cinnamon-sugar pastry pockets

the goods:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add whole egg and beat to combine. Beat in half the flour mixture, then milk and remaining flour mixture. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead to combine. Divide dough in half. Lightly flour a large piece of parchment paper and roll out 1 dough piece to a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Repeat with remaining dough and another piece of parchment. Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse almonds until coarsely chopped. Add 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and 5 teaspoons water; pulse until combined.

Remove 1 dough sheet from refrigerator and cut into twelve 2-by-4 and 1/2-inch rectangles. Spread half with 1 heaping teaspoon almond mixture each, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edges with yolk; top with remaining dough pieces.

With the tines of a fork, crimp edges firmly. Brush tops with yolk. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill pastries on a rimmed baking sheet until firm, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until edges are golden, 20 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 5 teaspoons water. Spread glaze over pockets. Let set 5 minutes.

mint-chocolate sandwich cookies

the goods:

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to combine. Add egg and beat to combine. Add egg and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Transfer dough to a quart-size zip-top bag; with scissors, snip a 3/4-inch hole in one corner (or use a pastry bag with a plain tip). Pipe cookies (3/4 by 2 inches), 1/2 inch apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill until firm, 20 minutes.

Bake until cookies are light golden at edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer immediately to wire racks and let cool. Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted, 2 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. In another medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, peppermint extract, and 4 teaspoons water.

With a small offset spatula or table knife, spread chocolate on flat side of half the cookies and mint glaze on the other half. Sandwich cookie halves together.

chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies

the goods:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

9 large marshmallows, halved

9 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light, 4 minutes. Add egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Drop dough by the tablespoonfuls, 3 inches apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. With the bottom of a measuring cup dipped in flour, flatten cookies to 2 inches in diameter. Bake until dry and set, about 7 minutes.

Remove from oven and top each cookie with a marshmallow half. Bake until marshmallows are soft, 2 minutes.

Remove from oven and, with a metal spatula, gently flatten each marshmallow. Let cookies cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted, 2 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Place one cookie at a time on tines of a fork, submerge in chocolate, then tap fork on edge of bowl to remove excess. Place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let cookies set in refrigerator, about 10 minutes.

peach upside-down cake

the goods:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup dark-brown sugar

4 cups frozen peaches, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep) and melt in oven. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. With two double-thick layers of paper towels, press as much liquid as possible out of peaches. Arrange fruit in an even layer in pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 6 tablespoons butter on high until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions yogurt, and beat to combine.

With a spatula, spread batter over peaches. Bake until cake is dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto a serving platter.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

tortilla cups with yogurt and fresh fruit

the goods:

6 flour tortillas (6-inch)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 cups plain yogurt

3 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1 and 1/2 cups berries

1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with melted butter and sprinkle both sides with granulated sugar. Lay tortillas over 6 jumbo muffin cups (tortillas will overlap). Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 3 minutes. Remove from oven and, with the bottom of a glass, gently press each tortilla into a muffin cup so it folds up and forms a cup shape. Bake until tortillas are crisp and golden at edges, about 12 minutes. Immediately remove tortillas from cups and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. In another small bowl, toss together fruit, 1 tablespoons brown sugar, and lemon juice. To serve, divide yogurt mixture among cooled tortilla cups and top with fruit.

chewy caramel popcorn and pretzel bars

the goods:

12 cups plain popcorn (from 1/2 cup kernels or 2 microwave packages)

4 cups coarsely chopped small salted pretzels

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together popcorn and pretzels. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is amber in color, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in cream (mixture will sputter). Immediately add marshmallows; stir until melted.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and quickly stir with a rubber spatula to coat. Transfer mixture to dish and use a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray to press evenly into dish.

Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

apple-raisin cookies

the goods:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground cloves

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced small

1 cup raisins

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and pinch of cloves. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. With mixer on low, beat in half the flour mixture, then milk, then remaining flour mixture. Beat just until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold apples and raisins into dough.

Drop dough in 2-tablespoonful mounds, 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet.

Bake until cookies are firm around edges, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Transfer to a zip-top bag. Snip a very small hole in one corner and drizzle glaze over cookies.