Cookie Gift Baskets Tip & Recipe Blog

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What is the best part about using cookie tins as gift packaging?  It’s easy; you don’t have to worry about your baked goods getting crushed in transit. The sizes and shapes make it possible for you to deliver just the right amount of cookies, brownies, or other goodies for holidays, birthdays, and other occasions.  They are reusable; your recipient can use the cookie tin for everything from storing hair accessories and toys to organizing drawers.  Cookie tins are always an excellent gift packaging idea.

You probably have more than a few cookie tins laying around the house from long-eaten gifts you’ve received yourself.  Why not put them to use?  With a little creativity and a few craft supplies, you can revamp your cookie tins and get them ready for more gift-giving.  You can then fill them with cookies, brownies, candies, and even cookie dough so your recipient can make cookies when she/he wants.  They also make a great case for puzzles, small kids’ toys, games, cards, coffee packages and/or tea bags, and other gifts.

Cookie tins make a great gift packaging idea year-round, but the problem is that many of us have Christmas cookie tins in excess. We can’t give those to someone for Easter Sunday or their July birthday.  Sure we can; we just have to give them a makeover.  Here are some ways to do just that:

• Choose a spray paint that is specifically designed to work on metal.  Any color will do, but metallics look especially great.
• If you want to use acrylic paints, make sure you buy some that is meant for use on metal. Regular acrylic will simply scratch right off at the merest provocation, so your beautiful Easter tin suddenly starts showing its true Christmas roots.  You can find acrylic paint in craft stores that is meant for painting watering cans and other metal objects.
• Sand the surface of the tin if it is slippery or glossy.  This will help the paint adhere to the tin better.
• If the tin has embossed writing, you can sand it off to make a smooth surface.
• Whether you are using spray paint or acrylic, make sure you clean the cookie tin carefully with hot soapy water and allow it to dry completely before painting. (You don’t want a rusty gift tin!)
• Try your hand at decoupage.  You can do this with tissue paper, gift wrap, brown lunch bags, old maps, old greeting cards, and other types of paper that you have torn into small pieces.  You can buy decoupage glue or save money and make your own.  Simply dilute tacky white glue (such as Elmer’s); it should be about one part water for one part glue.  Apply a layer of the glue with your fingers or a small sponge and then lay bits of the paper down.  Apply another layer of decoupage glue and then more paper.  Layer until the underlying design is covered thoroughly.
• Cover the tin with fabric.  There is a fabulous tutorial at Twisted Stitcher’s Tutorials blog that will guide you through the steps.  The tin is transformed into a lovely box that can be used for sewing notions, craft supplies, or even jewelry and other treasures.

If you are using the tins for cookies, baked goods, or other food items, make sure that all paint and glue has dried completely.  When it has, wash the tin with hot soapy water.  Before you add the cookies to the dry tin, line the bottom with parchment, waxed, or tissue paper.

Cookie tins make an ideal gift package for any number of gifts; don’t feel limited to cookies – although those will certainly be appreciated by most recipients!  Instead of buying gift bags, gift boxes, or wrap, look in your home, find some empty tins, and get to work.  It will make your gift that much more special.

Related Articles:

• The Best Ovens for Cookie Baking
• How to Make Royal Icing for Cookie Decorating
• 5 Artful Ways to Package Cookies as Gifts

If you are in love with the taste of cookies and cream, you will love how easy it is to make your own cookies and cream ice cream. Ice cream makers have come down in price. They are no longer the big, bulky things that once required hand cranking and rock salt. Today’s ice cream makers are sleek and easy to operate. Plus, once you freeze the bowl, the ice cream is ready to go in no time at all.

Here’s a recipe for cookies and cream ice cream using any ice cream maker you have. It’s a simple combination of wholesome milk and cream. You can also change out the sugar for a substitute like Splenda and it will still taste as good. Don’t skimp on the cookies. Your best bet is to use real Oreos.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

From recipetips.com

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 2 cups chocolate oreos, or cream filled cookie pieces

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan. Over medium heat bring the milk to a gentle simmer (approximately 175° F) or until it begins to bubble around the edges.

