THE DISH: Cookie recipes the gift that keeps on giving

Dec. 23—Christmas is finally here. You may have already made your holiday treats but if you're looking for some quick or interesting options, look no further than these ideas from "Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats."

Authors Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin pay homage to the cookie in all its tasty forms, reenvisioning some childhood favorites as well as adding sophisticated touches to both sweet and savory baked goods.

These are just two recipes from more than 100 included in the cookbook.

Smokeshow cheese coins

From the cookbook: "Every December, we host an afternoon Christmas party at our house for our close friends. It's too early to serve dinner, but we serve a variety of hors d'oeuvres (both sweet and savory) for everyone to enjoy. We always plan lots of food and let our guests know that they can pop in and out when their schedule suits them. Besides a healthy offering of small desserts (including dozens of sweet cookies), one of our go-tos is a variety of cheeses with bread and assorted crackers. These thin, cheesy coins are phenomenal party fare. With smoked paprika and smoky sea salt, their flavor lingers and they can be enjoyed on their own, but they are exceptional with a thin slice of salty ham."

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (159 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

4 ounces (113 grams) Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into chunks (see note)

10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (57 grams) grated sharp cheddar

1 1/4 teaspoons smoked flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or large sea salt or coarse kosher salt

1. Whisk together the flour, paprika, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Place the Parmigiano-Reggiano in the bowl of a food processor and process until the cheese is finely ground. Add the butter and cheddar and process until everything is well combined, using five to 10 1-second pulses. Add the flour mixture and process until a ball of dough forms.

3. Remove the dough from the processor and divide the dough in half (about 235 grams of dough per half). Roll each half of the dough between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper to an 1/8-inch-thick, 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Stack the paper-covered sheets of dough onto an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet and refrigerate until cold and firm throughout, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

4. Position two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 300 F. Line two 18-by-13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

5. Release the dough from one sheet of parchment paper by peeling the paper from the top of one layer of chilled dough. Lay the paper back onto the dough and flip the whole dough sheet over so that loosened sheet of paper is now underneath it. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Prick the dough all over with a fork.

6. Cut 2-inch circles from the dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between cookies. For 2-inch circles, you can fit 24 cookies on each baking sheet. The dough can be rerolled, chilled, and cut to get about 12 more cookies.

7. Sprinkle a half-teaspoon of flaky sea salt over each sheet of 24 cookies. Bake until the cookies are set and beginning to lightly brown all over, 18 to 22 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough once the baking sheets have completely cooled, or use additional baking sheets. Don't forget to prick rerolled cookies with a fork and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt before baking! After cooling, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Note: You can make this recipe using a stand mixer instead of a food processor. If using a stand mixer, finely grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano before adding it to the mixer in step 2.

Variation: Lancelots

"Growing up, we both ate our fair share of peanut butter on cheese crackers, marketed by such companies as Keebler and Lance. As kids, we really didn't think about the seemingly absurd pairing of orange cheese crackers and peanut butter. However, as adults, we questioned if the pairing worked with our (allegedly) more mature palate. Answer: Yes! We can't explain it, but the fusion of cheese cracker and peanut butter is still a winner.

"For a classic cheese cracker, substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika and regular (nonsmoked) sea salt flakes for the smoked. Prepare and bake as directed. When cooled, sandwich two coins around a teaspoon of peanut butter filling. Store at room temperature in an airtight container."

Peanut butter filling

2/3 cup (180 grams) creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (75 grams) confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 Combine the peanut butter, butter and salt in a medium bowl and beat together until smooth, using an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and start mixing on low speed.

2. As the mixture starts to come together, increase the speed until all the sugar has been incorporated into the filling.

Source: "Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats" by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin (Countryman Press)

Mocksies

From the cookbook "At one time, boxes of Ritz crackers always had a recipe card on the back for mock apple pie. The recipe's claim was that you could boil(!) some buttery crackers in water and add cream of tartar and a few spices to create a faux apple pie that was nearly as good as the original.

"As devoted (and award-winning) pie bakers, that claim seemed absurd to us. Could this possibly be true? How could a pile of wet crackers create the illusion of apple pie? The secret is in the cream of tartar. We keep that white powder in our pantries for adding just a pinch to our stiff-peaked egg whites. Turns out that when used in larger quantities, it is not only a convenient source of acid but a flavoring agent that is close enough to the taste of a tart apple to provide an ideal basis for the deception.

"With the addition of some nuts and a sprinkling of fall spices, the mirage is ... close flavor-wise, but should never actually fool anyone who is remotely familiar with an actual apple pie. Here we used this surprisingly effective deception to make mock apple pie cookies. With a satisfying crunch, we've transformed this back-of-the box sorcery into a 21st-century delight."

Makes 22 (1 1/2 -inch) cookies

40 crackers (133 grams) Ritz crackers

3/4 cup (71 grams) pecan halves, toasted and cooled (see note)

1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large (35 grams) egg white

1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled but still pourable

1. Position two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350°F. Line two 18- by- 13- inch baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. Place the crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are small crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl. Add the pecans to the food processor and coarsely grind them as well. Add the ground nuts to the bowl with the cracker crumbs. (Alternatively, the crackers can be crushed by hand directly in the bowl and the pecans can be chopped by hand.)

3. Add the brown sugar, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix these dry ingredients together by hand, using a silicone spatula. Add the egg white, lemon juice, and melted butter and mix until the dry ingredients have all been moistened and the mixture has formed into a cohesive clump. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes before scooping.

4. Portion 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of dough, using a #60 scoop, roll into balls, and evenly arrange 13 portions on the first baking sheet. Flatten the balls slightly with your fingertips. Repeat with the remaining dough and arrange on the second baking sheet.

5. Bake until cookie edges are set and just beginning to brown, 13 to 17 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooling, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Note: Toasting nuts brings out more of the delightful nutty flavor. The nuts have to be toasted and cooled before adding to the cookie dough or batter, or the nuts will lack flavor in the finished cookie. Be mindful that roasted nuts (like most of the canned nuts sold in the supermarket) are not the same as toasted nuts. Commercially roasted nuts often have additional salt and oil added as part of the roasting process. Toasted nuts are raw nuts that are toasted to a light golden brown. To toast nuts, spread raw nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F until the nuts are fragrant and light brown, about 7 minutes. Nuts can also be toasted in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.

Source: "Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats" by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin (Countryman Press)

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.