Do you need a last-minute Thanksgiving recipe as you finish preparing your holiday meal? Members of the Potomac community have got you covered! Read on to learn how to make some sweet Thanksgiving treats, perfect for today and the cold winter months to come.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family at The Current to yours!

Elisabeth Oskoui’s Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients: 

• 2/3 cup hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 6 oz fine-quality bittersweet
• chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

To make the dough:

1. Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in the oven until the skins split and the nuts are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven (turn oven off), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove any loose skins. Cool nuts completely. Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.
4. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
5. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in melted chocolate until combined. Add milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in nut mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

To form and bake cookies:

1. Put oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Halve dough and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll remaining half into 1-inch balls, placing them on a sheet of wax paper as rolled. Roll balls, 3 or 4 at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat generously and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.
3. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges feel dry (but centers are still slightly soft), 12 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies (still on parchment) to racks to cool completely.
4. While the first batch is baking, roll remaining dough into balls. Line cooled cookie sheets with fresh parchment, then coat balls with confectioners sugar and bake in the same manner. Cookies should keep for 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Elisabeth is a senior at Potomac.

Leila Bodner’s Apple Pie

Ingredients:

For the pie dough:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ sticks butter, 1 1/2 sticks, cold, cubed
• 8 tablespoons ice water, or as needed

For the filling:

• 2 ½ lb granny smith apple, cored, sliced, peeled
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  ½ lemon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix with fork until combined.
2. Add in cubed butter and break up into flour with a fork. Mixture will still have lumps about the size of small peas.
3. Gradually add the ice water and continue to mix until the dough starts to come together. You may not need all of the water, but if the dough is too dry then add more. The dough should not be very tacky or sticky.
4. Work the dough together with your hands and turn out onto a surface. Work into a ball and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate.
5. Peel the apples, then core and slice.
6.  In a bowl, add the sliced apples, sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and juice from the lemon.
7. Mix until combined and all apples are coated. Refrigerate.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (200°C).
9. On a floured surface, cut the pie dough in half and roll out both halves until round and about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick.
10. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto a pie dish making sure the dough reaches all edges. Trim extra if necessary.
11. Pour in apple filling mixture and pat down.
12. Roll the other half of the dough on top.
13. Trim the extra dough from the edges and pinch the edges to create a crimp. Make sure edges are sealed together.
14. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sugar.
15. Cut four slits in the top of the pie to create a vent.
16. Bake pie for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and no greyish or undercooked pastry remains.
17. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
18. Top with ice cream and serve.

Leila is a freshman at Potomac.

Daniel Altabet’s Snickerdoodle Cookies 

Ingredients:

For the Cookie 

• 2 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 1 1/4 cups Sugar
• 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1.5 teaspoons Vanilla

For Cinnamon-Sugar

• 1/2 cup Sugar
• Tablespoons Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, whip butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir until combined.
3. Add in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir until fully mixed.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
5. Roll dough into small balls (think ping pong or golf ball size). One by one, drop each dough ball into cinnamon-sugar and coat fully. Place each ball on a parchment-paper lined (or greased) baking sheet, making sure to leave at least two or three inches of space between cookies.

*Tip: To make flatter snickerdoodles, press down in the center of the ball before placing in the oven. This helps to keep them from puffing up in the middle.*

6. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before lifting cookies off of the pan. 

Danny is a long term sub and proctor at Potomac, and part-time debate coach.