 2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. 3 Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix cream, eggs, and almond extract together in a separate bowl.
  4. 4 Cut cold butter cubes into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until texture resembles damp sand. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream mixture; fold it in gently with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. 5 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until dough comes together. Pat out until 1/2-inch thick. Fold dough in half and then in quarters, and pat out into a 1/2-inch thickness again. Repeat folding one more time.
  6. 6 Cut out 12 rounds using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, taking care not to twist the cutter in the dough, and place at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
  7. 7 Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
  8. 8 Combine heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
  9. 9 Split the shortcakes in half and top with macerated strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

By Smart Cookie

Mardi Gras King Cake
Dessert American

Mardi Gras King Cake

4.7

Prep
40 min
Cook
35 min
Total
240 min

Instructions

  1. 1 Gather all ingredients.
  2. 2 To make the dough: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and fully combined, about 2 minutes. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
  3. 3 Meanwhile, stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  4. 4 Add cooled milk mixture, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar to yeast mixture, whisk until combined, about 30 seconds.
  5. 5 Beat flour into yeast mixture, 1 cup at a time, with an electric mixer fitted with dough hook attachment on medium speed until dough comes together, about 3 minutes.
  6. 6 Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed, 8 to 10 minutes.
  7. 7 Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 ½ hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
  8. 8 Return dough to a lightly floured work surface, roll out each half into a 10x16-inch rectangle, dusting work surface and rolling pin with additional flour if needed.
  9. 9 To make the filling: Combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, raisins, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour melted butter on top and mix until crumbly.
  10. 10 Sprinkle filling evenly over dough, about 1 cup per cake, using your hands or a spatula to press into dough.
  11. 11 Starting at one of the long ends, roll each dough rectangle into a tight log.
  12. 12 Bring the ends of each roll together, pinching the seams together to form 2 individual oval-shaped rings. Transfer each ring, seam side down, onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. With scissors, make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1-inch intervals.
  13. 13 Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  14. 14 Bake both rings in the preheated oven in the upper and lower thirds until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, or when a thermometer inserted into the center of the dough reads 190 F, about 25 minutes, rotating sheet trays 180 degrees and top to bottom, halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Some filling might leak out during baking.
  15. 15 Remove cakes and carefully push 1 doll into bottom of each warm cake. Let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.
  16. 16 To make the glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl until smooth, adding another 1 tablespoon water if needed to reach desired consistency.
  17. 17 Spread glaze evenly over the tops of both warm cakes.
  18. 18 Sprinkle sanding sugar immediately over glaze if desired.

By Jo