JewliciousEats: The Holiday Cookies You Crave 2019 (and 8 days of Challahs)

It has become somewhat of a new tradition for publications to highlight the newest cookie trends and recipes on the first Wednesday of December. And why should we not participate.

IMHO, The Washington Post organizes the best section, and they barely retain their crown in 2019, with their 15th annual Washington Post cookie issue. Among their 14 reginal recipes is (pictured) one for Cherry-Pecan Rugelach, which they characterize as a staple in New York City bakeries and a crescent Jewish pastry. Olga Massov adapted this recipe from pastry chef Alex Levin and cookbook author Dorie Greenspan.

Their other highlights are for Baltimore Berger Cookies; Charleston style Benne Seed Crisps; Billy Goats with dates and nuts; New Mexico style anise flavored Biscochitos in Star of David shapes; Boiled Peanut Butter Cookies, Ohio centric Buckeye Bars; Butter Brickle Cookies; Amish inspired Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies; Creole Pecan Praline Bars; Fortune Cookies; Joe Froggers; South Georgia Forgotten Chocolate Cookies; and NYC Levain Bakery style Super-Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies.

If it wasnt for the Washington Post’s rugelach recipe, The New York Times would have easily taken the cookie crown today.

The New York Times produced an INTERACTIVE COOKIE video with twelve cookies, some of them more artistic than Rothko, and others stamped artisanly. They are the creations of Susan Spungen. You may recall her from THE 100 MOST JEWISH FOODS, her past Thanksgivukkah host/hostess advice, or her mother’s brisket recipe that Martha Stewart reprinted a decade ago. Among the twelve holiday cookies are peppermint striped square sugar cookies (use blue stripes instead of red, if you like); PEANUT SHORTBREAD WITH HONEYCOMB and Dark Chocolate; GINGERY BROWNIE COOKIES; Marbled Tahini Cookies with inky black tahina in dark swirls upon the sandy texture and nutty taste; STAMPED CITRUS SHORTBREAD cookies with butter glaze; THUMBPRINTS WITH DULCE DE LECHE, NUTELLA OR JAM; BLOOD ORANGE WINDOW COOKIES with sprinkled poppy seeds; DIRTY CHAI EARTHQUAKE COOKIES with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves (I call them DIRTY HAVDALAH SPICE COOKIES);

Allrecipes Magazine includes a recipe for SUFGANIYOT for Hanukkah in its December 2019 issue. Their Boxing Day recipe for Bubbles and Squeak can also go well with latkes.

FOOD AND WINE’s December 2019 issue leads off with Hanukkah recipes. But they aren’t for cookies. Instead the highlight is a Cranberry Onion Brisket and Schmaltzy Turnips. BON APPETIT has no Hanukkah cookies … unless you count the TIE DYE COOKIE SWAP WINNER HERE. I guess the same can be said the THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS’ CHAI LATTE cookies… if you pronounce the CHAI as a Hebrew word.

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES published recipes for 12 cookies today. Ben Mims shared recipes including those for Za’atar Cookies; Crispy Peppermint & Lime Slices; Rosy Pink Olive Oil Date Rugelach in Sea Salt; Almond Orange Shortbread with Poppy Seed Jam; and Pink Pepper and Raspberry Jam Linzers.

What is with the zeitgeist??

And when did rugelach become a holiday cookie?

Even The Tampa Bay Times profiles a rugalach, sharing their recipe for Rugelach Cookies With Pistachios and Orange Marmalade.

And the WINE ENTHUSIAST pairs Rugelach and Rutherglen Muscat wine for 2019.

Better Homes and Gardens December 2019 shares 13 recipes for side dishes, but no cookies. Included are recipes for HANUKKAH POPOVERS; MOCHI LATKES; and PRESSURE COOKER POTATOES.

And speaking of challah…

NYC area bakery chain, Zaro’s, has embarked on a holiday CHALLAH SERIES in which it will collaborate with other chefs and bakers on different challot each week… Highlights are:
December 3 – 8, 2019: ISRAELI EVERYTHING CHALLAH WITH ADEENA SUSSMAN. Adeena Sussman (Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen)
December 10 – 12, 2019: COFFEE & QUINOA CHALLAH WITH PERUVIAN STYLE LLAMITA, the West Village restaurant Llama Inn and Llama-San.
December 17 – 22, 2019: TAHINI & DATE WITH SEED + MILL, a women-led food brand using Ethiopian sesame seeds to produce their artisanal halva.
January 14 – 19, 2020: ZA’ATAR & PISTACHIO CHALLAH WITH SAHADI’S, the third-generation, family-owned business.
January 21 – 26, 2020: SCALLION & FRIED SHALLOT CHALLAH WITH WIN SON, the Taiwanese-American restaurant and bakery in Brooklyn.
January 28 – Feb 2, 2020: TURMERIC & MISO CHALLAH WITH LA BOÎTE, by chef Lior Lev Sercarz, the famed spice blender and owner of La Boîte, a biscuit and spice shop in New York
February 4 – 9, 2020: POTATO & DILL CHALLAH WITH BEN DAITZ OF NUM PANG KITCHEN, the New York and Boston-based, QSR specializing in Southeast Asian-inspired sandwiches, and ban mi
February 11 – 16, 2020: CHOCOLATE CHALLAH WITH JACQUES TORRES, the chocolatier