Remove from the heat. Then, add the sugar and salt and stir the scalded milk until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Add half and half, vanilla, and whipping cream and stir until well blended.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once it has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to age in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or up to 24 hours). This aging process will produce ice cream with more body and a smoother texture. While the ice cream mixture is chilling in the refrigerator, break cookies into small bite size pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl or measuring cup and set aside until needed. After aging (chilling) the mixture, remove from the refrigerator and stir the mixture. The ice cream is now ready for the freezing process.

Follow the ice cream maker's instruction manual on the freezing process.

When the ice cream has thickened, but is still too soft to scoop, add the cookie pieces and stir until they are evenly distributed. Or, add the cookie pieces and start the ice cream maker churning again to stir them into the ice cream. Some makers have an opening in the top that is used to add flavorings as the ice cream is churning.

Once the pieces are mixed in, scrape the ice cream into another container with an airtight cover. Be sure to leave at least 1/2 inch head space for expansion. Place the ice cream in the freezer for several hours to harden before serving.

Here’s another way to do cookies and cream ice cream without the ice cream maker.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (without an ice cream maker)

From recipetips.com

• 1 package chocolate sandwich cookies (crush or break)
• 8 ounces whipped cream
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Servings: 12

Simply mix all of your ingredients together is a large bowl. Ice cream should be left out for about 10 minutes to soften. Then enjoy and freeze remainder in container.

Related Articles:

1. Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes
2. How to Make a Cookies and Cream Milkshake
3. Ice Cream Floats

When Hansel and Gretel get lost in the woods, they stumble upon a house made of cookies and candy.  The base of the house was lebkuchen, or soft gingerbread, a favorite German Christmas treat.  The practice of making gingerbread houses grew from the story of Hansel and Gretel and today, we see them throughout the holiday season.  They have become so popular that you can purchase kits to assemble and decorate your own gingerbread house.  Or you could make your own!

This recipe comes to us from eHow.  Making a gingerbread house is more complex than making cookies or other gourmet desserts.  This is meant to be a centerpiece or decoration more than a confectionary delight.

If you’re up to the challenge, you’ll need:

• Cookie dough.  Both gingerbread and sugar cookie dough will work. You can make your own or buy a premade dough.
• Royal icing (recipe to follow)
• White printer paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Kitchen knife
• Spoon
• Pastry bags or zip top bags
• Round pastry tip (if using a pastry bag)
• Candy for decoration

The first step is to make your house’s template.  You can find templates online that you can print and cut out or you can create your own.  A basic rectangular house is fine, especially for your first attempt.  Also keep in mind that larger houses are harder to put together.  For a basic house, make the following templates:

• Sides: two rectangles of the same size
• Front and back: two squares of the same size as each other and that are the same height as the sides and two triangles that are the same width as the front and back pieces.
• Roof: two rectangles that are about 2 inches longer than the side pieces and wide enough to cover the triangles when it is put together.

Cut these out and have them ready.  Now you’re going to work on the dough.

Roll your cookie dough so it is about ¼ inch thick.  Put your templates over the dough and cut around them with a sharp knife.  You may have to stop and re-roll the dough; that’s perfectly fine.  If you have dough left over after you’ve cut all the templates, roll out a square that is about 2 inches bigger on each side than the house. This will be your base.  You can also make a base using a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil.

Bake the sugar or gingerbread pieces until they are hard.  These are not nice, soft, warm treats for dessert. You’re building a house here!  Let them cool completely before you begin to build your house.

Now comes the royal icing.  It would be easier to use frosting or icing, but it’s not effective.  To keep your cookie house together, you need royal icing.  This stuff is like cement.  To make this recipe from Joy of Cooking, you’ll need:

• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice.  An electric mixer is optimal, though a hand mixer works as well.  Add the sugar and beat until it is combined and smooth.  Now, this needs to be put into an airtight container because it will harden very, very quickly.  When it’s not in use, make sure to cover it.  When you’re ready, put some of the royal icing into your pastry or zip top bag.  If you’re using a plastic bag, just snip a hole in the corner.

