aking is at the heart of the holiday season for many families, rich with tradition and cherished memories. Each year, we pull out our favorite cookie recipes, handed down from generations past, worn

aking is at the heart of the holiday season for many families, rich with tradition and cherished memories. Each year, we pull out our favorite cookie recipes, handed down from generations past, worn with flour dust and butter smears, and prepare for the much anticipated baking season. While these tried and true cookies have a special place in our hearts and holiday celebrations, many of us spend hours of preseason time scouring magazines and the internet for a new recipe to elevate our repertoire.
This holiday season, we have decided to save you time by providing this collection of eight "Must-Have" recipies from America's Dairy Farmers, guaranteed to become instant family favorites. These delicious and richly textured baked goods reflect today's hottest culinary trends - from Fleur de Sel to Chinese Five-Spice or the popular Mojito Cocktail. Each cookie is a contemporary, flavorful twist on a traditional favorite.
Coconut-Lime Thai Snowballs
Butter imparts a delicious melt-away texture to this popular wedding cookie reinvented with the vibrant Thai flavors of coconut and lime. Dusted with powdered sugar and coconut, these festive little cookies resemble snowballs and are sure to become a new holiday tradition.
Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure lime oil (or 2 tablespoon lime juice) (see shopping notes)
11/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (see shopping notes)
Coating:
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (see shopping notes)
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
11/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
Shopping notes:
Pure lime oil is available in many specialty food stores. Alternatively, use 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice.
Unsweetened coconut can be found at many specialty and health food stores. Look for medium shred.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in the lower and upper thirds.
Combine butter and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy. Add lime oil; beat to combine.
Gently fold in lime zest, salt, flour and coconut. Blend well.
Lightly flour hands and roll dough into small, approx. 1-inch balls and place about 11/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until puffy (not browned) and bottoms are just golden, about 15 min. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 min.
Meanwhile, combine coating ingredients in a quart- or gallon-size plastic bag. While cookies are still warm, toss them in the coating. Remove and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.
Vanilla-Chai Icebox Shortbread Cookies
Chai, a sweetened Indian-spiced tea, has become a coffeehouse favorite, and its warming flavors of cardamom and ginger offer a delicious update to a traditional holiday spice blend. Butter helps carry the aromatic flavors of Chai, developing a tasty, crisp shortbread cookie.
21/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 medium vanilla bean
Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
More vanilla bean seed scraping, if desired
1 tablespoon water
In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, allspice and cardamom. Set aside.
Combine butter, sugar, honey and salt in a bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until smooth.
Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half. Scrape the seeds from both sides of the pod with the tip of the knife and add them to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat to combine.
Add in flour-spice mixture, 1 cup at a time, blending until fully incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and transfer each half to a sheet of wax paper. Using the wax paper, shape into a 12-inch log, rectangle, or square. Chill logs at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with an oven rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
With a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/8-inch-thick slices and arrange 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned around edges, about 10 to 12 min. Transfer to racks to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together icing ingredients until smooth and transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Cut an 1/8-inch opening in one corner of bag. Arrange cookies as close together as possible on sheets of wax paper and drizzle icing decoratively across the tops.
Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies .
Latin Lace Florentines
The lacy texture of this traditional Florentine results from its thin, buttery batter giving the cookie a festive holiday look and feel. A surprising hint of chili powder nicely balances the Florentine's crisp texture and slight sweetness.
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups sliced almonds
10 tablespoons (11/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see shopping note)
Shopping note:
For the best chocolate flavor, look for bittersweet chocolate with a minimum of 60 percent cocoa solids.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with oven rack in the middle. Line baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or heavy-duty aluminum foil buttered generously.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in almonds.
Add butter, half-and-half (or milk), corn syrup and vanilla. Stir to combine.
Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter onto the prepared sheet at least 3 inches apart, six cookies per sheet. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are flat and browned around the edges, 7 to 9 min. Cool cookies on the sheet several minutes, until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
When all cookies are baked, melt the chocolate in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Using a very small tipped pastry bag or the tines of a fork, drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the tops of the cookies.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Orange Five-Spice Sugar Cutout Cookies
Five-spice powder is used extensively in Chinese cooking, and more recently, American chefs have discovered its flavorful versatility. Butter intensifies the exceptional mixture of five ground spices -- cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns - to create an exciting variation of a classic holiday spice cookie.
11/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder (see shopping note)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Decorative sugar
Shopping note:
Five-spice powder is available in Asian markets and most supermarkets.
Combine butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.
Stir in the five-spice powder, orange zest and salt. Then stir in the flour. Continue to blend just until the dough comes together and is evenly mixed. Divide into three flattened balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with oven racks in the lower and upper thirds. Butter two baking sheets.
Work with one ball of dough at a time; roll out to 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of lightly floured wax or parchment paper. Cut into shapes and place on cool, buttered cookie sheets. Work in batches and keep the remaining dough chilled until ready to cut. For the best defined shapes, chill the cookies on the baking sheets before baking.
Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with decorative sugar. Bake until bottoms just begin to brown, about 8 min. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Five-spice powder is available in Asian markets and most supermarkets.
Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.
Monster Whole Wheat Cookies
Oversized cookies seem to be a perennial favorite. These holiday cookies contain whole grain flour and walnuts -- both touted by experts as healthy and delicious additions to the diet. Butter plays an equally important role, ensuring a crisp, crunchy cookie texture.
11/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Large pinch salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups toasted walnut pieces*
Maple glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with oven racks in upper and lower thirds.
Combine flours, baking soda, and salt; reserve.
Combine sugars and butter in a bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, then add one egg at a time. Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture and thoroughly blend. Fold in walnut pieces.
Using 1/4 cup dough for each cookie, roll into a ball, place 4 inches apart on buttered baking sheets. With fingers, flatten each to about 3 inches in diameter.
Bake until lightly browned around edges, about 12 min. Remove from oven; cool about 2 min. on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Thoroughly mix confectioners' sugar, milk and maple flavoring until smooth. Add a drop or two more milk, if necessary to achieve drizzling consistency.
Using a spoon, drizzle each cookie with glaze. Let glaze set.
*To toast walnuts, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool.
Makes 18 cookies.
Brown Butter Hazelnut Shortbread with Fleur de Sel
Browning a portion of the butter before adding it to the cookie batter intensifies the buttery taste of this crisp, nutty shortbread. The final flourish of fleur de sel or sea salt enhances the flavors and textures of the cookie -- adding a salty edge and satisfying crunch.
Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still cool, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch, divided
1 large egg, separated
11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
11/2 cups (6-3/4 ounces) chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 heaping teaspoon coarse fleur de sel or sea salt (see shopping notes)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (see shopping notes)
Shopping notes:
Look for coarse fleur de sel at specialty food markets or for sea salt at most supermarkets.
For the best chocolate flavor, look for bittersweet chocolate with a minimum of 60 percent cocoa solids.
Place 1/2 stick of butter (4 tablespoon) in small saucepan over moderate heat. Melt and cook until butter stops foaming, smells toasty and begins to brown, about 10 min. The browner the butter, the deeper the flavor, but don't let it blacken or burn. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Place the remaining butter (12 tablespoon) in a bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until creamy. Add the sugars and salt and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and cooled browned butter. Mix to combine. Then add flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Chill the batter for 20 to 30 min.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with oven rack in the middle. Butter a 10- by 15-inch jelly roll pan. Divide dough into 8 rough portions and arrange them evenly in the pan. Press dough into an even layer to fill the pan.
Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.
Mojito Jammies
These lime-flecked butter cookies filled with mint jelly take their name from the popular Cuban cocktail known as the Mojito. Made with the same lively combination of lime, mint and Island Rum, these charming cookies brighten any holiday cookie tray.
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lightly packed grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, cool but not too firm
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons rum (or 1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Filling:
3/4 cup mint jelly
1 tablespoon rum or water
1 teaspoon sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Combine the sugar and lime zest in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the salt and flour, mix to combine.
Add butter and cream cheese; mix until dough resembles coarse sand. Add egg yolk, rum (or vanilla) and mint extract. Mix until the dough clumps together. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and knead with your hands until it holds together in a ball. Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 min.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or butter them evenly.
Working with one disk at a time, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of lightly floured wax or parchment paper. Slide the rolled dough, still between sheets of paper, onto a baking sheet, and chill for 10 to 20 min. Remove top paper -- carefully turn over and remove remaining paper.
Using a 2- to 21/2-inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes and place about 11/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cut a hole out of the center of half the cookies to make a window for the filling. Gather remaining dough scraps into a ball, reroll and cut into shapes. Do this only once.
Bake, rotating the baking sheet about halfway through, until lightly golden, 10 to 15 min. The top cookies with the cutout centers will bake more quickly. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies.
Noche Buena Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
These rich sandwich cookies are inspired by Latin America's two treasured dessert traditions -- spicy, bittersweet chocolate drinks made from crushed cacao beans, chilies and spices, and dulce de leche, a decadent filling. Combined together with a buttery cookie dough, these exotic flavors and alluring textures earn this cookie its name, Noche Buena, or good night.
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoon coffee liqueur, such as Kahl & uacute;a (or 2 tablespoon brewed coffee)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, melted, and cooled (see shopping notes)
About 1/2 cup dulce de leche or very thick, spreadable caramel (see shopping notes)
For garnish (optional):
Ground almonds
Additional cocoa, cinnamon and/or chili powder
Shopping notes:
For the best chocolate flavor, look for bittersweet chocolate with a minimum of 60 percent cocoa solids.
Dulce de leche is available near the canned milk at Latin markets and many supermarkets. To make your own from condensed milk, visit www.milk.com/recipes/dessert/dulce-de-leche.html
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with oven racks in upper and lower thirds.
Sift or whisk together flour, cocoa, chili powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks, coffee liqueur (or coffee), and vanilla, beating well, scraping down the sides after each addition. Mix in the cooled chocolate.
Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until combined well.
Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies.