Almond Polenta Crumb Cookies Recipes

POLENTA COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and yolk one by one, then add the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a firm dough forms.
• Divide the dough in half, place each piece onto a piece of parchment or wax paper, and shape the dough into a rough log about 2 inches in diameter, dusting with cornmeal as needed to prevent sticking. Roll up in the paper, twisting the ends to seal, and roll back and forth a few times to smooth out the shape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. (At this point, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. With a sharp knife, cut the cookies into 1/2-inch slices, and place on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies are just golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Polenta cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

RASPBERRY-ALMOND CRUMB COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment; set aside. Butter 22 two-inch fluted stainless-steel pastry cutters; place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. In a large bowl whisk together almonds, flour, sugar, and salt.
• Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut butter into dry ingredients until crumbly, then work with your fingers until there are no dry crumbs. Squeeze mixture, making pieces ranging from pea-size to 1 inch.
• Place 2 tablespoons of crumb mixture into each pastry cutter. Press crumbs to compress into a 1/4-inch-thick layer.
• Spoon 1 1/4 teaspoons of jam on dough; spread jam to within 1/8 inch of the edge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of crumb mixture over jam. Bake 15 minutes, rotate sheets between oven shelves, and bake about 15 minutes more, until cookies are golden brown.
• Transfer sheets to wire rack. Immediately lift off pastry rings; let cookies stand to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

COOKIES 'N' CREAM CRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the sandwich cookies to a food processor and pulse to coarse crumbs. Spread the crumbs out evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Use crumbs as an ice cream topping, for crunch.