Skip to Content

Two easy Chocolate Cookies

Sharing is caring!

During the Christmas period, I indulge into using more butter than I use throughout the whole year.  But then what would Christmas be without making cookies and other desserts?   After six months of diet I have learned to restrain myself  and until today I have only tried a small piece from each to see how they taste.

As Socrates said “Everything in moderation”.   So let’s all keep this in mind and enjoy the holidays!

A cake I have been making since I was single is Christmas Fruit Cake.  I cannot imagine Christmas without it.  However, each year I find myself doing something different.  This year I made it with citrus flavour.  I used bergamot, orange, lemon, bitter orange and kumkuat fruit preserves.  I also added my four citrus marmalade before the almond paste and orange liqueur.

This year I experimented by making a batch of some “unconventional” kourabiedes.   It’s not the icing sugar and cocoa powder you see outside but it’s what is inside which makes them unconventional.   My children who tried them said that although unusual, they were awesome.

Making a bigger dose of Kourabiedes from my Cookbook.

This year Melomakarona were made the classic way but flavoured with orange liqueur.  Here is an older recipe.

I also made some traditional Amygdalota, which is a no bake Almond Cookie, wrapped in icing sugar but also some bathed in dark chocolate.

The recipes (or similar recipes) of the Christmas Cake, Orange liqueur, Fruit preserves, Four citrus Marmalade, Amygdalota Μelomakarona and Kourabiedes are included in my e-cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of  Cyprus, Kopiaste!  Volume 2.    All the above recipes, except the Four Citrus Marmalade are also included in the printed cookbook.

 

Both cookie recipes, which follow, are so easy to make.

I usually make them round but as it is Christmas I made some star shaped cookies as well and added some of my Spoon Sweets (fruit preserves) to add a Christmas touch.

Chocolate Fruit Preserve Cookies, recipe by Ivy

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Baking time:  12 minutes

Makes :  about 48

Ingredients:

  • 75 grams (1/3 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 ½ cups (220 grams) flour
  • ½  cup (50 grams) cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • Spoon sweets or fruit preserves, cut into small pieces (if you don’t have any you may use other candied fruit or maraschino cherries)

Chocolate Decoration:

  • 50 grams couverture chocolate, melted in a double boiler

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180o C /350o F.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well till completely incorporated.
  3. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powderand baking soda; add mixture to butter and sugar mixture and stir until combined.
  4. Shape dough on parchment paper into a roll and cut into thin slices, about ¾ of a centimetre.  Shape them into balls and flatten using your fingers.  Use a cookie cutter if your want to shape them or just press them with your fingers about ½ cm thick.
  5. Drain the spoon sweets and half the cherries and cut the remaining into small pieces.
  6. Make a dent in the middle of each cookie with the back of your knife and put a piece in the middle of each cookie.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes.  Cook for a few minutes in the baking tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Decorate with melted chocolate.

These melt in your mouth cookies were adapted from my Lemon Cookies recipe, which I made two and a half years ago.  My children have been begging me since  then to make them again but as I avoid using butter often I gave up and made them this year:)  The buttercream was more than I needed, so I used the leftover over the almond paste and before the Royal Icing, on my Christmas Cake.

Choco Orange cookies, recipe by Ivy

Makes:  16 double cookies

Ingredients:

  • 125 grams butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 90 grams icing sugar
  • 150 grams all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 25 grams cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp vanilla essence

For the filling:

  • 100 75 grams butter, softened
  • 3 2 heaped tablespoons mixed citrus marmalade

Icing:

  • 2 tbsp sifted icing sugar
  • A few tbsp orange juice

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of your mixer cream the butter until smooth.  Add the  lemon zest and icing sugar and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy (about five minutes).
  2. Sieve flour with cocoa and baking powder.
  3. Reduce speed and gently fold in the flour, salt and vanilla until fully incorporated.
  4. Remove to your working surface and knead until smooth.  Wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes until firm.
  5.  Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  6. Roll out the dough between sheets of cling film and using a star-shaped cutter or cutter of your choice, cut out the cookies. Add any scraps of dough to the remaining dough and roll out as before and continue until all the dough is used.  To make the hole, use a round small cutter. (I used the back of my vegetable peeler).
  7. Line the baking tin with parchment paper and place the cookies, leaving a gap between each cookie so as not to stick together when baked.
  8. Bake for about 8 -10 minutes, depending on your oven.
  9. Remove to a wire rack to cool and continue baking the remaining.
  10.  Put all the filling ingredients into a food processor and mix until smooth and creamy.
  11. Spread the filling on one of the cookies and sandwich with the top.
  12. Decorate with icing.

Wishing you all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

Sharing is caring!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Finose

Wednesday 22nd of February 2012

You are always coming with delicious recipes. Thanks for it. Above mentioned cookies are looks really delicious. I love it.

Jean

Thursday 9th of February 2012

Wow, both the cookies look terrific and tantalizing. I can't wait to try making them at home. Thanks the sharing it with us. I am glad to have found your website.

-Jean

lisaiscooking

Monday 26th of December 2011

Wow, so many beautiful treats! Hope your Christmas was fabulous!

Jamie

Monday 26th of December 2011

Oh, Ivy, I love both of these chocolate cookie recipes and will make one - or both - next time one of my men requests cookies! And I love the citrussy flavors in your Christmas cake. Yum!

And, Ivy, I want to wish you and your loved ones a truly Happy and Joyous Holiday Season and a wonderful, happy and healthy new year! xo

Pierre

Friday 23rd of December 2011

hello Ivy I wish a Joyeux Noel for and you and all your family and friends ! !! Pierre

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Privacy Policy · Copyright