1 dough, 1 dozen cookies

If you need to bake cookies but have a limited amount of time or just want to keep things simple here is a recipe for you.



All purpose butter cookies:

1 whole egg, plus 1 yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Variations:

1. Cherry Almond

Stir In: 1/4 tsp almond extract, 1/2 cup dried cherries

Roll In: 3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Top each with: 3 toasted slivered almonds

2. Cardamom Pistachio

Stir In: 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Roll In: 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pistachios

Top each with: half a pistachio nut

3. Lemon Pistachio

Stir In: 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Roll In: 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pistachios

Top each with: half a pistachio nut

4. Banana Nut

Stir In: Nothing

Roll In: 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts chopped

Top each with: 1 banana chip broken in half

5. Chocolate Hazelnut

Stir In: 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Roll In: 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Top each with: 3 toasted hazelnut halves

6. Lime Coconut

Stir In: 1 tsp lime zest

Roll In: 3/4 cup coconut, toasted in 300 degree oven until golden 15-20 mins

Top each with: pinch of toasted coconut

7. Ginger Sesame

Stir In: 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 3 Tbsp minced crystallized ginger

Top Each with: strips on crystallized ginger

8. Rosemary, Pine Nuts and Currants

Stir In: 1/2 cup currants and 2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary

Roll In: 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Top each with: 3 toasted pine nuts

9. Cranberry Orange Walnut

Stir In: 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest and 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Roll In: 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Top each with: nothing

10. Orange pecan

Stir In: 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest

Roll In: 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Top each with: toasted pecan piece

11. Cinnamon Cashew

Stir In: 1 tsp cinnamon

Roll In: 1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped

Top each with: 3 cashew halves

12. Anise with Pine nuts

Stir In: 1 tsp anise seeds that have been heated in small skillet over medium heat stirring occasionally until fragrant, 2-3 min, then crushed with rolling pin to coarse powder

Roll In: 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Top each with: 3 toasted pine nuts

Mix egg yolk, vanilla and salt in small bowl. Mix butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg mixture and mix on low until well incorporated. Add flour, mix on low until smooth dough forms. Divide dough in half and stir in flavoring choices(pick 2). Scrape one of flavored portions of dough into work surface lined with plastic wrap. With floured hands form dough into approximate 9 inch (round or square) log. Spread coating of choice in a single layer next to dough log and roll dough in coating. Roll dough in plastic wrap, lightly pressing so coating sticks. Choose another flavoring and coating and repeat above with remaining dough. Set logs in freezer and chill until solid, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap dough but leave on plastic, slice dough 1/4 inch thick and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or on baking stone. Garnish the top of cookies and then bake until golden 12-14 minutes. Cool cookies on wire rack.

Which combinations sound yummy to you? I have made the cherry almond before and they were so delicious. This year I am thinking about lime and coconut and orange, cranberry walnut.