Alanna's Pistachio Lime and Matcha Snowballs

It's cookie season, guys! I have a lot of cookie classics that I turn to every year, but I also love branching out and finding new ones to add to the mix. These little snowballs may have made their way into the permanent rotation :) and they are gluten free which is a major bonus considering the number of friends and family I have eating gluten free these days. Also, they improve with age, and are great after a couple of days in an airtight container at room temp, which is not always the case with cookies.

The recipe comes from Alanna Taylor Tobin's amazing book, Alternative Baker. They are a riff on the classic Polvorones/Mexican Wedding Cookies/Russian Tea Cake formula, with a very, very tasty update. Instead of pecans, Alanna's recipe uses a trio of gluten free flours paired with rich pistachios, bright lime zest, and slightly bitter and minerally matcha. So addictive! 

They come together quickly and easily, and who can resist a dusting of powdered sugar around the holidays? Also, I made these on a whim and didn't have the lime zest called for in the original recipe, but I just subbed in lemon and they were great.

What are your holiday cookie faves? Check out this post for more of mine.

Pistachio Lime and Matcha Snowballs

from Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor Tobin

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

zest from 3 large limes (or lemons!)

1 cup (125g) blanched almond flour

1/2 cup (55g) oat flour

1/4 cup (30g) tapioca flour/starch

1T culinary grade matcha plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (125g) raw pistachios, chopped semi-fine

8 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced

3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the sugar and lime zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until the sugar is moistened and the zest is evenly distributed. Add the almond, oat, and tapioca flours, matcha powder, salt and chopped pistachios and mix on low until well combined.

Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough comes together in large clumps.

Sift the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in powdered sugar knocking off any excess as you go. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed cracked and slightly golden, 15-20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets then roll each one in the powdered sugar. Dust with the matcha powder just before serving. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Double Chocolate Caramel Brownies

My best friend's family in Seattle has a cookie swap every year that even I used to look forward to because I knew that for the weeks leading up to Christmas, their freezer would be chock-full of all the cookies I could dream of - cranberry bliss bars, gingerbread men, shortbread, peanut butter buckeyes, etc. – all the hits, all the classics. 

I have attended a couple of cookie swaps myself this year, and I am so happy that the tradition of gathering to share treats is still alive and well, even in New York City. It is such a fun and low-key way to gather around the holidays, and everyone gets to go home with an exciting variety of goodies they may not have made otherwise. Now I have my own freezer full of cookies, which I have learned is both a blessing and a curse. Blessing - if you come over to my place for the next couple of weeks, you are sure to be served some excellent cookies. Curse - cookies for every meal = very tight pants...I have one more swap on my calendar this season, and I am going to switch up my usual offering for these decadent brownies. I’ll package up the caramel sauce in cute little jars so people can drizzle at their own leisure.

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This post was created in partnership with Reynolds Kitchens. For more holiday fun and recipes, check out their Endless Table here. 

 

Double Chocolate Caramel Brownies

Makes 16-24 brownies

These brownies are of the rich and fudge variety, dense and super chocolaty. Since it is the holidays, I added something a little extra in the form of espresso spiked caramel sauce. Add a scoop of ice cream to one of these and you have a ridiculously good treat, or combine all three for a seriously killer brownie sundae. Bonus points if you warm up the brownies before topping them with cold ice cream and warm caramel sauce. They keep in the freezer (un-sauced) well wrapped in plastic wrap or foil for about a month, coincidentally, they also taste great frozen.

Brownies

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (not chips)

Espresso Caramel

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, making sure there is a bit of overhang on all sides. Lightly butter the foil.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt in a large bowl set over a double boiler. Stir the mixture occasionally until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is warm to the touch.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs, one at time, then add in the vanilla. Fold in the flour until just combined, then fold in the chopped chocolate.

Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached 25-30 minutes. Cool the brownies in the pan, then use the foil as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan.

Make the caramel sauce: Combine the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water, along with the butter, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar melts and turns deep amber in color. Remove the pan from the heat then whisk in the cream, instant espresso, and vanilla extract. Let the sauce cool to room temperature then drizzle over the brownies just before serving.