Lemon-Five Spice Semolina Shortbread Recipe

These cookies are light and refreshing– a simpler and lighter taste that can be used to freshen up the rich pallet of holiday cookies. Plus, you can make the dough ahead of time, freeze it and bake for last minute visitors, parties and cravings.

Lemon-Five Spice Semolina Shortbread

Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup semolina flour
2 tablespoons Chinese Five Spice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup sugar
2 large egg yolks

Instructions
1. Whisk all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and in a large bowl; set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg yolks and orange flower water and beat to blend. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix just to blend.
3. Place dough on a large sheet of parchment paper. Using paper as an aid, roll up dough into a 1½-inch diameter log. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 1 hour, or up to 2 days. Dough may be frozen.
4. When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Mix an extra ¼ cup of sugar and in a small bowl. Slice dough into ¼-inch thick rounds. Dip 1 side of each round in sugar mixture and arrange, sugar side up, on 2 large parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and firm, 10-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, let cool.

Gingerbread Cutout Cookies Recipe

When it’s a Martha Stewart recipe, you know it’s tried and true. For Day 2 of the 12 Days of Cookies, we start with the standard gingerbread people recipe from Martha, then use our own cookie cutters in various shapes. The cookie is both sweet and a little spicy, and the icing gives it that wow factor fit for the holidays. Have fun decorating this cookie, and an even better time eating it!

Classic Gingerbread Cutouts

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter—room temperature
½ cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup unsulfured molasses
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites (meringue powder)

Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg and molasses.
With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw before baking).

When ready to bake: preheat oven 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds.
Working with one disk at a time, place dough onto lightly floured parchment paper, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick, dusting lightly with flour as needed.
Using paper, lift dough onto two baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

Remove paper and dough from baking sheets.
Using a long offset spatula, loosen dough from paper.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, and brush off any excess four. Transfer to baking sheets.
Gather scraps, briefly freeze, and re-roll.

For softer cookies bake 8-10 minutes; for crunchier cookies bake 11-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites
1/4 cup water

Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, powdered egg whites, an cup water (if needed, adjust consistency with confectioners sugar).
Transfer icing to a pastry bag with a small tip, or place in resealable plastic bag and snip a small hole in the corner.
Decorate cookies as desired.

Hometown Snickerdoodles Recipe

We’re kicking off this year’s 12 Days of Cookies with a classic. It’s all cinnamon and sugar and crunch with this one. One Hometown Snickerdoodle recipe just for you. We’ll get you from here to Christmas, one delicious holiday recipe at a time!

Hometown Snickerdoodles

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups sugar
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs

Extra:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat 1½ cups sugar and the butter together in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon and the vanilla; beat for 1 minute more.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add reserved dry ingredients; mix on low speed until just combined.
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

When ready to bake: preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine “Extra” sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Remove dough from refrigerator and, using a 1 Tablespoon measure, spoon about 48 portions, rolling each portion into a 1-inch ball as you go.
Roll each ball in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer to rack and let cool.

Snickerdoodles and the rest of the 12 Days of Cookies are available to purchase from Chef Anthony! Check out the details and find out how to order here.

Order Your Holiday Cookie Box Today

This holiday season, order a box of homemade, gourmet cookies catered to your liking. Each box is filled with your choice of homemade holiday cookies. There are 12 flavors being offered for this season, and each one is as delectable as the next.

Make your cookie box size selection:

1) One-Shot Box ($10) – One bag of cookies in the flavor of your choice (6 cookies total)
2) Mini Assortment ($20) – 3 bags of cookies, 5 cookies in each bag (15 cookies total); 3 flavors of your choice, or “Chef’s Choice”
3) Big Box of Cookies ($50) – Select 5 flavors of your choice; 15 bags of 3 cookies in each; 45 cookies total
4) Santa’s Sampler ($30) – 12 bags of cookies, 2 cookies in each bag (24 cookies total); A sampling of each of the 12 days of cookies!

Select your cookie(s):
1. Oatmeal, Peanut Butter & Raisin
2. Chocolate Malted Milk Biscotti
3. Green Tea & White Chocolate
4. Chocolate-Coconut Meringue Drops
5. Chocolate Spice Crackled Cookies
6. Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies
7. Ginger, Orange & Fennel Biscotti
8. Snickerdoodles
9. Gingerbread Cutouts
10. Gluten & Dairy Free Chocolate Cherry Cookies
11. Chocolate Pecan Toffee
12. Lemon Crumiri (Cornmeal Cookies)

Each cookie box is carefully packaged in bags and then beautifully wrapped in boxes with tissue paper. They make wonderful gifts. Anyone will love receiving these festive treats for the holidays. Contact anthony@anthonyleberto.com to place an order. Happy Holidays!

