Once left for dead at 2-7, the Chicago Bears have stoked long-shot playoff hopes with three wins in their last four games, including two in a row.

Before they try to make it three straight Sunday in Cleveland, Brad Biggs gauges the playoff scenarios and answers a slew of other questions in his weekly Bears mailbag.

You’ve been pretty transparent with your thoughts on Justin Fields’ future with the Bears. Assuming you are correct and the Bears trade him away (respectfully, I hope they don’t!), what would you anticipate that timeline looking like? Is this a move that would likely take place in March or could it stretch out down to the wire? — Vince R.

I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “the wire,” but I would imagine if they decide to move on from Fields, they would prefer to have a 2024 draft pick in return. That could happen in March after the new league year begins, or it could be a move made during the draft. The timing would depend on a handful of factors, including how many teams might be interested. In this scenario, some teams might have Fields as a Plan B if they can’t get a quarterback they desire in the draft. Some might be considering other veteran options as well. There are a lot of moving parts.

What could a return package for Fields look like? Again, that would depend on a couple of factors, including how many teams are involved. If the Bears can play multiple teams off each other, maybe they could push the price up a little bit. In 2021 the New York Jets traded Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers for three draft picks. (Are you sensing a trend here? The Panthers make bad trades.) The Jets got a sixth-round pick in 2021 and second- and fourth-round picks in 2022. A package similar to that probably would be a best-case scenario for Fields. I don’t believe the Bears would be able to get a first-round pick in return if they opt to trade him, but you never know.

It’s not a given the Bears will move on from Fields, but as you say, I’ve been consistent with my opinion on how this will play out, while also reminding everyone that weekly referendums don’t do a whole lot of good beyond promoting discussion.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah was asked about Fields’ future Sunday before the Bears won, and he framed it this way:

“I use the phrase ‘the confetti test,’” Jeremiah said. “Can you close your eyes and imagine him as a quarterback on the podium with the confetti falling that you’ve just won a world championship? I don’t know that he’s shown you enough to give you that. To me, you look at this draft — and we’ll get into the names over the next few months — but you’ve got a chance to, in my opinion, get better, younger, cheaper at that position and you still possess the fifth pick as of right now as well to address some other needs.”

Lot of talk about the Bears, not long ago 2-7, now being in the playoff hunt? How realistic is this? — Tom F., Elburn

It’s a long shot but it has fueled optimism in the locker room and created some excitement for the fan base, and in mid-December, that’s a very good thing. Thirty of the NFL’s 32 teams remain alive for a playoff spot, which is just what the league hopes for and a result of the expanded 14-team playoff system. The Bears and New York Giants are 5-8, right behind a group of five 6-7 teams for the seventh and final NFC playoff spot. That’s a lot of traffic.

The Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are 6-7. Tiebreakers get complicated, especially if three or more teams are involved, and with four games remaining, a lot of movement is possible. The way the Bears have been playing, they should have a shot to win all of their remaining games: at the Cleveland Browns, home against the Arizona Cardinals and Falcons and at the Packers. They have head-to-head losses to the Packers and Saints.

According to the New York Times’ interactive playoff simulator, the Bears have an 8% chance to reach the playoffs. A win over the Browns on Sunday would boost their odds to 11%. If the Bears win out and finish 9-8, they have a 62% chance. That’s without setting results for other games, but it shows you they’re still not a shoo-in if they run the table.

If you’re interested in scoreboard watching this week, here are outcomes you need to root for:

Bengals over Vikings
Broncos over Lions
Buccaneers over Packers
Panthers over Falcons
Giants over Saints
Commanders over Rams
Eagles over Seahawks

Let’s say the Bears win their final four games and those seven outcomes occur (the odds on this parlay would be through the roof). In that case the simulator gives the Bears a 98% chance of making the playoffs.

You could get lost in the playoff simulator all day. The bottom line is the Bears need to play quality football for a good stretch. If they can do that, you should feel better about how things set up for 2024 and they’re going to have a shot.

