Chocolate Chip Cookies - Crispy Style

Dear Devon,

There may be amazing desserts in Europe, but there isn’t anything quite like a good old American chocolate chip cookie. I am a full-blown cookie monster, and for the past seven months, I’ve have been satisfying my cravings with European “cookies.” Flat, hard, crunchy, more like crackers than the buttery, sweet, dense morsels that we call cookies. They are adequate, but some days, a girl just needs her cookies!


I asked a Europe-bound friend to bring a box of brown of sugar, so I could get a bit of the US into my Barcelona apartment. I am thrilled that she dragged it eastward in her suitcase (warm hugs to her boyfriend, who ran to the corner store to pick up my last minute request). Brown sugar in hand, I prepared for a chocolate-chip-cookie-baking marathon.

About half way through the recipe, I realized that I was ½ cup short on flour. I was hardly going to run to the store for an extra ½ cup of flour. Instead, I substituted that ½ cup of flour for an equal amount of shredded coconut. How big of an effect could it have?

Well… do you know Tate’s Bake Shop? They turn out amazingly crispy and almost caramel-like chocolate chip cookies. Unassumingly packed into clear plastic bags with big green labels, these cookies were an occasional afternoon treat in my New York office. And while I never turned down a Tate’s cookie, I was not convinced that their style could be recreated in the home kitchen. In my current state of deprivation, impatience was a virtue… I inadvertently discovered the magical proportion of butter to flour to chocolate that must be the secret of Tate’s chocolate chip crisps!

As a side note, these cookies are best eaten cold, with a nice cup of tea or coffee– they’re actually not all that great for ice-cream sandwiches.


Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes about 6 dozen small cookies)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup shredded coconut
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
8 oz butter, at room temp (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 large eggs
12 oz dark chocolate, chopped into large chunks
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, shredded coconut, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a second large bowl, beat butter until smooth with a wooden spoon (or to save your arm strength for carrying groceries from the subway, use an electric mixer). Add brown and white sugars, mix until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time until each is well-incorporated. In three portions, mix in dry ingredients, nuts, and chocolate chunks. Cool in the fridge for 1 hour, until the dough is firm and set.

Using two spoons, carefully transfer dough onto baking sheets. Set far apart, about 2 inches. The cookies will spread in the oven.

Bake the cookies, 8 to 12 minutes. Checking the oven at the 8 minute mark. When the cookies are nice and brown, pull the sheet from the oven and let cool for 1 or 2 minutes. The cookies will harden as they cool. Set aside on a wire rack.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling baking sheet between batches.

Concord Grapes 1: Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Dear Michelle-

I think that might be more of a question for my father than McGee; I consulted On Food and Cooking and the matter of light and capsicum color is not addressed. I'd guess they were picked unripe and ripened naturally, perhaps with help from the heat of any sun that hit them, or the confines of the plastic bag? I'll be sure to ask the ol' pater familias next time we speak.

 

You're missing Concord grape season on this side of the pond. I've never been overtly aware of them until recently, when my friend Ashley reintroduced me. She offered me some as she was eating them at work, and when I exclaimed over the intensity of their flavor she gave them to me. I guess they were a little strong for her, but since they came from her CSA share and all of her roommates were similarly averse, she felt duty-bound to eat them. I couldn't believe anyone wouldn't be immediately addicted to the vibrancy of this flavor! I happily accepted and made some quick refrigerator jelly with them that evening. Then, I got to thinking about how good they'd taste with shortbread and peanut butter (grape jelly and PB being such a classic combination), and the rest was a foregone conclusion. I invited Ashley over to make cookies, a nice way to spend an early Fall weekend afternoon.

These aren't the prettiest cookies, nor are they the easiest to make; but they are really, really good. The jelly is bright and tart, the peanut butter marries with it perfectly, and buttery crumbly shortbread is just the right vehicle. The jelly was easy enough to cook up, as I didn't bother with making a perfect, glistening, clear jelly.

 

I cooked the grapes until they burst, pushed it all through a strainer to get every ounce of flavor out, added enough sugar to make the mixture sweet-tart, and simmered some more till it passed the jelly test. Then I made my "confection" peanut butter mixture of, you guessed it, peanut butter, mixed with almond flour (I'm sure peanut flour would work, if one can find it), confectioner's sugar, and salt. These additives make the peanut butter more workable, and less sticky. I was inspired by the interior of a Reese's PB cup. You know how when you get "natural" peanut butter cups the filling never tastes as good? I think straight peanut butter is too oily, and does that thing where it coats the mouth, which keeps it from properly combing flavors with whatever else might be intended.

