Walnut Shortbread Cookies
These maple-flavored shortbread cookies are a great creation. Granulated maple sugar–which makes a significant difference–is available in well-stocked supermarkets and in natural-food stores. If you can’t find it, substitute 2/3 cup regular granulated sugar and add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.


1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated maple sugar (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter or margarine, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon almond extract


1. In a food processor, whirl walnuts until finely chopped. Add flour, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt; whirl to mix. Add butter and almond extract; whirl just until dough holds together. (Or whirl nuts in a blender until finely chopped, or finely chop nuts with a knife, and place in a large bowl. Add flour, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine. Add butter and almond extract, and rub with your fingers until fine crumbs form. Pat dough into a ball.)
2. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and set 2 inches apart on 14- by 17-inch baking sheets.With the bottom of a glass or your palm, flatten balls to about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Bake in a 325° oven until cookies are golden, 23 to 25 minutes (about 30 minutes in a 300° convection oven); if baking more than 1 sheet at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.With a spatula, transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cool cookies airtight up to 3 days; freeze to store longer.

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
3/4 cup dried cherries


Place a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at time, mixing well after each addition; then add melted chocolate.With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture. Stir in white chocolate and cherries.
Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly; then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

White Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream Fudge
Beloved chocolate sandwich cookies stud a vanilla fudge landscape.


1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 (12-oz.) packages white chocolate morsels
1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow cream
3 cups coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 25 cookies), divided
Pinch of salt


Line a greased 9" square pan with aluminum foil; set aside.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add white chocolate morsels, marshmallow cream, 2 cups crushed cookies, and salt. Stir until morsels melt.
Pour fudge into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cookies over fudge, gently pressing cookies into fudge. Cover and chill until firm (about 1 to 2 hours).
Lift uncut fudge in aluminum foil from pan; remove foil, and cut fudge into squares.

White Chocolate-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Using fiori di sicilia, an Italian citrus and vanilla flavoring, gives these easy drop cookies a subtle taste of orange.


1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon fiori di sicilia or orange extract (see note)
1 cup uncooked regular oats
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins


Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Beat in egg and orange flavoring just until combined.
Add flour mixture and oats; stir until blended. Stir in white chocolate and raisins. Cover and chill dough 1 hour, if desired.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls, 3" apart, onto prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Note: Order fiori di sicilia from bakerscatalogue.com or call 800-827-6836. It’s very affordable, and a small vial will perfume your kitchen for a long time.

White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies
Amere one-quarter cup of butter yields crispy, light cookies and keeps calories in check. Dried strawberries lend fiber, color, and subtle sweetness. You can find themin larger supermarkets, or substitute raisins or dried cranberries. Because the dough is heavy, we used a sturdy standmixer. You can use a handmixer to cream the butter and sugar, then stir in the remaining ingredients by hand.


3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried strawberries
1/3 cup premium white chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli)
Cooking spray


Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer; beat at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended.
Add strawberries and chips; beat at low speed just until blended.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool on pan 1 minute. Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks.