Tito’s Gluten-Free Russian Tea Cookies

We’ve partnered up again this season with the gluten-free baking magicians at Austin’s own Blackbird Bakery to bring you more deliciousness (to enjoy along with your Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktail of choice). We’re kickin’ it off with our Texas take on Russian Tea Cookies, a holiday treat that’s perfect for any kind of seasonal celebration.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped medjool dates
• 3 Tbsp Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 3/4 cups Blackbird Bakery Cookie Jar Blend
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Glutinous rice flour for dusting and rolling (available at most grocery stores in the Asian section)
• Powdered sugar for rolling the cookies (after baking and cooling)

Directions:

• At least 2 hours before you begin, pour Tito’s Handmade Vodka over the chopped medjool dates and allow them to infuse.
• In a stand mixer, combine the unsalted butter with the powdered sugar, light brown sugar, almond meal andBlackbird Bakery’s Cookie Jar Blend. Mix on the lowest setting until the mixture begins to come together, about five minutes. Add the vanilla, and mix until combined. Increase the mixer speed to high, and beat until the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Turn the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the chopped pecans and the vodka infused medjool dates. Mix on the lowest setting until combined.
• Lightly dust your counter with glutinous rice flour and turn the dough onto the flour. Lightly knead until the dough comes together. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic to refrigerate. For the best results, it is essential to refrigerate the dough overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop tablespoon sized balls of dough onto your cookie sheet, at least one inch apart. Repeat until all of your dough has been placed on the cookie sheets.
• Bake for 6 minutes, rotate the pans, and then bake for another 6 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan. They are delicate when they first come out of the oven, so it is best not to touch them until they have cooled and set.
• When the cookies have cooled, roll them in the powdered sugar and serve.

Makes 36 cookies. Will keep in an airtight container for a week.

Tito’s Maple Pecan Cupcakes

We like this recipe from local Austin mobile bakeshop Casa de Glaze because it makes a sweet dessert, but it can double as a (slightly boozy) breakfast treat. The muffin/cupcake line is pretty thin anyway, and these beauties taste enough like pancakes to make that dessert/breakfast distinction even blurrier.

Tito’s Maple Syrup

• 1 cup Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 1 cup of your favorite maple syrup
• Whisk the Tito’s Handmade Vodka and maple syrup together until completely combined.

Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2  tsp salt
• 8 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Blend pecans with 1/4 cup sugar in a blender until finely ground.
• Sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat remaining sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the creamy butter mixture, thoroughly integrating each egg before adding the next.
• Stir milk and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl.
• Alternately stir flour mixture and milk mixture in small amounts into the butter mixture beginning and ending with the flour mixture; stir just until it comes together into a batter. Fold the ground pecans into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups to about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Using a baking brush, brush tops of warm cupcakes with the Tito’s Maple Syrup mixture, then cool completely.
• After you have brushed the top of the cupcakes with syrup, place the remaining syrup in a saucepan over medium low heat and reduce by half. Let cool completely.

Frosting

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth.
• Top the cupcakes with the frosting, and then drizzle cooled Tito’s Maple Syrup reduction on top of icing.Sprinkle with toasted, chopped pecans, and serve!

Recipe from Jenny Grayson, Owner, Baker & Dessert Maker at Casa de Glaze Bakeshop

Tito’s Hot Chocolate  

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 0.25 oz dark créme de menthe
• 4 oz hot chocolate

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a large mug, top with whipped cream, and serve.

Christmas Lights Out

Ingredients:

Method:

Tito’s Toast Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 0.33 oz Texas wildflower honey
• 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice
• 3 oz champagne

Method:

Combine Tito’s Handmade Vodka, honey and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake, and strain into champagne flute. Top with champagne, and garnish with a strawberry or lemon.

Garnish: Strawberry, lemon wheel or twist

Glass: Champagne flute

 

Down Home Punch

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 2 oz orange-flavored cognac liqueur
• 8 oz pomegranate juice
• 4 oz lemonade
• 4 oz orange juice
• 8 oz cup soda
• A dash or two of cinnamon
• Frozen berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries)

Method:

Combine ingredients.
Serve over ice in a bowl or pitcher.
Glass: pitcher, punch bowl