 

I tried these out with both shortbread from Bittman's How to Cook Everything and a standard sugar cookie recipe. Where that came from doesn't matter, as the shortbread won the taste tests! It was more delicate, and complimented the flavors of the filling better. It even made a prettier cookie (in the photo of complete cookies on the plate, all excluding the leftmost were made with sugar cookie dough--the rest of the shortbread cookies were long gone by then). I am very fond of the shortbread recipe in the Williams Sonoma Cookies cookbook, but that shortbread tends to be really crumbly and delicate, and so I thought I'd give Bittman a chance. I'm glad I did.

 

Ashley and I cut, rolled, dolloped, and very carefully pressed the little cookie "pies" together, then chatted and drank tea (and then wine) while we waited for the test cookie to come out. It's a lot more fun with help! We also ate a LOT of cookies. Ashley left with a bag full to share with her roommates, a thank you for sharing their grapes, and I was glad there were fewer of these addictive little morsels in my apartment!

Concord Grape and Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches (or Pies)

shortbread cookie dough (see recipe below)
Concord grape jelly (recipe below)
peanut butter mixture (below)

Make shortbread dough and jelly. This can be done the night before, and refrigerated. I'd recommend this, in fact, as breaking up the work makes it more manageable. Preheat your oven to 275F. Roll out dough about 3/16" thick, and  cut out circles (or squares, I guess, if you'd rather), placing on a silicone cookie sheet liner or ungreased baking sheet. Dip your finger or a brush in water and wet around the edge of the dough. Roll a ball of the peanut butter mixture and squash down in the middle. Dollop some jelly on top. VERY CAREFULLY ease another circle of dough on top and pinch firmly down around the outside. It might take a cookie or two to get the amounts right, so it doesn't ooze out when you put the top on; you can use the above photos as a guide for proportions. Bake for about 30 minutes. They should be tinged with gold around the outside.


Shortbread (from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, pg 898) directions paraphrased

1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c cornstarch
pinch salt

Mix flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer on low till just combined. Still mixing, add the egg yolk, then the flour mixture, and mix until the dough just barely holds together. This should take a few minutes.

Wrap in plastic and smash into a disc. Chill at least 30m. See above recipe, or if just making shortbread, follow the below instructions:

Heat oven to 275F.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until firm but tender and not browned, about 30m. Cool on sheets before moving to a rack.


Peanut Butter Mixture

peanut butter
almond (or peanut) flour (I've found ground pistachios work well also)
confectioner's sugar
salt

Start out with about a half cup or so of peanut butter. I use the natural kind, and have to stir it all together. Add about 1/4 cup (starting out) of nut flour, a few T of the sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly. Test: you want to be able to pinch off a piece and roll it into a ball without it sticking. Taste: it should be salty, creamy, crunchy, and not too sweet. If it needs more body (too creamy still), add more nut flour, 1T or so at a time. Adding additional powdered sugar helps it stick together, but too much and it will be too sweet--remember that is is already going inside a cookie!


Fast Grape Jelly

at least 2 cups Concord grapes
sugar

Heat the grapes in a saucepan (they should not fill it more than 1/4; the fruit will expand in volume as it boils) over low heat until they start to release skins. Simmer on low heat 10-15m, to get all of that good flavor out. Press through a sieve or a food mill (I bet this would work best), squeezing out as much juice as possible. Return liquid to heat, and taste. Add sugar as necessary, remembering to keep it a bit tart as a contrast to the richness of the peanut butter and the cookie. Simmer another 10m or so, and then do a jelly test: take a spoon and put a few drops of the jelly on it. You can either put it in the fridge or leave it out a few minutes; either way, you want it to cool. When it has reached the proper concentration, the cooled result will have gelled onto the spoon, and will not be runny. I took this even further and really boiled it down, but I went too far--it was almost the consistency of "fruit snacks" when it cooled, and had to be warmed up again so we could work with it!

