Almond Frangipane Cookies

For the almond filling:
2 cups almond flour (200g)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (175g)
1 large egg
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (42g)
1 T Bacardi rum
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted (226g)
1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar (220g)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (50g), plus more for garnishing
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
1 cup sliced almonds

Make the filling : In a bowl, whisk the egg. Mix in the almond flour, sugar, rum, almond extract, and melted butter. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugars. Add the egg, almond extract, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Assemble the cookies: Weigh the dough and divide into 20 portions. Do the same with the almond filling from the refrigerator. Take a cookie dough ball and flatten it into a pancake in-between parchment or wax paper. Put a ball of the filling into the center of the dough pancake. Envelope the cookie dough around the almond filling and roll until smooth. Repeat for all dough balls. Dip in sliced almonds, pressing them into the top of each dough ball.

Bake: Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are just turning golden at the edge. Remove from the oven and move to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

Cherry-Almond Turnover Cookies

Freeze unbaked cookies on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container and return to the freezer for up to a month. Makes 48 cookies.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (16 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract, divided
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Beat cream cheese, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in a large bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Add flour mixture and beat just to combine. Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough in a lightly floured  work surface to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch-round cookie cutter, cut cookies; transfer to prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps once.

Drop 1/2 teaspoon preserves in center of each cookie, brush edges with egg wash, fold over filling, and seal with a fork. Freeze cookies1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Brush cookies with egg wash and prick center with a fork. Bake cookies, one baking sheet at a time, until golden, 12-15 minutes; let cool on racks.  Whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Drizzle cookies with glaze.

Rum Spritz

Dave's Holiday Cookie Fav

DOUGH
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rum extract
2 1/4 cups flour
food coloring

GLAZE
1/4 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon hot water, or more if needed
food coloring

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and rum. Work in mixture of flour and salt. Tint to desired colors.

2. Put through a cookie press. Bake 6-9 minutes at 400 degrees. Take out when they start to show a slight tint of brown.

3. Make glaze, tint to match cookies. Spread on cooled cookies, or put glaze in ziploc bag with the corner snipped and squiggle over cookies.

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

A classic recipe, originally found in Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book (1961). This was our base for the Halloween "pumpkin cookies" that we grew up making and decorating each October. The tradition lives on with my family.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cream together shortening, butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture. Combine.

2. Chill 1 hour.

3. Roll out and cut. Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes.

4. Decorate with orange frosting, M&Ms, licorice laces and candy corn.