Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies

Does anyone else feel like we need a little dose of world peace? Or maybe just some peace between the two parties of our own government? I surely do. And while milk and cookies may seem like a childish answer to this whole debacle, I happen to think cookies - and sitting around a table all together - could be a big step in the right direction.

Fortunately, the super talented and even more lovely Dorie Greenspan has just the cure: her delectable and famous World Peace Cookies. Through my job in New York City, I was lucky enough to cross paths with Dorie at numerous events and I was always a better person for being in her company. If we could all learn from Dorie's sweet and caring nature and combine it with handfuls of these cookies, I'm certain the world would be a much more peaceful and delicious place.

Note: If you are short on time (or are in need of a great gift idea), you can order these cookies (and many more flavors) by the sleeve from Dorie's gourmet cookie shop: Beurre & Sel.  


DORIE GREENSPAN'S WORLD PEACE COOKIES
Yield: 36 cookies
Barely adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Besides being a delicious cookie, I also love that you can freeze the dough for up to two months. When Mike and I moved to Durham this summer, I kept several logs of this dough in the freezer for last minute parties and guests. If you've frozen the dough, you don't have to defrost it before baking - just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies one minute longer.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (such as Maldon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla extract; beat for two minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Add dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. If there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a few more times; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough. For the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don't be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate chunks and mix just until incorporated.

Turn dough out onto a work surface, gather it together, and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to two months.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Using a sharp, thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2-inch thick. The rounds are likely to crack as you're cutting them - don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie. Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about one inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time (keep the other baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to bake) for 12 minutes - they won't look done and will not be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are just warm.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Last week was a tough one. I am lucky enough that such weeks are usually few and far between, but that does not make them any easier to handle during the thick of it. When two very, very type-A personalities share a small apartment, it can be chaos when both feel stressed out and overwhelmed at the same time. Even more, heavy, looming questions weighed on my mind – things like the roles we take on as we grow older, where life is heading and whether I’m ready, and dealing with that little voice that occasionally rears its ugly head with the question of being “good enough”.

Every afternoon in the solace of my office, after I finished my lunch and popped open my vacuum-sealed thermos of strong, black coffee, I wanted nothing more than the simple, comforting pleasures of a chocolate chip cookie. But not just any cookie, I wanted the chocolate chip cookies my mom used to make for our home-packed school lunches. She would mix up the dough and then spread it over a cookie sheet, instead of scooping out individual cookies, to save a few precious moments. In our house, they were just called “bars” and you could find them baking in the oven more weekends than not.

On Sunday, I finally gave into this craving and starting making my own batch of bars. Over the whir of the stand mixer, I began to realize I was not only craving the actual cookie, but also the process of creating something from scratch. More than anything, I craved the feeling of being a little girl again, without the stressors and negativity that sometimes come along with the independence of adulthood. I wanted to return, even just momentarily, to biting into a fresh-from-the-oven bar, taking a sip of ice-cold milk and feeling safe and totally comforted, with minimal worries on my mind.

But I found myself on the opposite side of the vivid image in my memory. Suddenly I felt just like my mother – whipping up a batch of fresh cookies between a million other responsibilities and a lengthy to-do list. While I might not handle my responsibilities as gracefully as her, it provided an unexpected comfort to know I am far from the only person who has felt the pressures of trying to achieve the perfect balance in life; trying to be the best everything to everyone.

As the timer beeped its warning, Mike emerged wide-eyed from his fort of GMAT prep books. A childish grin took the place of a former scowl, as he counted down the minutes until the bars had cooled enough for the molten chocolate to not burn his mouth.

Sometimes we need to comfort those we care about most in order to put our own lives back in perspective. 

Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies

You know how native New Yorkers can tell I’m a transplant? Because I’m not complaining about the lack of cold or snow during this abnormally warm winter. No, no it’s true – apparently northerners really do like the cold! They like freezing temperatures and sprinting from the flannel sheets to the shower because the floor is so cold. They like trudging to work in thick, puffy jackets and heavy snow boots, with only their watery eyes peeking out between their hats and scarves. They like the chapped lips and cheeks and dry hair and cracking skin. It toughens you up! Makes you a true New Yorker!

