The Great Cookies Search

We embarked on our Great Cookie Search in September, soliciting readers’ favorite holiday cookie recipes for this special issue. And we were rewarded with close to 1,000 recipes.

Although the search was not difficult, the selection process was. (Well, maybe not difficult in the conventional sense. After all, who can complain when plates of cookies arrive from The Times Test Kitchen for tasting day after day just in time for a midmorning or midafternoon snack?)

The hard part came in narrowing down so many wonderful recipes to the 15 represented here. As you can tell from reading the introductions to each recipe, many have been in the readers’ families for years, some passed down from generation to generation, some taken from another publication in years past and adapted to individual tastes.

We are confident that among these recipes, you will find at least one that will become a part of your family’s holiday tradition. Isn’t that part of what the season is all about? Giving and sharing.

We’re especially grateful to all of the readers who shared their recipes so we could give them to you.

This recipe from Los Angeles reader Christine O’Brien was given to her by her mother, a 1945 dietetics graduate of Iowa State University. It was published in “What to Cook for Company” (Iowa State College Press, 1954), to which O’Brien’s mother and many of her colleagues and professors contributed. To make a thicker, chewier bar cookie, O’Brien says she doubles the recipe and bakes it in a glass 8x10 1/2-inch baking dish.

Lois Marx of Los Angeles says this was one of her grandmother’s favorite cookie recipes, which she always made during the holiday season.

ALMOND CRESCENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup ground almonds

1 vanilla bean, ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Powdered sugar

Beat butter until light and creamy and gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add ground almonds, ground vanilla bean, salt and flour and mix. Shape into 2-inch crescents and place on ungreased parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees until they just begin to lightly brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still hot.

4 dozen. Each cookie:

61 calories; 52 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.03 gram fiber.

Marie Kiisel of Carlsbad says she and her four daughters make about 24 kinds of cookies each holiday season, and this is one of their favorites. Kiisel says the recipe is about 50 years old but doesn’t know its origin. If you don’t want to make your own apricot filling, eliminate the dried apricots and 1/3 cup of sugar from the ingredients and the first two instructions in the method and use apricot jam or any jam of your choice.

APRICOT BUTTONS

1/3 cup dried apricots

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg, separated

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Rinse apricots and boil in water to cover until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water as necessary to keep apricots covered.

Drain water from apricots and mash with 1/3 cup sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 5 minutes. Let cool and set aside.

Beat shortening and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until light and creamy. Add egg yolk, vanilla, flour and salt and mix.

Shape dough into 2 dozen balls. Beat egg white until frothy. Dip dough balls in egg white, then roll in nuts. Place about 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Press deep dent in center of each ball with handle of spatula or thumb.

Bake at 300 degrees until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove with spatula to wire rack to cool. Fill centers with cooled apricot mixture while still warm. Cool completely on rack and store in airtight container.

2 dozen. Each cookie:

111 calories; 63 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.12 gram fiber.

Christine Samuelian of Los Angeles first made these cookies from a recipe by Karen Umland during a cooking class last year at the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts. She made about 10 cookie varieties in the class, and this was her favorite. Since then, it’s become a favorite of her family.

CRANBERRY HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE DROPS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Beat butter until light and creamy. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix until well blended. Stir in hazelnuts, raisins, cranberries and chocolate pieces.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on rack and store in airtight container.

24 cookies. Each cookie:

260 calories; 183 mg sodium; 30 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.63 gram fiber.

Nadine Miller Smeyne of Chatsworth adapted this recipe from one published in the Washington Post on Dec. 10, 1970. She added the ginger to give the cookie more punch.

RIBBON COOKIES

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Green food coloring

1/4 cup finely chopped green candied cherries

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture.

Divide dough into 3 parts. Add green food coloring to 1 part to get desired color, and stir in cherries. Stir chocolate and walnuts into second part. Stir ginger into third part. Chill about 4 hours for ease in handling.

Line 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil. Pack cherry dough in layer on bottom. Cover with chocolate dough. Top with layer of ginger dough. Chill overnight.

Lift dough from pan with foil. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Bake at 375 degrees on greased baking sheet 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let brown. Remove to wire rack to cool. Store in airtight container.

6 dozen. Each cookie:

58 calories; 43 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

These cookies are a rich variation of a flavored shortbread. Lorri Lanning of Woodland Hills was given the recipe for a cappuccino version of these cookies more than 10 years ago, but because she likes the stronger flavors of espresso and bittersweet chocolate, she adapted the original recipe, which called for instant coffee and sweet chocolate. Lanning cautions not to substitute chocolate pieces for the chocolate squares because you want irregular-sized pieces of chocolate when the cookies are chopped. She also added the toasted walnuts to give the cookies more texture. She says they are as good with a cup of coffee or espresso as with a glass of eggnog or hot chocolate in the spirit of the season.

