Field Guide to Cookies

Drop Cookies

Amaretti (Italian Macaroons)

Amish Puff Cookies

ANZAC Biscuits

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Black and White Cookies

Brandy Snaps

Chickasaw Pumpkin Cookies

Chinese Almond Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Coconut Macaroons

Cowboy Cookies

Florentines

French Macarons

Hermits

Jumbles

Lace Cookies

Lavender Orange Puffs

Mahón Cheese Puffs (Gougères)

Maple Cookies

Meringues

Molasses Spice Cookies

Nazareth Sugar Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Orange Delight Cookies

Pfeffernüsse

Pignoli

Profiteroles

Rock Cakes

Romanian (Pricomigdale) Cookies

Sesame Seed Cookies

Snickerdoodles

Sugar Cookies

Triple Chocolate Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Whoopie Pies

1. amaretti

AMARETTI (ITALIAN MACAROONS)

General Description:

Amaretti are a modern Italian version of the original macaroons invented centuries ago in Italy. They are small, round, pale golden cookies, with a crisp outer shell and a soft, lightly chewy center. Amaro means bitter in Italian, so amaretti means little bitter ones. These small cookies are often a component of Italian desserts; crushed amaretti are used as layers in tortes and frozen desserts.

History:

Macaroons originated in Italy in the 14th or 15th century, most likely in monasteries. They were called maccarone, a word that originally referred to any cookie that was made from egg whites mixed with nuts, and myriad variations across Italy call for different nuts. Amaretti originally referred to a particular variation in the mid-1600s created by the pastry chef at the court of Savoy, Francesco Moriondo, but now amaretti is used to describe all Italian macaroons.

Serving Suggestions:

These versatile cookies can be served as a simple treat, or they can embellish other desserts, from tortes to gelato. Amaretti go very well with ice creams and mousses, served alongside them or crushed and sprinkled over the top. Layer crushed amaretti with ice cream and fruit to make a simple and elegant parfait. Amaretti have accompanied fruit, sweet dessert wines, and coffee for centuries. Elegantly wrapped amaretti are a common guest at Italian weddings.

Baking Notes:

Grind the almonds to as fine a consistency as possible—sift out any large bits. Grinding them with the sugar prevents the nuts from being pulverized into a paste, as the sugar absorbs some of the nut oils.

Recipe:

1 cup blanched almonds

⅔ cup sugar

5 teaspoons all-purpose flour

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 egg whites

¾ teaspoon almond extract

Confectioners’ sugar for sifting

1.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2.

Using a food processor, grind almonds, sugar, flour, and salt to a fine meal.

3.

Place ground almond mixture in a large bowl, and add the egg whites and almond extract. Mix with a rubber spatula until combined.

4.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto sheets about 1½ inches apart. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over cookies before baking. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through; when amaretti are done baking, the edges will be golden brown. Cool sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes before transferring cookies directly onto wire racks with a metal spatula to finish cooling.

Yield:

About 3 dozen cookies

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for five to seven days. Amaretti get chewier and crunchier as they age, and their almond flavor intensifies (perfect with a cup of espresso).

Variation:

Top amaretti with a traditional Italian treat: confetti, which are sugar-coated almonds.

2a. Amish puffs

2b. chocolate chip puffs

AMISH PUFF COOKIES

General Description:

Amish puff cookies are based on old German baking techniques, but they have become a uniquely American tradition. These light, fluffy cookies puff up in the oven before settling down to a crinkly appearance. Coated in sugar, they are similar to snickerdoodles, another classic American cookie.

History:

This classic Amish recipe has spread across America far beyond the small Amish communities that popularized it. It is not uncommon to find Amish sellers at farmers’ markets, selling quickbreads, produce, and a variety of other foods.

Serving Suggestions:

Amish puff cookies are suitable for a variety of occasions, from barbecues and picnics to Thanksgiving feasts. In the fall and winter, they are great with a glass of cider.

Baking Notes:

These cookies will puff up when baking and then settle down, giving them a crinkly appearance.

Recipe:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup softened unsalted butter

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup sugar

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

2.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined.

3.

Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until combined.

4.

Cover dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5.

For the cinnamon sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

6.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.

7.

Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.

8.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown. Cool cookie sheets on wire racks.

Yield:

About 2 dozen cookies

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Variation:

Chocolate Chip Puff Cookies

Fold 1 cup of chocolate chips into the dough after completing step 4 and omit the cinnamon-sugar coating in steps 5 and 7.

3a. ANZAC biscuits

3b. trail mix biscuits

ANZAC BISCUITS

General Description:

Few cookies are as deeply entrenched in the culture and history of a nation as these fiber-filled, travel-hardy oatmeal biscuits. Affectionately known as bikkies, ANZAC biscuits are national favorites in Australia and New Zealand, where they can be found in supermarkets, biscuit shops, and restaurants year-round but are baked in great numbers on ANZAC Day, April 25. ANZAC biscuits may have evolved from Scottish rolled oat cake recipes or rock cakes.

History:

During World War I, two military divisions of Australian and New Zealand soldiers joined to create the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, ANZAC. They were sent to Egypt for training, and they brought with them simple, travel-worthy oatmeal cookies. The courageous ANZAC forces became renowned for their valiant service at Gallipoli, Turkey. In 1920, April 25 was declared ANZAC day, celebrated in Australia, New Zealand, Cooks Islands, Tonga, and Samoa. It has since been expanded to a memorial day that honors all who served in World Wars I, II, Korea, and Vietnam. Tins of ANZAC biscuits are often sold as fundraising for veterans, and they are used as Australian military rations to this day.

Serving Suggestions:

These biscuits make a durable, nutritious meal for hikers, travelers, and Australian bushwalkers. ANZAC biscuits are commonly dunked in tea or dark coffee.