Truth be told, I think these 40 to 50 degree days are just peachy. I also happen to know that if New Yorkers weren’t complaining about the lack of snow, they would instead be complaining about the presence of the stuff. Last winter was rather brutal, and since no snow and mild temperatures mean comfortable commutes to work, let’s just call it even. Deal?

Whatever your stance might be on the current mildness of winter, I think we can all agree that such a time of year begs for an afternoon coffee break with a sweet, spicy gingerbread cookie. These are especially comforting during late afternoon as the harsh winter sun is just beginning to set and the chillier nighttime temperatures are inevitable.

Chocolate Hazelnut Panna Cotta with Macarellas

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

In order to customize this challenge to the personal tastes of people in this apartment, I chose to create a luscious chocolate hazelnut panna cotta, topped with roughly chopped, toasted hazelnuts. Macaraellas - thin cookies of coconut and sugar sandwiching a healthy dose of Nutella - are the perfect crunchy accompaniment.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

What comes to mind when you think of peanut butter cookies? My thoughts drift towards a big cookie jar sitting on a grandmother’s kitchen counter, with the lid sightly ajar to allow the fresh-from-the oven cookies to finish cooling. Although I was blessed enough to know two of my great-grandmothers and my grandmother, I do not recall ever such a picturesque cookie jar scenario.

Of course, it is entirely possible they did in fact make peanut butter cookies, but other peanut butter obsessed family members may have gobbled them all up before my little hands had a chance to reach into the cookie jar. I have two culprits in mind, who just happen to be sister and brother - my sweet mother and loving uncle.

Most recently, they have begun battling over who receives the most peanut butter baked goods from me. You may remember this battle last year; it was neither mature or pleasant to witness. This gets a bit worrisome on this day each year, my uncle’s birthday. This year, unsatisfied with just about every old-fashioned peanut butter cookie recipe I have tried, I decided to develop my very own recipe of peanut butter cookies - a recipe exhibiting the perfect combination of soft and crunchy. I mailed the results to my uncle for a sweet birthday surprise, which I think he will enjoy.  I am fully prepared to endure the wrath of my mother, deprived of peanut butter cookies, as soon as she reads this post or she receives a call from my uncle, bragging about his birthday gift.

Happy Birthday Uncle David!

Valentine's Day Monster Cookies

We all have those days - the ones where nothing seems to go right and each frustration is followed by another. The days that drag on forever with no end in sight. It is equally frustrating when these inevitable days happen to a loved one, leaving me helpless to offer better advice than, “Life sucks sometimes. I’m sorry.”

While I may be at a loss in offering eloquent, inspiring words, I always know I can whip up a quick batch of cookies to provide comfort at the end of a bad day. Monster cookies are a perfect choice - mixing them up is effortless - and I can customize the colors of the M&Ms to whatever the occasion might be.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

You might think this is just another recipe for a basic chocolate chip cookie, but you would be wrong. These cookies are how Mike and I survived living four hundred miles apart for two long years. Every time I missed having him nearby, which was often, I would attempt to cure my loneliness by baking up a batch of these cookies, wrapping them up tightly with a love note and a kiss, and mailing them off to New York City. There were weeks he received three batches of these cookies.

Luckily, he never grew tired of receiving those little care packages and we are now lucky enough to see each other each morning and kiss each other every night - perhaps a simple thing, but something I never take for granted.

This is still my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies and they are especially sweet all packaged up for Valentine’s Day. Aren’t these treat bags the cutest?! They are courtesy of Serena from The Farm Chicks and they are just perfect to dress-up this special cookie recipe.

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Recently, the gym I frequent installed several new pieces of equipment whose televisions broadcast an extended number of channels. I cannot tell you how many times I wished for the Food Network to be offered, convincing myself I would positively work-out more often if it were available.