You could probably doctor up store-bought grape jelly by boiling it down a bit and adding some lemon for additional tartness if you didn't want to bother with making your own jelly, or wanted to make this out of season. If you try this, let me know how it works!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Dear Devon,

Have you ever flipped over the lid of a Quaker Oats box? On the backside, discreetly printed in light blue ink, there's a great recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe is probably fifty years old, but how many people actually use it? If you don't know about it, I suggest you take a look at your box of oatmeal now. Because it's on every lid, I haven't bother writing it down. But for you, I will, along with my suggestions.


I first came across this recipe years ago when I went digging through the pantry and found, to my horror, three boxes of half eaten oatmeal. It is a universally acknowledged fact that people of a certain height have a hard time finding things on high shelves. The result is that mystery items can persist in our shelves until a giant comes along to rectify the situation. In my frustration, I sometimes think that anything above eye level might as well have been left at the store.


In the case of the oatmeal, I decided that consolidating the opened boxes wasn't enough. This oatmeal had to be consumed. Haunted by visions of eating oatmeal every day for the next three months, I followed Quaker's advice. Oatmeal raisin cookies bring to mind chalky, dusty, over spiced hockey pucks- but what ended up in my cookie jar was surprisingly moist, chewy, and flavorful. Since then, these cookies have made regular appearances at my table.

From the start, I substituted chocolate chips for raisins. I have never liked the sharp, pointed sweetness of raisins in baked goods. Chocolate is much better. A half cup of peanut butter folded into the batter increases the depth of flavor and adds a bit of needed saltiness. Note: peanut butter usually makes things better.



Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
inspired from the Quaker Oats lid
makes 36 cookies

2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

Beat butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Whisk in two eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Fold in 1/2 cup peanut butter. Sift in flour salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold in sifted flour mixture. Measure 3 cups of oatmeal and 1 cup chocolate chips, add to dough. Cool batter in fridge for about 15 minutes.

Drop cookies onto prepared baking sheet, using two flat spoons. Space cookies about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart. Roughly 20 cookies should fit on one 18" x 13" baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 - 17 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned. Remove cookies to cool on a metal rack. Cool baking sheet before preparing the second batch. I learned this the hard way.

Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines

Dear Devon,

I finally had a chance to sit down and read through your copy of Patricia Wells' Simply French. I paid special attention to your dog-eared pages and added a few tags of my own. Before returning the book, there are a few recipes I must try out. I am drooling over her recipes for thick veal chop with wild mushrooms and asparagus (p. 175), and cheese and bacon potato cake (p. 203). But today, I am once again enamored with the idea of making madeleines.


I realize I already told you about my love for these delectable shell-shaped cookies, but I must do it again. Please indulge me. I'm always looking for new ways to make madeleines, and Patricia Wells offers five variations! (Madeleines aux cinq parfums: au chocolat, au citron, au miel, aux noisettes, et aux pistaches.) Obviously, she loves madeleines as much as I do.

I considered her flavoring techniques and made some adjustments in my latest dozen. Using a mortar and pestle, I ground the lemon zest into the sugar, gently persuading the zest to release its essential oils. What the Meyer lemon lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavor. The zest is intense and flowery. The juice is like lemon concentrate, with sweet notes and a distinct tang. The addition of honey subdued the intense lemon flavor while adding a subtle nuttiness. It is popular to take your tea with lemon and honey, why not a madeleine?

The only thing consistent about a madeleine is its shape. I am always surprised how different the recipes are for these treats. Patricia Wells asks for six large egg whites whisked until frothy and mixed with 13 tbsp of melted butter and 1/2 cup of finely ground almonds. I'm sure it tastes fantastic, but I'm not in the mood to separate eggs, so I went back to Dorie Greenspan's recipe from Baking from My Home to Yours.

Waiting for them to emerge from the oven, I am tortured by their sweet buttery fragrance. At the end of my patience, I burned my hasty fingers sliding them from their molds. The results, as always were fantastic. Tart lemon and the round, smooth flavor of honey are perfect in the buttery madeleine.

Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines (makes 12)
adapted from Dories Greenspan Baking from My Home to Yours
inspired by Paricia Wells Simply French p. 262-265

2 eggs
5 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cake flour
pinch of salt
1 meyer lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a madeleine pan. Set aside.

Melt butter in a double boiler over moderate heat. Set aside to cool. Using a mortar and pestle, grind sugar and zest from one Meyer lemon. Whisk together eggs and sugar until pale yellow and doubled in size. Fold in the sifted flour, pinch of salt, and baking powder. Gradually whisk in cooled melted butter, honey, and juice of the Meyer lemon. Spoon into molds and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and plump. The madeleines should slide easily out of their molds. Serve with coffee or tea.

