Best Carolinas Wine Taralli Cookies Recipes

RED WINE COOKIES (CIAMBELLINE AL VINO ROSSO)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the flour sugar salt and baking powder in a large bowl and combine.
• Stir in the oil and wine until evenly blended.
• Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured board and make ropes cutting 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick pieces and then making circle rings, twists, fish shapes, or just leave them as sticks if you like.
• Dip them on both sides with the granulated sugar.
• Place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and baked them in the preheated oven at 350 degrees.
• When the bottoms look caramelized slightly and they are a golden color they are done.
• This takes approximately 20 minutes or longer.
• Cool completely and store in thick freezer locking bags or an airtight container.

AUTHENTIC TARALLI

Steps:

• Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, oil, and wine in a stand mixer. Mix ingredients using the paddle attachment until a ball forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead dough for 10 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and add the remaining salt. Spread a large, clean cloth out on a counter or table.
• Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough once kneading has finished. Roll dough piece into a snake about 2 1/2 inches long. Form a tear drop shape, lightly pressing the two ends together to seal them into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Turn down the boiling water to a low boil. Drop taralli into the water a few at a time. Do not stir; they will sink at first, then begin to float. Remove floating taralli with a slotted spoon. Place them on the clean cloth and continue until all the taralli have boiled and are drained on the cloth. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until taralli are golden and firm on the outside, but still soft on the inside, about 40 minutes. Cool completely and rest for at least 1 hour before serving. Wrap with a clean cloth or place in a paper bag; store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

PEPPERMINT-SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Glaze can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 3 days; whisk before using. (Makes 2 cups.)
• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter with granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolk, flour, salt, peppermint extract, and milk; beat to combine.
• Fill a cookie press with dough and fit with a wreath disk. Press cookies directly onto unlined baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden on edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Working in batches, add a drop of food coloring to a small amount of glaze (about 1/4 cup); use a toothpick to swirl a tiny bit. Dip tops of cookies in glaze, then turn glaze-sides up and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips to set. (As you dip, colors will become more combined and no longer look like swirls; change to fresh glaze at this point.) For additional "swirls," dip a toothpick in red glaze and drizzle over cookies. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.