Diagonal Cookie Slices

Diagonal Cookie Slices

Whip up some eye-catching Checkerboard Cookies that look fancy but are a cinch to make! Here's the lowdown on these not-too-sweet treats that belong on your holiday cookie platter, bake sale, or even in a care package.

Game strat:Stash your checkerboard logs in the freezer up to a month – just wrap 'em tight in plastic and tuck them in aluminum foil before the big chill. Thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and popping in the oven.

• Cookie count: Approx 100
• Difficulty rating: Medium
• Total time: 1 hr 15 mins, plus 2 hrs chilling time

Ingredients (9)

• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra if needed
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temp
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 sticks (10 oz) unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks, room temp

Let's do this!

1. Pop that chocolate in a pan over low heat, stirring occasionally until it's all melted and glossy. If you're in a hurry, nuke it in the microwave, stirring every 30 secs to avoid torching it.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt – go ahead and aerate those ingredients! In a snazzy little sidekick bowl, stir the milk and vanilla together too.
3. Saddle up your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Plonk the butter and sugar inside and mix 'em together on medium speed until they're both lightened in color and fluffed up a bit, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, give the beater and the bowl a good smear with a rubber spatula.
4. Toss in the egg yolks and mix 'em up nicely. The mixer might need a break, so go ahead and take a second to scrape it down.
5. In goes a third of the flour mix, followed by the mixer set on low speed. We just want it to blend in. Now comes half the milk mix for a mix, then more flour, milk, and finally the last of the flour. Keep at it until all the ingredients have formed a soft dough.
6. Scoop half the dough (about 1 lb 2 oz) onto a floured surface. Grab 2 tablespoons of the remaining dough and add it to the first half for more balance. Now add the melted chocolate to the stand mixer and blend it in until it's evenly combined, about 30 seconds.
7. Divvy the vanilla dough into 2 halves. Dust your work surface and hands as needed. Shape each piece into a square, 1 1/2 inches across by 6 inches long, using a bench scraper or flat spatula to nab sharp corners and flat sides.
8. Take the chocolate dough from the mixer bowl and shape into 2 squares too. Wrap them up like mummies in plastic wrap and chill 'em until just firm but still pliable, about an hour.
9. Haul out all the dough logs from the fridge. Unwrap, park 'em on a cutting board, and slice 'em up lengthwise into 4 equal parts. Line up a strip of chocolate dough with a strip of vanilla dough, put the chocolate strip on top of the vanilla, and do the same with the vanilla and chocolate again. Smoosh 'em all together to make a 1 1/2-inch square checkerboard log of dough. Repeat with the remaining peeps, and voilà! You did it,hero!

Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and stash 'em in the fridge until they're firm, at least an hour.

Warm up the oven to 350°F and position the racks to split it into thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and get 'em ready.

Release 2 logs from the fridge, undo the plastic, and place 'em on the cutting board. Slice 'em crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick cookies, place 'em on the prepared baking sheets (about 25 per dish), and space 'em apart by at least an inch.

Bake both sheets for 7 minutes. Toss 'em around, baking 'em for another 5 to 6 minutes until they're all set on the edges. Place the baking sheets on wire racks, allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 3 minutes, and then transfer them to the wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining logs of dough.

Insider Info:

Making checkerboard cookies is a super fun and creative way to merge two flavors or colors in a single cookie. Here's a unique recipe for Vanilla & Ube Checkerboard Cookies, along with freezing options:

Ingredients:

• Vanilla Dough:
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 large egg, beaten
• 5/8 cup cake flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Ube Dough:
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 large egg, beaten
• 5/8 cup cake flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ube extract

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Doughs

1. Vanilla Dough:
2. Mix butter and sugar, then blend in the beaten egg and vanilla extract.
3. Sift in cake flour and salt, mixing until well combined.
4. Ube Dough:
5. Follow the same process as for the vanilla dough, but use ube extract instead of vanilla extract.

2. Shape the Dough

• Form each dough into a rectangular block, about 5 inches long and 1 3/4 inches wide and tall.
• Wrap each block tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

3. Create the Checkerboard Pattern

1. Take the dough blocks from the freezer.
2. Cut each block into thirds lengthwise using a sharp knife.
3. Swap the middle piece of the vanilla dough with the middle piece of the ube dough.
4. With the cut sides horizontal, cut the blocks into thirds lengthwise again.
5. Swap the middle pieces of dough again to form the checkerboard pattern.

4. Prepare for Baking

1. Wrap each checkerboard dough block in plastic wrap and gently press to ensure the dough pieces stick together.
2. Freeze for at least 15 minutes to firm the dough.

5. Bake the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Remove the dough from the freezer and discard the plastic wrap.
3. Slice the dough into squares about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.
4. Place the cookies on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Freezing Options:

• Uncooked Dough: The dough can be stored in the freezer for up to a week. Make sure it's well wrapped in plastic wrap before freezing.
• Baked Cookies: After they've cooled completely, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days or frozen for longer storage. If freezing, place them in an airtight bag or container to prevent moisture from spoiling your cookies.

This method allows you to savour a distinctive cookie with two delightful flavors, perfect for making your special occasions or everyday snacks a bit more special. So, what are you waiting for? Get cookin', tiger!

1. In the process of creating Checkerboard Cookies, make sure to chill the chocolate dough logs in the fridge until they are firm but still pliable before slicing and baking.
2. The unique recipe for Vanilla & Ube Checkerboard Cookies includes intervals of chilling the dough blocks in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and 15 minutes respectively, before creating the checkerboard pattern.
3. After assembling the Checkerboard Cookies, wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and stash 'em in the fridge until they're firm, at least an hour, to ensure the layers hold together during baking.

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