Serves: 35
Total Calories: 94

1 empty toilet paper roll
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process baking cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup baker's or superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. To make the cookie mold, make a straight cut down the length of the toilet-paper tube. Draw a line 11/4 inches from one of the long edges and overlap the edges to that line to make a smaller diameter tube. Tape closed.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt, then lightly whisk and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer set on low speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. On medium speed, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the mixer, add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until blended. Add the remaining flour and beat until blended. Gather the sticky dough into a ball and divide into 5 equal portions.
4. Roll each portion into a cylinder, approximately 41/2 inches long and 11/2 inches in diameter. Center each cylinder of dough on a piece of plastic wrap and roll to seal. Pack the dough tightly into the mold tube. Pull the end of the plastic wrap to remove the dough from the tube. Twist the plastic wrap to seal the ends. Place in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it lightly and set aside.
6. Using a ruler, mark 3/8-inch increments on the dough cylinders. Slice the dough and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the center of each cookie clear through to the bottom. Bake until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Baker’s or superfine sugar is available in supermarket baking sections. For a quick substitute, whirl 1 cup of granulated sugar at a time in a food processor or blender until fine, about 20 seconds.

To create a Shamash cookie container, glue two 5-by-12-inch strips of bright blue construction paper together short end to short end. Roll the glued strips into a tube approximately 2 inches across. Glue in place. Center one 3-inch white construction paper circle over one tube end. Fold the circle’s paper edge over the tube’s edge and glue in place. Meanwhile, stack 10 cookies, then wrap the stack in plastic wrap and seal. Stand the tube up on its papered end and slip the cookie parcel inside. This recipe will fill 6 to 8 containers.

To create the candle’s wick and flame, pierce a tiny hole in the center of a second white construction paper circle. Twist a small knot at the end of a 3-inch length of pipe cleaner and thread the unknotted end from the inside to the outside of the hole. Finish the unknotted end with a construction or tissue paper flame, and glue in place. Center the paper circle and its wick over the open end of the filled tube. Fold the circle’s paper edge over the tube’s edge and glue in place.


From Holiday Baking. Text copyright © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photographs copyright © 2005 by Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 35
Total Calories: 94
Calories from Fat: 47

More Recipes from the Holiday Baking Cookbook:
"Let's Make a Dreidel" Chocolate Cake
A Nice Little Cheesecake
Apricot Nut or Cardamom Pistachio Rugelach
Bubbee and Me Baked Candy Apples
Chocolate Gelt Hide-a-Cookies
Golden Savory Cheese Coins
Hanukkah Frosted Cookie Cutouts
Jerusalem Olive Oil Cake with Orange Marmalade and Almonds
Pear-Apple Strudel (with Rosemary White Chocolate Ganache)
Rosemary White Chocolate Ganache
Selma's Apricot Noodle Kugel
Streusel-Top Sour Cream Coffee Cake