So while trying one of the new machines, I was ecstatic to flip to the Food Network and find one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Giada, whipping up an array of food to eat after an afternoon of ice skating.

Suddenly there were images of oatmeal cookies, chock full of dried cranberries and chocolate chunks, flashing across my screen. And just like that, my motivation to lose those stubborn five pounds was wiped away as quickly as the towel dabbing beads of sweat from my forehead.

Chocolate-Peppermint Cream Whoopie Pies

What is it about the month of December that makes me crave the combination of deep chocolate and creamy peppermint? During any other month in the year, a dessert boasting these flavors would not tempt me in the least.

But, with the first whiff of woodsy pine trees and the first glimmer of twinkle lights I instantaneously want the chill of peppermint on my tongue.

A mere one day after Christmas, when the presents have been unwrapped and the tree is looking somehow barren, peppermint does not cross my mind. So with only a span of 25 days each year, I think it is important to feed this craving.

Sugar Cookie Dough

Decorating sugar cookies during the holiday season is a simple pleasure for both children and parents. I still remember the decorating station my mother would set-up for my sister and me, icing, sprinkles, and cookies galore.  Armed with a mug of hot cocoa, we were entertained for hours.

But sometimes, the hectic pace of the season can make mixing up sugar cookie dough seem more like a task than an enjoyable tradition.

After I started decorating sugar cookies and subsequently receiving not-so-subtle requests from my friends, I learned to always keep at least one batch of this recipe on hand. While sugar cookie dough only keeps for a few days in the refrigerator, it can, gloriously, be frozen for up to three months.

Graham Crackers

For many, graham crackers are one of those pantry staples which mass producers seem to provide an acceptable, consistent product.  While varying tastes and textures are noticeable between brands, once a preferred brand is located, bakers seem content to utilize these crackers without issue.

While the convenience of popping open the cardboard box and slicing through the form-fitting plastic casing is unquestioned, I recently questioned whether us consumers were missing out on a bigger issue: taste.

Graham crackers were always one of my favorite treats as a little girl.  These crisp, slightly sweet crackers were usually lurking in the corner cupboard, disguised as leftovers after birthday or holiday celebrations.

My mum would pack a few graham crackers among my other lunch components.  She would usually smear a layer of frosting - her chocolate frosting still cannot be topped - between two graham cracker squares, although I loved them just as much in their plain, natural state.

After much research and reluctance - was it really worth the extra effort when I am perfectly satisfied with my Honey Maid's? - I settled on a recipe, located some extra special local honey for my efforts, and began mixing, rolling, cutting, and baking.

Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies

October is here.  My absolute favorite month during my very favorite season of the year.  Although today NYC is drowning in all the rain we have received, I just know cooler days are on the other side of this storm.

Days that beg for a warm sweater, a good pair of jeans and a beautiful pair of boots.

Days when you crave warmer, homier flavors than summer has to offer.  Like hazelnuts and Nutella - the flavors just seem too overpowering on a sweltering summer day, but absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee in the fall.

Fall Sugar Cookies

The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

The theme for this challenge was 'September'; we were allowed to create anything representing what the month meant to us.

For me, September represents a lot.  The end of summer, the beginning of a new school year, cooler days, with fall just around the corner.

September brings my favorite colors to life, with leaves painting a canvas full of warm, comforting hues.

Monster Cookies

I had the best intentions to post this recipe last week.  Truly.

But life picked up speed last week and, while everything that is happening is exciting, it left little time to think, let alone write.

At the restaurant, my chef will prepare these every so often as a special treat for both the line cooks and pastry cooks.  She said she found the recipe in an old church cookbook and has been making them, much to the enjoyment of others, ever since.

Cherry Jam with Lemon Pepper Shortbread

Confession: I am 24 years old and I only began to enjoy the simple sweetness of cherries one month ago.

I realize this fact may startle most of you.

My previous stance against cherries, I realized, was purely based on my experience with the jarred varietal of cherry - the ones found so promisingly perched on top of a child's ice cream sundae or floating at the bottom of a Shirley Temple.

