
I have been baking. Baking a lot. Cookies in particular. They are highly coveted this time of year and highly shareable. And, considering my inability to throw dinner parties these days, I have taken to my oven to make cookies for neighbors and friends as a sweet substitute.
I know I am not the only one baking cookies frantically this season. Thought I would share recipes for some of my favorites -- including one from Mama Vamp.
Last night, I whipped up a batch of Snickerdoodles from Bon Appétit's popular recipe. My twist? The addition of a half teaspoon of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar mixture. I strongly advise you get really good cinnamon for this! (Burlap & Barrel is my go-to supplier for intense, single-origin cinnamon.) Brought these crisp, yet cakey classics to the crew working Christmas Day at my local Joe Coffee shop. Hoping for good reviews when I go there for an espresso in the morning!
I also add a twist to another go-to cookie recipe -- Melissa Clark's Rosemary Shortbread. In this case, the addition is orange zest. Can't say enough good things about this recipe. You can vary it in a multitude of ways and the cookies are always sublime!
Then there are the tried-and-true recipes you never muck with, like David Lebovitz's Cranzac Cookies...

...which are a magical amalgam of oats, brown sugar, dried cranberries, coconut, golden syrup (I actually have a bottle in the pantry from an earlier foray into Sri Lankan cookery), and some staple ingredients. These are deeply satisfying cookies. Never fail. Always welcome.
I also refuse to mess with François Payard's recipe for Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies. A bit chewy, there is something reminiscent of Tootsie Rolls about them. But, they are altogether elegant from the first bite to the last.
And, of course there are the cookies that I grew up with -- the ones that my mother baked when I was a kid. I published her recipe for Crunchy Jumbles a while back, chocolate chip cookies given a new lease on life with the addition of Rice Krispies. I don't know a soul that doesn't enjoy them!
But, have I ever told you about Mama Vamp's Blondies?

This recipe is a winner! I recently cheated on it with Smitten Kitchen's Blondie recipe, which called for browned butter -- but I still think this'll be the recipe that I turn to, when a batch of blondies is called for from my kitchen. Try them for yourself and let me know what you think!
Blondies
1/2 lb butter (room temperature)
1 box light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 oz chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt until a smooth thick batter. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined. Place batter in a 9x9 baking tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool and slice into squares for serving.