Now you can start assembling the houses.  Use the royal icing as the glue to attach the sides and front and back pieces onto the base.  Hold them in place until the icing hardens. This is the benefit of royal icing – it won’t take too long.  When it can stand alone, reinforce it with more royal icing.  Don’t be shy with the royal icing.  Attach the triangles to the front and back pieces, hold, and let dry completely.

Pipe a layer of royal icing along the top edges of the triangles.  Hold the roof pieces in place for several minutes.  This is the basic structure of your home.  If you need to, reinforce with royal icing.  Let the house dry for 24 hours before you start to decorate.

Now comes the fun part!  You can use the royal icing as glue and attach candies, sprinkles, sparkling sugars, and other sweet treats.  Soon, you’ll have a house that looks good enough to eat! These are wonderful for display or as a candy gram!

Need more help? Try this article on How to Make a Cookie House.

Nothing is sweeter or more welcomed than a batch or two of homemade cookies. They’re delicious any time of year but they make the perfect Christmas gift. If you start early, you can get everything done well before Christmas Eve. Here are some tips on how to make sweet Christmas cookie gifts.

First, select pretty baskets or tins in which you will place your cookies. This is the most crucial step as presentation is key. The more unique and upscale your container, the more wonderful your gift will look.

Get creative. You can find small picnic type baskets, baskets with pretty ceramic side handles, antique cookie tins, festive new glass boxes or plastic tins. If it can hold a cookie, it will work. A good place to look is at craft stores where they have everything. You can even stack your cookies in a glass vase that is wide enough to fit.

Once you have found your vessel, include some pretty tissue paper. Select a Christmas themed tissue with printed snowmen or trees or just go with silver, gold, red or green. You’ll wrap the cookies in plastic food wrap and then include the tissue as a basket filler and outer wrap for the cookie packages.

What you bake is completely up to you. If you have a family favorite that everyone loves, go for it. If you’ve never baked before, you can find hundreds of cookie recipes by searching “Christmas cookie recipes” on the web. There are entire sites devoted to nothing but cookie baking. You’ll be surprised at the limitless expanse of options available.

Choose cookies that will travel and hold up well if you need to ship them. Biscotti are hard enough to make the journey as are Springerle, a German pressed cookie. If you don’t have to ship, you can pretty much make anything you like.

Go out shopping for the finest ingredients you can afford. Buy the best chocolate chips, vanilla beans and nuts you can. Great ingredients really do make all the difference. Check your list twice as there’s nothing more frustrating than having to run out for one spice you forgot when you’ve already got the mixer running.

Set up a work station where you have all your ingredients for one type of cookie. Put the ingredient away as you use it so that you know it’s already been added to the batter. Use lightly colored aluminum cookie sheets to avoid burning your cookies. Watch them carefully so you can take them out at exactly the right moment.

When your cookies are cooled, you can freeze them for up to two months. That means you can bake several batches ahead of time and when Christmas rolls around, you can assemble all your baskets. Try to deliver your christmas cookie gift baskets right away after you have filled them when they are still at their freshest.

Include the recipes if you like. Friends may love them so much they’ll ask you how to make them. You’ll be putting smiles on a lot of faces when you show up with a lovely cookie basket or tin. Just be careful, because once you’re known as the Cookie Lady, they’ll be wanting more cookies every year!

Cookies are welcome at any party. Everyone loves getting and eating cookies. If you want to include cookies in your wedding, why not make them as favors? With a little ingenuity and a little practice, you can make really fun and adorable wedding cookies.

Start with a really good recipe for sugar cookies. Don’t even consider store bought as they won’t taste or look good in the end. Then, decide on a cookie shape. You can choose a cookie cutter that looks like a wedding cake, a heart, a flower, a shoe, or even just an elegant square or oval. Use a big enough cookie cutter so that you get a nice sized cookie out of it that will take decorations well.

Each cookie will need to be hand decorated. You can easily make royal icing or use fondant to create a surface layer for your embellished designs. Pipe icing onto the cookies after they have cooled. Use your new initial or pipe on rosettes, dots, or even a word or two. Once you get the hang of using a piping bag, you’ll want to get creative with what you put on the cookies. Wrap and you have edible cookie favors.

