It’s December and our weekly visits with our familiar farmers are now held in indoor markets throughout the East End. Although I do miss our farmstand views, I always enjoy the opportunity to meet the many talented food artisans and farmers all under one roof. It’s a welcoming excuse to pause and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us this season. In the winter months, I crave comfort and warmth but also something bright and refreshing, which I always seem to find in the local jams that bottle up everything I love about the sweet summer fruits and bright winter citrus. Local jam is the inspiration for this month’s Farm Stand to Plate recipe and one that is extra sweet for the holiday season.
These pistachio wreath cookies are complemented by locally produced Josephine’s Feast Cara Cara Blood Orange Jam — one of my favorites to gift for the holidays. This recipe perfectly marries the joy of local jam and the comfort of cookies. Feel free to substitute with your own homemade preserves or other favorite farm stand jams.
Cookies are always best shared and it’s the act of sharing good food with good friends that will see us through the winter season.
Pistachio & Cara Cara Orange Jam Wreath Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup room temperature butter; half salted and half unsalted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3/4 cup raw pistachio, coarsely crushed
- 1/2 cup jam or preserves
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mix well.
- Divide the dough in two pieces and form a flat disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refreidgetate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cut out an even number of round bottom cookies and top cookies. Sprinkle the cookies tops with crushed pistachios and gently press.
- Bake for about 8 minutes or until a very pale golden color on the edges appears.
- Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Roll out remaining dough and repeat.
- Once the cookies are cool, spread the bottom cookies with a teaspoon of jam. Place the pistachio cookie on top.
