Five Spice Cranberry Mooncake Cookies From The Cookie Book Recipes

FIVE-SPICE CRANBERRY MOONCAKE COOKIES FROM THE COOKIE BOOK

Steps:

• To make the Five-Spice Filling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the cranberries, cherries, brown sugar, water and five-spice powder and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for about 6 minutes, or until the cranberries have popped and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool completely.
• In a food processor fitted with the blade, add the walnuts and run the machine until they are finely chopped. Add in the chocolate and pulse several times until the chocolate is finely chopped and the mixture is blended. Finally add in the cooled cranberry mixture and pulse the machine to combine. Place the mixture in the fridge to firm up some more while you make your cookie.
• To make the cookies, in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and mix on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, making sure to completely blend the first before adding the next. Add in the vanilla and blend for 1 minute more, again scraping down the sides and bottom.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, all-purpose flour and sea salt. Add to the butter mixture and run the machine for 1 minute more or until just blended. Separate the dough into 23, roughly 3-tablespoon-sized (42-g) balls. It's messy. Sorry.
• To assemble, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Press your thumb in the center of the cookie dough ball and make enough space for the filling. Put about 1 teaspoon of filling in there and then press the dough over to enclose it. It's ok if the dough gets stained from the cranberries, it looks pretty once baked and I actually found myself purposely making it happen. Just make sure the actual filling is encapsulated by the dough.
• Lightly flour a clean surface as well as the dough ball and the mooncake mold. Press a 5 3/4 x 2 1/2-inch (14.5 x 6.5-cm) mold, or cookie stamp, down on the dough ball until it meets some resistance. Gently tap the mold on the counter to release the mooncake cookie and place on the prepared baking sheet leaving 11/2 inches (3.7 cm) between cookies. Freeze the cookies for 1 hour or refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 17 to 18 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
• To make the glaze, once the cookies are cool, in a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and orange juice. Invert the mooncakes into the glaze, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Scrape the side of your finger over the surface of the mooncake to remove any excess glaze.
• Buy the book! https://www.amazon.com/Cookie-Book-Decadent-Bites-Occasion/dp/1624146376/.
• Buy the mooncake mold! https://amzn.to/2Kzfbx7.

CRANBERRY AND OATMEAL SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Butter 2 baking sheets.
• Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl to blend. Set aside,.
• Using electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars in a large bowl until blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in oatmeal and cranberries.
• For each cookie, drop one tablespoon of dough onto sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly golden, rotating baking sheets, front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even browning, about 13-15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• DO-AHEAD TIP: Cookies can be made up to 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

CRANBERRY-FIVE SPICE COCKTAIL COOKIES

Steps:

• Toss 1 tablespoon sugar with frozen cranberries; set aside, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, Chinese 5-spice powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and continue to mix 1 minute more. Mixture may appear curdled, but it will even out once dry ingredients are added.
• With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir cranberries and spoon into dough; discard any liquid in bowl. Mix just to incorporate, or fold in using a spatula.
• Turn dough out onto work surface and gently shape into a ball. Divide dough in half and pat each half into a disk. Working with one disk at a time, place dough between two sheets of wax paper and roll dough between sheets until it is 1/4-inch-thick. Slide dough, still between paper, onto a cutting board and transfer to freezer. Freeze for at least 1 hour or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month. Repeat process with remaining disk of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
• Working with one piece of frozen dough at a time, cut out cookies using a 1 1/2-inch-round cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Set aside scraps.
• Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake, until lightly golden around edges and cookies feel just firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let cool for 2 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat process with remaining piece of frozen dough. Repeat rolling, freezing, and baking process with scraps from both dough halves.