Apricot Butter Cookies
5 1/2 dozen cookies

Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling

Toasted pine nuts and dried apricots are combined in this variation of a butter cookie.

1/2 cup pine nuts
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pine nuts on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Let cool, finely chop, then set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the sugar until blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Beat in the thyme, apricots and pine nuts until evenly mixed.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log about 9 inches long. Make the logs as smooth and even as possible. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, wax paper or aluminum foil. Twist the ends to seal. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Chill the logs in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the logs and cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on silicone or parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes until lightly browned around edges. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

— Los Angeles Times test kitchen

Per cookie: 64 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 11 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium.

Coffee-Walnut Cookies
5 1/2 dozen cookies

Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling

These cookies, adapted from "Pure Dessert" by Alice Medrich (Artisan, $35), are delicious fresh but are even better the next day. They can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh, finely ground medium-roast (not espresso-roast) coffee beans, plus about 70 whole beans for garnish
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brandy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, walnuts, sugar and salt until the walnuts are finely ground. Add the ground coffee and pulse to mix. Add the butter (cut in several pieces if firm) and pulse until the mixture looks damp and crumbly. Drizzle in the brandy and vanilla extract and pulse until the dough begins to clump up around the blade. Remove the dough, press it into a ball and knead it by hand a few times to complete the mixing.

Form the dough into a 12-inch log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably, overnight, or as long as 3 days. The dough can also be frozen for as long as 3 months.

When ready to bake, position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a sharp knife to cut the cold dough log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If the dough crumbles when you cut into it, let it soften for several minutes.) Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on silicone or parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie.

Bake the cookies until light golden brown at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking. Let the cookies firm up on the pans for about 1 minute, then transfer to a rack with an offset spatula. Cool completely.

— Los Angeles Times test kitchen

Per cookie: 56 calories (percent of calories from fat, 56), 1 gram protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 9 milligrams sodium.

Peanut and Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
5 1/2 dozen cookies

Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling

Anyway you slice them, it's hard to beat the combination of peanut butter and dark chocolate.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped peanuts
1 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the peanut butter until blended. Beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate until evenly incorporated.

Divide the dough in half. Shape it into 2 logs about 9 inches long and wrap each log in plastic wrap, wax paper or aluminum foil. Twist ends to seal. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the logs and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on silicone or parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

— Los Angeles Times test kitchen

Per cookie: 66 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 38 milligrams sodium.

Oatmeal-Dried Cranberry Cookies
3 dozen cookies

Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes, plus overnight chilling

This is a variation on a classic oatmeal-raisin cookie. For a more tender cookie, chop oats slightly in a food processor.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and oats and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in the dried cranberries and coconut until evenly incorporated.

Divide the dough in half. Shape it into 2 logs and wrap each log in plastic wrap, wax paper or aluminum foil. Twist ends to seal. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the logs and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on silicone or parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

— Jamila Robinson, Staff

Per cookie: 117 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), 2 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 26 milligrams cholesterol, 122 milligrams sodium.