Will Matt Eberflus ever complain about the late hits Justin Fields takes? — @mabdacuma

This is a recurring question after Fields gets contacted by defenders, usually on running plays when he slides. You saw it happen in Sunday’s win over the Lions when linebacker Jack Campbell hit Fields when he was already on the ground. You saw it Monday night in the New York Giants’ win when quarterback Tommy DeVito slid and was hit by a Packers defender. Giants coach Brian Daboll went nuts on the sideline, and it wasn’t hard to read his lips and see language not suitable for publication.

It’s a fine line for officials to determine what is a legal hit and what crosses the line, and fans want to see a honked-off coach when a hit is questionable. I get it. That’s not necessarily Eberflus’ style, and he’s not the kind of guy who wants to rail on officiating to reporters and put himself in jeopardy of being fined by the league. I can’t blame him in that regard.

I can promise you Eberflus is doing two things that are more meaningful than ripping officiating to the press. First, he and his staff are working officials before games. This is standard protocol. “Hey, we’ve seen No. 53 with some questionable hits on quarterbacks the last few weeks. Be on the lookout for that.” Coaches are constantly working officials for calls, and this begins pregame with stuff they’ve seen in scouting. “Hey, our QB has taken some hits lately that have crossed the line. I need to make sure he’s protected today.”

Second, Eberflus is reaching out to the league office weekly when he thinks a call was missed. That can be educational. Sometimes the league admits a call was missed. Sometimes the league explains why a flag wasn’t thrown. Either way, the Bears get a detailed response explaining how the play was evaluated upon review.

“I’m always in their ear about that because protecting the quarterbacks in this league is big,” Eberflus said Monday. “Those guys are the league, so it’s important that we do that and we continue to do that. If you have a guy that’s a runner and he slides down like that, we’ve got to protect him.”

Just because Eberflus isn’t channeling his inner Ditka and providing the kind of sound bite you would hear on sports talk radio for an entire week doesn’t mean he’s not making his displeasure known in more meaningful channels.

Have Darnell Mooney’s agents thrown out a number? Is he a sure free agent and gone after the year? — @hubrogers

Mooney doesn’t have a lot to negotiate off of this season in terms of productive numbers, but I think the Bears believe in him and understand what he is capable of doing with increased opportunities. The Bears need to consider which direction they want to take at wide receiver in the offseason. Do they want to tap into a terrific draft class for receivers?

From Mooney’s standpoint, why eliminate 31 other teams from bidding by talking about a deal with the Bears now? Four regular-season games remain, and then he can wait until March and see what the marketplace looks like. Maybe the Bears would make an offer that’s close to what’s available for him in free agency. But he would be smart to find out, wouldn’t he?

Do you think the Bears might extend Jaylon Johnson and/or Cairo Santos before the end of the season? — @jtbarczak

General manager Ryan Poles seemed to indicate after the trade deadline that Johnson’s camp was intent on playing out the season. Survey the NFL for long enough and you learn never to say never. But I’m not sure what would motivate Johnson to sign a contract now, so close to reaching free agency. Unless he’s offered almost exactly what he wants, why not play out the season and then see if the Bears want to use the franchise or transition tag to keep him?

Overthecap.com estimates the franchise tag for cornerbacks in 2024 will be $18.4 million and the transition tag will be $15.9 million. Most of the time, teams use a tag to create more time and space for negotiations; otherwise, they have a player they want playing on another expiring contract. We’ll have to see if the Bears and Johnson have a big surprise the next few weeks.

I could see the Bears trying to get an extension done with Santos. I think it would take a solid offer because Santos otherwise could explore the marketplace. There’s virtually no chance the Bears would tag him (estimated $5.8 million for the franchise tag and $5.3 million for the transition tag). If they did, I’m betting he would run, not walk, to sign that offer and return it immediately. He’s due a raise as he nears completion of a three-year, $9 million contract.