Baking Notes:

These tasty biscuits are unusual for their lack of (perishable) eggs as well as their long baking time. Golden syrup, rendered from inverted sugar, is widely popular throughout the world, but less so in America. Although it can be found in the United States, it can be replaced with treacle, light corn syrup, or maple syrup.

Recipe:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut (optional)

2 tablespoons golden syrup

½ cup softened unsalted butter

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease several cookie sheets.

2.

Combine oats, flour, sugars, and coconut in a medium bowl and set aside.

3.

In a small saucepan, melt syrup and butter over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Simultaneously boil 2–3 tablespoons of water.

4.

In a small bowl, combine baking soda with 2 tablespoons boiling water; add the syrup and butter mixture, and stir to combine.

5.

Mix syrup mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.

6.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 18–20 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through; finished ANZAC biscuits are a honeyed, golden color. Cool cookie sheets on wire racks.

Yield:

About 2 dozen biscuits

Storage:

Hardy ANZAC biscuits are perhaps the most nonperishable baked good; they are engineered for a long shelf-life. Sealed airtight at room temperature, they keep for more than 3 weeks; they can be frozen for more than 3 months. They are traditionally stored in reusable metal tins.

Variation:

Trail Mix ANZAC Biscuits

Add up to 1 cup of your favorite mix-ins to the dough in step 5—try sesame seeds, peanuts, dried berries, or chocolate chips.

4. banana chocolate chip

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

General Description:

These soft, chewy cookies combine the taste and aroma of banana bread with the full flavor of dark chocolate chips. Banana chocolate chip cookies transform banana bread into a dessert, following a common principle by which many home bakers adapt a standard recipe into a bite-sized cookie: If it’s sweet, make it sweeter.

History:

The 1900s marked a proliferation of novel cookie recipes and quick breads (such as banana bread) as a great variety of ingredients became increasingly available to general consumers. Quick breads don’t call for yeast; they rely instead upon chemical leaveners (see baking powder and baking soda). Although the earliest date of banana bread is unknown, Pillsbury published a recipe in 1933.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve banana chocolate chip cookies with a cold glass of milk, vanilla ice cream, or a decadent banana split.

Baking Notes:

The riper the bananas, the more flavorful these cookies will be. For variety, substitute chocolate chips with chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, macadamias or cashews), or a use combination of mix-ins such as ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped nuts, and ¼ cup shredded sweetened coconut.

Recipe:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1¾ cups rolled old-fashioned oats

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup softened unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips

1.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2.

Sift the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

3.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

4.

Add half of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until combined; add the bananas and mix to combine. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

5.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

6.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool sheets on wire racks for a few minutes before transferring cookies directly onto wire racks with a spatula to finish cooling.

Yield:

About 3½ dozen cookies

Storage:

Store in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies are quite soft, so don’t stack them.

5. black and white cookies

BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES

General Description:

Black and white cookies are soft, cakelike, lightly lemony cookies with distinctive icing. The frosted top—one half chocolate icing, the other half vanilla icing—is the distinguishing characteristic. The typical black and white cookie is oversized at 3½ to 4 inches in diameter. The cakey texture of the cookie has given it the reputation of a cookie made from cake batter, but most recipes for the cookie do not have the same ingredient proportions as that of a cake. The icing is sometimes a creamy fondant, or sometimes a thinner, harder consistency, but it is always made with confectioners’ sugar.

New York City is strongly affiliated with the black and white cookie, and many residents consider the black and white cookie an unofficial symbol of the city. In other parts of America, the cookie is sometimes called a half-moon cookie, and in Germany a version of the cookie is called the Amerikaner (American).

History:

Black and white cookies first appeared in New York during the 1940s. Hemstrought’s Bakery in Utica claims the honor of originating the cookie; however, black and white cookies quickly became ubiquitous among bakeries and delis in New York City.

Serving Suggestions:

If you don’t want the traditional mild lemon flavor, omit it and use only vanilla extract. Frost the cookies entirely in chocolate or white icing for a nontraditional look.

Baking Notes:

Avoid overbaking; the hallmark of this cookie is its soft, moist, cakelike texture. The easiest way to frost the cookies quickly and smoothly is with a small offset spatula. To avoid making a mess, place the finished, cooled cookies on a wire rack over a piece of wax paper to catch the drips. To make a straight line down the center, use the spatula to lightly mark a dividing line on the cookie before you frost it.

Recipe:

4 cups cake flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup softened unsalted butter

1¾ cups sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon extract

4 egg whites

¾ cups milk

Icing:

6 cups confectioners’ sugar

9 tablespoons milk (more as needed)

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease several cookie sheets.

2.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

3.

In a stand mixer, beat butter on medium to medium-high speed for several minutes until smooth.

4.

With the mixer on low speed, add sugar in a slow stream. Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed for several minutes until very light (almost white) and fluffy.

5.

Add both extracts, then add egg whites one at a time; mix to combine between each addition.

6.

Add the flour mixture and milk in alternating additions, 3 additions of each starting with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.

7.

Drop ¼ cup–sized scoops of dough onto cookie sheets, about 5 inches apart.

8.

Wet a small offset spatula or butter knife with water. Spread each cookie ball into a 3-inch round, creating as smooth a surface as possible. Continue to wet spatula as needed to smooth each top.

9.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges just begin to turn golden. Cool sheets on wire racks.

10.

For the icing: Mix the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Transfer half of the icing to another bowl and add cocoa powder. Be sure to mix until cocoa powder lumps have disappeared. Using a small offset spatula, spread the chocolate icing on half of the cookie. Follow with the vanilla icing on the other