ALMOND STICKS

This recipe is a family favorite...My mother used to make these every year for Christmas, and now her tradition is passed down to me and my girls. The recipe makes a lot and can be halfed. If you are into cookie dough - this one is delicious!

2 Cups Butter

4 Cups Almond Meal or Ground Raw Almonds (you can get Almond Meal at Trader Joe's for a reasonable price)

4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Salt

2 Cups Sugar

6 Eggs

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 tsp Baking Soda

Yellow Food Coloring (optional)

Multi-Colored Ball Sprinkles

Do not preheat your oven - this dough needs to chill.

Cream Butter and Sugar. Add in Eggs and Flavoring and mix until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (Almond Meal, Flour, Salt, Baking Soda). Add dry ingredients to wet a little at a time until all is incorporated. You can add some yellow food coloring if you prefer your cookies a little blonder.

Form dough into several rectangular loaves about a half inch thick by placing a line of dough onto slightly floured wax paper and then fold the wax paper around the slightly floured dough line pressing down to flatter. I realize now that a picture of this step would have been helpful so I will try to add one...

Chill dough overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Cut the loaves into thin sticks and gently press one side into the sprinkles. Place cookie sprinkle side up onto cookie sheet covered with parchment or a silpat liner.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes - these cookies do not get very brown. Remove from cookie sheets immediately after baking.

BROWN BUTTER SALTED CARAMEL SNICKERDOODLES

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter

1 1/4 Cups Dark Brown Sugar - packed

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

2  Large Eggs

1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

1 Tbs Sour Cream (Greek Yogurt can be substituted)

Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramels - cut in half

For Coating The Cookies:

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Sea Salt - for sprinkling on top

First, brown butter by placing it in a small skillet over medium heat and cook until melted. Continue cooking until it becomes slightly foamy and small flecks form on the bottom. Cook until the bits turn brown and the butter has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon and salt). Set aside.

In a stand mixer ( a handheld is fine also), cream the brown butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, vanilla and sour cream until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined. Form mixed dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least a half hour. Longer is fine.

For coating the cookies, in a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Measured chilled dough into a ball (about two tablespoons) and flatten slightly. Place a half caramel in center and wrap dough around caramel.

Roll dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon liner. About two inches apart.

Bake the cookies for approximately 8 - 10 minutes until the edges turn slightly brown. Do not over bake! The center of the cookie will be soft due to caramel filling. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt and let cool on cookie sheets for two minutes, or until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Try not to eat them all! They are addictive!

  

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the most amazing chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted! They are soft, gooey, and chewy in the middle and slightly crisp on the outside. If you don't believe me you will have to just try them for yourself. But I can tell you one thing, I will never be making another chocolate chip cookie recipe again. This one has taken top spot in my recipe book!

Angel Wings or Crostoli

Angel Wings is a recipe that my Grandma Balogh used to make for us children. Although the family recipe has been lost, this is the closest that my aunt and I have come to the original. Making these cookies brings back fond memories of special treats that Grandma used to make!

Here is what you will need:

1 lb Flour (4 cups)
1 Tbs Crisco or Lard
2 Egg Yokes
1 Whole Egg
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 tsp orange extract or Brandy (we used Almond Extract instead - yum!)
1/4 tsp Salt
1 cup Milk
Powdered Sugar
2 cups Crisco or Lard
2 cups Vegetable Oil

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 1 tsp lard (or Crisco), egg yolks, whole eggs, extract or brandy and salt. Gradually add milk until the dough forms a firm ball and begins to pull away from the side or the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead for about 5 minutes. This dough will be elastic, but firm. Cover and refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Cut dough into four parts, keeping all but one covered. Keeping surface floured, roll one quarter of the dough to about 1/8" thick. With a pastry wheel, pizza wheel or knife, cut dough into 4X2 diamonds or strips. Make a small horizontal slit in the center of each strip and draw an end of the strip through and curl it back in the opposite direction.

In a deep pan, heat oil and lard (or Crisco) to about 375 degrees. Oil is ready when a test strip of dough bubbles. Fry in hot oil until golden, about 30 seconds on each side, gently turning with tongs. Place angel wings on paper towels and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar when cooled. Store in an airtight container.

Note: My aunt and I have also used 1 tsp ground cardamom to season these cookies.