Red And Black Checkerboard Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, scraping down sides of bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a clean work surface; it will be loose and crumbly. Knead dough by pushing small amounts away from you with the heel of your hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide dough in half. Sprinkle cocoa powder over one of the halves. Knead until cocoa has been fully incorporated.
• Place each half of the kneaded dough between 2 sheets of plastic. Using a rolling pin, shape dough into two 7-inch squares, about 3/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife and a ruler, slice each square into nine 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Cover work surface with plastic wrap. Place 3 strips of dough on plastic, alternating white and chocolate strips. Brush tops and in between the strips with egg wash. Gently press strips together. Repeat, forming second and third layers, alternating colors to create a checkerboard effect. Wrap assembled log in plastic. Repeat process for second log, reversing color pattern. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Slice each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on baking sheet. Bake until done, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, and let cookies cool 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough into four portions. Tint one portion red and one portion green. Stir chocolate into another portion. Wrap chocolate and plain portions in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle., For pinwheel cookies, divide red and green portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 9x6-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes. , Remove waxed paper. Place one green rectangle over a red rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm., For checkerboard cookies, divide plain and chocolate portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 6 4-in. rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1/2-in. strips. , Stack the strips in groups of four, alternating plain and chocolate strips and forming eight separate stacks. Form a four-stack block by alternating chocolate-topped and plain-topped stacks. Repeat. Press together gently. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut pinwheel and checkerboard dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Add flour and salt and blend well. Divide dough in half. Add cocoa to 1/2 of dough. Let rest. Roll 1/4 inch cylinders of chocolate and plain vanilla dough about 12 inches long. Arrange in checkerboard by alternating 6 cylinders of chocolate and vanilla dough, contrasting each time to six layers total. Press tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1/2 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a sharp knife, slice the dough into rounds about 1/3-inch thick. Place 1 inch apart on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Steps:

• Put the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Let cool slightly.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the melted white chocolate. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour in two batches until just combined.
• Remove half of the dough; beat the orange zest and food coloring into the remaining dough. Wrap the plain dough and red dough separately in plastic wrap, flatten each into a rectangle and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Working on 2 separate sheets of floured parchment, roll out each piece of dough into a rough 5-by-10-inch rectangle (about 3/8 inch thick), then trim each piece to form a 4 1/2-by-9 1/2-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut each rectangle lengthwise into nine 1/2-inch-wide strips. (If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate until firm.)
• Lay 3 alternating color strips together (white-red-white). Using a wet finger, moisten the sides and tops so the strips adhere without gaps, pressing to seal. Top with 3 strips in the opposite pattern (red-white-red). Top with 3 more strips, repeating the first pattern. Repeat to build another log, starting with a red-white-red pattern. Wrap the logs and chill for 2 hours.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350˚ F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap the dough. Lightly brush the logs with water, then firmly press the sides in the sanding sugar. Using a sharp knife, trim the ends of the logs, then slice into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick cookies, about 24 per log.
• Arrange the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake 2 of the pans (refrigerate the other), switching positions halfway through, until the cookies are just set but not browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining baking sheet.