Sugar Cookies (from joyofbaking.com)

3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

or

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups (440 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons (30 grams) meringue powder

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/2 cup - 3/4 cup (120 - 180 ml) warm water

Food Coloring (I use Gel Pastes that can be found at cake decorating and party stores or else on-line)

For Sugar Cookies: In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one-half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm). (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.) Cut out desired shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you may want to sprinkle the unbaked cookies with crystal or sparkling sugar.

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Frost with royal icing, if desired. Be sure to let the royal icing dry completely before storing. (This may take several hours.) Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper.

Makes about 36 - 4 inch (10 cm) cookies.

Are you one of those parents who can instantly whip up a creative, professional-looking costume every Halloween without fail? Are you full of good ideas and crafty know-how? Or are you like the rest of us, who may be short on time, sewing skills, or the capacity to make this year’s must-have costume? Don’t worry; you can make an adorable chocolate chip cookie costume for your child that will make you want to just eat him up.

For this costume, you need minimal sewing skills and a few craft supplies. Gather:

• Light brown or tan felt

• Dark brown felt

• Fabric glue or Elmer’s all-purpose glue

• Some cotton batting or pillow stuffing

Cut out four large circles from the light brown or tan felt. This will become the base of your cookie. You can trace a circle with a five-gallon bucket, a large mixing bowl, or a round trash can or simply free draw a circle, trying to make it symmetrical. Don’t worry too much about this – chocolate chip cookies are delicious whether they are symmetrical or not.

Cut small circles from the dark brown felt. These will be your chocolate chips. The next step is to glue the chocolate chips onto the cookie. Fabric glue is great, but you can also get by with Elmer’s if you make sure to let it dry thoroughly. You should now have a front and a back for two cookies (the chips only need to be on the front). Turn the wrong sides out on one of the cookie sets and sew it together. Leave a hole for the stuffing, and turn the big cookie right side out. Stuff your cookie, and then sew the hole. Do this for the second cookie.

Next, you’ll need to make straps. These will keep the cookie costume on your child and are very much like backpack strips. Cut strips from your light brown or tan felt. Enlist your child’s help: hold the cookies to her body and mark where you will place the straps. They should fit over the shoulders and then under the arms. You can then sew the straps in place or pierce the cookie felt and thread the straps through. The latter is easier and a more effective means of keeping the straps in place.

That’s it: your kid cookie is all ready for Halloween. The best part of this costume, though, is that it can be used again. You can take the straps off and use it for a floor or bed pillow or a chair cushion.

If you are pressed for time, you can choose a piece of light brown or tan fleece. Have your child lie down on it and draw a circle around them. Use dark brown fleece or felt for the chips, and then sew the two pieces together. Leave an opening for the neck and for the legs, and cut arm holes out. Even more pressed for time? Find a light brown sweat suit and pick up some dark brown felt. Glue the “chocolate chips” scattered throughout the sweat suit and call it a day. You can also just do a few quick stitches to put the chips on, which can later be removed so your child can wear the sweat suit for playtime or bed.

If your child is a cookie monster, she’ll love this homemade costume.

Lovers of Oreos will want to learn how to make an Oreo milkshake. It’s another way to use your favorite cookie in an innovative way. Many recipes exist for the beloved milkshake. Here is one you can easily commit to memory.

Take a dozen Oreo cookies, any flavor. Place them in a blender. Add 1-1/2 cups of cold milk. Swirl it up. Next add one pint of your favorite ice cream and a tablespoon of good chocolate syrup to the blended mix. Swirl. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.

It’s so easy to make this milkshake that you can offer Oreo milkshakes at your next party. Set up an Oreo cookie favor bar complete with blender and have ice cream on ice or in a small bar freezer so guests can make their own shakes.

Some restaurants offer Oreo cookie milkshakes. They use a vanilla syrup in theirs to make it taste so good. You can find vanilla syrup in coffee shops or in the grocery store. It used to be a hard to find ingredient, but it isn’t anymore.