Given your experience, how surprised are you in the space of a few weeks, in the minds of fans, Matt Eberflus has gone from 100% gone after this season to possibly staying, something fans now may be supporting? — @jpoch1983

It’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world we’re in. My guess is some of the loudest who were speaking out against Eberflus when the team was 2-7 after the Nov. 5 loss in New Orleans are some of the loudest now about his possible return for a third season. Some folks just like to yell.

The Bears will make a decision on the future after the completion of two full seasons, and the improved play of late on both sides of the ball gives Eberflus and his staff a chance.

Why are the Bears lately choosing to take the ball if they win the toss instead of the traditional deferring until the second half? Are they trying to play more from the lead earlier so they can stay with their run game longer? — @noah_booty

The Bears elected to receive the opening kickoff the last four times they won the coin toss, and they are 3-1 in those games with an opening-drive touchdown in three of them. Matt Eberflus is going against what has become traditional strategy, as most teams elect to defer when they win the toss, hoping they can score late in the second quarter and then double up with points on the first series of the third quarter to swing momentum.

Why is Eberflus zigging when most teams are zagging? The Bears feel pretty good about how their offense produces with coordinator Luke Getsy’s scripted plays to open the game. They have five touchdowns on their first possession (not necessarily the first series of the game), which is tied for fifth in the league. The San Francisco 49ers are tops with eight, and the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens all have six.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the running game. The idea is they think they can get some early momentum and set the tone. Eberflus deferred the first two times the Bears won the toss this season. The opponent has won the toss in seven games and deferred each time.

Why not keep Justin Fields for $6 million next year and draft a first-round quarterback and let him learn, a la Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love? Gives Fields one more year (maybe with a new offensive coordinator) and that lets them kick the tires on a new guy in practice and probably in a game or two given Fields’ injury history. — @carlso1

You’re making an apples-to-oranges comparison. What do Fields and Rodgers have in common besides the fact both play quarterback? Rodgers is a four-time MVP who will be a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection. The Packers were trying to plot a future after Rodgers when they saw a quarterback they really liked fall into the back of the first round in 2020.

The Bears would be selecting a quarterback at or near the top of the first round because they don’t believe Fields is their guy for the long haul. The Packers felt like they had the luxury of grabbing a quarterback and continuing to win with Rodgers when some thought they should have selected a player who could help them immediately.

Any chance they’d bring in a new punter? When watching games, it’s remarkable to see the talent-level difference between opposing punters and Trenton Gill. Starting field position matters and it would be great if they could get someone more consistent. Odds they add one this offseason? — @shootermcconlon

The Bears have struggled in the punting game this season, and Gill ranks last in the league among qualifiers with a net average of 35.2 yards — 2.6 yards worse than 31st-place Sam Martin of the Buffalo Bills. That’s not all on Gill — it’s an 11-man operation — and the coverage unit has had too many breakdowns. But he’s a big part of the equation and it’s certainly something the team will want to look at in the offseason.

Gill’s gross average is 45.5 yards, tied for 25th. As a rookie last year he had a better season with a 40.3 net average, which tied for 25th. Soldier Field is one of the toughest stadiums in the league for punters, and it would be hard for the Bears to have a punter in the top third of the league with half of their home games along the lakefront.

Gill is young and can improve, but I’d have to guess they want to provide him some legitimate competition in the offseason, which they didn’t do last spring.

()

Homelessness is an American tragedy, but it’s not hopeless. In a recent column, I explored how Houston has become a national model by reducing homelessness by more than 60%.

One takeaway is that homelessness, above all, reflects a shortage of cheap housing. So I’m intrigued by an approach to providing such housing that’s gaining ground around the country. It’s an idea so old, it seems new: converting single-family houses to rooming houses.

