Tag Archives: cookies

Key Lime Crackle Cookies

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking, Leftover Ideas by

Flavored with key lime juice and zest, and naturally colored with turmeric, these pretty cookies are easy to make.

The original recipe is from the Food Network magazine. The were tinted green, however, which is not the color of key lime juice, so I changed it to yellow by way of powdered turmeric. (You could certainly still use food coloring. If you do, add it with the lime juice and use about 4 drops.)

The dough needs to chill awhile in the fridge, so you can make it a few hours ahead. And another bonus — this is a good way to use up a bottle of key lime juice that you may have from making key lime pie or another dessert.

Makes 36-40

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. key lime juice
Zest of 1 key lime, if you have it
1/2 cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar

Whisk the flour, baking powder, turmeric, and salt in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lime juice (and zest). Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350F/175C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put confectioners’ sugar in small bowl.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll tablespoonfuls into balls, then roll in the sugar mixture to coat completely. Arrange 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. (Don’t worry if the dough starts getting soft and sticky in your hands as you make the balls; still roll them in the confectioners’ sugar and they’ll come out fine.) Return the remaining dough to the refrigerator.

Bake 18-20 minutes, or until the base of the cookies turns ever so slightly golden. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Thumbprint Cookies

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking by

These are classic cookies distinguished by big jam-filled circles in the middle. They are cute for children, and you can use different types of jam for a variety of colors, but they’re also nice “grown-up” cookies that go really well with tea or coffee. The cookies themselves are dry and crumbly, which sets off the jam very well.

I think these taste best a day or two after baking. A note about the filling: Avoid jelly, as it doesn’t melt enough to fill the center. And orange marmalade is especially delicious — the slight bitterness is wonderful with the sweetness of the cookie.

Makes about 40

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2/3 cup jam (try to use seedless varieties)

Heat the oven to 350F/175C degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixture, using the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, then add the flour and mix until just combined.

Put flour on your hands and pinch off pieces of dough, then roll them around with your fingers to make 1-inch balls. Space them 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. With a floured thumb, make an indentation in the center of each ball, then fill it with 1/2 tsp. of jam. Be careful not to get jam anywhere except in the center of the cookie.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the bottoms. Remove them from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.

Banana Cookies

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking, Leftover Ideas by

Baking is by far the best way to use overripe bananas, especially because they mash so well. I always use them to make my tried and true banana bread, but this time I wanted something different, and I thought of banana cookies. I’d never heard of them before, but I was sure that’s what I wanted to make. Then I found a great recipe here. The writer says the recipe came from her grandmother and is more than 70 years old. Here is her recipe, slightly tweaked based on my baking this morning.


1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 1/2 bananas)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup pecans, finely chopped (walnuts and chocolate chips are fine alternatives), plus extra whole pecans for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise.

Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture. Mix together the flour, salt, and spices and sift into the butter and banana mixture and mix until just combined.

Fold into the batter the pecans or chocolate chips if using. Drop in dollops onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Try to make the dollops as evenly round as possible. Press a pecan piece into the top of each one.

Bake for 11 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

Makes about 30 cookies.