Lebkuchen Cookies

Lebkuchen Cookies (German)
by Ebalamucki, Cookie Club Member
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com


Category: Desserts, Cookies, Christmas, German
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Level: Baking Experience Helpful
Yield: 3 Dozen Cookies


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Here's a good cookie to make ahead of time for the holidays. This recipe was given to me by my grandmother. 

Ingredients

2 eggs
l cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup ground nuts
2 l/2 cups flour
l/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
l/2 tsp. cinnamon
l/4 tsp. allspice
l/2 tsp. cloves
6 tsp. orange peel and 2 tsp. lemon peel
(or you can use mixed candied fruit in place of orange and lemon peel)

Directions:

Beat eggs and sugar till fluffy. Add honey and mix well, then add nuts (almonds or walnuts). In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Add orange and lemon peel, or candied fruit. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat well.

Chill dough for several hours or overnight. Roll out to about l/4 inch thick or thinner. Cut out cookies with cutters of the season. I add a slivered almond and green and red candied cherries on the top before baking at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Do Not let them get too brown. 

If they are too crisp, put them in a plastic bag and add a bread crust. They will become softer and chewy. They will keep for weeks - Not refrigerated. 

Enjoy!

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Scandinavian Almond Bars with Icing

Scandinavian Almond Bars with Icing 
by G. and B. King, Cookie Club Members
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com


Category: Desserts, Bars
Prep Time: 20 Minutes (chill 1 hour)
Level: Impressive Baking Skills
Yield: 40 Bars

These almond bar cookies are light and crunchy, perfect for an afternoon tea. Preparation is a bit advanced so take your time and follow our step by step photos (on our web site) and additional notes. You can do it! They're also quite delicious without the added icing, we tested just a bite to be sure! ;o)

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. milk
1/2 c. sliced almonds, chopped

Icing...

1 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1-2 T. milk

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. 

Beat in egg and almond extract. 

Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Divide dough into fourths, chill for 1 hour. Roll each ball of dough into 3" x 12" rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets.

Editor's Notes: These cookies are light and delicate so use a small light rolling pin instead of a heavy one. If dough is sticking, add a bit more flour to each ball of dough and the rolling pin, as needed. Since I wasn't sure how much the cookies would spread during baking (turned out to be not much), I baked one section at a time. Also, I recommend rolling dough out directly onto waxed or parchment paper with a little cooking spray. Makes it very easy to move to cooling rack after baking (another good reason to bake one section at a time.) You could also cut these cookies into any shape desired, though the small triangles are more traditional and very nice.

Brush with milk, sprinkle with almonds. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm to the touch and edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for a few minutes. 

Cut diagonally into 1 inch slices. Let cool completely.

Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over bars. 

Makes about 10-12 cookies per each divided section of cookie dough.

Enjoy!

© www.CookieClubRecipes.com

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Honey Almond Crunch Cookies

Honey Almond Crunch Cookies 
by LeAnne R., Cookie Club Member
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com

Category: Desserts, Cookies
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Level: Baking Experience Helpful
Yield: 24 Cookies

Sweet, chewy, crunchy, deliciousness! That may be the best way to describe these unique cookies made with a pound of almonds. They are slightly similar to the sweetest granola bar or protein bar you've ever had, but shaped like a cookie. Did I mention they are packed with almonds? That means they're also GOOOOOOD for us! :o)

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 pound sliced almonds (due to the current high cost of almonds here in the U.S., I used 2 6-ounce pkgs. instead of a full pound)
8 1-ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted (optional)

Editor's Note: This recipe makes 24 cookies, using 2 greased muffin pans. They are sweet enough without the chocolate but they're even better with it. If you like chocolate. I decided to save even more money (in addition to using less almonds) and only melt 1 square of chocolate. I was able to drizzle or spread the melted 1-ounce square on about 1/3 of the cookies for a nice variety. 

Instructions:

Butter 2 muffin pans and set aside. 

In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine butter, sugar, honey, cream and almond extract. 

Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently. When mixture comes to a boil, cook and stir constantly for one and a half minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in almonds.

Divide mixture among prepared pans using a large spoon to fill muffin cups evenly. Pat mixture in bottom of pans using spoon or fingers dipped in cold water. Pans should be filled about a half inch deep. (Do not fill muffin cups more than half way or honey mixture will spill over during baking.)

Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees (350 for dark muffin pans) for 8-10 minutes, or till golden brown. Timing will depend on type of pan used. Remove pans from oven and let cool slightly.

Refrigerate 5-8 minutes or until just firm enough to go around edges gently with tip of sharp knife. 



Remove cookies from pans to waxed paper. Note: If bits of cookie are left behind in the muffin cup during transfer, press back onto the underside of warm cookie, they are still somewhat formable at this stage. 

Go ahead, try to resist that warm honey almond cookie. Not gonna happen!

Let cookies cool completely. If desired, drizzle melted chocolate on top of cookies or spread a thin layer on flat side. Refrigerate until chocolate is hardened. 

Enjoy!

© www.CookieClubRecipes.com

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Viennese Crescents Pastry with Apricot Jam

Viennese Crescents - Pastry with Apricot Jam
by Barb Schieler of Chesterfield, MO, Cookie Club Member
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com


Category: Desserts, Cookies
Prep Time: 45 Minutes (chill overnight)
Level: Impressive Baking Skills
Yield: 60 Cookies


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Cream Cheese Pastry…

1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

In large bowl of mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until blended. With fingertips, blend in flour and salt until dough is smooth. Cover and chill overnight. Let stand at room temperature 15 to 30 minutes before rolling. Keep unused portion refrigerated.

Crescents…

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp. milk
1/2 c. finely chopped blanched almonds
2/3 c. apricot jam

Directions:

Roll pastry 1/2-inch thick, cut in 3-inch squares then cut into triangles. Brush with egg/milk mixture. Sprinkle lightly with almonds and press gently into dough. Put 1/2 tsp. jam on wide edge of triangle then roll from wide edge to point. Curve to make crescent, place point down on lightly greased cookie sheets, brush with egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Chill 30 minutes. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 18 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. 


Enjoy!

© www.CookieClubRecipes.com

Amaretto Sours Cookies

Amaretto Sours Cookies
by Fred, Cookie Club Member
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com


Category: Desserts, Cookies
Prep Time: 20 Minutes (chill 1 hour)
Level: Baking Experience Helpful
Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies


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Ingredients:

1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. confectioners’ sugar
1 egg yolk
3 T. amaretto, divided
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. lemon zest (peel)
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg white
1/2 c. ground almonds

Instructions:

Cream shortening and sugar, add egg yolk, 2 T. amaretto, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix well. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Using a tablespoon place on lightly greased cookie sheets, flatten with the bottom of a glass. Whisk together egg white and 1 T. amaretto. Lightly brush tops of flattened cookies. Sprinkle tops with ground almonds and brush again with egg white/amaretto. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Enjoy!

© www.CookieClubRecipes.com

Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti Cookies
by Francesca, Cookie Club Member
Recipe Courtesy of www.CookieClubRecipes.com


Category: Desserts, Cookies
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Level: Easy to Bake
Yield: 24 Cookies


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Ingredients:

3 eggs
14 ounces sugar
2 T. cocoa
1/2 bottle bitter almond extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder
36 ounces crushed almonds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently mix all ingredients. Grease baking sheets or use parchment paper. Drop cookie mixture by tablespoon. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool before removing cookies from cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

© www.CookieClubRecipes.com