With A Twist! Update Your Thanksgiving Sides

Cooking and eating should be fun. Shake up what’s expected to give your holiday guests something deliciously surprising. Just take what I’ve learned from my experiments in seasoning and mix-ins below and apply to your own classic holiday fare. We’re talking a little sage to the plain potato, some sweet raisins in the stuffing, and mushrooms in the brussels sprouts. Skip the same-old same-old this Thanksgiving with these 3 new ideas for standard sides.

The Potato

Out: Mashed Potatoes With Butter, Salt & Pepper
In: Savory Sage and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

The Brussels Sprout

Out: Frozen Brussel Sprouts In Butter Sauce
In: Brussels Sprouts with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Herbs

The Stuffing

Out: From-The-Box Stuffing Mix
In: Caramelized Wild Mushroom, Golden Raisin & Pecan Stuffing

> Get the recipe!

More Thanksgiving Menu Ideas!

> Try This New Thanksgiving Side: Orange Braised Fennel Recipe
>  5 Classic Pie Recipes to Bake (Or Order!)

5 Classic Pie Recipes To Save, Bake And Serve

Practice a little zen and the art of baking with an easy-to-make pie recipe that will score major points at your holiday table. Click and print the links below to make one of my top five holiday pies.

And if you’re feeling a little less ambitious, but still want to serve homemade classics like Pumpkin Silk Pie or Double-Crust Apple Pie, order in! I’ve got you covered with my selection of homemade pies for the holiday. See the full menu here and email anthony@anthonyleberto.com to place your order.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

> Get the recipe

Apple Cranberry Crumble

> Get the recipe

Double-Crust Apple Pie

> Get the recipe

Pumpkin Silk Pie

> Get the recipe

Chocolate Pecan Pie

> Get the recipe

5 Genius Hors d’Oeuvres Ideas For Your Upcoming Party

Nail down your holiday party menus with a little help from the Anthony Leberto Catering catalog! Let me craft a menu of taste-tested and approved passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres, plus grab-and-go sweets like double chocolate coconut brownies and mini matcha green tea cheescake. Pick and choose what looks good to you!

1. Crispy Won Tons with Sesame Tuna Tar Tar
2. Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
3. Date, Honey & Manchego  Crostini with Balsamic Glaze
4. Vegetable Crudite with Assorted Dipping Sauces
5. Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Canapés with Lemon-Dill Mascarpone

There’s more where that came from! 

Even more hors d’oeuvres and dessert ideas to get you thinking about the perfect holiday party menu:

Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce
Date, Honey & Manchego Crostini with Balsamic Glaze
Salt Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Creme Fraiche & Caviar
Shrimp “Lollypops” with Spicy Avocado-Horseradish Dipping Sauce
Endive Spears with Thyme Roasted Pear, Pecans and Salted Caramel
Smoked Salmon Crostini with Lemon Dill Mascarpone
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Shrimp, Carrot and Daikon
Ground Pork Dumplings with Yuzu Dipping Sauce
Caprese Skewers with Grape Tomatoes, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella
Crostini with White Bean Spread & Olive Tapanade
Assorted Artisanal Cheese, Fruit & Crostini
+ dozens of homemade holiday cookies!

> See even more mouth-watering photos of past catering events
> Get inspired to host with these dinner party menus
> Order a custom holiday cookie box

Bake This Classic Pumpkin Bread Recipe

The ideal transition treat from a candy-filled Halloween to a pie-heavy Thanksgiving is a pumpkin bread. Pumpkin bread bridges the gaps between breakfast food, snack and dessert, so you can partake in its autumnal flavor any time of the day! Here’s my quick recipe for a pumpkin bread that could play nice with a bit of butter in the morning or perhaps a few chocolate chips at night.

Classic Pumpkin Bread
Yield 2 loaves

Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups (or one 15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and vanilla, stirring to combine.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.
5. Bake bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean; and that same tester inserted about 1/2″ into the top of the loaf doesn’t encounter any totally unbaked batter.
6. Remove bread from the oven and cool on rack. When it’s completely cool, wrap well in plastic wrap and store it overnight before serving.

More treats to make:
> Stuck with overripe bananas? Quick! Bake this simple banana bread.

Halloween Cupcakes

Halloween is right around the corner, and it’s the best time to get kids and the family involved with baking. These Chocolate devil’s food cupcakes are decorated with orange colored vanilla buttercream. Just use your favorite chocolate cake recipe or buy a box of Devil’s food cake mix at the store for an even easier baking experience. Finish these cupcakes with black and orange sanding sugars and candy corn for a very festive treat for trick-or-treaters and Halloween guests.