111311 Gingersnap-Raspberry Sandwiches

This recipe has a very strong ginger flavor. By themselves (without the jam), they're kind of like a gingersnap snickerdoodle - soft on the inside with a light, sugar crunch on the outside. I used strawberry jam which was fine - however, to minimize the sweetness, I didn't overfill the cookies. Recipe is easy to assemble and yielded the predicted 2 doz. sandwiches. I'm not a big gingersnap fan, so not sure if I would revisit this recipe.

110511Rum Raisin Shortbread

You definitely have to plan ahead for these cookies - soak the raisins in rum overnight, chill the dough for a few hours and then bake. The cookies are on the crispy side and somewhat simple. Careful when handling because they break easily. Slight hint of rum due the soaked raisins. "OK" recipe but not sure if it's a repeat.

103011 Brown-butter Toffee Blondies

The toffee bits add a nice crunch and sweetness to this recipe. It's a dense cookie bar but not too, too sweet. The dough does not "pour" into the pan as the recipe suggests. It needs to be spread into the lined 9x13" pan, which is actually tricky because the parchment paper tends to slide around. It's a yummy blondie recipe and pretty easy/quick to make (except for spreading in the pan). I didn't cut the cookies into various shapes as Martha calls out but they taste pretty good whether diamond cut, heart shaped, or square!!

102311 Cornmeal Thyme Cookies

The thyme sure does make a nice kitchen aroma...but I'm not too keen on savory cookies. My mom enjoyed them, but she also liked the anise cookies I made a while ago (another savory recipe). Very easy to make and they came out just like the picture in the cookie book. They're very soft and have a slight crunch due to the cornmeal. I used cranberries instead of currants but it really didn't make a difference because the thyme overwhelms the whole cookie.

101511 Orange Cardamom Madeleines

It's amazing how delicate these cookies look considering how simple they are to make. It's all in the scalloped pan!! The recipe is easy to follow and the cardamom adds an interesting fragrance not commonly found in cookies. But, it's the orange icing that really takes this cookie way past ordinary Madeleines!! And, the icing also helps cover up some of the air pockets/holes - not sure what caused these holes on some of the cookies?? I made a second batch paying special attention to the egg-sugar mixture and gentle introduction of the dry ingredients....but to no avail - some cookies still had air holes. Holes or no holes, the cookies are delicious!! I sent a box to my sister - hope she enjoys them! A "keeper" recipe and something that can be put together last minute (but allow for the 30min refrigeration time).

100811 Cigarettes Russes

This recipe was actually fun to make, even though it was quite involved. Definitely time consuming and one needs to move fast once the cookies are out of the oven. I baked 3 cookies at a time and constantly had to oil the wooden spoon handle between rolling each cigarette;otherwise, the cookie will stick to the handle and refuse to come off. Surprisingly, the batter was easy to spread on the baking sheet - must use an offset spatula. Keep an eye on the oven because they bake fast! It was easier to make short fat cigarettes as opposed to long skinny ones - I guess you can call them cigar russes (fitting for my husband)!!

100211 Old-Fashion Sugar Cookies

This is probably one of the best sugar cookie recipes I've come across in a long time!! The lemon zest and juice really adds a nice touch. The cookies are big, soft and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness! Definitely a keeper - a recipe I will make again and again! The double application of sanding sugar adds a nice sparkle and crunch.

092511 Almod Horns

These cookies start with a nice kitchen aroma due to the roasted almonds - yum! The recipe is pretty easy to put together and assemble - take care when making the log rolls (I used the counter top as the rolling board). The recipe has a wonderful almond flavor - reminds me of a Russian teacake. Simple, non-complex, and sweet! Makes exactly 3 doz, as predicted.

091711 Anise Drops

These cookies have quite an interesting flavor - a little savory & a little sweet. I couldn't find anise extract so I used finely ground anise. The dough is "runny" so you have to work fast and get them into the oven quickly. They cookies are very pale, soft, and chewy. My mom enjoyed them but my husband took only a nibble. I don't think I'll be making these again. BTW, this is a delayed post.

091011 Striped Icebox Cookies

I struggled a bit assembling these cookies because I was being frugal and interleaving the dough with the parchment paper - don't do this because the dough is hard to remove and will begin to break. Use 2 pieces of parchment paper per rectangle dough. The filling gets a bit hard to spread, so I re-heated quickly right before I needed it. Other than that, the cookies bake nicely - they're a bit big so next time I may consider cutting them in half. The taste is wonderful! The tartness of the cherries balance out the sweet cornmeal - excellent combination of texture and flavors!