Cream Cheese and Pecan Cookies

Dear Michelle,

I am a big fan of Martha Stewart. That woman really has it together. Even when she got arrested, it wasn't your run of the mill celebrity law trouble- no DUI, no drugs, no spousal abuse; she was simply too together and ahead of the game, albeit in an illegal way. And then she went to jail! Practically unheard of! And no, Paris Hilton being in jail for, like, 5 hours doesn't count. Plus she can't make a cookie like Martha, nor I imagine do anything like the Queen of DIY can. Or really do anything useful at all.

But I digress- on to the cookies. Like so many happy culinary accidents, these cookies were discovered due to necessity. That is, the necessity of needing cookies and having walnuts and wanting to make cookies that involved them. I told Jeff that if he could find a good recipe online and we had everything necessary in the pantry, I'd make some cookies. That promise is always a good way to get things done around here.

Now, Jeff has a little bit of history with the Martha Stewart test kitchen, as he worked there for a little while during his temp days. He has some funny stories about Martha, and many good memories of tastings and getting sent home with food, a nice break from bachelor-eating. So when he found these on her website, I knew they'd be good. They looked, and were, pretty easy to make, and another plus is that one recipe makes several "logs" of cookies; I will bake one or two and leave the rest in the freezer. That is heaven for those days when you really want something sweet and buttery, but don't want to get everything out to make them, and measure and clean, or if you are having people over and need something easy and quick. They are perfect with tea (and I'd imagine with coffee too), and great for a pre-breakfast morning snack. Yes, I just said that. And I do not feel shame!

These have made so many fans in the short time I've been making them. A friend's husband has waxed poetic, my parents (and I) put a good dent in the holiday batches I made, and so many people have asked me for the recipe. I'm sure I'll return to my favorite cookies (oatmeal-chocolate-walnut-cranberry) at some point, but for now I cannot get enough of these.

They are basically a butter cookie, dressed up fancy, and with many variations. Cream cheese adds a little tartness and an unexpected flavor, while the rock salt and nuts add a savory note and keep the cookies from being too sweet. That, to me, is the key to a really good cookie, the kind you just can't stop eating; it can't be too sweet. I will often add some citrus as well, because it always goes so well with nuts, and of course with butter and sugar. While Martha rolls the logs of dough in finely chopped nuts, I like to use nuts mixed with a little more salt and raw sugar. I also prefer the cookies to be smaller, about 1- 1.5 inches each instead of 2-3 inches.

Cream Cheese and Pecan Cookies

Original recipe from the Martha Stewart website. Some changes have been made.

Notes:

I used mostly cake flour (500g), as I was out of all-purpose, and it worked just fine.
Make sure to use coarse salt! they will be way too salty otherwise. If you only have regular salt, I bet the correct measurement would be about 1/2 t. However, the crunchy salt is part of what makes these really good!

Martha calls for 6 oz cream cheese. Most packages come as 8oz, and I've forgotten that enough to know that it doesn't make that big of a difference in this recipe. Made with 6 oz instead, they are not quite as tart, and just a touch more tender. I also just realized that, this time, I only used half the butter! They are still good, but will of course be better as the recipe reads, so unless you are on a diet I'd not recommend skimping. I'd wondered why they weren't quite as tender! Also, sometimes I don't toast the nuts. It's a matter of preference, but I think they toast enough while baking. There was a note on the M.S. website that someone had tried these with macadamia nuts to great success.

4 c (500g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t coarse salt
2 c butter, softened
6-8 oz cream cheese
1 1/4 c sugar
3 T vanilla extract
3 c walnut or pecan halves, 2 c (toasted or not) broken, 1 c finely chopped
(zest of 1 citrus fruit)
1/2-1 c raw sugar
1t coarse salt (taste dough- if very salty, forgo this. If not enough, add a bit more here)



Whisk flour with salt. Cream butter together with cream cheese. This is easiest with an electric mixer of some sort; you want to mix it until light and fluffy, hard to do unless you're stronger than I.


Add sugar and cream again till light and fluffy- you'll notice when it starts to take on a different texture. Mix in vanilla. Add flour, and mix until just combined (sometimes I do this by hand). Mix in broken walnuts (2 c).


