Do you ever get the urge to indulge in a perfect cookie and a tall glass of milk, or a cup of coffee or tea? I think we all do. For some, the taste is nostalgic. For others, it’s just plain delicious.
The portable size makes cookies perfect to bring anywhere you go. Have you ever brought home a piece of cake or some other dessert from a restaurant just to have it crushed and unappetizing? With a cookie, it is so easy to pack them in a baggie, and you are good to go. For your lunch, or your children’s lunches, cookies make a delicious, well portioned treat. If you make them just the right size, you’ll be satisfied by the whole thing too!
They are so versatile you can enjoy them for breakfast, a snack or dessert. One of the best things about them is that there are so many varieties and choices. There is the classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, the ever-popular sugar cookie, or newer gourmet macarons. They also come in all shapes and sizes, patterns and colors. You can always find ones that make you smile– and it’s sure to be delicious. There are cookies that have logos, happy faces, holiday themes, or customized with your name. They are relatively easy to make. All you need is ingredients you probably have in your pantry such as sugar, flour, butter and eggs. You can make them fat-free, gluten-free or dairy-free. There is a cookie for everyone.
While you’re at it, you can easily make an extra batch and bring them a friend. It will make their day, especially with the current situation. Give one to someone and you may make a new friend.
Even raw cookie dough is a special treat for some of us. It may remind us of helping our Mother or Grandmother make them. I know my own son is right behind me when I make cookies, eating the raw dough and licking the spoon clean. It is a comfort food that also satisfies our craving before the real treat is baked. Indulging in the soft gooey dough is easy, and fills us with pure happiness.
There is no dessert that comes in more flavors, textures, sizes and shapes. People are getting more creative in creating the world’s favorite treat. But can you eat just one? I know I can’t. Although everyone’s definition of the perfect cookie is different, one thing we can always agree to love cookies.
That said, this one cookie I think will please everybody. Linzer cookies are a traditional Austrian pastry, where two shortcake cookies are filled with a filling of your choice– you’ve probably seen them beautifully arranged in cafes. These cookies are even more special with the addition of peanut butter, giving them added flavor and texture. The two kinds of sugar make this sweet, but not too sweet– it is truly a perfect combination. The two cookies are then made into a sandwich with strawberry filling, making them heavenly and each bite is luscious and satisfying. If you don’t like strawberry jam, you can use any flavor you’d like! They are so easy to make, there is no reason not to.
This recipe is courtesy of Bake from Scratch and will make 18 finished sandwich cookies for people who will love this little piece of heaven.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter-and-Jelly Linzer Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup strawberry jam
Preheat oven to 375°F with oven racks in the top third and bottom third of oven.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat on low speed just until incorporated.
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder, and gradually add to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until incorporated. (I found the batter to be very crumbly)
Place dough on a well-floured surface, and roll to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut dough with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.
Gently reroll scraps once, and repeat process with round cutter.
Place half of the dough rounds on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Using a 1-inch star-shaped cutter, cut out and remove dough star shapes from the center of the remaining half of dough rounds. (Reserve and bake dough star cutouts for later, if desired.)
Transfer dough rounds with star cutouts removed to lined baking sheets.
Bake cookies in preheated oven until cookies are set and beginning to brown, 12 to 13 minutes, switching pans top rack to bottom rack halfway through baking.
Transfer pans to wire racks, and cool cookies completely, about 30 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar over cookies with star cutouts.
Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons jam on 1 side of remaining cookies.
Place a star cutout cookie, powdered sugar side up, over each jam covered cookie, and gently press.
It’s that simple!