Next time the kids have a sleepover, why not let them set up a milkshake station? As long as an adult is nearby, they will be able to handle making this easy concoction.

Some recipes for the Oreo milkshake call for chopping the cookies ahead of time. That will result in a smoother blend. But Oreos will break up just fine in the blender. Why create another step for yourself if you don’t have to? Vary the amount of Oreos you use and you’ll get a thicker and more chocolatey mixture that’s more like a smoothie. If you use less milk and more ice cream, you’ll get more of a blended ice cream treat. And, of course, the more syrup you add, the sweeter it’s going to be.

Invent your own twists on the Oreo milkshake. Add some malted milk powder for an old time classic malted milk shake. Or vary the ice cream flavors. Cherry vanilla or rocky road will add to the texture and completely change the taste. Adults may find that coffee ice cream is their new favorite smoothie flavor when mixed with Oreos.

Toppings for your milkshake can also be inventive. Add whipped cream or peppermint candy pieces. Stick a cookie straw in it for a fun way for kids to down their shakes. Shake on some cinnamon or cocoa powder. Or shake on a few shots or sprinkles in chocolate or rainbow colors.

The Oreo milkshake is a happy, fun to create drink that you can whip up anytime day or night and its a great summer cookie treat. Keep the ingredients in the house for those late night snack attacks or for when the kids are bored on a rainy day. You’ll be the hero when you pull out the fixings for an Oreo milkshake fest.

Oh, and don’t substitute other brands of faux Oreos or you may end up disappointed. Other brands really don’t taste like original Oreos. However, you can get creative and use other Oreo flavors such as Peanut Butter Oreos or Fudge Mint Oreos. There are also holiday Oreos that come in red and white peppermint candy flavor which will add a nice touch to holiday milkshakes.

Cookies are a passion with many bakers. They’re quick to bake and fun to eat and share. But people have different preferences when it comes to cookies. Some like crunchier cookies, some like soft cookies, and some like chewy cookies. So how do you make a cookie that’s chewy, for instance?

Baking is a science and one that can’t be rushed or dallied with. You can’t change out ingredients and not affect the whole batter. For chewy cookies, your ratio of wet to dry ingredients is key. For instance, a chewier cookie recipe might include more eggs or an additional yolk. Most chewy cookies have moister ingredients and the batter is more liquid when it comes out.

You can, of course, experiment with different batters. Some just lend themselves better to a chewy cookie than others. But use real butter when butter is called for, not margarine or a substitute. And always use the freshest ingredients you can find.

One final tip is to take the cookies out of the oven before the timer says they are done. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack. By not leaving them in for the full cooking time, you’re sure to have chewier cookies as opposed to crunchy ones. Just don’t take them out too soon or you’ll end up with raw cookies that no one can eat.

If you’ve never met a chocolate chip cookie that you didn’t like, try this recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies. It will be hard to resist eating the whole batch. But if you can resist the urge to eat them all, save a few for that christmas cookie exchange that will be coming up soon.

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie (from allrecipes.com)

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 40 Minutes

Servings: 18

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

It’s certainly not hard to master the art of the chewy cookie. It’s more of the art of keeping an eye on your cookies while they are in the oven and a use of high-quality ingredients. Never substitute amounts and types of ingredients when you are baking as you may throw off the results.

Those who love baking fresh, tasty homemade cookies will love the Martha Stewart Cookie of the Day Newsletter. You can sign up online at www.marthastewart.com and you’ll get a tasty recipe for a new cookie every single day in your in box. Don’t worry if you’ve missed one. You can always go online to get a recap of the day’s recipe. You can also search previous recipes, too. View by the week or even by the month to get all kinds of great ideas for new cookies you can show up at the next bake sale or cookie swap with.

Here are some of the recipes that have been featured in the Martha Stewart Newsletter recently. Sign up today and you’ll always have something tasty in your inbox to look forward to.

Chocolate Sweet Hearts

These crisp, delicate cookies have less than 50 calories each. Swap in different cookie cutters for other occasions; adjust the baking time accordingly.

Prep: 25 minutes

Total: 55 minutes plus cooling

Ingredients

Makes 42

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water; place chocolate, butter, and brown sugar; stir frequently until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, and stir until completely melted; let cool slightly.

