Baking

These melt-in-your-mouth treats are fragrant with warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and vanilla. They are also infused with a healthy dash of dark rum. The dough can be made up to one month in advance, frozen, and sliced to bake as needed.

Polenta, which is made from cornmeal, is a staple in northern Italy. To achieve an authentic texture, use imported polenta; look for it in Italian markets and specialty foods stores.

Variations on the Mexican wedding cookie show up among the foods of other countries, including Greece and Russia. All are formed from butter and nut-rich dough; once baked the cookies are completely covered in confectioners’ sugar.

Coating the outside of the dough with cornmeal gives the cookies a lovely bit of crunch and a texture reminiscent of many Italian pastries.

These were originally developed as favors in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Rosemary, which denotes remembrance, love, loyalty, and friendship, has long held a place of honor in wedding ceremonies.

The dusting of cocoa on these little cookies, much like that on a chocolate truffle, may seem to promise a similar velvety interior, but the illusion is fleeting. One bite reveals the unmistakable crumbly texture of shortbread. If giving as a gift, enclose about three tablespoons of cocoa powder in a small bag, along with instructions for dusting.

Flecks of espresso are dotted throughout these petite cookies, which are sandwiched together with creamy milk-chocolate ganache.

Shortbread is the ultimate expression of four building blocks of baking: butter, sugar, flour, and salt. In this variation, the dough is pressed into a fluted tart pan to form petticoat tails, which got their name either from their likeness to frilly underskirts or a mispronunciation of the French petites gatelles (little cakes).

Fresh fruit and tangy soft cheeses make perfect partners for these salty-sweet wheatmeal cookies. Or, try using them in place of risen biscuits for strawberry shortcake: Top a biscuit with a dollop of sweetened ricotta cheese and some macerated berries.

This confectioners’ sugar-dusted butter cookie gets its crunchy, crumbly texture from finely ground toasted almonds—and its name from its characteristic curve. Take care not to overprocess the almonds.

This recipe combines a buttery Scottish tradition with the flavors of the Hawaiian Islands. If you don’t have a fluted square cutter, use whatever other shape you have on hand. To toast macadamias, place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven until lightly golden, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Here a free-form dough wheel is scored, baked, and cut into generous wedges. We love the combination of hazelnut and orange, but you can use this dough as a building block for other flavorful add-ins—such as ground almonds and lemon zest.

Malt powder enriches these cookies with a creamy caramel and vanilla flavor that calls to mind a malted milk shake at an old-time soda fountain.

The subtle but distinct taste of ginger pairs well with raspberry jam. Apricot makes an equally delicious filling. Or, try sandwiching the cookies with rich chocolate ganache (recipe on page 44).

The name for these pressed cookies comes from the German word spritzen (“to squirt”); they can be quickly formed with a cookie press. Although they have a very fine crumb, the wreaths are sturdy enough for packaging (see page 342 for a gift idea).

Hermits, which originated in colonial New England, supposedly gained their name because the flavor of the cookie improves after being stowed away—like a hermit—for a few days. These bars, topped with brown sugar icing and candied ginger, are best eaten a day or two after they’re baked so the flavors have a chance to deepen.

Stack the deck in your favor by baking these unbeatable treats for your next get-together. Bourbon lends a pleasant bite that counteracts the sweet flavor of the currants. Other whiskeys can be substituted, if desired.

To decorate, drizzle melted white chocolate over each cookie with a spoon, or use a resealable plastic bag with a snipped corner.

If you’re in a hurry, you can simplify this recipe by using a high-quality, chunky store-bought jam in place of the homemade fig filling.

To make it easy to form these bow-shaped cookies, fill the pastry bag with dough in small batches; pipe two loops and then two tails rather than trying to pipe one continuous bow. Be sure all parts are touching so they bake together into one big cookie.