Rooming houses, boardinghouses or single room occupancy (SRO) hotels used to be ubiquitous. President Thomas Jefferson stayed in a boardinghouse for several months before moving into the White House. At the seedier end, SROs largely disappeared over the past half-century, partly because of zoning and economic development projects.

In Houston I dropped in on a home operated by PadSplit, a company that offers furnished bedrooms for working-class Americans. PadSplit, which is something like a long-term Airbnb for rooming houses, has housed 22,000 people so far and is growing fast.

The PadSplit model is to take a house that is near public transportation, convert the living room to a bedroom, put locks on each bedroom door and then rent out each room by the week. This typically means a shared bathroom and kitchen, and some tenants have complaints, but it’s affordable for people who have few other options.

“It’s reasonable!” said Gregory Walker, 46, a warehouse employee who takes home $2,300 a month.

He pays $150 a week, or a bit more than $600 a month, for a furnished bedroom in the PadSplit I visited. He shares it with six others in a middle-class neighborhood. Utilities and Wi-Fi are included in the rent.

Previously, Walker was stuck in a “sleazy hotel,” as he put it, for $1,950 a month because he had a poor credit record that made it difficult to rent an apartment.

Rooming houses are quite different from the practice of young professionals having housemates in cities like New York and Boston. PadSplit rooms are often cheaper (partly because there aren’t shared living areas), management is by a company rather than the residents, and payment is by the week to make it more workable for people living paycheck by paycheck. SROs were often squalid, but PadSplit is trying to elevate the experience.

PadSplit is the brainchild of an Atlanta real estate developer, Atticus LeBlanc, the company’s CEO. He studied architecture and urban studies at Yale but knew little of rooming houses. Then in 2009 he was renting out a home, and two men asked if they could rent individual rooms in it.

The men had only Social Security for income — $685 per month for one man and $735 for the other — and had been paying $100 a week for rooms in a decrepit house with no heating or air conditioning, but that home had been foreclosed on, and they needed to find somewhere else to live.

LeBlanc realized that if he rented rooms out at $100 a week, he could give people with low incomes comfortable accommodations and increase his income from the house.

“This was mind-blowing,” LeBlanc said.

He entered a competition for ideas to provide affordable housing and won foundation funding that allowed him to start PadSplit in 2017. It’s a public benefit corporation, meaning that it is for profit but also aims to advance a social purpose.

Now operating in 18 cities, PadSplit provides an online platform for low-income workers to find furnished rooms offered by landlords. Sometimes the landlords rent out the entire house, room by room; others rent out just a room or two. PadSplit renters have an average age of 35 and earn a median of $30,000 per year.

The SRO model addresses a mismatch between our housing stock and household size. Some 28% of American households consist of a single person living alone, yet fewer than 1% of housing units are studios. Many large houses can be used much more efficiently if they’re converted to rooming houses.

PadSplit hasn’t received direct public subsidies, and the model has room to scale up; census data suggests that there are tens of millions of bedrooms in America that no one sleeps in. This can provide low-cost housing more quickly and cheaply than public efforts to build housing: San Francisco has built some housing units for people who are homeless for more than $1 million each.

There’s no one answer to America’s housing crisis, but I’d like to see local governments experiment by rewarding landlords for creating basement flats, taking in boarders or creating rooming houses. A major impediment is local zoning regulations, which sometimes limit how many unrelated people can live together in a house.

I’m sure some readers will see this model as exploitative and think that people should have the right to their own home. Yes, that would be nice, but that sentiment doesn’t actually get anyone housed. And while sharing a bathroom and kitchen isn’t ideal, it’s so much better than living in a car.

Millions of Americans working as teachers, firefighters or factory workers simply can’t afford to rent apartments, or credit problems mean they can’t get approved to rent. PadSplit takes people with eviction histories or weak credit but still makes it work with modern real estate management practices: It claims a 97.5% collection rate.

