The Scoop on Cookie Swaps
Trying to keep things calm and simple this holiday season? Plan a low stress gathering that ends with a pile of cookies! Invite all your besties to a holiday cookie exchange and reap the delicious rew...
Medium
30 MIN
Orange blossom water lends a bright orange essence to these cookies. Find it online or at specialty grocery stores. Baked tassies can be frozen between layers of parchment paper. The cookie base and filling can both be made ahead of time.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 36 Cookies
For crust
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon orange blossom water
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For filling
- 2 medium eggs, room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon maple extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon orange blossom water
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/4 cups pecans, finely chopped, reserving approximately 1/4 cup for topping
Instructions
To make crust:
1. Combine butter and cream cheese. Add remaining crust ingredients.
2. Work mixture with hands until it forms a shaggy dough.
3. Mound onto plastic wrap, form into a circle, seal and place in refrigerator to chill.
To make filling:
1. Beat eggs with brown sugar until thick and foamy. Add butter and mix until incorporated.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
To assemble cookies:
1. Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick spray or use a silicone pan. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Roll dough out onto lightly floured surface until approximately ¾-inch thick. Cut dough into approximately 1-½ x 1-inch squares, about the size of a large postage stamp. It doesn’t have to be exact but you’ll want all the cookie bases to be pretty similar in size.
2. Roll each piece into a ball and place into mini muffin pan. With your fingers, create a little cup shape, making sure the dough goes all the way up the sides.
3. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into each cookie base, being careful not to overfill. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate pans. Sprinkle reserved pecans on top of each cookie. Bake approximately 15 minutes more until cookie crust is golden brown.
4. After baking, allow to cool in pan 5 minutes. Carefully move to wire rack to continue cooling. Store at room temperature.
Holiday Baking