Add egg to chocolate mixture. With a mixer on low, beat until well blended. Gradually stir in flour mixture (dough will form a ball).

Divide dough in half; roll out each half on a sheet of parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer each half (still on paper) to a baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working with one half at a time, flip dough onto a work surface; peel off paper. Using a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies; place, 1/2 inch apart, on two baking sheets. Bake until firm and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool. These would be beautiful wrapped up and given as a chocolate cookie gift.

Helpful Hint

To roll out the dough without using flour (which would mar its color), cover your work surface with parchment paper. Once the dough is frozen, you can peel off the paper and cut the cookies directly on the work surface.

Raspberry-Almond Financiers

These petits fours conceal a honeyed, cakey interior beneath a crisp, crackly surface embellished by hand with hearts of jam.

Ingredients

Makes 45

Vegetable oil cooking spray

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup honey

2 cups sliced blanched almonds (6 1/2 ounces), lightly toasted and finely ground

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 large egg whites

1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen), pureed and strained (1/2 cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add honey, and whisk until combined. Remove from heat.

Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine almonds, sugars, flour, and salt on low speed. Raise speed to medium-high, and add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, and add warm butter-honey mixture in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to high, and beat for 45 seconds.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon raspberry puree near one edge of each cup. Draw a skewer or the tip of a paring knife through puree toward opposite edge of cup to form a heart shape.

Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins on wire racks. Using a small offset spatula, carefully unmold financiers, and transfer to rack. Financiers are best served warm or the same day they are baked, but they can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days. If desired, serve or package financiers in decorative paper liners.

So you want to prepare a homemade basket that is filled with luscious goodies? It couldn’t be easier if you plan on making cookies the center of your basket. Bake a few batches and you’re on your way.

Find a basket that is sturdy and attractive. You can certainly reuse baskets that you have. Just make sure that you’re using something that looks elegant and can pass for brand new. Any misshapen basket or one that is obviously on its last leg is a bad choice.

Once you have your chosen basket, get ready to fill your basket with a liner. This can be a pretty cloth napkin, a piece of fabric, or even a decorative piece of wrapping paper that will hold up well. Brown packing paper can also be used to give your basket a rustic feel and look.

Basket in place, lined and ready to go, you’re on to the fun part. Decide which recipes you will use to fill your basket. Think about classics and family favorites alike. If you have a standby chocolate chip cookie or sugar free cookie recipe that everyone seems to love, be sure to include it.

Once all your cookies are baked, think about the packaging. You can wrap several types of cookies, each in their own cellophane bags for individual treats. Or you can wrap the same type of cookies in one plastic bag, another in another. Just don’t combine different types of cookies in the same bag or leave them all loose as all the cookies will take on the flavor of each other and you’ll have one tasteless mess.

Now, arrange the cookies into lovely little parcels. You might choose to wrap each plastic bag in a pretty paper or even stand them inside a paper cone. It’s up to you. You can also just place layers of cookies into the basket flat, but inside bags.

If you’ve got all the same type of cookie, you can go ahead and leave them all out in the open in the basket. Start layering them like shingles on a house so that they look decorative and well-placed. If you want to include cookie pops, you’ll need to insert sticks into the cookies before you bake them. And then individually wrap them and add to the basket. It’s nice to have some elements standing and others flat at the bottom of the basket. Vary the heights, too. Some cookie pops can be sticking out while others are lying off to the side.

Tie it all up with a pretty ribbon and your gift is ready to go. One nice thing you can add to your basket is the recipe for the cookie you’ve included. If you’ve included several varieties, be sure to write out the recipe for each. You can hand write or type onto recipe cards or other decorative card stock. Punch a hole through the card and tie on with ribbon.

Don’t forget about a gift card. You’ll want your recipient to know who it’s from after all your hard work. Take the few extra minutes to make a decorative card that shows your recipient’s name in fine penmanship or even glitter. The more decorative your gift basket becomes, the more it looks like a fine, well-intentioned thinking of you gift to a dear friend or relative.