Cookies, Cookies and more cookies!

It’s not the holidays yet, you say? I say the season has already begun. For us Indians living in the US, Diwali often feels like the true beginning of the holiday season. Back home, Diwali meant Amma making boondi laddoos, rava laddoos, badhusha, halwa—the list could go on forever. Here, I tend to associate the season with baking different kinds of cookies, much like the holiday cookie tradition in the US.

It also happened to be Nikhil’s birthday this past week, so I probably shouldn’t claim that these cookies were baked specifically for Diwali. The timing just happened to coincide. And honestly, chocolate chip cookies require eggs, which definitely rules them out as Diwali offerings. Cooking with eggs for something as auspicious as Diwali would have been considered borderline blasphemous in the home I grew up in.

Regardless of the reason, the outcome was clear. Diwali hasn’t even arrived yet, and the cookies are already gone. I baked three different kinds of cookies, nearly 100 in total. That may not sound like much to seasoned Daring Bakers, but it felt like an accomplishment to me. And it wasn’t just the kids who enjoyed them.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from a Martha Stewart video where she demonstrated how to bake crisp chocolate chip cookies, not the chewy kind—which, to be honest, aren’t my favorites anyway. I made one batch of 36 cookies, and they turned out so well that I ended up baking two more batches.

The only changes I made were using slightly less sugar and baking them at 350°F instead of 375°F as originally suggested. The cookies bake quickly, and I personally prefer them less sweet.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Baking soda – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Unsalted butter – 2 sticks (1 cup), softened
• Granulated sugar – 1/2 cup
• Dark brown sugar – 1/2 cup, packed
• Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg white
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – 12 oz (about 2 cups)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugars in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg white. Beat on low speed for a few more minutes.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix briefly to distribute evenly.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, drop heaping portions of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
7. Bake for 15–16 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Pistachio Icebox Shortbread

These buttery shortbread cookies are simple, elegant, and perfect for making ahead. The dough keeps well in the refrigerator or freezer, which makes them especially convenient during busy weeks.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – 1 cup (2 sticks)
• Confectioner’s sugar – 1 cup
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• All-purpose flour – 2 cups (plus extra for rolling)
• Pistachios – 1/2 cup, chopped

Method

1. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the flour with the mixer on low speed and mix until a dough forms. Fold in the chopped pistachios.
3. Divide the dough in half. Place each portion on floured wax paper and roll into logs about 1 1/2 inches thick, dusting your hands with flour as needed. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, 1–1 1/2 hours.
   • The dough can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the chilled logs into 3/8–3/4 inch thick rounds and arrange them about 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Cool on the baking sheets or transfer to a wire rack.

Between birthdays, Diwali memories, and the unmistakable arrival of baking season, this was one of those weeks where the oven barely got a break. And honestly, that’s not a bad way to start the holidays.