Ingredients

* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Cookie:

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup cocoa
* 1 large egg, beaten
* 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
* 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds

Peanut Butter Filling:

* 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Chocolate Glaze:

* 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan or casserole with aluminum foil, with long flaps hanging over each edge.

For the cookie: Put the butter in a heatproof medium bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer over medium-low heat. Set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and cocoa, and stir to combine. Add the egg and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until warm to the touch and slightly thickened (it should be about the consistency of hot fudge), about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan. (Save the pan of water for melting the chocolate.)

For the filling: Beat the butter, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light. Spread over the cookie and freeze while you prepare the chocolate glaze.

For the glaze: Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl, and set over the barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.). When cool but still runny, pour the chocolate layer over the chilled peanut butter layer and carefully smooth out with an offset spatula. Freeze 30 minutes.

To serve, remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Pull out of the pan using the foil flaps and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Ingredients

* 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for rolling* (please see Cook’s Note)
* 15 ounces sliced almonds, with skin (about 4 1/2 cups)
* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 large egg whites, room temperature
* 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Directions

Sift the confectioners’ sugar.

Put 1/2 cup of the sifted confectioners’ sugar, 10 ounces (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces.

Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining confectioners’ sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.

Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.

Cut cookies with a 3-inch star cutter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.) Use a small spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue.

Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Ingredients

Cookies:

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
* 1 large egg
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries (see Cook’s Note)
* 1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (see Cook’s Note)
*

Icing:

* 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 3 tablespoons water, plus extra, as needed

Directions

For the Cookies:

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.

For the Icing:

Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.)

Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.

Cook’s Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Cook’s Note Alternative:

Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup raspberry jam or jelly
* 1 tablespoon Chambord or kirsch
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 large egg yolks
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.

In a small bowl, combine the jam and Chambord. Stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough together into a ball.

Pinch off the dough to form 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Use your floured index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to create depressions in the center of each ball. Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of the jam mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Ingredients
The foundation:

* 1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened
* 1 2/3 cups sugar
* 1 orange, zested

The dry ingredients:

* 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

The wet ingredients:

* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup dark molasses
* 1 lemon, juiced

Easy Orange Frosting, recipe follows

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.

Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between the cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

This is another easy recipe that is great to make with kids!  Kids are home for the summer…make some fun memories in the kitchen with them!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick oleo (margarine)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups oatmeal

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix margarine, cocoa, sugar and milk over stove and boil one minute. 
2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and wait for them to firm up.
4. Enjoy!