Marthas Mothers Cookies Recipes

MARTHA'S TAHINI COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line four baking sheets with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in tahini. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Spread sesame seeds on a shallow dish. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough; roll into a ball. Roll in sesame seeds until thoroughly coated, then transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.

MARTHA'S MOTHER'S COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine butter, cream cheese, flour, salt, egg yolk, and zest, if using. Process until smooth. Transfer to resealable plastic bag and flatten with the palms of your hands into a 6-inch square. Seal, and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. (Refrigerate egg white in a sealed container until ready to bake the cookies.)
• Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Rolling from the center outward, roll into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold in thirds, as for a business letter. Lightly dust rolling pin with flour, and then roll dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold again in thirds, using a dough scraper, if necessary, to release the dough from work surface. Repeat rolling and folding once more, then roll out 1/8 inch thick
• Drape dough over rolling pin and transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place 2 racks just above and below the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
• Lightly beat egg white until frothy. Place about 1/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Remove dough from refrigerator. Leaving it on the baking sheet, use a 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or fine rimmed glass to cut out cookies. Brush each cookie on one side with egg white. Place a few cookies at a time in sugar, egg-white side down, to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, sugared-side up. Repeat with remaining cookies, leaving 1/4-inch between cookies. The dough scraps can be gathered together, and rolled out once.
• Bake until shiny and risen, rotating pans halfway through baking, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

MARTHA'S CHEWY MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt.
• In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
• With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until incorporated.
• Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, *just* until a dough forms.
• Pinch off and roll dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in the reserved sugar to coat.
• Arrange balls on parchment lined baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges are just firm and top of cookies have a "crackle" effect, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cool cookies 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.