Martha’s magic extends to treats

How do you like your cookies? Light and delicate? Soft and chewy? Crisp and crunchy? Crumbly and sandy? Cakey and tender?

The new “Martha Stewart’s Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and Share” (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, $24.95) is organized by cookie texture. There’s no reason to settle for chunky and nutty turtle brownies when you prefer a cakey and tender truffle brownie.

In typical Martha fashion, each recipe is accompanied by full-color photographs, and what’s even more fun are the ideas for creative packaging. Also included are chapters on tips and techniques for baking and decorating; pantry ingredients to stock, and must-have tools for making and shaping cookies.

Before you begin a round of cookie baking, here are some tools that will make the task easier.

Spoonula: This tool is helpful when scraping the sides of bowls while mixing cookie dough.

Sifter/sieve: A small colander, made of fine-mesh wire and with a long handle, is used to combine dry ingredients and to aerate flour. This tool also can serve as a sifter; use it to dust confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder on top of cookies after they are baked.

Graduated measuring spoons and cups: Be sure to measure ingredients carefully. Pour a liquid ingredient, such as vanilla extract, to the brim of the spoon, and level dry ingredients, such as salt, with a straight edge, such as a small offset spatula. Metal cups are preferred for dry and semi-solid ingredients (peanut butter, jam, shortening). Scoop the ingredient into the cup and then level it with a straight edge. Use the right size cup (never estimate portions). A liquid measure is essential for accuracy.

Small flexible spatula: This heatproof tool is particularly useful to scrape small amounts of ingredients from measuring cups.

Large flat flexible spatula: Use the heatproof flat spatula to spread thick batter, such as that used for brownies, evenly in a baking pan. Like the spoonula, a large spatula can be used to scrape down the side of a mixing bowl.

Rasp grater: This grater, which resembles a small ruler, is made of metal and has small, sharp blades. It is used to grate citrus zests and dried spices, such as whole nutmeg.

Scale: A small electronic scale is used to weigh nuts and dried fruit.

Coconut Macaroons

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, coconut, egg whites, vanilla and salt. Using your hands, mix well, completely combining ingredients.

Dampen hands with cold water. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons to form mounds. Place on baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Bake until golden brown, 16 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on a wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for as long as 3 days.

For chocolate chunk macaroons: Follow the recipe for coconut macaroons, adding 1/2 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate to the other ingredients. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture to form loose haystacks; place on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

For chocolate macaroons: Place 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces, in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool. Follow instructions for coconut macaroons, increasing coconut to 2 2/3 cups and combining all ingredients with cooled chocolate and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted. The baking time should be about the same; you will know when the cookies are done when they are just firm to the touch but soft in the middle.

Yield: About 1 1/2 dozen

Approximate nutrition per serving, for coconut macaroons: 55.6 calories, 3 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated, 44 percent fat calories), less than 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 18 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate Mint Sandwiches

For the cookies:

1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

Confectioners’ sugar

For the ganache:

1/4 cup heavy cream

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

For the glaze:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

To make the cookies, whisk together cocoa powder and flour in a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg until well blended. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer dough to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter; space 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining scraps of dough. Bake cookies until firm, rotating sheets halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

Meanwhile, make ganache. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate is smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Spoon 1 teaspoon ganache onto the bottom of one cookie; sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and ganache. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

For glaze, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly. Dip one flat side of each sandwich into melted chocolate to coat; gently shake off excess. Place sandwiches, chocolate sides up, on wire racks set over baking sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Cookies can be refrigerated in a single layer in airtight containers for as long as 2 days.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Approximate nutrition per serving: 102 calories, 6 grams fat (4 grams saturated, 53 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 5 milligrams sodium.