Rip approx. five one-ft lengths of wax paper or saran wrap. Scoop dough into rough logs about 1-1/2 inches in diameter- roll to smooth out. I find that using a silicon baking liner on the outside of the wax paper or saran wrap works really well for this. Freeze, or refrigerate for at least a half hour.



If frozen, let sit out for a few minutes to thaw the outside somewhat. Preheat oven to 350. Mix finely chopped nuts, raw sugar, and salt. Roll dough in this mixture, and cut every 1/3 of an inch. Lay out on silicone liner or parchment paper on baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden around the edges, 15-20 m. Cool before eating: they're good right away, but the best flavor is achieved after they are fully cool. I like to put the leftover nut-sugar-salt mixture in the freezer with the saved cookie dough, for whenever I decide to make the remaining portions.

Taunt fiancee and friend with cookies that cannot be eaten till photographed. Enjoy!

Almond Chocolate Biscotti

Dear Devon,

Settling back into routine after a long and restful vacation has been my biggest challenge these first few weeks of January 2010. It's awful to realize that *gasp* you work five days a week! Notwithstanding, I've started to hate the alarm clock, cruel, insensitive machine! Stop your infernal ringing at 8:15 AM. It's just horrible to be so violently awoken. To ease the pain of waking, I made some biscotti for my morning coffee. It helps and thus far I have not succumbed to the temptation to turn back the alarm another hour.

The simple fact about my existence is, I need to have cookies in the house. I am not a big snack food person, but somehow I feel a day cannot be complete without one or maybe two cookies. The sun rises and sets, and I have my cookies. Upon returning to New York, I discovered my apartment to be cookie-free. (I guess I decided that air travel couldn't be tolerated without cookies, either.) I pulled out my books and started dreaming up some wonderful delights. Biscotti caught my eye. It has been awhile since I made biscotti. They have always been well-received and now that I am an occasional drinker I am enjoying them even more.


Making biscotti is one of those things that seems more impressive than it really is. The directions are slightly more difficult than your basic cookie. After making the batter, divide the dough in half and shape into two long loaves on a single parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Leave about two inches between the loaves. In the past, I underestimated that distance. The result was an interconnected log of baked cookie. Slicing the loaves is the part I look forward to the most, something about using a bread knife. Place the slices on the baking sheet and continue baking, flipping once for even baking. I hate flipping the hot slices. I just don't have the patience to flip forty biscotti. My solution is to call someone over while I mull over the stresses in the kitchen. Baking is never without drama.

Dorie Greenspan, my great friend, again provided the basic recipe. With this recipe, she lists a number of variations. I opened my pantry to see what was available. Hazelnuts and chocolate would have made a great combination, but I was too lazy to roast my hazelnuts. Dried fruit is nice but I only had dried apples, not for this recipe, and somehow cranberries seemed too sweet. I found a stash of pumpkin seeds stored in a glass jar with a brown gingham top. I had purchased a huge lot of them for a yummy granola I made before the holidays. Dorie called for sliced almonds, so why not flat, green pumpkin seeds? I tossed in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for fun and threw the whole thing in the oven.




I first made these biscotti using cornmeal and vanilla, opting against almond flavoring. The cornmeal makes the cookie a bit lighter but the texture can be slightly gritty. For my second batch, I used ground almonds and almond extract. Intensely fragrant, almond extract is not a flavoring I often use. I was a bit surprised by the result. It was a bit sweeter than I like. I toyed with the idea of reducing the amount of almond extract, but upon discussion with my testers was convinced against tampering with the recipe. The chocolate and almond flavors pair beautifully, but the pumpkin seeds are a bit too subtle. Their biggest contribution is the delightful green specks scattered throughout the cookie.

Soon the kitchen and living room were filled with a heady aroma from the oven. Perfectly lined up on the sheets, the sliced cookies were a welcome sight for this cookie monster. And someone stole a bite while they were cooling on the window sill (no, it wasn't me)!




Almond Chocolate Biscotti
adapted from Dorie Greenspan Baking: From My Home To Yours
makes a week's worth or 28 to 32 biscotti

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup + couple of handfuls pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. In a second large bowl, beat the softened butter with sugar, using a hand mixer or the beater attachment. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in almond extract. Gradually add flour mixture and blend just until mixed. I like to finish the mixing by hand to avoid overmixing. Using a flexible rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or silpat. Divide the dough roughly in half. Form the dough into two even logs, roughly 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. Use a knife to assist in making the logs more rectangular. Sprinkle the tops with a few handfuls of pumpkin seeds. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes. The logs should be a light golden brown and spring back when gently touched. Cool for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.