ESPRESSO COOKIES

1/4 pound bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature and cut into 8 pieces

1 cup cake flour

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Chop chocolate in food processor using on-off pulses until chocolate resembles coarse meal. Leave some larger chunks and do not process too fine. Alternately, hand chop chocolate into small chunks about same size as mini chocolate chips. Transfer to small bowl, add walnuts and set aside.

Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, espresso powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in same food processor work bowl and mix 1 minute. Add butter and process 1 minute. Add cake flour, all-purpose flour and chocolate-walnut mixture and mix using on-off pulses just until flour is incorporated into dough. Do not over-process.

Divide dough in half. Put each half on piece of plastic wrap, and use to help shape dough into 1-inch diameter logs. Seal plastic wrap around each log and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 8 minutes. Do not overcook; cookies will harden as they cool. Transfer cookies to wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in airtight container.

5 dozen. Each cookie:

72 calories; 52 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.09 gram fiber.

Cynthia Horton, who lives in Albuquerque, N.M., got this recipe from her cousin Betty Olson. It’s a recipe from the family home in Grand Rapids, Mich., where many families trace their roots to Holland.

DUTCH SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in vinegar and vanilla. Stir in flour and baking soda until blended.

Drop by rounded teaspoons on ungreased baking sheets. Do not flatten. Bake at 300 degrees until set, about 20 minutes. Do not let brown. Cool and store in airtight container.

4 dozen. Each cookie:

59 calories; 39 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

Grace Sine of Sunland got this recipe, known informally as Christmas Oreos, from a sister-in-law who was living in Rhinelander, Wis. Sine makes both red and green filling for the holidays. The Times’ Test Kitchen increased the amount of peppermint extract to 1/4 teaspoon to give the filling more mint flavor.

COCOA-MINTS

CHOCOLATE COOKIE

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup milk

MINT FILLING

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/4 cup milk

Few drops green or red food coloring

COOKIE

Beat butter until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Stir into butter mixture and add milk. Chill until firm, about 4 hours. Shape into 1/2-inch balls and flatten to 1/8-inch thick.

Bake on greased baking sheet at 325 degrees 8 minutes. Cool.

MINT FILLING

Beat butter until light and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add peppermint extract, milk and food coloring.

ASSEMBLY

Spread Mint Filling on flat bottom of 1 Chocolate Cookie, and top with flat bottom of another cookie to make sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Store in airtight container.

7 dozen. Each cookie:

54 calories; 43 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

Janet Kirshbaum of Van Nuys and Esther Siegel of Culver City separately submitted this meringue recipe. Kirshbaum says she has been making the meringues for about 20 years, ever since getting the recipe from a friend; Siegel says the recipe has been in her family for years. Both say it’s always a hit. Kirshbaum makes some without the walnuts for people who just don’t like nuts, and Siegel sometimes substitutes 1 cup of coconut for the walnuts.

MARVELOUS MERINGUES

4 egg whites at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely grated

6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces

1/4 cup milk

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar while continuing to beat. Add vanilla. Gradually fold in remaining 1/3 cup sugar and grated chocolate.

Shape into well-rounded ovals with teaspoon. Bake on nonstick baking sheets or baking sheets covered with parchment paper at 275 degrees until firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan.

Melt chocolate pieces with milk in top of double boiler. Dip top of cooled meringues in warm chocolate then in chopped nuts. When chocolate hardens, store in airtight container.

5 dozen. Each cookie:

47 calories; 4 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.14 gram fiber.

FIRELIGHTERS

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 3/4 cups rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add corn syrup and brown sugar and mix. Remove from heat. Add oats, baking powder, salt, coconut and vanilla and stir until oats are well coated.

Pour batter into greased 8-inch-square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes and cut into squares while still warm. Cool in pan and store in airtight container.

16 cookies. Each cookie:

122 calories; 108 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.13 gram fiber.

Deborah Ralls of Anaheim Hills got this recipe in her home economics class during her sophomore year at Wichita Falls High School. She and her family have been making these cookies ever since--three generations so far.

COCONUT POMPOMS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups pecan halves

1 cup shredded coconut

Beat butter until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix.

Sift together flour and salt and add to butter mixture, stirring until incorporated.

Shape pieces of dough around pecan halves and roll in coconut. Bake on ungreased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 325 degrees until coconut is lightly toasted, about 20 minutes.

3 dozen. Each cookie:

123 calories; 75 mg sodium; 14 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.15 gram fiber.

Daryl Reeves of Los Angeles unabashedly says his grandmother Elva Mae Stubb Reeves’ melt-in-your-mouth gingersnaps are the best ever.

STUBB’S GINGERSNAPS

3/4 cup oil

1 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

Beat oil and sugar in bowl until creamy. Add molasses and egg, and beat well. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Add to sugar mixture and mix well.

Roll into teaspoon-size balls. Roll in sugar to coat, and place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until cracked and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

4 dozen. Each cookie:

69 calories; 15 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

Shirley Snow of San Pedro challenges us to try to eat just one of these cookies, which she says always draw “ohhs” and “ahhs.” Snow says that this is an old family recipe and that, although it’s not a difficult recipe, it does take little extra effort. The Times’ Test Kitchen cautions that the caramels should be very soft for the best results.

