When we were brainstorming Epi's 2018 holiday cookie lineup, there was one Instagram account we turned to again and again for inspiration:@taraobrady, where food writer (andcookbook author) Tara O'Brady posts gorgeous photos of croissants, pies, brownies, and cookies—lots and lots of cookies.
Eventually we got tired of the FOMO and asked Tara if she would create some brand-newholiday cookiesfor us. And wouldn't you know it—she came back with so many whimsical and wonderful ideas that we had a hard time narrowing it down to just three. Keep scrolling to see the cookies we gave the green light. Each one has a Tara O'Brady twist that makes it special—and camera ready.
Molasses Sandwich Cookies with Coffee Cream
I don't like to play favorites, so let me put it this way: of all of Tara's cookies, these were the hardest to keep in the test kitchen. As soon as a batch came out of the oven, the cookies would mysteriously disappear into editor's pockets (and mouths). What makes them so craveable is the finely ground coffee that Tara put in both the cookie itself and the filling; it tiptoes around all the expected holiday spice flavors, but lands on something completely unexpected. Oh, and the whipped ganache filling is made withDulcey(aka blonde chocolate) which is a caramelized version of white chocolate. This ingredient was totally new to me and I couldn't stop eating it—it's, sweet, smooth, and toasty. (If you can't find blond chocolate, milk chocolate also works great in these cookies—I tried them both ways.)
Pistachio-Rose Shortbread Squares
A bowl full of these sparkly, speckled, bite-sized slice-and-bake cookies is going to be my new favorite holiday party move, because, well, just look at them—they're so fun! And they're shockingly easy to make. The speckled look and ethereal floral flavor comes from the contents of tea bags (another one of Tara's genius tricks). We usedAllegro Rose Tulsitea, but any rose-flavored tea will work. To get that bright pink edge on the outside of every square, form the dough into a square log and roll it in a mixture of ground dehydrated raspberries and pink sanding sugar. The raspberries are not essential if you can't find them, but they do give a nice sweet-tart flavor to the cookie that is a very nice touch.
White Chocolate Fruitcake Bars
These elegant little bar cookies, which I like to cut into diamond shapes, are a Christmas miracle—it has all the best parts of fruitcake without any of the weirdness. The buttery base is packed with orange zest, fresh ginger, dried fruit, ground almonds, white chocolate chunks, and coconut chips; that's all capped with a layer of white chocolate that you drizzle, Pollack-style, over the top. Festive sugars and sprinkles are the finishing touch, and you can use whatever shapes and colors you like. Need some inspiration? We know a baker on Instagram who can probably help you out.
