By Four weeks until the move. The recliner goes first — David has arranged for it to be delivered to the Cedarhurst room a week before Marvin arrives, so that when Marvin walks in (or is walked in), the first thing he sees is his chair. His chair. The chair that knows him. The chair that has held him for forty years. The chair that is the one piece of this house that will go with him, the one thread connecting the before to the after, the home to the not-home, the life to the whatever-comes-next. The chair is the bridge. The chair is the chain. The chair is the recliner that Marvin bought at a furniture store in 1987 and that I have threatened to replace approximately two hundred times and that I will now never replace, because the chair is sacred, because the chair is Marvin, and Marvin's things go where Marvin goes.
Purim is next week — the last holiday before the move. The hamantaschen are made. The poppy seed filling is Sylvia's. The apricot filling is mine. The cookies are triangles of butter dough folded around the fillings, baked until golden, and I made six dozen because six dozen is what I always make, because the recipe does not shrink to accommodate grief, because the cookies go to the neighbors and the synagogue and the grandchildren and the support group and whoever else needs a cookie, and everyone needs a cookie, especially this week, especially now, especially me.
I always make hamantaschen for Purim — the poppy seed filling, the apricot, the folding and the baking and the six dozen that go out into the world whether I feel like making them or not. But this year I found myself wanting something extra to tuck into the bags, something a little unexpected and bright, something that felt less like tradition and more like a small surprise for people who have shown up for us. These soft and chewy mojito cookies — all lime zest and fresh mint, tender in the center the way a good cookie should be — felt exactly right: a little festive, a little out of the ordinary, and sweet enough to say what I couldn’t always put into words.
Soft And Chewy Mojito Cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 32 minutes | Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon lime zest (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, lime juice, lime zest, chopped mint, vanilla extract, and rum extract (if using) until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled — that’s normal.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Shape and roll. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat, then place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly underdone. They will firm up as they cool.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They are best enjoyed at room temperature, when the centers are fully soft and chewy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 148 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 95mg