Pomegranate Cookies

I'm nibbling on one of my fragrant Pomegranate Cookies right now.  The tender, light and buttery cookies get their inimitable brown sugar-like flavor from pomegranate molasses.  This rather unusual ingredient is nothing more than pomegranate juice that's been concentrated to the consistency of honey.  It's used in Middle Eastern cuisine and can be found in any specialty food store or by mail order.  A small amount goes a long way.  My cookies also get a bit of pomegranate juice mixed into the dough and on the sugar glaze in which they are dipped after baking.  Pomegranates are very much of the season right now, so I urge you to give these cookies a try. 

Pomegranate Cookies

The Cookie Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (10x), sifted
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar (10x), sifted
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice

●Preheat your oven to 350° F. ●

●Racks placed in the center of the oven.●

I'm using little dome-shaped cookie tins (optional).  Each holds 1 teaspoon.  The molds get sprayed with cooking spray before filling, but they can also be buttered. 

Cream the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, until creamy; about 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl & the attachment.  I always like to cream the butter before I add the sugar.

Add the 10x (confectioner's sugar) and cream well on medium speed; about 2 minutes. 

This is what creamed butter & sugar should look like.  Scrape down the bowl & add the flour mixture on low speed.  In a small bowl, combine the pomegranate molasses, juice & extract.  Add it to the cookie dough & mix until thoroughly blended.

The finished cookie dough.  Fragrant, light brown & delicious.

Measure 1 teaspoon of cookie dough with a measuring spoon & push it out with your finger into the prepared cookie molds (if you're using them).  Press the dough into each mold so that you get into every crevice.  Otherwise, simply roll the teaspoons of dough into balls & place on parchment lined cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

●Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes.●

●They will start to take on a rich golden color.●

Yields: 48 cookies

Let the cookies cool in the tins or on the cookie sheets for one to two minutes.  Transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Combine the confectioner's sugar and pomegranate juice in a small bowl until completely smooth.  Take the cooled cookies by the base & dip them into the glaze.  Let the excess drip back into the bowl and give the cookies a quick twirl.  Place them on a rack set over a parchment-lined or silpat-lined cookie sheet.  

The glaze will not be thick, but once it dries & hardens, it will take on a subtle sheen.  You can see how the excess glaze drips underneath.  Having a cookie sheet to catch the drips makes cleanup easy.

Note: let the glaze dry completely before transferring them to the cookie jar.  

A closeup of the cookies.  Serve with tea or coffee. 

If you can't abide by having glazed cookies (I know several people who don't like icings of any sort) simply omit it and enjoy them as they are.  Pomegranate cookies are nice at the end of a delicious dinner with company, but they're also very good in the afternoon with a steaming cup of espresso.  The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days, but don't be surprised if they're gone before that.  From my kitchen to yours, enjoy these little jewels!