Anise Drops

These cookies are amazing! I'm a huge fan of black licorice, so the anise lightly flavoring these cookies was perfect for me. Depending on how long I baked them, they came out with entirely different textures. The first two batches I baked came out lightly golden around the edges. They had the texture of vanilla wafers, only tasted much better! The last two batches I reduced the baking time one minute to try and make their appearance lighter. They were chewier than the first two batches, but the anise came through stronger. Despite the difference in textures, the cookies turned out equally delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon anise extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

2. Put the eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until eggs are fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Mix in anise extract. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a coupler or a 1/2 inch plain tip (such as an Ateco #806). Pipe 1 3/4 inch rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 1/2 inch apart.

3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops crack and cookies are very pale, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Orange Madeleines

My mom gave me a madeleine pan for Christmas- something that I had been wanting for ages! I first started my obsession with wanting to try madeleines when I saw a recipe in Martha Stewart's Cookies book. They sounded so delicious, so I was ecstatic when I recieved this pan. This isn't the recipe I first saw, but it came with the pan and is amazing! I hope you all have a chance to try it some time.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon shredded orange peel

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray madeleine pan with Pam or similar non-stick spray. Sift together flour and baking powder in small bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, orange extract, and orange peel on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat another 5 minutes or until thick.

2. Gently fold in flour mixture, then melted butter. Mix until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake approximately 8 minutes, or until edges are light brown. Cool in the pan around 1-2 minutes. Loosen cookies with a knife... then invert pan on a rack. When cool, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar.

Yield: 24 Madeleines

Peppermint Puff Cookies

Based off of the "Surprise Cookies", I designed these cookies to have a fun, minty twist. The peppermint infused throughout this chocolaty cookie is perfectly balanced with the chocolate. Perfect for any time of the year, these cookies are sure to bring a smile of delight to any and all who enjoy them.

Ingredients for the Cookie:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

About 15 peppermint marshmallows, halved crosswise

Peppermint candy canes or other peppermint candies, crushed lightly

Ingredients for the Chocolate Glaze:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) corn syrup, light or dark

Pinch of salt

1 heaping cup (6 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces; or chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the cookies, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

2. Put the butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.

3. Using a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until the marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

4. Make the chocolate glaze: Place all of the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, or put the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at low power. Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, so that the glaze thickens slightly but is still pourable.

5. Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, covering the marshmallow. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the cookies. Let the glaze harden. Enjoy!

Surprise Cookies

These are amazing cookies! My mom loves them, and they make a delicious addition to any meal. They're perfect for hot-chocolate lovers as some of the same ingredients used in hot chocolate go into this chocolaty dessert. The frosting hides the marshmallows, creating a wonderful surprise for anyone who is lucky enough to eat one.

Ingredients for the Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
About 15 marshallows, halved crosswise

Ingredients for the Frosting:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
2. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.
3. Using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
4. Make frosting: Put confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Melt butter with the cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add butter mixture to the confectioners' sugar. Whisk in the milk and vanilla.
5. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 days.