Susanality’s Greatest (Cookie) Hits

Plus, a few meditations on gratitude after my house fire

If you happened to be following my Instagram stories, you might know that this week was a little (okay, a lot) different from the usual for me. As I write this newsletter on Tuesday afternoon, it’s been almost a full week since I experienced a fire in my home. Here’s what happened.

It was really cold last week, and my husband was away, so I lit a fire in the fireplace to keep me warm (and keep me company). About an hour and a half later, the fire was dying down. I didn't plan to add any logs, so I thought I’d let it fizzle and then head up to bed.

I often fall asleep in front of the TV, but thank goodness I was wide awake this time, riveted to the first episode of Disclaimer. I heard a sound and looked outside, where I saw an unusual glow, so I jumped up to inspect. I opened the back door and realized my wooden chimney surround was on fire.

I immediately called 911 and left the house to wait for the fire department. Or I should say fire departments: I’m told there were five here in total, from all the neighboring towns and hamlets. Within minutes, there was water pouring down on the fire, which quickly brought it under control.

There was no smoke damage in my house, only water. The roof was very damaged, though, and it was a mess inside. Luckily, parts of the house (the bedrooms and the kitchen) were fine, so we’ve been able to stay here this week, but with a lot of dust, noise, and commotion. Soon we’ll be moving to a temporary house while the reconstruction happens. We are very very lucky that no one was hurt and we didn't even lose any belongings.

I know this isn't the usual cheerful holiday newsletter that you might have been expecting, but honestly, there is much to be thankful for, including all of you, dear readers! I appreciate you all so much. I’m excited to get back into the kitchen soon, but for now, I thought you might enjoy a roundup of my (and your) very favorite cookie recipes from the archives.

If you are looking for an assortment for a cookie box or cookie platter, any combination of these will give you lots of variety while hitting on favorite holiday flavors — and a few unconventional ones too!

There’s no paywall on today’s post, but some of the original recipes are for paid subscribers only. If you’d like to see all the content, I’d love it if you’d consider upgrading to a full-access subscription. Either way, thanks so much for being here, and for supporting my work!

Figgy Cornmeal Cookies

These fig bars are not really trying to be a Fig Newton (but if you like those you’ll love these). They’re more inspired by Italian cookies, which I used to make lots of back in my professional pastry chef days at an Italian restaurant. Cookie plates were always on the menu (and is there a better dessert?), and though I didn’t actually make this exact cookie back then, I used to make a fig mixture very similar to this one that I used in various ways, including as a flavor base for gelato. I know these cookies don’t look like much, but believe me when I tell you: They are irresistible! Especially when cut into the one-inch diamonds, they are so easy to pop into your mouth, and make a great addition to any cookie box or cookie plate. But you can have fun with this one and cut them any way you’d like!

Gingerbread-Date Biscotti

If you don’t have time to make an assortment of cookies, these make a fine gift all on their own. Plus, the recipe is a fun family baking project for any time over the holidays. They taste like the spiciest gingerbread, but in the form of a crunchy biscotti studded with chewy dates and crispy walnuts. (Did I mention that in my opinion, no cookie lineup is complete without biscotti?) The chocolate dip takes them over the top, of course. Is anything better without chocolate? If you are in that minority who disagrees, feel free to skip the dip — they are delicious without it too.

Twice-Baked Pecan Shortbread

Note: I’m temporarily unlocking this recipe from the paid archives for all to enjoy. I hope you’ll bake it and let me know how it goes!

If I could have only one cookie, it would be shortbread. Shortbread at its most basic is the simple combination of sugar, butter, and flour in a 1:2:3 ratio (by weight). It can be tweaked a little, but there is no leavener and no eggs. Some people (including me) sometimes replace some of the flour with cornstarch or rice flour for an even “shorter” cookie. You can roll the dough and cut it out with a cookie cutter, which results in a crisper cookie. More traditionally, you can bake it in one big (thicker) piece, after scoring and poking holes in it for more even baking, and cut it afterward.

The other great thing about shortbread? Despite how utterly delicious it is plain, flavored perhaps only with vanilla, it’s a blank canvas for just about any flavor you can dream up. I’ve always loved adding nuts (pecans here) to shortbread. To me, they only enhance the shortbread’s flavor. Using some brown sugar adds another dimension of irresistibility. I wondered what it would be like, in this case, to lightly toast the shortbread after the initial baking, just like biscotti, and, in my humble opinion, it is even better.

Earl Grey Shortbread with Blood Orange Glaze

I hope you saved a spot in your lineup for these guys, because they are really easy (slice and bake!), super beautiful, and of course, totally delicious. I also hope you have a food processor, because this small-batch dough comes together really quickly and easily using one. If you don’t, I have some good workarounds for you in the intro to the recipe, just before the ingredients.

Peanut Butter Thumbprints with Sour Cream Ganache

The ideal cookie should be the perfect little mouthful. I can attest to the fact that this cookie is just that; in fact, I made sure of it about a dozen times. (They’re that moreish.) A secret ingredient contributes to this factor: Rice Krispies mixed into the dough gives them a certain je ne sais quoi, lending an alluring crispy texture to every bite. As a former pastry chef, I wanted to add a crunch similar to what you would get with feuilletine to these cookies, but with an easy-to-find ingredient. Think of a really thin and crispy sugar cone and you’ll have the idea of what feuilletine is. In any case, the Rice Krispies do a nice job of emulating the feuilletine effect, and I promise you can find them in your grocery store. Look for a single-serve pack if you don’t want a lot of extra, or make Rice Krispie treats with the leftovers.

Buckwheat Hazelnut Cookies

These cookies are perfection. They are soft when baked, with some crispness at the edges, and they’re subtly spicy from the coffee, cardamom, and black pepper. They keep very well for several days, making them an ideal candidate for packing and shipping. I used store-bought hazelnut flour (Bob’s Red Mill), which actually inspired the recipe, but you can also make your own by toasting and peeling hazelnuts, then grinding until fine. I highly recommend buying it though! Almond flour could be used instead, but I love the nutty flavor of the hazelnuts with the earthy taste of the buckwheat flour. Whole buckwheat groats can be found in most supermarkets; look for Wolff’s Kasha in a box. I’ve been told by readers that you can use a cup for cup gluten-free flour here instead of the AP for a really good GF cookie that lacks nothing.

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Editor: Bridget Venatta