Recipe Talk

Cigar Cookies
yields 4 dozen

4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Adjust rack in center of oven and heat to 425 degrees. Lightly grease non-stick baking sheets. Whip egg whites until stiff. Gradually beat in sugar. Fold in vanilla and zest. Thoroughly fold in flour, then fold in butter.

Drop batter by teaspoonful in 3 places on baking sheet. Spread with spatula into thin squares (approximately 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches). Bake until slightly puffed and light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, turn cookie over with spatula and quickly roll around a 1/2-inch diameter dowel or wooden handle while pliable. If cookies harden before being removed from pan, return to oven just until softened. Remove from wooden form and continue cooling on rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Store cookies in an airtight container.