Cookie

Yes, you are reading the ingredients list correctly: there are black beans in these brownies. You really have to taste the brownies to believe them. The beans add moisture and texture not to mention fiber and protein. These brownies have such a great fudgy texture because the cocoa powder and just a little espresso powder are the only dry ingredients (besides a bit of Truvia). For an extra jolt of chocolate flavor and about 15 more calories stir 1/4 cup dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs (such as Kopali Organics) into the batter just before pouring it into the pan. These brownies are even better the next day.

I got a perplexing message from someone who made these biscotti: “They were good, but full of big chunks of chocolate.” I’m not sure if that was meant as a compliment or a criticism, but I do know for sure that it wasn’t a mistake—that’s exactly what I had in mind when I came up with these superchunky chocolate biscotti. They’re perfect for dipping in a large cup of dark coffee or alongside a glass of Cognac after dinner. They’re also great travel cookies—I’m always happy when I pull out a bag midway through a flight or train trip. I make sure to bring extras because when I see the longing looks of passengers around me, I feel pressured to share—and I do, reluctantly.

You get a very big bang for remarkably little work in this fabulous pairing of chocolate and orange. These candy-like cookies are mostly fruit, nuts, and chocolate, with just a bit of flour to hold them together. Easy, elegant, and irresistible, they keep very well before they are iced. Once you add the chocolate glaze, be sure to refrigerate them.

If Santa's elves grew citrus trees, these sparkling lemony bites would surely be among the branches. Our favorite in a year rich with cookies, these adorable little balls look like nothing found in any store. They melt in your mouth, leaving behind a lovely citric freshness. Roll them in brightly colored sanding sugar to make them twinkle like vintage ornaments.

The war was on, and sugar was rationed. Aiming to do its patriotic bit, Gourmet printed an article showing readers how to use honey in place of sugar. The author of the article considered the shortage of sugar a good thing, harrumphing that until the discovery of sugar refining in the middle of the eighteenth century, cooks were very happy to rely on honey. He expressed the hope that "with the present curtailment in our sugar supply, honey will regain much of its former glory." That desire is probably why these cookies are so good; delicate and barely sweet, they are almost biscuit-like and go well with cheese. They also improve immeasurably with age. In a sign of the times, the recipe ran next to a cartoon of a woman emerging from a car in front of a fancy restaurant, peering at the 30-minute parking sign and saying to her husband, "Sometimes I think you park in these restricted areas so we won't have time to order the deluxe dinner."

Crushed peppermint candies make a festive, crunchy topping for these pretty cookies.

These pretty cookies are a cross between an almond horse shoe cookie and a Linzer cookie. Blackberry or apricot jam would also be delicious.

A hit of coffee and a blend of spices (cinnamon, cardamom, and two kinds of ginger) perk up this shortbread.

To heighten the toffee flavor, substitute toffee baking bits for half of the chopped almonds.

Use fruit-flavored Life Savers, sour balls, or similar hard candies for the "stained glass." It is fun to make your own design for the ornaments. For example, if you want to make a holly leaf or a dove, draw the shape on a piece of cardboard—about 3 inches in diameter is a good size—and cut it out. Edge the gingerbread strips around the design on the cookie sheet. Continue until all the gingerbread has been used. To crush the candies, use a food processor or place the candies between 2 pieces of waxed paper and crush with a rolling pin.

Various Central European countries have their own variations on these popular filled cookies, sometimes spelled kolache or kolace. Some are made with a yeast dough, others with cream cheese or even ice cream. The cream cheese dough is the most popular for the Polish version of these rich cookies.

Shortbread—full of buttery flavor and a crumbly melt-in-your-mouth texture that few other cookies can deliver—is another item that must be included in most teatime menus. Brown sugar gives these a hint of molasses. For truly extraordinary results, instead of standard brown sugar, use muscovado sugar, which is made by a centuries-old process and has a deeper flavor.

This is a lightning-fast way to make scrumptious little cookie bites. You simply dab marmalade onto a tray full of vanilla wafers and then cloak each cookie in melted white chocolate. For a fittingly elegant garnish, you can top each one with a tiny piece of candied orange peel (available in specialty food stores and by mail).