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Temecula Chilled Holiday Cookie Recipes 

In Temecula, we live glass full, and this time of year we live plate full. Enjoy these holiday cookie recipes provided by Temecula Valley restaurant chefs to enjoy during the holidays. 
 

Europa Village:
Brown Butter & Spice Cookies

  •                                              Brown Butter & Spice Cookies Recipe

    Europa Village Cookie Recipe

     

    Pastry Cream
Ingredients for the Pastry Cream
2 c Milk
6 tbsp Sugar
Salt, pinch
3 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
4 each Egg Yolks
3 tbsp butter

Place milk and half of the sugar in a saucepan and turn on medium heat.
In a separate bowl, mix yolks, cornstarch, and the other half of the sugar.
Temper egg mixture with warm milk.
Whisk eggs with the milk, add vanilla extract, and salt. Continue whisking until the desired thickness is reached.
Remove from heat and add butter.
Cool with plastic wrap directly on the cream so that a film does not form.

Cookie Recipe
Ingredients for Cookies
1 c Brown Butter, softened
1 c Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs, room temp
2 ½ c All Purpose Flour
¾ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Clove

Place butter in pan over medium heat, let it melt, leave for 5 – 8 minutes, or until milk solids on the bottoms of the pan toast. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until it is light/pale in color and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add in eggs slowly, one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated.

Sift together all dry ingredients.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ones in the mixer and mix on a low speed until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.

Wrap dough with plastic and place in the fridge for 1hr before rolling out.

Roll out dough to ¼ - 1/8” thickness and cut with desired cookie cutter – in this case, a gingerbread man.

Bake for 9 – 10 minutes at 350 F or until the edges start to turn brown.
Assemble:

Once cookies are cooled, add the pastry cream on top of the cookie.
Use a pastry torch and lightly burn the top of the pastry cream for a slightly crunchy crème brûlée texture.
Decorate with any additional decorations of your choosing.

E.A.T Marketplace:
Oh Christmas Tree Cookie 

  • Ingredients (Gluten-Free Cinnamon Shortbread):

    • 3/4 stick + 1 tablespoon salted butter, softened
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour blend (we use Bob's Red Mill) 
    • 1/3 cup cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • Pinch of sea salt (optional)

    Ingredients (Cinnamon Sugar):

    • 3/8 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

    Instructions:

    1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, preheat the oven to 350ºF, line a large baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.  
    2. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the softened butter, sugar and vanilla until combined. Don’t cream the butter – just stir it all together until you get equivalent mixture. 
    3. Sift together the gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt (if you like extra) add to the butter-sugar mixture.  
    4. Mix well until combined, it will be quite crumbly, which is what you want. 
    5. Knead the dough by hand until it comes together- shaping a ball – this may take up to 5 minutes,  the dough will come together eventually.  
    6. Roll out the cookie dough between two sheets of baking/grease-proof paper to a thickness of about 5-7mm, dependent on how thick you like them. 
    7. Once you’ve rolled out the dough to desired thickness- using a cookie cutter, cut out your cookies!   
    8. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 16-18 minutes until light golden brown. 
    9. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 
       

    Tip: Rolling out cookie dough between two sheets of baking/grease-proof/parchment paper prevents it from cracking during rolling. It also eliminates the need for dusting your work surface with extra flour, as you don't want to incorporate more flour into the cookie dough. 

    Tip: Be gentle, they are fairly fragile. 
     

    Espresso Ganache

    150ml double cream 

    50g espresso beans 

    250g milk chocolate, chopped 

    1. Heat espresso and cream to just below a boiling point.   
    2. Place chocolate in a bowl, then pour hot cream-espresso mixture through a sieve over the chocolate.  Discard the beans and leave the chocolate to melt for 3 minutes, then stir to a smooth ganache.   
    3. Leave to cook until firm, then transfer to the piping bag fitted with a 1.5cc plain nozzle.

    Classic Italian Meringue 1 cup sugar (7 ounces; 200g) 

    1/2 cup water 

    4 large egg whites, at room temperature 

    1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

    Juice from 1 lemon 

    1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. 
    2. Heat over high heat, stirring only until it comes to a boil.  
    3. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring.  
    4. Cook until sugar syrup registers 240°F (115°C) on an instant-read or candy thermometer.  
    5. Brush down sides of pot as necessary with a pastry brush dipped in water. Hot sugar is just as dangerous as fryer oil, so use caution!
    6. Meanwhile, combine egg whites and cream of tartar or lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. 
    7. Set mixer to medium speed and mix until soft peaks form (when lifted, the head of the mixer should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves), about 2 minutes. 
    8. With the mixer running, carefully and slowly drizzle in hot sugar syrup. Increase speed to high and whip until desired stiffness is achieved.  
    9. Soft peaks are often used to aerate mousses, for example, while a stiff peak is best for buttercream. 

