Here is the second cookie type in a mini-series that I am calling “Winter of Discontent”. The latest snowstorm has passed, but it has been replaced by an arctic wind and wind chills that could easily kill a person after not too long. That is a good excuse to use the oven though, because it keeps the flat nice and warm. These cookies are pure chocolate and sugar, contain no wheat flour and are topped with crushed sugar cubes to sort of make it took like snow. They are also really simple to make.
I didn’t really have a plan when I started in on this recipe. I knew that I wanted to make snowball cookies, because afterall, it is the “Winter of Discontent” here in greater Boston. But I had made snowball cookies before (during the snowstorm of February 2013, in fact) and I don’t like to repeat exact recipes. So rummaging through the pantry, I came up with a bag of unsalted pistachios and some homemade cherry jam. Added some cardamom for a winning combination.
I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. Hate because it’s a silly, made up, consumerism “holiday”. Love because it is really just another excuse to have a theme in my baking for a few weeks (chocolates, cookies, sweets, desserts…). At any rate, we’re getting closer to the Big V Day, so it was a good excuse to use one of my cookie stamps, and to make these Maple Cashew Butter Cookies. Very addictive and my flat smells amazing. Also, these cookies are a great alternative for those people with a peanut allergy. Cashew butter could also be substituted with creamy Almond Butter.
Every week I make something that can be eaten “out of hand” (i.e. cookies, brownies, etc), but this week was a bit of an uninspired week, and somehow I wasn’t ready to bake something this afternoon, so just ended up making something with ingredients that I had in the house. Ended up being these Apricot White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, with Toasted Pine Nuts. Still good for a snack on on a cold January.
I am given unique ingredients as presents and this Christmas was no different as I was gifted a tin of Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt. It is great as a finishing salt on meats and such, but in my constant search for adding more depth of flavor to my baking, I decided to add some to these cookies. They didn’t turn out particularly “smokey” or “boozy” or even “salty”, but they did add a nice flavor.