Holiday Cookie List

Christmas Cookies

It’s the time of year for holiday baking…
And here is a list of beautiful and delicious holiday cookies that we have been posting (one recipe per day) to our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

And you can find our list from last December, it is here. That’s a lot of cookie recipes to choose from!

Sticky Toffee Gingerbread

Ginger Fix
I have had gingerbread on the brain. I blame my sister because while I will be here braving the crowds to finish up my holiday shopping, she will be in London for a storybook, Charles Dickens Christmas adventure with her family and the queen. Gee, how awful for her.

Ginger is a major player for my family during the holidays. Most of the holiday treats of my childhood contained some sort of ginger…ginger cookies, gingerbread men and of course, good old-fashioned gingerbread. It’s definitely a Scandinavian addiction, and for me, it’s not the holidays without it.

I have tasted some good gingerbread over the years, but if I had to choose one recipe to make a classic gingerbread it would be this one. Though, I don’t serve it the way you would expect. I go rogue and serve my gingerbread with the same sauce I use for my Sticky Toffee Pudding. Is it over the top? Perhaps. But it is appropriate for the holidays—if you can’t over-indulge at the holidays then when can you?

Try using Blackstrap molasses instead of regular. It gives it a dark chocolate-like intensity that is delicious. You can also bake this in individual ramekins, or even muffin tins for a more elegant presentation—just be certain to adjust the cooking time.

Sticky Toffee Gingerbread

Gingerbread
Serves 12
This portion of the recipe is adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook

Classic Scottish Shortbread

The Cookie Crumbles

As my grandfather grew older, it got harder and harder to figure out what to get him for Christmas. When you reach your 90s, you pretty much have everything you need. There is an actual limit to how many pairs of slippers a person should own.

Sees Candy was one of his favorites, as were framed pictures of the kids and family. I think I was a senior in high school when I bought a shortbread mold, and made him his first batch of Christmas Shortbread. It was a big hit. He dug in and started eating them before we finished opening presents. From then on, Gumpa got his own special tin of homemade shortbread from me every year.

Shortbread is one of my favorite cookies. The ingredients are uncomplicated, and it is a perfect accompaniment to a steaming hot cup of tea. For all it’s simplicity, making perfect shortbread can be tricky. You don’t want it to tough or too crumbly, and if you use a mold, there is always the possibility it will stick…which is a total bummer. The main thing is to make sure you use good quality butter (and lots of it). I like Kerry Gold or Plugra.

There are so many different versions of shortbread to fit whatever mood you’re in, and the best part is that it’s a year-round cookie. Anytime is a good time for shortbread in any form. Lemon. Lavender. Chocolate. Pecan. Earl Grey..the possibilities are endless.

The best, in my opinion, is traditional Scottish shortbread (Can’t go wrong with the classics.) This recipe adds some oats to the mix for a slightly nuttier flavor. It’s fantastic, and a good choice for gift giving.

Classic Scottish Shortbread
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Yields 16 shortbread wedges Read more…

Caramel Nut Pie

The Life of PIE

To everything there is a season, and to every season…there is a pie.

Springtime means cherry, rhubarb, and lemon meringue. Summer is a pie-a-palooza with apple, peach, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry…and so on. Winter is reserved for the chocolates and for some interesting citrus versions, like this one.

Apple is really a year-round option. (‘Cause when is it not a good time for apple pie?)

But the Fall, it’s all about nuts and squash. There are some fruits thrown in for good measure. Apple, of course, Pear too…and both are often found mixed with cranberries. While Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spice seem to rule the month of November, for me the nut pies are the real stars.

Since November is Pie Month at Piedmont Grocery, I decided to get in the spirit and make a pie over the weekend—mainly so that I could eat it, but also to teach my daughter how to make her own. I have always been a big fan of Pecan Pie, but that’s what we will be having for Thanksgiving. I wanted to do something a different, and decided to try a Caramel Nut Pie recipe that I saw in the American Pie Council’s America’s Best Pies 2015-2014 cookbook my sister gave me last Christmas. I was a little concerned about letting my 9 year-old make caramel, but it turned out great, and we had it for dessert Sunday night.(And some of us may have had some for breakfast on Monday, maybe.)

This Caramel Nut Pie would make a great stand-in for pecan at Thanksgiving. It’s for anyone who loves nuts—especially if they are not a big fan of the gooey center. Fair warning, this pie is basically all nuts. It is as dense as it is rich. It is also very good.

Below is the recipe as printed in the book. If I were to make this again, and I definitely will, I would make some changes. (*See my notes.) For example, I added salt to the caramel because I thought the mixture was just too sweet and needed more of a buttery flavor. Second, next time I will bake this in a tart pan. It would make it easier to slice, and frankly, I think it works better as a tart. Third, I would get a little wacky with the mix of nuts…maybe add some hazelnuts or cashews to the mix. I also want to see what it would taste like with a little cayenne pepper added to the caramel. I left off the white chocolate because I didn’t think it was necessary, but a little melted semi-sweet chocolate could be tasty option too…

Caramel Nut Pie
America’s Best Pies 2014-2015 by American Pie Council
Christine Montalvo, Windsor Heights, IA Read more…