Greek Cognac Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the walnuts until golden brown and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then chop about half of the nuts (you should have about 1/2 cup chopped). Pulse the remaining nuts in the food processor until finely ground (about 1/4 cup ground).
• Stir the flour, baking powder, salt and nuts together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolk, brandy and vanilla extract together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture gets light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
• At low speed, stir in the nut mixture to make a crumbly dough. Cover the bowl and set dough aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or coat with nonstick spray.
• With a tablespoon, scoop out 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls between the palms of your hands. Pinch the ends of the balls to make a football shape. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies set and start to brown, about 18 minutes.
• Remove cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle them lightly with the orange water. (If you don't have a brush, simply dip your fingers into the water and flick it over the cookies a few times.) Take care not to douse them, just enough for them to carry the scent of flowers.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a bag, and add 5 to 6 of the warm cookies to it. Very gently toss the cookies to coat with sugar. Remove them from the bag and cool cookies on a rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: Dough can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Baked cookies can be wrapped in plastic, then aluminum foil, for up to 2 weeks. To serve, let cookies come to room temperature before dusting with confectioners' sugar.
• Cook's Note: If you can't find orange flower water, try specialty stores or online.
• Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 2 eggs; beat well. Beat in orange juice and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., Roll dough into 1-1/4-in. balls. Shape each into a 6-in. rope; fold in half and twist twice. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , In a small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 7-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks.

Steps:

• Cream butter or margarine with sugar; add egg yolk and cognac.
• Mix well.
• Gradually add flour; chill 3-4 hours.
• Shape into 1-inch balls.
• Insert a whole clove in top of each.
• Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325°F for 20-25 minutes.
• Cool.
• Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar.
• Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Steps:

• Place butter in mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
• Scrape down sides and gradually add the sugar, and blend until well incorporated.
• Scrape down sides and add the egg yolk and cognac, and mix well.
• Gradually add the flour and mix until well combined.
• Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours, or freeze up to 2 weeks.
• Preheat oven to 325º.
• To form the cookies, break off small pieces and roll into 1-inch balls.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake until very lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.
• Cool for 2 minutes and remove to a rack.
• When cooled, sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whip butter until white.
• Slowly add sugar, vanilla, and brandy.
• Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time.
• Shape cookies by rolling into balls (about the size of a meatball), then gently press your thumb into the top of the cookie and twist slightly.
• This will help flatten the cookie just a bit.
• Place cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are sand colored.
• Sift confectioner's sugar onto a large sheet of wax paper.
• Upon removing cookies from oven, carefully place on sugar and sift additional sugar to cover the tops and sides of cookies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter, egg yolk and anise extract until light. Stir in the 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and flour until blended.
• Shape dough into crescents and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven just until bottoms and edges begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar before they are completely cool.