Stump cookie-eating guests with these creamy morsels

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This article was published 15/12/2018 (2826 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cookbook-author Kate McDermott calls these creamy-textured treats Mystery Squash Cookies in her newest cookbook, because she says when folks take a bite, they can never figure out what the main ingredient is.

They can be served plain or coated with one of the options listed in the ingredients, below.

Adapted from Home Cooking With Kate McDermott (Countryman Press, 2018).

Squash Cookies

Ingredients
125 ml (½ cup) flesh from cooked/roasted winter squash (may substitute yam, sugar pumpkin or sweet potato)
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
375 ml (1½ cups) almond meal/flour, or more as needed
180 ml (¾ cup) sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Pine nuts, for coating (optional)
Shredded coconut, for coating (sweetened or unsweetened; optional)
60 ml (¼ cup) sugar plus 1 ml (¼ tsp) ground cloves, for coating (optional)

Combine the squash, egg yolk, almond meal/flour, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a mixing bowl, stirring to form a smooth, very soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to one day. If the dough seems too pasty and wet, add a little more almond meal/flour, keeping in mind that the dough will firm up further as it chills.

Preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

Divide the dough into 24 equal portions (about 10 ml or 2 tsp), rolling each one into a ball. Before spacing them on the baking sheets at least 2.5 cm (one inch) apart, roll some of them in one or more of the coating options listed in the ingredients. Bake (middle rack) for 15 to 20 minutes, during which time the cookies should not spread much. Makes 24 cookies.

Cool completely on the baking sheets before serving or storing.

— Washington Post