Skip to main content

Maida Heatter's Chocolate Cookies with Gin-Soaked Raisins

4.2

(38)

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 10 hr (includes soaking raisins)

Cooks' notes:

•You can soak raisins in gin up to 1 week.

•Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    10 hr (includes soaking raisins)

  • Yield

    Makes about 12 large cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup gin
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar (sift before measuring)
2/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process (sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (unsifted)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz pecans (2 1/4 cups), toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine raisins and gin in a cup and let stand at least 8 hours to macerate.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 large baking sheets, shaking off excess flour.

    Step 3

    Mix confectioners sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, flour, and salt with an electric mixer at low speed. Add egg whites and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.

    Step 4

    Drain raisins in a sieve, without pressing, then add raisins to dough with pecans. Stir until thoroughly mixed. (Dough will be thick and sticky.)

    Step 5

    Working quickly, drop 1/4 cup dough for each cookie onto a baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 3 inches apart, and gently pat down each mound to about 1/2 inch thick.

    Step 6

    Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven, rotating sheet halfway through baking, 15 to 17 minutes total, or until cookies appear cracked and centers are just set. Cool cookies on sheet 1 minute, then transfer carefully to a rack to cool completely.

Read More
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Biscuits and gravy, but make it spring.
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.
Grab your Easter basket and hop in—you’ll want to collect each and every one of these fun and easy Easter recipes.
Not stuffed shells. But not not stuffed shells either.