Holiday Cookie Baking With Caesarstone

Previously, our kitchen had white marble countertops, but we knew we wanted something more practical in the Tudor. Choosing Caesarstone’s Black Tempa was one of our best decisions when designing this space. When it comes to the surfaces we use daily, we’ve learned that it’s all about balancing form with function and durability.

Countertops Built for Holiday Baking Adventures

Caesarstone makes choosing the best material for your design simple, with plenty of options for every style. Because the materials are designed for multi-application, we feel at ease knowing we can count on high-quality craftsmanship. Baking and gathering are less stressful when you can depend on easy maintenance and cleanup, which is even more important during this time of year.

For the upcoming season, we’re excited to try these holiday cookie recipes from a few of our favorite food bloggers for a fun twist on traditional go-tos.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Biscotti

Without fail, we always need a good on-the-go recipe each holiday season. Whether it’s a fool-proof neighbor treat, something to bring to a holiday cookie swap or to travel with to visit family. This white chocolate and cranberry biscotti from What’s Gabby Cooking is the perfect treat to share or bake for yourself. It checks all holiday treat boxes with plenty of chocolate, dried cranberries, and more chocolate. If you make this, don’t forget to try dipping it into your coffee!

INGREDIENTS

▢ 2 cups all purpose flour

▢ 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

▢ ¾ cup sugar

▢ ½ cup unsalted butter room temp

▢ 2 teaspoon grated meyer lemon zest

▢ ½ teaspoon salt

▢ 2 large eggs

▢ ⅔ cup dried cranberries

▢ 12 ounces white chocolate chips divided in half

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat to 350°F.
• Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside. In a mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the cranberries and ½ of the white chocolate chips.
• Form the dough into a 12-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into ¾-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti again, for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Melt the remaining white chocolate chips in a double boiler. Dip the bottom of the biscotti in the white chocolate and let chocolate cool and set.

Gingerbread Latte Cookies With Brown Butter Icing

A good Gingerbread cookie is a must-have every holiday season, and we can’t go a year without making them. These gingerbread latte cookies with brown butter icing from HaHalf Baked Harvestt are the perfect twist on tradition while still scratching the classic Gingerbread itch. The frosting makes all the difference on these, with a hint of saltiness to balance out all that sweet Gingerbread. We love trying a few different shapes when we do Gingerbread to make the process even more fun. Get ready to pull out your favorite cookie cutters!

INGREDIENTS

▢ 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1 tablespoon ginger
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon nutmeg
▢ ¼ teaspoon allspice
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
▢ ½ cup brown sugar
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup molasses
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Brown Butter Icing
▢ 4 tablespoons salted butter
▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1-2 tablespoons milk, for thinning

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla, mixing until combined. Pour in the espresso mixture, then add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
• Use a cookie scoop to place tablespoon-sized rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers are still soft. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to brown and has a nutty aroma, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk. Add more milk if needed, a little at a time, until the icing is smooth but not too runny.
• Drizzle or spread the icing over each cookie and let set for 10 minutes before serving.