6 Family Favorite Recipes from the Verticale Team

Jaclyn’s Meltaway Cookies

CEO & Co-Founder

Ingredients:

• 1 cup, sifted flour
• 1 cup, finely chopped walnuts
• ½ cup, butter
• 3 tbsp, confectioners sugar 

Recipe:

• Cream butter with sugar. Gradually add flour and mix in well. Stir in nuts.
• Chill dough in the refrigerator. 
• Form marble-sized balls, place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350º, or until golden brown
• Once out of the over, while still hot, roll in extra powdered sugar. 

Michelle’s Panettone

CFO & Co-Founder

“For as long as I can remember my family has always had a panettone on Christmas morning while we open our presents. My brother and I would always wake up super early xmas morning (even throughout our 20’s) to open gifts, and we would snack away as we waited for our parents. We’d also drink a gallon of orange juice. I’m sure my parents really appreciated the sugar spike that occurred! I, now, make sure to always have one on hand, even when I spend the Holidays with my boyfriend’s family. It’s the one tradition I hold on to every year that means Christmas to me.”

Either buy it, or try your hand at making it. 

The Fruit

• 10 oz, mix of dried fruits
• 4 oz, candied lemons and orange peels (chopped)
• 2 oz, candied cherries (quartered)
• 6 tbsp, liqueur (like Cointreau) 

The Dough

• 1½ tbsp, dry yeast (fast acting)
• 6 oz, milk 
• ¼ cup, fine sugar
• 4 cup, bread flour
• 1 tsp, fine salt
• 6 large eggs
• 10 oz, unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1 oz, blanched whole almonds

Recipe instructions here.

Jordan’s Chocolate Chip Snowballs

Content Marketing Manager

“My mom owns a bakery so we grew up with a lot of sweets in the house- so I’m usually a savory foods person. These cookies are an exception though- we call them “snowball cookies” because of the powdered sugar on top, and making them with my family at Christmas is one of my favorite parts of the holidays.”

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup, butter
• ½ cup, granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon, baking powder
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1¾ cup, all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup, miniature semi-sweet chocolate pieces
• Sifted powdered sugar

(Makes 40 cookies)

Recipe:

• Beat butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and baking, beat until well combined.
• Add and beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.  
• Beat in as much flour as you can with a mixer, before stirring in the remaining flour and chocolate with a wooden spoon.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake in a 325º oven for 15-17 minutes, until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.
• Remove cookies and cool on a wire rack. As they’re still warm, but cool enough to handle, add the cookies to a paper or plastic bag and shake with the powdered sugar. Afterwards, cool completely on a wire rack.

Ioli’s Olive Oil Spongecake

Copywriter

“Being Greek, there is always an excess amount of olive oil in our house– yes, we fit that stereotype, but no there is no excess of windex. Around the holiday season, my family goes into cooking overdrive from traditional olive oil cake to anything our minds can conjure up with the spare ingredients. This delicious and fluffy olive oil cake is the perfect early morning snack to pair with coffee and to be shared with family. Hint: top with powdered sugar.”

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup, fine sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp, orange zest (of one orange, or lemon zest)
• ¾ cup, milk
• ¾ cup, extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2½ cup, flour
• 2½ tsp, baking powder
• ¼ tsp, salt

Recipe:

• Preheat oven 350º
• Oil and flour a pan (preferably 10-inch)  
• With an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and zest until light and airy (about 5 min)
• Mix in milk and oil
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder
• Combine wet and dry ingredients
• Pour batter into pan (option: top with favorite fruit)
• Bake 35-45 min (until light brown and knife comes out clean)
• Cool and enjoy

Madeline’s Gratin Dauphinois

Operations & Customer Support Associate

“Every Christmas, my extended family gathers and we patiently await the arrival of my Uncle Tom’s cheesy, decadent potatoes. Thin, perfectly cooked potatoes coated in cream, butter, and loads of Gruyère, what’s not to love? Last year, due to the pandemic, we all missed out on these potatoes and I think I can speak for us all in saying that we are excited to be together again– especially with large plates of Uncle Tom’s potatoes. (By the way, he is opening up a restaurant in Montpelier VT, Hugo’s, be sure to check it out!).”

Ingredients:

• Yukon gold potatoes, (peeled and sliced thin enough to fill whatever size cast iron pan you are using) 
• Garlic, 1-2 cloves
• Shallots, tablespoon to a handful 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• Heavy cream
• Butter
• Nutmeg, whole to be grated 
• Gruyere cheese, preferably caved-aged

Recipe: 

• Butter and rub with garlic a cast iron skillet. 
• Fill the skillet, mostly, with thinly sliced potatoes. 
• Add salt, pepper, shallots, and nutmeg. Toss with hands to season slices. 
• Add cream to cover potatoes almost ¾. 
• Grate a LOT of the gruyere. Mix it and all the potatoes together with the cream by hand. 
• Finish by topping with pads of butter, salt, pepper, and more cheese. 
• Bake at 425 for about an hour until brown and bubbly. 
• Enjoy.

Leena’s Puppy Chow

Content Coordinator

“Being from Michigan,  a really common and easy dessert that I used to have around the holidays was puppy chow. It’s a little messy but really kid friendly, fast, and sweet.” 

Ingredients:

• 9 cup, crispy rice cereal squares 
• ½ cup, peanut butter 
• 1 cup, semi-sweet chocolate chips  
• 1 ½ cup, confectioners’ sugar
• (Makes 24-36)

Recipe:

• Over low heat in a saucepan, melt the chocolate and add the peanut butter, mixing until smooth.
• Remove pan from the heat, and add the cereal, stirring until coated
• Pour the powdered sugar in a large plastic bag, add the coated cereal and shake until coated.
• Store in an airtight container.