CARAMEL NUT ACORNS

COOKIE

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

TOPPING

1/2 pound caramels

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

COOKIE

Melt butter in 2-quart pan. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla and pecans. Add flour and baking powder, and mix thoroughly. Shape dough into balls. Flatten 1 side by pressing on ungreased baking sheet; pinch top into point so cookie resembles an acorn.

Bake at 350 degrees until light brown, about 15 minutes.

TOPPING

Melt caramels and water in top of double boiler over simmering water.

Dip rounded ends of cooled cookies about 1/4 inch deep into caramel mixture, then into finely chopped pecans, covering caramel thoroughly with nuts. When caramel hardens, store in airtight container.

4 dozen. Each cookie:

102 calories; 55 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.06 gram fiber.

Blair Brooks of Los Angeles got the original recipe for these cookies from the December 1987 Gourmet magazine, but she’s adapted it fairly significantly. She says she punched up the chocolate flavor, reduced the sweetness, changed the hazelnuts to more readily available almonds, made the macaroon layer lighter and crunchier and increased the quantity by 50%. Brooks says the chocolate layer may be baked ahead of time, covered and refrigerated, and the rest of the cookie assembled and baked another time.

If you decide to use hazelnuts instead of almonds, delete the almond extract from the macaroon ingredients. The Times’ Test Kitchen suggests increasing the amount of chocolate to 3 ounces to make the chocolate flavor more pronounced and also suggests drizzling the cookies with melted seedless raspberry jam and melted chocolate before cutting.

CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY MACAROON DIAMONDS

CHOCOLATE LAYER

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing foil

2 to 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup flour, plus extra for dusting foil

Pinch salt

RASPBERRY LAYER

1 cup raspberry jam without seeds

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons orange liqueur or orange juice

MACAROON LAYER

1 pound blanched almonds, toasted, then chilled or frozen

2 1/4 cups sugar

9 egg whites

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

TOPPING

1/2 cup warmed raspberry jam, optional

1/2 cup melted chocolate, optional

CHOCOLATE LAYER

Melt butter and chocolate in top of double boiler or in bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, flour and salt and stir.

Line 17x11-inch baking pan with foil. Fold foil along one long side to make lip and reduce pan surface to 17x10 inches. Butter and flour foil. Spread mixture on foil, and bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack at least 5 minutes.

RASPBERRY LAYER

Lightly warm jam and whisk until smooth. Stir in enough liqueur or juice to make barely spreadable. Spread over Chocolate Layer to within 2 inches of edge of pan.

MACAROON LAYER

Grind almonds with 3/4 cup sugar in blender or food processor to make 3 cups ground nuts.

Beat egg whites in large bowl, gradually adding remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and salt until whites form medium-stiff meringue. Fold in ground almonds and vanilla and almond extracts.

Spoon mixture carefully over jam, covering jam completely. Bake at 375 degrees until top is firm to the touch and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

TOPPING

When cool, drizzle raspberry jam and melted chocolate over top. Slice on diagonal into 1-inch strips, then on the opposite diagonal to make diamonds. Store in airtight container.

8 dozen. Each cookie:

76 calories; 38 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.16 gram fiber.

These are cookies that Patricia Winn Vryens’ mother, Shirley, made when Vryens was growing up in Peoria, Ill. Vryens is certain that her father and most of her six brothers and sisters would agree that Chocolate Crackles, among all the goodies her mother baked, were the Christmas favorite. (The cookies are known in some parts of the country--especially in California--as “earthquake” cookies for their cracked tops.) Vryens, who lives in San Diego, still makes them each year for her husband and friends.

CHOCOLATE CRACKLES

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler.

Combine brown sugar and oil in bowl, and add melted chocolate. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, and stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in walnuts. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Shape dough into teaspoon-size balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place on greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees until cookies puff up and crack and no longer look wet in crevices, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over-bake. Cool completely on rack and store in airtight container.

4 dozen cookies. Each cookie:

69 calories; 26 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.06 gram fiber.

Cathy Ude, who lives in San Marino, remembers that her Aunt Catherine from Vermont made these cookies every Christmas when Ude was a child. She says a batch never lasted more than a day.

ENGLISH TOFFEE BARS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, plus extra for preparing pan

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (7-ounce) milk chocolate bar, broken into pieces

1/2 cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds

Beat butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add egg yolk, vanilla, flour and salt and mix.

Spread in buttered 13x9-inch baking pan, and bake at 350 degrees until brown, about 20 minutes. Batter will rise and fall slightly.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces, then spread chocolate evenly as it melts. Top immediately with almonds, and let cool completely. Cut into squares, and store in airtight container.

24 bars. Each bar:

182 calories; 114 mg sodium; 34 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.19 gram fiber.