When the logs are cool, carefully remove them from the baking sheet and place on a large cutting board. Use a sharp bread knife, cut the logs into 1 inch slices. Place the slices on the pan, cut side up. Return to the oven and continue baking for 10 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes. I like to arrange the slices so that they all face the same direction: That way I can tell which slices have been flipped. The biscotti are done when they are lightly golden and slighly crispy. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Don't be alarmed if the biscotti feel a bit fragile, they will harden as they cool. Store in an air tight container. In my experience, they are best eaten within the week.

For a slight variation, substitute ground almonds for the 1/2 cup cornmeal and switch almond extract for vanilla in the same proportion.

Citrus Cornmeal Crisps

Dear Devon,

A large bowl of lemons was left on my desk at work (props from a recent exhibition). This brings about the old joke: what do you do when the world gives you lemons? Ask any foodie and lemonade probably won't be the only answer. I wanted something besides lemon meringue pie and lemon scented roast chicken. In the Joy of Cooking, I found a master recipe for butter cookies and fourteen variations, including this recipe for Cornmeal Citrus Cookies.

I wanted to highlight the crisp, bold taste of fresh lemon. Basically, I wanted the cookies to have the character of a lemon pie. To achieve this, I increased the amount of zest ten fold, adding the entire zest of one lemon. Next, I worked the zest into the sugar, releasing the ultra fragrant lemon oils. It seems a shame to throw out the lemon peel, especially when it contains great flavor. I love the intensity and bright color of lemon zest and try to incorporate zest into my cooking and baking as much as possible.


The recipe called for vanilla extract, but I used a fresh vanilla bean. The tiny black seeds of the vanilla look nice against the pale yellow of the cookie. Nothing beats fresh vanilla beans. Super fragrant, the beans can be expensive and are quite fragile, but are definitely worth it. I store mine in ziploc bags in the dark corner of my pantry. I've also found a great website that sells high quality beans at affordable prices. Beans can be purchased individually or in packs of 10 up to 1,000. I find that a 10 pack lasts me about a year. I keep used beans in a jar with sugar for vanilla sugar at any time. It's another great staple to have in your pantry.


At first, I objected to the grittiness of the cornmeal, but have since been won over by the effect. I expected more of a shortbread-type cookie but instead got a crunchier, almost cracker-like cookie. The flavor of lemon pervades the entire cookie and pairs nicely with the coarseness of the cornmeal. I used a fluted round cookie cutter to give the cookies a rustic look.

The dough can get a bit difficult to work with once it has been rolled out too many times. I advise rolling out the dough twice, which will make about 60 - 65 cookies at 2 1/2-inches in diameter. I gathered the scraps and flattened them into a rough square, which I baked along with the cookies. I intended to use the scraps as a crust for a simple fruit dessert. My plan was to smear the baked cookie with jam and top it with fresh berries. However, the cookie was too sweet when topped with jam. Instead, I broke it into pieces making rough shards and stuck them into a large bowl of ice cream.


Cornmeal Lemon Crisps
adapted from The Joy of Cooking
makes 60 cookies

1 lemon, zested
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg, whole
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cup flour
1 vanilla bean
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) butter, softened

Let butter come to room temperature, maybe an hour's wait. Meanwhile, zest one lemon. Mix lemon zest with sugar. Crush the zest into the sugar to release the oils onto the sugar. Measure out corn meal and flour, set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and lemon sugar together, until fluffy and pale yellow. Add in egg yolk and egg, beating thoroughly after each addition. Periodically scrape down the sides. Slice vanilla bean down the center. Using the back of a knife, scrape the bean to remove the tiny black seeds. Add vanilla seeds to the butter mix. Beat in cornmeal, flour, and salt. A wet dough should form. Gather into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or wax paper.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Halve dough. Refrigerating the second half. With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. If the dough begins to tear, return to the fridge. Using a cookie cutter, cut dough. A flat spatula can be helpful to transport cut cookies onto a baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through baking. Cookies should be golden brown but still soft. They crisp up when cooled. Remove to a cooking rack. Allow the baking sheet to cool before filling with cookies. Repeat with the reserved second half of dough.