Apricot Window Cookies Recipes

APRICOT WINDOWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat an 11-by-17-inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment; set aside. Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a #11 plain tip. Spoon jam into a medium bowl, and beat with a rubber spatula to smooth out texture; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add reserved flour mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the dough; use it to fill the prepared pastry bag. Fold the end over to keep dough from drying out; set aside.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining dough into the prepared pan as evenly and smoothly as possible. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and transfer to a heat-proof surface. Using an offset spatula, spread jam on top in an even layer. Using the prepared pastry bag, pipe parallel lines of dough spaced 1 inch apart over the jam. Pipe perpendicular lines of dough at 1-inch intervals over first lines. Place in oven, and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 1-by-3-inch bars or 3-inch squares.

BEATRICE SAVITZ'S APRICOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Place apricots, lemon juice, white sugar in a small saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the apricots. Bring to a boil, and cook until fruit is soft. Chop coarsely.
• Sift flour, oatmeal and brown sugar together. Melt butter or margarine over low heat and stir into flour mixture. Put 2/3 of this mixture into 8 x 8 inch greased pan. Spread apricot mixture over crust. Sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture over apricots.
• Bake for about 35 minutes.

APRICOT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Combine butter, sugar and cream cheese; mix until well blended.
• Blend in egg and lemon juice; mix well.
• Add flour and baking powder; mix well.
• Chill at least 3 hours.
• Shape into 1" balls.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet; make indentation in center with your thumb or the back of a spoon.
• Fill indentation with 1 tsp (approximately) of apricot preserves.
• Bake for 15 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cool.
• Dust with powdered sugar.

APRICOT PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a thick rectangle; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm or overnight., In a small saucepan, combine the apricots, water, remaining sugar and, if desired, liqueur; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook until liquid is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in pecans if desired; cool completely., On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 12x9-in. rectangle. Evenly spread half of the apricot mixture over each rectangle to within 1/2-in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm., Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

APRICOT-FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine apricots, water, almonds, lemon juice and remaining sugar. Cook and stir until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. , Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-in thickness. Cut half of the dough with a floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Cut second portion with a 2-1/2-in. doughnut cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. To assemble, spread bottom of solid cookies with filling; top with cutout cookies. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

APRICOT CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Blend butter, cream cheese, and sour cream together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Stir in flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and salt until well blended.
• Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Divide dough into thirds. Keep dough in the refrigerator while working on one portion at a time. Roll each portion into a 12 1/2x10-inch rectangle. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares using a fluted pastry wheel.
• Place a dot, about 1/4 teaspoon, of preserves in the center of each square. Bring up two diagonal corners to the center, pinching together to seal, or secure with a toothpick. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, but not brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool, 8 to 10 minutes more. Sift remaining powdered sugar over the cooled cookies.

HAZELNUT-APRICOT WINDOWS

Steps:

• Combine hazelnuts and 1 tablespoon sugar in processor; grind nuts finely. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 2/3 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in hazelnut mixture, then egg, egg yolk, lemon peel, lemon extract, salt, and cinnamon. Beat in flour. Gather dough into ball. Divide into 4 pieces. Flatten each into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough piece between sheets of waxed paper or parchment to scant 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkling dough with flour to prevent sticking and occasionally peeling off top paper to remove wrinkles. Peel off top sheet. Using 2-inch-diameter fluted cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll, cutting out more cookies and placing on sheets. Using 1-inch-diameter fluted cutter, cut out centers from half of cookies, making rings. Gather centers as scraps. Bake cookies 5 minutes. Reverse sheets; bake cookies until light golden, about 6 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Arrange whole cookie rounds on work surface. Drop generous 1/2 teaspoon jam in center of each. Arrange cookie rings on work surface. Sift powdered sugar over. Place 1 ring cookie on each whole round, forming sandwich with jam in cutout center. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator up to 3 days.)

APRICOT FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream sugar and shortening.
• Add eggs.
• Sift dry ingredients.
• Add dry ingredients alternating with milk and vanilla; mix well.
• Roll 1/8 inch thick and cut with 2 1/2 round cutter.
• Combine filling ingredients in order given.
• Cook in medium sauce pan over medium heat until it looks like marmalade.
• Stir frequently to prevent sticking and browning of fruit.
• Put 1 tbsp filling on 1/2 of cookie dough rounds.
• Cover with remaining rounds.
• Press edges with fork to seal.
• Brush tops with egg whites.
• Bake on greased cookie sheets at 400°F for 15 minutes.

APRICOT WINDOWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 11 by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line bottom with parchment paper.
• Spoon jam into a bowl, and beat with a rubber spatula to smooth out texture; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add reserved flour mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the dough; use it to fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Fold the end over to keep dough from drying out.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining dough into prepared pan as evenly and smoothly as possible. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and transfer to a heatproof surface. Using an offset spatula, spread jam on top in an even layer. Using a prepared pastry bag, pipe parallel lines of dough spaced 1 inch apart over the jam. Pipe perpendicular lines of dough at 1-inch intervals over first lines. Place in oven and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 1 1/2 by 3-inch bars or 3-inch squares. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.