TWD Dorie's Cookies: Smoky Hearts

       The Dorie's Cookies group recipes for February are Smoky Hearts (page 453) and Date-Nut Pinwheels (page 248).  This week I chose to make the Smoky Hearts.
       Ingredient list:  flour, cocoa, smoked paprika, butter, confectioner's sugar, sugar, salt, egg whites, and smoked almonds..   
       The recipe ingredients aren't what you would normally think of when you set out to make "cookies," but that's because these little "cookies" are actually in the section of the book called Cocktail Cookies...little bites to serve with cocktails and they belong somewhere on the table next to the olives and nuts and such. Dorie suggest serving them with scotch or bourbon.  The recipe all came together nicely, you need to allow a bit of extra time to park the rolled dough in the freezer to firm up a bit, an hour worked perfectly for me.  Dorie suggests using an inch and a half cookie cutter, which I happened to have, strangely enough, because I can't think of a single time that my guys would be happy with a cookie the size of an inch and half.  They are so cute...I'm all about cute food. 
        Mark's thoughts were that they were interesting, something a little different, and he thought they would go nicely with the drinks suggested. "They are chocolatey without being overly sweet...a nice combination actually," I believe were his exact words. He liked the smoky almonds with the chocolate in the cookie.  He had no trouble eating several and making plans for the rest at a later time. All in all, I would count these as a success and possibly even a repeat.  Something different and unexpected is always fun, particularly if it tastes good. 
        The Tuesdays with Dorie group is baking from Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts are the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.