The Great Canadian Cookie Road Trip

The flavours of Nanaimo Bar, Prairie Flapper Pie and yup, even East Coast Moon Mist ice cream, show up in nutty sablés, tender dacquoise and crunchy shortbread. Your cookie platter will be a riot of texture and colour—and a bite-sized tour of the country's most celebrated desserts.

- Camilla Wynne

Nanaimo Bar Thumbprints

PREP 25 MIN;TOTAL 2 HRS 30 MIN

MAKES 20 COOKIES

Undoubtedly the most classic Canadian bar cookie, Nanaimo bars hail, of course, from Nanaimo, B.C. Here, they are reimagined as sophisticated thumbprints. A rich cocoa base full of coconut, walnuts and graham crumbs is filled with the classic custard filling and finished with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (153 g)

1/3 cup brown sugar (73 g)

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (105 g)

1/4 cup cocoa (30 g)

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Filling

1 cup icing sugar (125 g)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (58 g)

4 tsp 35% cream

1 tbsp custard powder

Garnish

42 g melted dark chocolate, to finish

1 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

1. Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Beat 2/3 cup butter and brown sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Sift in flour, cocoa and salt. Beat until just combined, then stir in coconut, walnuts and graham crumbs.

3. Roll dough into 1 tbsp-sized balls, then arrange at least 1 in. apart on prepared sheets. Use a damp thumb or the end of a wooden spoon to make an indent in the middle of each cookie. Freeze for 10 min.

4. Bake cookies until set, 14 to 16 min. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Filling: Beat icing sugar with 1/4 cup butter, cream and custard powder in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until smooth and fluffy. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe filling into the indent of each cooled cookie.