As promised in my last blog post, here are 2 cookie recipes that I am sure your friends and family will enjoy.  They are both easy to make, really delicious and will bring you lots of appreciation from the lucky ones that get to share. 

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

This recipe is for the most delicious biscotti I have ever had or made.  Using cranberries and pistachios make them appropriately dressed for the holidays, but don’t hesitate to change the add-ins.  The base dough is simple and delicious and works with all nuts, dried fruits and even chocolate chips.  Be creative, and for a super professional look cut them at a wide angle to make long, thin, crispy treats to dunk in your favorite warm beverage.

Ingredients

¼ C vegetable or other neutral oil

¾ C white sugar

2t Vanilla extract

½ t Almond extract

2 eggs

1 ¾ C all-purpose flour

¼ t salt

1t baking powder

½ C dried cranberries

1 ½ C pistachios

Watch

Method

In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.  Dough will be very stiff and sticky.

Divide dough in half.  On a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper, form two logs (12x2 inches).  Wetting your hands with cool water will help handle dough more easily.

Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F.

Cut logs on diagonal into ½ inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, flipping over half way through, or until dry; cool.  If you choose to cut them long and thin you will need to reduce the baking time by about half.

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Hazelnut Crescents

INGREDIENTS 

2 cups toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped*

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup superfine sugar**

1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Place nuts in a food processor and process about 10 to 15 seconds until the nuts resemble coarse cornmeal. 

3. Combine with flour and salt.

4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until dough is cohesive, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

5. Take one tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into a ball.  Roll the ball between palms and shape into crescents.

6. Place cookies on baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake about 15 minutes, or until tops of cookies are pale golden and bottoms are just beginning to brown.

7. Cool on baking sheets about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

8. When cookies have cooled, roll in granulated sugar, coating completely. Shake off excess.