All this is a reminder that we used to have solutions to homelessness — like SROs — that we mostly eliminated half a century ago. This was a catastrophe of good intentions: We aimed to improve housing and neighborhoods and instead we got people sleeping in cars and on sidewalks.

Columnist’s Note: I’m delighted to announce my annual win-a-trip contest to choose a university student to travel with me on an expense-paid reporting trip. Information is at nytimes.com/winatrip, and please pass the word to students you know.

Related Articles

Sheldon Jacobson: What’s it like to be an ‘average’ American?

Maureen Dowd: Sam Altman, sugarcoating the Apocalapse

Tyler Cowen: The YIMBY movement needs to go commercial

Nicholas Kristof: So many child deaths in Gaza, and for what?

Bret Stephens: Silence is violence — but not when it comes to Israeli rape victims?

 

A great cookie platter should excite and inspire, from first electric sight to last delicious bite. Every December, New York Times Cooking unveils showstopping cookies and videos for our annual Cookie Week. This year’s class is especially dazzling, with chewy gingerbread blondies, buttery lemon swoops and spicy hot chocolate crinkles, to name a few. Check out these recipes, then make one — or make them all.

Technicolor Cookies

Technicolor Cookies. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

Cookies artfully decorated with royal icing are a holiday classic, but their fine details and beautiful colors can take hours to achieve. Not with these gorgeous cookies. Once the icing is made and stained, it takes only a few minutes to decorate. The icing is simply poured over the cookies, a technique inspired by the one used to pour swirly colors of mirror glaze over smooth cakes. (For a quicker alternative to royal icing, simply dip or drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate.) No two cookies will be the same, and that’s a big part of the charm. Underneath the exterior is a crisp, satisfying shortbread flavored with heaps of bright orange zest and quintessential winter spices.

By Samantha Seneviratne

Yield: About 48 cookies

Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes, plus 7 hours chilling and setting

For the cookies:

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups/320 grams all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or 1 teaspoon freshly crushed cardamom

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3/4 cup/169 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest (from about 2 large navel oranges)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg, at room temperature

For the royal icing:

6 cups/680 grams powdered sugar (1 1/2 pounds)

6 tablespoons/50 grams meringue powder

4 different colors of gel food coloring

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking powder and salt.

2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract and egg. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, and beat until combined.

3. Set a 12-by-16-inch sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Set the dough on top and cover with another piece of parchment. Roll dough into an even 1/4-inch-thick rectangle, squaring off the edges. Set the dough, still sandwiched in parchment, on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Prepare the royal icing: Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup water and beat with an electric mixer on medium until thick and glossy, about 7 minutes. Check the consistency of the icing: When you drizzle the icing over itself, it should take 10 seconds to reincorporate. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time as necessary, to reach that consistency.

5. Separate icing into 5 bowls and tint 4 as desired, leaving one white. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Pull the dough from the fridge, and, working quickly, cut dough into 1-by-2 1/2-inch rectangles. If dough is still cold, separate rectangles and place on prepared baking sheets 1/4 inch apart. If the dough has gotten warm, chill (or freeze) it until cold before baking.

8. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Set the rack over a parchment-lined sheet and line up the cookies, sides touching, in rows of 8.

9. Set another rack over a parchment-lined sheet. Into a small (4-inch-diameter) bowl, spoon some of each color so you have several parallel bands of colored icing. (Cover any unused icing.) Pour icing in thin ribbons over the cookies moving left to right, then right to left and back again, filling in holes, until you run out. Repeat with more icing. Immediately and carefully separate cookies, one by one, with an offset spatula and transfer to the clean rack.

10. Let the cookies stand at room temperature, uncovered, until set, at least 6 hours.

Tips: Make the dough and refrigerate it, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. Alternatively, you can freeze the baked cookies, without icing, well wrapped for up to 3 months.