Thinking back, we never really used cherries in any recipes in pastry school.  Even when we received shipment upon shipment of these bright red beauties at the restaurant, as the other pastry cooks sampled by the handful, I resisted and dutifully returned to my cutting board.

But then, in a moment of true weakness, as I perused the farmer's market, I was greeted by a mound of cherries.  As my camera captured their beauty, they seemed to beckon for me - try just one.

Into my mouth, I popped the most juicy, sweet little cherry.  I am forever converted.

I brought home a quart of the beauties and began thinking of how I might want to prepare them.

My first thought, obviously, was a steaming, fruity pie.  But, between long work hours and some one's distaste of fruit desserts, pies, unfortunately, go to waste around here.

So, instead, I began thinking about what flavors I would want to pair with the cherries.  While keeping the cherries as the star of the show, I decided something with a crunchy, freshness - maybe even spiciness - would be wonderful for a summer day.

While mulling over how to achieve these accompanying flavors, I began creating a simple, sweet cherry jam.

Maybe it was the homey, unmistakable scent of the sugar caramelizing with fruit that instantly pointed me in the direction of a buttery shortbread as the perfect base for this summer jam.

With the addition of bright lemon zest, freshly milled black pepper and a sprinkling of turbinado sugar, the shortbread emerged from the oven a perfect match with the sweet cherry jam.

Upon assembling and tasting my creation, from the very first bite, the soft, sweet cherry jam paired seamlessly with the crunchy, buttery shortbread, instantly brightened by the lemon zest.

As the flavors lingered on my tongue, lazily melting away, the smooth, spiciness of the black pepper appeared, creating just enough heat to balance the sweetness of all the other components.

Mike's Birthday

Saturday was a pretty exciting day around here.  Not only was it the official end of Mike's endless studying for his exam, but it was also his birthday!

The not-so-exciting part of the day was that he actually had to take the exam.  All day.  On his birthday.

So we planned  an exciting evening - complete with friends, Red Bulls soccer and dinner and drinks at one of his favorite bars.

The only good part of Mike being hold-up in taking his exam all day was that I was able to assemble his birthday cake and party favors without him having any idea.

The theme of these treats was inspired by his (and my) favorite liquor: Maker's Mark.

We started off by enjoying my Chili Lime Tequila Popcorn at the Red Bulls game:

Later, after a late dinner, it was time for cake.  I wanted to create not only an extra special looking, but also tasting cake for the celebration.

The flavors I created were bourbon-orange chocolate cake with spiced vanilla buttercream.

After everyone was sugared-up from the cake, I handed out the party favors, to thank everyone for coming out to celebrate the special day.



A fun, relaxing evening with friends and surprise sweets.  I can't imagine a better way to kick-off a new year.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

I wanted to make something extra special for my Mummy this year for Mother's Day.

But it needed to be sturdy enough to ship from my tiny Manhattan apartment to my parent's beautiful home nestled snugly between the sky, the mountains and the green pasture where the cows graze lazily throughout the day.

Lemon flavored desserts are usually on my mind around Mother's Day and, while I had lots of dessert ideas using lemon, nothing was really inspiring me.

And then, flipping through my endless, but never complete, collection of cookbooks, I discovered this recipe.

The funny thing is, my mother could take or leave chocolate.  It just isn't something she craves.

But, when you create the deadly combination of chocolate and peanut butter?  Well, that's a whole different story.

For the woman who loves Reese's Peanut Butter cups so much she used to steal them from her own children's Halloween candy stash (don't lie Mum, I forgive you), I couldn't imagine a better treat for Mother's Day.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Recently, I learned one very important thing about siblings: you never outgrow sibiling rivialry. No matter if they are 4 or 40, if one sibling receives something the other does not, tantrums will be thrown. Case and point? My uncle and my mother. The battle? Peanut butter sandwich cookies.

