Top 5 Pesach Cookie/Nosh Recipes

With all the thousands of recipes now available to us for Pesach on the web, in magazines & from shared social media groups, I feel like there is no end to fantastic delicious foods to eat this holiday!

However, I decided to narrow it down for myself and for the few who are looking for tried & true,- basic but out of this world scrumptious- NOSH recipes that I personally love to make on Pesach.

All these recipes freeze great and are pretty easy to make!

Enjoy!

Sarah

#1 Best Meringue Cookies Ever

I am NOT a fan of the coconut macaroons for some reason. Yet as a kid it seemed those plus the one box of chocolate leaves my grandmother use to buy, were the ONLY cookie nosh that she kept in her house on Pesach! As kids visiting we use to cry to my mother that she had to make us something better! Well Meringue cookies were her answer and these are my version of those “life saving” treats we use to wolf down by the dozen on Pesach.

Here is an adaptation of her recipe for pesach using my favorite meringue recipe from Americas Test Kitchen

Makes about 6 dozen

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp.of vinegar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup of sugar

1 cups mini sweet chocolate chip cookies

3 tbsp. crushed peppermint candy (optional)

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

heat oven to 275 F

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

1. With electric mixer on med-high speed, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add salt and vinegar and continue beating until soft peaks form (about 3-4 minutes)

2. Add vanilla and sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, and continue beating until mixture is glossy and stiff, about 2 minutes.

3. With spatula fold in chocolate chips and crushed candies.

4. using a piping bag with plain 1/2 inch tip or a tsp. pipe or dollop tsp. sized dots of batter, about 1 inch high onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

5. Bake until cookies begin to crack and are light gold – about 25-30 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway thru baking. Cool completely on sheets.

# 2 Matzo Almond Chocolate Brittle

I originally adapted this recipe for the Manischewitz company a few years ago and make it every Pesach. It is a very addictive snack that you will find yourself noshing on every chance you get.

You can make it also with plain Matzo(instead of the farfel) that you have kept whole, for a thinner more cracker like version of this delicious treat.

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds candy

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups Manischewitz® Matzo Farfel (or any brand)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sliced almonds (5 ounces)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine

Preparation:

Spread matzo farfel and almonds in a large shallow baking pan and toast for 15-20 min or until golden. Transfer to parchment paper on counter and let cool. Bring sugar, water and salt to a boil in heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Stir slowly until sugar is dissolved and is a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons butter or margarine. When bubbling begins to subside, immediately stir in the toasted matzo farfel and almonds and quickly pour into baking pan, smoothing and spreading it flat before mixture hardens. Completely cool brittle.
In the microwave or double broiler, melt chocolate and rest of butter or margarine. Stir until creamy and drizzle generously over cooled matzo farfel brittle. Let cool and then break into large pieces with your hands.

#3 Nut Butter Pinwheels

This is more candy-cookie than traditional cookie. But what I love about this recipe is the incredible use of good old fashioned mashed POTATOES !  This recipe originally calls for peanut butter which is considered kitniyot on Pesach and not eaten by most people. However there are versions of Kosher for Pesach peanut butter by many Jewish brands or you can use what I normally like even better, Kosher for Pesach Almond Butter or Cashew Butter

Whichever nut butter you use, once again America’ Test Kitchen has hit the nail on the head with this delicious recipe that is perfect for Pesach.

Note: when making  this recipe you might have to adjust the amount of sugar you add to the potatoes. Because of the moisture level in potatoes can vary, you may need to add more or less sugar to produce a workable dough.

Also for best texture results when mashing my potatoes I use a strainer to press my cooked potatoes through.

Ingredients:

1 small russet potato, peeled & cut into 1 inch chunks

1 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

4-5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1 cup kosher for  Passover peanut butter or Cashew/Almond Butter, room temperature.

Directions:

1. Bring potato to boil in water that covers it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until potato is fork tender.

2. Mash potato thru mesh strainer until smooth. Cool to room temp. uncovered, about 20 minutes.

3. Combine 1/2 cup cooled potato, margarine, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Slowly fold sugar until mixture forms cohesive dough, adding more potato if needed.

4. Divide dough in half, wrap both halves in plastic wrap, and place in fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

5. Roll 1 dough half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap into 7 x 7 inch square, about 1/4 inch thick. Peel away one layer of plastic wrap and spread 1/2 cup of your nut butter over the dough, leaving at least a 1/2 inch butter free border along the edges.

6. Roll dough into log and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough and nut butter. Fridge till fir, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. Slice chilled logs into 1/2 inch rounds.

#4 Cinnamon “donut” Balls

This recipe is one I found a such along time ago in one of the many books I stole from my mother before she moved to Israel. The book Jewish Cooking: Traditional Recipes for the Contemporary Cook, published by Crescent in 1991, I find to be anything but contemporary but has some great recipe gems like this delicious recipe.

These Cinnamon balls remind me of the addictive donut pom poms I love from Entimants.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

1/2 cup superfine sugar

2 cups ground almonds

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

Whisk the whites until they form stiff peaks.

Fold in all the remaining ingredients. Form into balls with whetted hands. Arrange 2 inches apart on a greased tray and bake at 325F for 25 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

Roll in confectioners sugar once while balls are still warm and again when they have cooled.

#5 Pesach Chocolate Orange Nut Biscotti

There is nothing I like more than a dried biscotti to dip in my morning coffee. Pesach morning coffee is no different and so I discovered a recipe for Pesach biscotti a few years back and have tweaked it since to include all my favorite combinations of dried fruit, nuts & chocolate!

Ingredients:

1/4 pound butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups matzo cake meal
1 1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup chopped  pistachios
1/2 cup sliver almonds

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup dried apricots
Grated rind of 1 orange

Directions:

pre-heat oven to 350 F

• Using stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter or margarine and sugar.
• Add eggs.
• Blend in cake meal, ground nuts.
• Using a spatula fold in the rest of the nuts, chocolate chips, dried apricots and the orange rind.
• Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
• Turn out dough onto work surface sprinkled with cake meal.
• Form dough into 4 logs approximately 10 inches long.
• Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Let cool for about an hour (can even put into the fridge)
• then Slice logs at 1/2-inch intervals and transfer to baking sheet.
• Bake in 325F oven for about 10 more minutes.

biscotti image found on google