Gingerbread Blondies

Gingerbread Blondie. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

With the chewy texture of the best fudgy brownie and all the festive flavors of your favorite gingerbread cookies, these spicy bars make a bold statement for the holidays. Browning the butter gives them a deep, caramelized flavor, which rounds out the warming brown sugar and fragrant spices. The white chocolate drizzle on top is purely for looks, so feel free to leave it out if you’re short on time. These bars taste just as good without it.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 12 to 16 squares

Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter, plus more for preparing the pan

1 1/2 packed cups/330 grams dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract (or bourbon or espresso)

2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of ground cloves

3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

2 ounces white or dark chocolate, melted, for decorating (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-inch pan and line with parchment paper.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium until melted and flecked with darker brown bits, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour brown butter into a large bowl and add brown sugar, molasses and grated ginger. Whisk until smooth and let cool for a few minutes.

3. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and glossy.

4. Add the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice, black pepper and cloves. Whisk well to combine. Stir in nuts, if using.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until the edges are firm but the center is still slightly damp, 18 to 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Let blondies cool completely in the pan.

6. Once blondies are completely cool, use a fork, spoon or filled parchment cone to decorate the top of the blondies with melted white or dark chocolate if you like. Let chocolate set for at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.

Tip: Blondies will keep in a closed container for up to 5 days at room temperature.

Lemon Butter Curls

Lemon Butter Curls. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

Delicate but sturdy, these lemon butter shortbreads are perfect for a casual afternoon treat or relaxed holiday cookie. A combination of butter, egg yolks and a bit of cornstarch ensures a texture that melts in your mouth. Lemon zest adds a bright sparkle, and a light glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar lends a tart finish. Make these into curls as shown or pipe them into any shape you prefer; rings, squiggle or pushing the dough through a cookie press can all be fun. You also can roll and shape the dough by hand instead of piping or pressing it.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: About 36 cookies

Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus at least 45 minutes of chilling and setting

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies:

1 cup/225 grams salted butter, softened

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 lemon

2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the glaze:

3 cups/306 grams sifted powdered sugar

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, and set a wire rack inside a third.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Add the egg yolks. Zest the lemon directly into the bowl. Combine on low speed until the yolks are incorporated and scrape down the bowl again.

3. Whisk flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once. Mix on low until just combined. Pour in the heavy cream and mix until it becomes a dough, about 30 seconds.

4. Fit a sturdy piping bag with a star tip (preferably with a 1/4-inch opening) and fill with just enough dough to comfortably wrap your hand around the bag. (You can always refill it when you run out.) Pipe S-shaped hooks, about 2 inches long, onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between them. If the dough feels soft, place the baking sheet of piped cookies in the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before baking.

5. Bake until cookies are a nice golden brown at the edges, turning halfway through, 14 to 16 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow cookies to set on the baking sheet, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. As the cookies bake, make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add enough lemon juice that the glaze runs steadily off the spoon when lifted.

7. Once the cookies are completely cooled, use a spoon to pour enough glaze to cover the surface of the cookies and drip down the sides. If using sanding sugar, allow the glaze to set slightly before sprinkling the sugar on. Let set completely (at least 30 minutes) before serving. Baked, glazed cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Neapolitan Checkerboard Cookies

Neapolitan Checkerboard Cookies. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

This recipe combines the classic flavors of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla — reminiscent of Neapolitan ice cream — all in one bite. While the assembly may seem daunting at first, it can be a fun project, and the end result is graphic and delicious. In making a perfect checkerboard pattern, you’ll inevitably have some scraps. Roll them into a log, which can then be sliced and baked into marbled shortbreads.

By Sue Li

Yield: About 60 cookies

Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes, plus overnight chilling

INGREDIENTS

For the vanilla shortbread:

1 1/2 cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/2 cup/112 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the strawberry shortbread:

1 (1.2-ounce/34-gram) package freeze-dried strawberries (about 2 cups slices)

1 1/4 cups/160 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/2 cup/112 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature

For the chocolate shortbread:

1 1/4 cups/160 grams all-purpose flour

1/4 cup/23 grams cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup/112 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg, yolk and white separated, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the vanilla shortbread: Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve egg white) and vanilla extract, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture all at once and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and scrape the bowl and paddle clean. (No need to wash.)

