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Christmas: Fa-La-La-La Latte Checkerboards

Source of Recipe

by Laurel, from Minneapolis Star Tribune 2005 Holiday Cookie Contest/Tracy Costin of Maple Grove


Recipe Introduction

Note: This recipe must be made in advance. "My family has always made tons of cookies every year," wrote Tracy Costin of Maple Grove. "I have always been fascinated by checkerboard cookies; that was the cookie I always picked up at the bakery. I gave this old-time recipe a little twist."

List of Ingredients

• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3-1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2/3 c. chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans


Recipe

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture to butter mixture until combined.

Divide dough in half. To one half, stir in melted chocolate and chocolate-covered espresso beans and evenly press dough into an ungreased 9- by 13-inch pan. Press vanilla dough into a second ungreased 9- by 13-inch pan. Cover both pans and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Using a sharp, thin knife, cut each dough in half lengthwise, then repeat with both doughs to create 4 long logs. Cut each of these logs in half to create 8 long logs, then repeat to create 16 long logs of chocolate dough and 16 long logs of vanilla dough.

On a piece of plastic wrap, alternate a vanilla log, a chocolate log, a vanilla log and a chocolate log to make one row, then repeat three more times, stacking chocolate on vanilla and vanilla on chocolate to make a 4- by 4-inch checkerboard.

Repeat process with remaining 8 vanilla and 8 chocolate logs. Wrap checkerboards in plastic wrap, press lightly on all sides to insure that logs are sticking together well and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap plastic wrap and using a thin, sharp knife, cut checkerboards into 1/4-inch slices and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are lightly brown.

Remove from oven, cool cookies on baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.