Oak Mountain Winery:
Butter Pecan Balls

  • Ingredients: 

    • 1c soft butter
    • 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp vanilla
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1-2 cups chopped pecans
       

    Instructions:

    1. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.
    2. Form into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
    3. Roll in powdered sugar when cool.
       

The Restaurant at Ponte Winery:
Italian Almond Cookies

  • Ingredients: 

    • ¼ cup unsalted butter, soft
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 + ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
    • ½ cup polenta
    • 1 egg, lightly beaten
    • 2 tsp brandy or orange-flavored liqueur
    • ½ cup natural almonds – unblanched
    • ½ cup pistachios
       

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease baking sheet. Cream together butter and sugar with wooden spoon until smooth.
    2. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and ground coriander into the bowl with the creamed mixture. Add the lemon rind, polenta, egg and brandy or liqueur and mix together to make a soft dough.
    3. Stir in nuts until evenly combined. Halve the mixture. Shape each half into a flat cookie log, about 9 “ long and 2 ½ “ wide. Bake for about 30 mins until risen and just firm, a light golden brown. Remove from oven.
    4. When cool, cut each cookie log diagonally into 12 thin slices with a serrated bread knife. Return to baking sheet and bake another 10-15 minutes until crisp.
    5. Remove from oven. Cool completely and store in airtight container.

Small Barn:
Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Ingredients: 

    • 1/2 lb butter unsalted, room temperature
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 tbl salt, kosher
    • 3 cups flours
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (Guittard or similar)
    • Dark chocolate pistoles or chunks (Cordellera or similar)
    • 1 tbl vanilla bean, paste
       

    Instructions:

    1. Mix in a tabletop mixer sugar and butter together for about 4 minutes.
    2. Slowly add eggs until fully incorporated.
    3. Next add all dry ingredients little by little until fully incorporated.
    4. Scrape down sides and add vanilla bean paste and chocolate chips.
    5. Slowly mix until chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    6. Bake at 325°F for 12‐15 minutes.
       

Wilson Creek Winery:
S'Mores Cookies

  • Ingredients: 

    • 1 cup salted butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp cornstarch
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 cups mini marshmallows, divided
    • 2 cups graham crackers, broken into small pieces (about 9-10 crackers), divided
    • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 2 Hershey bars, broken into pieces

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
    2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars. Beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
    4. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well until incorporated.
    5. Add dry ingredients to mixer and mix just until everything is combined.
    6. Add 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker pieces, 1 1/2 cups of marshmallows, milk chocolate chips, and semisweet chocolate chips, stirring just until dispersed throughout the dough. 
    7. Scoop 2-3 Tbsp size balls of dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets, leaving room for the cookies to spread. 
    8. Bake for 10 minutes until almost done, then remove from the oven and press 4-5 additional marshmallows on top of each cookie, along with a couple extra pieces of broken-up graham cracker and Hershey bar.
    9. Return to oven and bake for 1-2 minutes until done. If desired, switch over to broil and toast the marshmallows on top. Be careful as the small marshmallows can burn quickly.
    10. Cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days.

     

Cougar Winery:
Celebration Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Ingredients: 

    • 5 cups peanut butter
    • 5 cups sugar
    • 5 eggs

    Mix ingredients in a bowl until uniform. Grease a scoop and scoop the batter onto a lined sheet tray. Sprinkle sugar over balls of dough and press down with a fork in a crisscross pattern. 

    Preheat over to 375°F. Cook for 12-15 minutes and pull out trays. MUST COOL COMPLETELY before removing from tray. 

    Carmel Glaze:

    • 2 cups of Cougar Sparkling Strawberry Sangriz
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • dash of cloves

    Whisk together wine, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium sauce pan. Plan pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and store in an air tight container. 

    Drizzle glaze over cookies and serve with a flute of Cougar Sparkling Strawberry Sangria! 

Corkfire Kitchen at Temecula Creek Inn:
Red Velvet Chocolate Earthquake Cookies

  • Ingredients: 

    • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs, room temperature
    • 3 tsps vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp professional red food coloring
    • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
    • 2 tsps baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt

    Coating: 

    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

    Preheat oven at 350°F and line baking pan with parchment paper. 

    Using a stand mixer, Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the vanilla and red food coloring, mix until evenly and fluffy.

    In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Slowly Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat together until combined on low.

    Fill one bowl with granulated sugar and one bowl with powdered sugar. Use a 1 ounce cookie scoop (or tablespoon) to scoop cookies out. Roll the balls first in the granulated sugar and then in the powdered sugar to completely coat the cookie balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet an inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies have puffed up and cracked, but are still a little gooey in the center.

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