2. Prepare strawberry shortbread: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until powdered (some crumbs are fine). You should have about 2/3 cup ground strawberries. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add flour and salt, and whisk to combine.

3. Add butter and sugar to the stand mixer bowl, and mix together on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve egg white) and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a second piece of plastic wrap.

4. Prepare the chocolate shortbread: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and sugar to the stand mixer bowl and mix together on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the egg yolk (reserve egg white) and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture and mix on low until it all resembles coarse pea-size crumbs. Transfer to a third piece of plastic wrap and scrape the bowl and paddle clean. (No need to wash.)

5. With your hands, pat doughs into rough 5-by-10-inch rectangles and wrap them tightly in the plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll the doughs so they are 1/2 inch tall. (If they’re larger than 5-by-10 inches, they can be trimmed to size later.)

6. To assemble, whisk the reserved egg whites with 1 tablespoon water to break up the whites. Trim any uneven edges from the dough (or if dough is larger, trim down to 5-by-10-inch rectangles).

7. Cut each dough into 9 (1/2-inch-wide, 10-inch-long) pieces. Once sliced, transfer strips to the fridge so they stay firm while you work.

8. To form the checkerboard pattern, lay a strip of each flavor on a cutting board (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla), brush with the egg white mixture and gently press the long sides together so they adhere. Layer another 3 strips (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate), repeat with egg white and pressing. Repeat with the last layer (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry). You should have a long 3-by-3 square. Repeat with the remaining dough strips until you have 3 logs. Wrap with plastic and transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight.

9. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one log at a time and square up any uneven edges, then slice the dough crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick squares.

10. Space the squares about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and bake until the edges are lightly golden, 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips: The cookies can be stored up to 1 week in an airtight container. The assembled dough logs can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, then thawed in the refrigerator until ready to slice and bake.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

These spiced and spicy cookies, chocolaty and brimming with molten marshmallow, are a terrific treat to keep you warm in the colder months. The dough itself is imbued with cinnamon and a bit of ground cayenne, a combination commonly found in Mexican hot chocolate that also gives these cookies a flavor reminiscent of the holidays — and a slight kick when you least expect it. The marshmallowy interior provides a wonderful chew and maintains a pillowy soft texture, even after a few days in an airtight container. Make sure to freeze the marshmallows fully to give the cookies their hallmark ripple of white peeking through their sparkly chocolate exterior. (Otherwise, the marshmallows will dissolve into the cookies as they bake.)

By Vaughn Vreeland

Yield: 20 to 24 cookies

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus 2 hours of chilling

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 cup/51 grams cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups/305 grams light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mini marshmallows, frozen solid

1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy, 2 more minutes. Add flour mixture. Beat on low until no dry spots remain, about 1 minute.

3. With a 2-tablespoon (1-ounce) cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop dough into mounds on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. Freeze marshmallows, if you haven’t already.

4. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Add granulated sugar and remaining teaspoon cinnamon to a small bowl.

5. Remove half of the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes if the dough is very stiff. Take a mound of dough and flatten slightly in the palm of your hand. Pile 5 frozen mini marshmallows on top of the flattened dough, then bring the outer edges over the marshmallows to envelop them. Roll into a ball and then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on the baking sheet, 3 inches apart.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until cookies puff slightly and bits of molten marshmallow peek through the surface. Cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tips: Balls of dough (not coated in cinnamon sugar) can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To bake, thaw for 5 minutes at room temperature, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Rainbow Rave Cookies

Rainbow Rave Cookies. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

This recipe is adapted from “Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook” and is originally titled Lisa Frank Cookies. It earns that name by being a big sucker punch of sugary nostalgia. A trio of extracts (pure vanilla, imitation vanilla and almond) is key to giving these cookies the aura of that prepackaged baked good you might’ve tucked into your lunchbox as a kid, but they’re better because you’re making them fresh. Best of all, they come together in a snap, stirred up in one bowl and baked on the same day. You can throw a rainbow rave for your mouth almost instantly.

