Our Best Cookie FRENCH MACARONS Variations CHOCOLATE GANACHE Substitute 3 tablespoons Macarons are light-as-a-feather classic French treats that Chocolate: ½ cup heavy cream unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa give your dessert a dose of sophistication. Fill your macarons 3½ ounces dark chocolate, finely with a choice of chocolate, coconut, meringue, or raspberry. powder for 1/4 cup of the almond flour. chopped (preferably 70 percent Serve our French macarons immediately or store as a Coconut: Substitute 2 tablespoons cacao) save-some-for-later treat. desiccated unsweetened coconut for ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted 2 tablespoons of the almond flour, and butter, softened Yield: makes 35 macarons add 1/2 teaspoon rum; sprinkle with Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan For The Macarons additional coconut before baking. over medium-high heat. Pour cream 1 cup confectioners’ sugar over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let Peanut: Substitute an equal amount ¾ cup almond flour stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then finely ground unsalted peanuts (peanut 2 large egg whites, room temperature whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, flour) for the almond flour. Pinch of cream of tartar stirring often. Use immediately. ¼ cup superfine sugar Pistachio: Substitute 1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios (pistachio SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM Suggested Fillings For Macarons flour) for 1/2 cup of the almond flour, Swiss meringue brings a silken smooth- Chocolate: Chocolate Ganache (recipe below) and add 2 to 3 drops forest-green gel- ness to buttercream. Coconut: 1 cup Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe below), paste food coloring. Basic Swiss Meringue mixed with ⅓ cup angel-flake coconut. Raspberry: Add 1 tablespoon fresh 1¼ pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, Peanut: chocolate Ganache (recipe below), or store-bought raspberry puree, strained, plus 3 to softened dulce de leche, jam, or peanut butter. 4 drops dusty-rose gel-paste food Leave meringue in a mixer fitted with a coloring. paddle attachment. Add butter, 2 table- Pistachio: 1 cup Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe below), spoons at a time, on low speed, mixing mixed with ⅓ cup finely chopped pistachios. Vanilla Bean: Add 1/2 teaspoon pure after each addition. Beat until smooth, vanilla extract or seeds from 1/2 vanilla Raspberry: ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam about 3 minutes. bean, split and scraped, pod reserved Vanilla Bean: 1 cup Pineapple Buttercream, 1 cup Swiss for another use. Cook’s Notes Meringue Buttercream (recipe below), or cup storebought Buttercream will keep, covered and ¾ Cook’s Notes refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Bring to jam or preserves Piping the perfect macaroon takes a room temperature, then beat on low Pulse confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a food little practice. Treat it as you would a 1. speed before using. processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times. rosette, bringing the pastry tip to the side of the circle, rather than forming Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer 2. a peak, to finish. Macarons will keep on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk for up to 3 months if stacked between until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add super- layers of parchment, wrapped in plastic, fine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks and frozen. form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny. 3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parch- ment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees. 4. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water under- neath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.) 5. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately. 2 | Best Cookie Recipe Ideas MARTHASTEWART.COM SAND TARTS The basis for this recipe is the simple sugar cookie, enhanced with almonds and a hint of lemon. Once they are baked, the cookies resemble a sand dollar. Yield: makes 2 dozen ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large whole egg 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon table salt 1 large egg white 1 teaspoon water Sliced almonds, for decoration Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling 1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, and beat until light-colored. 2. Beat in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest. Sift flour with salt, and add PECAN LINZER COOKIES WITH 1. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse to butter mixture. Mix on low speed just CHERRY FILLING pecans, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food until dough comes together. Wrap and processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus chill for several hours. more for dusting of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk ½ teaspoon baking powder 2. Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed egg white and the water in a small ¾ cup pecan halves, toasted until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add bowl. Set aside. Roll out dough to 1/8 2 tablespoons confectioners’ flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch round sugar, plus more for sprinkling disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. cutter, and place on ungreased baking ⅛ teaspoon salt 3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a sheet. Brush with egg-white mixture, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch decorate with 3 sliced almonds, and ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until butter, cut into small pieces fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2- golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating ¼ cup granulated sugar inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on halfway through. Remove from oven; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until allow to cool. 1 large egg pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. ½ cup cherry jam, strained 4. Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool. 5. Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones. Cook’s Notes Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. 3 | Best Cookie Recipe Ideas MARTHASTEWART.COM STENCILED GINGERBREAD COOKIES After all these years and thousands of holiday cookies, we still find stenciling to be one of the prettiest — and easiest — ways to decorate. Yield: yield varies 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon teaspoon baking pow- der 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoons ground cloves Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cookie, and brush a thin layer of icing over exposed surface using a 2 large eggs small food-safe paintbrush. Holding 1 cup unsulfured molasses stencil in place, gently sift confection- Royal Icing (recipe below) ers’ sugar over cookie through a fine Confectioners’ sugar or luster sieve to evenly coat exposed surface. dust (nycake.com) SOFT AND CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Lift stencil, and return cookie to wire Sift flour, baking soda, and baking rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are a go-to favorite dessert, sweet snack, 1. Let dry. or after-school treat. With our easy, three-step recipe, you’ll have powder into a large bowl. soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies to serve and enjoy in no 2. Beat butter and brown sugar with Royal Icing time! Making chocolate chip cookies has never been easier. a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed Mix in spices, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, Yield: makes about 3 dozen and 1 teaspoon pepper, then eggs ⅓ cup water, plus more if needed 2¼ cups all-purpose flour and molasses. Reduce speed to low. 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon meringue ½ teaspoon baking soda Add flour mixture, and beat until com- powder (nycake.com) 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature bined. Divide dough into thirds, and Gel-paste food coloring in Black (for gray icing), Ivory mixed with ½ cup granulated sugar wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate Egg Yellow (for gold icing), and for at least 1 hour. 1 cup packed light-brown sugar Red Red (nycake.com) 1 teaspoon salt 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1. Beat sugar, water, and meringue 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Line baking sheets with parchment powder with a mixer on low speed 2 large eggs or nonstick baking mats.