Holiday Baking Favorites

Be King (or Queen) of the Cookie Swap this holiday!? Experts former White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, author Carol Becker, owner of the iconic William Greenberg Desserts and Josh Joslyn of Rigoni di Asiago share baking secrets with Fox News’s Lilian Huang Woo.

Follow Lilian Woo on Twitter:?@LilianNY

Chocolate Snowflake Cookies from The William Greenberg Desserts Cookbook

Chocolate Snowflake Cookies
Makes 3 dozen
When I was trying to think of a festive, wintry dessert to add to our roster, I remembered the batches of dense, gooey-in-the-middle chocolate cookies I often received as presents during the holiday season. As the balls of dough, which are rolled in confectioners’ sugar before they are baked, spread in the oven, the sugar separates, creating all sorts of intricate striations and designs. Every cookie is different but beautiful, just like a snowflake.

2 cups sugar
? cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
? teaspoon kosher salt
? cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or working with a handheld electric mixer and large bowl, combine sugar, oil, and melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add about a quarter of the dry mixture at a time to chocolate mixture, mixing on low after each addition. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350?F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in confectioners’ sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until firm around the edges. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Do-ahead: Cookies can be made 1 days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Fiordifrutta Thumbprint Cookies by Leonelli Taberna

Ingredients:
225 grams of butter, room temp
70 grams of granulated sugar
70 grams of light brown sugar
1 each egg yolk
? tsp. vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
200 grams all-purpose flour
80 grams almond flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
? tsp. salt
Sliced almonds for garnish
Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta Preserves

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350? F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together. Add egg yolk and
vanilla and mix well (scrape down all sides).
Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
With a pastry bag and star tip, pipe circular rings.
Fill the center with your favorite Fiordifrutta flavor.
Garnish with sliced almonds.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
? cup butter softened
? cup brown sugar
? cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup oats
2/3 cup ground hazelnuts
1 cup flour
? tsp. baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Bianca
Preparation:
Prepare a lined baking sheet, and preheat the oven to 325? F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the
egg and vanilla until blended.
In another large mixing bowl, add flour, oats, hazelnuts, and baking soda. Carefully add the wet
ingredients and mix until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips, cover and refrigerate for around 30 minutes.
Once chilled, roll dough into 1-2-inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on
a wire rack.
When cooled, dip one half of each cookie in Nocciolata Bianca.