The magic of real butter with Blue cheese and rosemary.Now here’s something different. A buttery shortbread-like cookie infused with Blue cheese and fresh rosemary leaves. Serve with a full-bodied red wine and these savory cookies will have people talking through the new year.
Rosemary Blue Cheese Ice Box Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. Blue cheese,* softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, leaves only
White or natural sanding (coarse) sugar
*Domestic Blue cheese gives cookies a clean flavor, color and texture. Use less flour with a Stilton-style cheese and more flour with a French-style Roquefort.
Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl; set aside. Cream together Blue cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and cheese mixture; beat to combine. Add cranberries and mix on low just until evenly dispersed.
Divide the dough into two pieces and use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch diameter round or square logs. Set out two fresh pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over both. Roll the logs of dough in nuts until covered. Tightly wrap and seal the logs; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours). Preheat oven to 325°F. Working with one log at a time, unwrap and slice logs into 1/4-inch discs. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press about 3 small rosemary leaves on each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with sanding sugar.
Bake on a middle rack until bottoms begin to brown and tops just begin to turn from pale to golden; 12 to 18 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Why have coffee with dessert when you can have coffee in your dessert? A buttery chocolate layer forms the foundation of this rich cheesecake-like bar. It’s a decadent pick-me-up, perfect for any time of day.
Espresso Chocolate Squares
Makes 2 dozen bars
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Filling
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 eggs
Glaze
6 Tbsp. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil; butter bottom of foil.
Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together in medium bowl; add 1/2 cup butter. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until butter is the size of small peas. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; press into bottom of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean; cool slightly.
Meanwhile, stir 1/4 cup cream and 1 tablespoon instant espresso together until coffee is dissolved. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter together. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and allspice; beat until blended. Slowly beat in cream and coffee mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour batter over crust.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are slightly puffed and center is set; set pan on a cooling rack.
Glaze
Melt 6 tablespoons chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon cream, 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle over bars and refrigerate until set. Cover and store bars in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Butter makes this simple drop cookie soft and rich while pistachios give it an unexpected crunch. Lemon rind and fennel seeds round out the cookie with a citrusy-anise flavor.
Fennel Pistachio Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. amaretto or almond extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped, plus extra for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add egg; beat well. Add amaretto, lemon zest and fennel seeds; mix to combine.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture; beat well. Stir in pistachio nuts (dough will be stiff).
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. If desired, flatten balls slightly and sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Recipes courtesy of America's Dairy Farmers (of which my parents used to be)
Rosemary Blue Cheese Ice Box CookiesMakes 4 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. Blue cheese,* softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, leaves only
White or natural sanding (coarse) sugar
*Domestic Blue cheese gives cookies a clean flavor, color and texture. Use less flour with a Stilton-style cheese and more flour with a French-style Roquefort.
Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl; set aside. Cream together Blue cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and cheese mixture; beat to combine. Add cranberries and mix on low just until evenly dispersed.
Divide the dough into two pieces and use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch diameter round or square logs. Set out two fresh pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over both. Roll the logs of dough in nuts until covered. Tightly wrap and seal the logs; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours). Preheat oven to 325°F. Working with one log at a time, unwrap and slice logs into 1/4-inch discs. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press about 3 small rosemary leaves on each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with sanding sugar.
Bake on a middle rack until bottoms begin to brown and tops just begin to turn from pale to golden; 12 to 18 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Why have coffee with dessert when you can have coffee in your dessert? A buttery chocolate layer forms the foundation of this rich cheesecake-like bar. It’s a decadent pick-me-up, perfect for any time of day.
Espresso Chocolate SquaresMakes 2 dozen bars
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Filling
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 eggs
Glaze
6 Tbsp. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil; butter bottom of foil.
Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together in medium bowl; add 1/2 cup butter. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until butter is the size of small peas. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; press into bottom of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean; cool slightly.
Meanwhile, stir 1/4 cup cream and 1 tablespoon instant espresso together until coffee is dissolved. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter together. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and allspice; beat until blended. Slowly beat in cream and coffee mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour batter over crust.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are slightly puffed and center is set; set pan on a cooling rack.
Glaze
Melt 6 tablespoons chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon cream, 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle over bars and refrigerate until set. Cover and store bars in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Butter makes this simple drop cookie soft and rich while pistachios give it an unexpected crunch. Lemon rind and fennel seeds round out the cookie with a citrusy-anise flavor.
Fennel Pistachio CookiesMakes 3 dozen cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. amaretto or almond extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped, plus extra for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add egg; beat well. Add amaretto, lemon zest and fennel seeds; mix to combine.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture; beat well. Stir in pistachio nuts (dough will be stiff).
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. If desired, flatten balls slightly and sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Recipes courtesy of America's Dairy Farmers (of which my parents used to be)
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