By Sohla El-Waylly

Yield: About 24 cookies

Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter or vegan butter, melted

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

1/2 packed cup/107 grams light or dark brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg, straight from the fridge

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon clear (imitation) vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 2/3 cups/200 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 cup/115 grams mini M&M’s, plus 1/4 cup/58 grams more for rolling

1/4 cup/50 grams large rainbow sprinkles, plus 1/2 cup/100 grams more for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the dough: In a medium bowl, using a silicone spatula, stir together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda until the mixture looks like wet sand.

2. Add the egg and the extracts, and stir until smooth and evenly combined. (If you have time, let this mixture sit for 30 minutes, stirring twice. This dissolves some of the sugar and results in a chewier cookie.)

3. Add the flour and stir until the mixture comes together into a soft dough. Add the M&Ms and sprinkles, and stir until evenly distributed.

4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

5. Portion and bake: Using a #40 cookie scoop or 2 spoons, divide the dough into 35-gram portions (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll each portion into a ball and flatten slightly into a 1-inch-thick disk. Mix together some M&Ms and sprinkles, and roll the disks in the mixture. Do not chill the disks before baking — these cookies are best baked the same day the dough is mixed.

6. Arrange disks 2 inches apart on prepared sheet pans. Bake until barely golden at the edges and just set in the center, 14 to 16 minutes. Using a fish spatula, immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tip: Cookies keep for 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Matcha Latte Cookies

Matcha Latte Cookies. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

This is a matcha latte in cookie form. Atop the chewy, Grinch-green cookie sits a cloud of ermine icing, an old-fashioned boiled-milk frosting (like the kind you might find in midcentury American baking and grocery store cupcakes), whose sugared lightness balances out the more intense, bittersweet base. Out of the oven, these cookies might look puffy, but as they cool on their pans, they will continue to cook and deflate, becoming their truest chewiest selves. If you want to skip the frosting, a little powdered sugar is a lovely, snowy finish.

By Eric Kim

Yield: About 20 cookies

Total time: 45 minutes plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies:

1 1/2 cups/185 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons matcha powder

1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

1/4 packed cup/50 grams light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)

1 large egg, at room temperature

Nonpareil sprinkles (optional)

For the frosting (optional):

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Small pinch of coarse kosher salt

1 cup/237 milliliters whole milk

1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. In a large bowl, stir the matcha and vanilla into a paste using a wooden spoon or flexible spatula. Add the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt, then beat until pale green and fluffy. Switch to a whisk and beat in the egg until smooth.

2. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Refrigerate the dough, uncovered, while the oven heats.

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Using a #40 (1 1/2-tablespoon) cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out 1 1/2-inch rounds and place them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until puffed and no longer wet-looking on top, about 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the pan. (Unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.)

5. If you’d like, make the frosting when you’re ready to serve the cookies: In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble, about 4 minutes, then continue whisking the mixture as it boils until thick like pudding, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer this hot mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

6. Beat on high speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. It may take up to 10 minutes. With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until smooth before each addition. When all of the butter has been incorporated, add the vanilla, then raise the speed to high and beat until very fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Using a butter knife or spoon, frost each cooled cookie and top with sprinkles if you’d like. Serve immediately.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Related Articles

HmongTown 2 Marketplace to fill in Sears site at Maplewood Mall

Italian cookies are a holiday treat

18 great holiday gifts for craft beer lovers

This indigenous chef teaches about decolonizing food, one intentional meal at a time

Meet three powerhouse women of East Metro chocolate, connecting people with one another and the earth