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Chef shares cookie recipe, secret to creating sweet holiday memories

A pastry chef explains how a family recipe has been keeping her loved ones close for decades.

TRULY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. MARISSA. HI. TIS THE SEASON. IT SURE IS. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING US YOUR HEART. THANK YOU. WHICH? YOU’RE A PASTRY CHEF HERE AT NORTHERN SPY. AND ON THE MENU TODAY, A LESSON IN HOLIDAY COOKIE MAKING. AND IN MAKING MEMORIES FOR LIFE. SO THIS IS THE RECIPE THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING IN MY FAMILY EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. IT’S A SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE WITH A PERSONAL TWIST. TAKE THE SCRAPS AFTER THE CUT OUTS AND I’LL LET MARISSA FINISH THE STORY. YOU PUT YOUR HAND OUT LIKE THIS, AND SHE WOULD TRACE YOUR HAND. YOU’RE A MOTHER. AND THEN TAKE A SPATULA AND PUT IT ON THE SHEET TRAY, AND SHE’D BAKE IT LIKE THAT. AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE COOL, WE EACH GOT OUR OWN HAND TO DECORATE. AND THEN WE WOULD GET TO EAT IT THAT NIGHT. THAT’S BEAUTIFUL. YOU’LL DO THAT WITH YOUR DAUGHTER? YEAH. I LOVE THAT. SO WE START WITH BUTTER. THIS IS A THREE QUARTERS OF A CUP OF BUTTER. ROOM TEMP. YEP. AND YOU CREAM IT WITH A CUP OF SUGAR. SO THE KEY WITH THIS IS YOU DON’T WANT TO CREAM IT TOO MUCH. WHY? BECAUSE THE COOKIES WILL SPREAD ON YOU AND YOU’LL GET, LIKE, WEIRD SHAPES. SO TWO EGGS. AND THAT IS OUR ALMOND EXTRACT. SO I ADD MY EGG ONE AT A TIME AND SUGAR MIXED IN WITH THE EGGS. AND THEN WE’LL ADD OUR FLOUR TWO AND A HALF CUPS OF FLOUR, ONE TEASPOON OF SALT, ONE TEASPOON OF BAKING POWDER. YEP. YOU’LL DUMP IT ALL IN. YEAH. THAT’S BOLD. SO I MIX IT ON LOW JUST SO I DON’T HAVE A MESS. AND I CAN CONTROL HOW MUCH I’M MIXING. ARE YOU FLASHING BACK TO YOUR MOM AND THOSE THOSE MOMENTS THAT YOU WOULD MAKE THESE COOKIES? YEAH. AND IN BETWEEN REMINISCING, WE REFRIGERATE THE DOUGH. SHE ROLLS IT OUT, AND IT’S NOT PERFECT. AND THAT’S OKAY. CRACKS ARE OKAY. YEAH, CRACKS ARE OKAY. CRACKS ARE OKAY. YOU CAN ALWAYS SQUEEZE THEM TOGETHER. ANOTHER TIP FROM MARISSA’S MOM. MARY. BEFORE I CUT MY MY DOUGH, I MAKE SURE IT’S NOT STUCK. I DIP. OH. IN FLOUR SO THE DOUGH DOESN’T STICK TO THE CUTTER, INTO THE OVEN AND OUT. AND THEN IT’S TIME TO FROST. WELL, WE’D LIKE TO BRING MARK IN BECAUSE HE’S THE EXECUTIVE CHEF HERE. AND I HEAR THAT AS AMAZING AS HE IS, HIS DECORATING SKILLS ARE. I TRY TO DO IT IN ONE CONTINUOUS MOTION. YEAH, YOU CAN EITHER DUNK IT OR YOU CAN SPRINKLE IT ON. MARISSA TRIES TEACHING CHEF MARK ALL THE SUBTLETIES OF DECORATING. YOU JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL. NO, IT HAS TO BE BEAUTIFUL. MARISSA MAKES IT LOOK EASY. AND MARK, SANTA IS HOPING THAT SHE NOTICES HIM BEFORE MARK IS DONE. BUT ANOTHER MEMORY MADE AND A DELICIOUS ENDING TO A GREAT LESSON. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. NICE TO BE HERE.

Chef shares cookie recipe, secret to creating sweet holiday memories

A pastry chef explains how a family recipe has been keeping her loved ones close for decades.

For Marissa Rossi, the pastry chef at Northern Spy in Canton, Massachusetts, the secret ingredient in her holiday cookies is precious memories. She recently led a holiday cookie decorating class and is sharing some of her favorite recipes with readers and viewers.Recipe: Cut-out sugar cookiesIngredients:3/4 cup room temperature butter1 cup sugar2 eggs room temp1 tsp vanilla extract (or flavoring of your choice; almond, lemon, etc.)2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp saltSteps:Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Cream the butter and sugar until combined. Over-creaming will result in cookies that spread. Over-creamed butter and sugar will be pale yellow and fluffy.Add eggs one at a time.Add extract.Add all the dry ingredients at once and mix on low speed until just combined.Cover and chill for at least an hour.Once chilled, roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick.Cut out your cookies and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. *Scrap dough can be rerolled once*Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes. Oven time may differ depending on your oven.Let cool before decorating.Royal IcingIngredients:3 egg whites1 pound confectioners sugar1 tsp vanillaSteps:Whip egg whites until frothy.Add all the sugar and mix on low until the sugar is combined.Set mixer to high and let whip until stiffened and shiny.Color and flavor as desired.If you would like a more fluid icing, you can add 1-2 drops of water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. *Royal icing dries fast, make sure all icing not being used is covered*Store in fridge for about 3-4 days. *It is best to use gel food coloring. The liquid food coloring will thin your icing.*

For Marissa Rossi, the pastry chef at Northern Spy in Canton, Massachusetts, the secret ingredient in her holiday cookies is precious memories.

She recently led a holiday cookie decorating class and is sharing some of her favorite recipes with readers and viewers.

Recipe: Cut-out sugar cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract (or flavoring of your choice; almond, lemon, etc.)
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream the butter and sugar until combined. Over-creaming will result in cookies that spread. Over-creamed butter and sugar will be pale yellow and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time.
Add extract.
Add all the dry ingredients at once and mix on low speed until just combined.
Cover and chill for at least an hour.
Once chilled, roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut out your cookies and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. *Scrap dough can be rerolled once*
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes. Oven time may differ depending on your oven.
Let cool before decorating.

Royal Icing

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Steps:

Whip egg whites until frothy.
Add all the sugar and mix on low until the sugar is combined.
Set mixer to high and let whip until stiffened and shiny.
Color and flavor as desired.
If you would like a more fluid icing, you can add 1-2 drops of water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. *Royal icing dries fast, make sure all icing not being used is covered*
Store in fridge for about 3-4 days. *It is best to use gel food coloring. The liquid food coloring will thin your icing.*