When I was visiting my parents in Virginia, my mother admitted that Nutter Butters are her ultimate comfort food. I, stupidly, made the mistake of saying I made a homemade version of these cookies for my uncle's birthday. Apparently, my mother, a devout reader of my blog, missed this post. The scrunched up nose preceded the huffing and puffing. She read my post out loud, in a whiny, bratty voice that would have landed my sister or me in timeout a few years ago. Lordy. Seeing my intelligent, caring, giving, sweet mother reduced to the equivalent of a child throwing a tantrum in a crowded department store was just too much for me. So I whipped up a batch as a thank you for my Mum and Dad. Although, if my Dad was able to sample one of these, I would be highly impressed. To avoid any future outbursts, I decided to include the steps and recipe this time around. Just to be safe.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart
makes12 cookies

This is a wonderful, homemade version of Nutter Butters. The silky filling is surrounded by a soft, crunchy cookie. Grab a big, cold glass of milk to make a perfect snack.

Ingredients
Cookies
1 stick (4 ounces) + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Peanut Butter Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation Instructions
For the Cookies
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add oats and cook, stiring continually, until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. Transfer oats to bowl to cool.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Place 1 cup butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar in mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment. Paddle on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, paddle until well combined. Add cooled oats to flour mixture. Whisk to combine. Add oat-flour mixture to peanut butter mixture. Paddle on low speed until just combined. Turn out dough onto sheet of parchment. Place second sheet of parchment on top of dough. Roll to 1/4" thickness. Chill dough at least 20 minutes.

When dough is properly chilled, use a round cookie cutter to create cookies. Place, about 1" apart, on a sheet tray lined with parchment or a SilPat. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake until sides are just golden, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheet tray.

For the Filling
Combine butter, peanut butter, confectioner's sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Paddle until smooth. Place desired amount of filling on flat side of cooled cookie. Sandwich with a second cookie.

Chocolate Caramel Bars

Every month, I look forward to the evening when I return home to find next month's fresh copy of Martha Stewart Living on my doorstep.  I immediately break it's fresh, crisp binding to rip open the very back page of the magazine.

I cannot even contain my excitement long enough to fish my keys out of my pocket and open the front door.  I need to know what the cookie of the month is - now!

I stand in the hallway, allowing a cookie recipe to serve as my horoscope of the month ahead.  Date and Walnut Sandwich Cookies?  Heavy sigh.  Head drops.  Long month ahead.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars?  All is right in the world.

This recipe actually appeared in MSL last November and I carefully placed it in my recipe binder for some future date.  And then I forgot about it.

It sat there, neglected, until this past weekend when I was attempting to restore some order to my life through my recipe binder, which was laying open on the coffee table with this recipe accidentally (or subconsciously on purpose) exposed.

I heard a loud gasp behind me.  Mike had emerged from his studying for a coffee refill.  I turned around to see him staring, wide-eyed, mouth open at the recipe photo.

"Those...those look like really fancy Twix bars!"

And that was all I needed.  You don't deprive fancy candy bars from your guy.

Reading through the recipe, I noticed the yield of 16 bars from a 9x9 cake pan.  I held up my 9x9 cake pan and raised an eyebrow.  This seemed like a lot of bars for two people.

Since they had to be served straight from the refrigerator, I wouldn't even be able to pawn the extras off to my friends.

I knew I could easily half the recipe, but what vessel could I use that would be half the size of the recommended cake pan?  My trusty, much loved bread loaf pan!

Revelling in my genius, coffee in tow, I sinched my apron just a bit tighter and set about creating these chocoalte caramel bars on an unexpectedly sunny Sunday morning.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These soft, creamy cookies just beg for a tall, cold glass of milk to accompany them.

I happened to know just the person who could appreciate stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth peanut butter cookies and a glass of milk.

So I rolled out a batch this past weekend and used the biggest cookie cutter that would still allow me to fit the cookies in their container.

Then I shipped them off and was slightly jealous they would appear again in a much warmer place than Manhattan.

The lucky devils.

Happy Birthday Uncle David!