This is like the Chanukah cookie that wasn’t. Well, almost. You know that little thing called sleep? Those precious hours of rest that we all take for granted, until we haven’t had any? Well, I’m more than a little sleep deprived lately, and while I try to be organized about my blogging calendar, I all but forgot about today’s Thanksgivukkah linkup. I had planned to post these pumpkin ricotta pancakes/cheese latkes but you know what happens to plans when you’re a walking zombie. I did post them alright. Just a wee bit too early.
Sure, I could have skipped out on the linkup fun altogether, but the truth is, I was kind of excited about challenging myself to another Thanksgivukkah mashup recipe. And there’s something else too. I’ve got to come clean with y’all. Me, the serial non-baker. The one that swore off dough’s and pastries of any kind — has got the baking itch.
Yes, it’s true. I’ve been baking. A lot. Cakes, bars, muffins and cookies. And I’m even kind of enjoying it. So when I realized I needed to come up with another Chanukah/Thanksgiving recipe, I went straight for my favorite of all baked goods – cookies!
I’ve been making lace cookies for years. so when I thought about what kind of cookie to make, I decided to adapt my classic lace cookie recipe to include pecans as a riff on pecan pie. Then, instead of filling the cookies with chocolate, I used raspberry jam, ala Chanukah jelly donuts, and finally, instead of a the traditional chocolate drizzle over the top, I decorated the florentines with Chanukah symbols. What I didn’t realize is just how amazing everything would come together. Raspberry jam, chocolate and lacy pecan cookies are like a match made in heaven!
I hope y’all enjoy my last minute Thanksgivukkah recipe. Be sure to check out all the other great mashup recipes in the Kosher Connection linkup below!
Pecan Pie Lace Cookies with Raspberry Filling
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c shortening
2/3 c packed dark brown sugar
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c finely chopped pecans
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
raspberry jam, for filling
melted chocolate, for drizzle
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet* (if you are using an aluminum cookie sheet, make sure it’s completely flat without any indentations). Add the corn syrup, shortening and brown sugar to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, salt, flour and pecans. Drop batter by level tablespoon onto the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake for approximately 7 minutes, until set. Cool for 5 minutes**.
Spread good quality raspberry jam over cookies and pair to create sandwiches. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and decorate the tops of the cookie sandwiches with Chanukah symbols.
*You do not need to grease the baking sheet again in between each batch as the cookies will leave a greasy residue.
**Do not try to remove the cookies from the baking sheet until they have cooled COMPLETELY.
NOTE: If the batter gets too cold and sticky to handle, rewarm it over low heat, or, you can keep the batter warm by placing the saucepan over hot water.
TIP: Spread the raspberry jam on the cookies before serving. If done too far in advance, the cookies will become soggy.
