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Giant Chocolate-Toffee Cookies

Bon Appétit | March 2000
Recommended by Robin, sent to her by her mom. Cookies are unbelievably amazing. SO good.

Terrific with cappuccino or ice-cold milk.
Makes about 18.

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
13/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bars (such as Heath), coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts. Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

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Persimmon Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup persimmon pulp
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts or pecans
powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening. Add the persimmon pulp and egg. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

Combine dry ingredients with persimmon mixture and blend well.
Add raisins and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and dip in powdered sugar.

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Ginger Bars

From Fine Cooking

These have been a Christmas staple for several years running and are a snap to make.

9 oz (2 cups) flour
1 tsp baking soda
0.25 tsp salt
2.5 tsp ginger
1.25 tsp cinnamon
0.5 tsp cloves
6.5 oz (13 Tbs) unsalted butter, softened
10.5 oz (1.33 cups) sugar
2 oz (2.5 Tbs) molasses
1.5 oz (4.5 tsp) honey
2 eggs
confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350F, lightly grease a 9×13 cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

Beat the butter, sugar, molasses, and honey until creamy and well blended, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just blended. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly.

Bake until the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 23 to 25 minutes.

Cut into bars, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.