Here are a few holiday cookie recipes that I made this week!
Buckeyes
2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a large mixing bowl, mix pb, butter and vanilla together. Add powdered sugar a little at a time. Continue to add sugar until the mixture can be rolled into 1 inch balls that stay together. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Placing a ball on a fork, dip 3/4 of the ball in the chocolate. Place balls onto wax paper-lined cookie sheets. Place in a cool area or refridgerator to set. Makes 4 dozen.
**Real buckeyes are nuts that grow on trees and are related to the horse chestnut!**
Devils Food sandwich cookies
18 1/4 oz pkg devils food cake mix
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 t. almond extract
16 oz pkg powdered sugar
Combine cakemix, shortening and eggs. Form into small balls and flatten slightly on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. In a med. bowl blend cheese,butter and extract. Gradually blend in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Beat with a spoon 'til smooth. Refridgerate. When cookies are cool, spread filling between 2 cookies; repeat. Keep refridgerated. Makes 2 dozen.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
2 cups all purpose white flour
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (1 cups) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or spraying with vegetable shortening.
In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Using a beater attachment and a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy.
Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Scrape bowl.
Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and beat again. Scrape.
Turn mixer to low speed and add the flour and oats mixture a few cups at a time.
Add raisins and give it one final mix. Scrape the bowl good to make sure everything is blended well.
Using a cookie scoop or Tablespoon, measure out cookie dough and place on prepared sheets leaving some room between them to spread.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until slightly firm around the edges. Cookies will continue to bake even after you take them out of the oven.
Remove to cooling racks and cool completely before storing them in airtight containers.
Makes 25-30 warm, chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!
Variations:
Oatmeal Scotchies Cookies: Substitute butterscotch chips for raisins.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute chocolate chips for raisins.
Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute chocolate chips for raisins and add 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
Oatmeal Craisin Nut Cookies: Substitute craisins for raisins and add 1 cup chopped nuts, your choice.
I made gingersnaps this year from the better crocker cookie mix! I know *gasp* not homemade!! they actually turned out super yummy--Briggy helped me out with this recipe and he had such a blast! My hands were coated in so much cookie mess I didnt take any pics :/
This recipe is from a friend, she said its awesome!
Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies
[If you can't locate whole wheat pastry flour, you can substitute spelt flour. Or feel free to use all-purpose flour if that is what you have on hand. As far as the unsulphured molasses goes, I use Wholesome Sweeteners or Plantation Organic Blackstrap Molasses. I used a Scharffen Berger Bittersweet 70% here. You can use light brown sugar, or light muscavado sugar in place of the natural cane sugar.]
1/2 cup / 3.5 oz / 90 g turbinado sugar
6 ounces / 170 g bittersweet chocolate
2 cups / 8.5 oz / 245 g whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup / 4 oz / 113 g unsalted butter
1/4 cup / 2 oz / 60 ml unsulphured molasses
2/3 cup / 3.75 oz / 100 g fine grain natural cane sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, peeled
1 large egg, well beaten
Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C degrees - racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Line a couple baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper or a Silpat mat, and place the large-grain sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Finely chop the chocolate bar into 1/8-inch pieces, more like (mostly) shavings really.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt.
Heat the butter in a saucepan until it is just barely melted. Remove from heat and stir in the molasses, sugar, and fresh ginger. The mixture should be warm, but not hot at this point, if it is hot to the touch let it cool a bit. Whisk in the egg. Now pour this over the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.
I like these cookies tiny, barely bite-sized, so I scoop out the dough in exact, level tablespoons. I then tear those pieces of dough in two before rolling each 1/2 tablespoon of dough into a ball shape. From there, grab a small handful of the big sugar you set aside earlier and roll each ball between your palms to heavily coat the outside of each dough ball. Place dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cookies puff up, darken a bit, and get quite fragrant.
Makes roughly 4 dozen.
(http://www.101cookbooks.com)
Festive Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites
1 brownie mix 9×13 inch size
18 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses
1/2 Cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 original candy canes, crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full. Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely.
2. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, 30 second intervals until smooth and melted. Stir in cream until silky smooth. You can place back in microwave for 10 seconds to smooth more if needed. Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Serve with a tall glass of milk.
*It took all the will power NOT to make these cookies, because there is no way I could show self-control with these..... (from pickypalate.com)
The Mother Load Layered Cookie Bars
Layer 1: Sugar Cookie
1 Roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been lined foil and sprayed with cooking spray.
Layer 2: Double Chocolate Chip Cookie
(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in chips. Layer 1/2 the recipe over sugar cookie layer, pressing gently.
Layer 3: Peanut Butter Cookie
1 Cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Press over chocolate cookie dough.
Layer 4: Chocolate Chip Cookie
(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag chocolate chips
1. Make sure oven is preheated to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream the butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bolw; mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips. Spoon 1/2 of the dough evenly over peanut butter cookie dough but don’t press, just leave uneven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until center of dough is cooked mostly through. Edges will be brown. I covered pan with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.
2. Let cookies cool completely. Lift out of pan with edges of foil. I cut off 1/2 inch edges and just used softer centers, but do as you wish. Edges are crispier. Drizzle top with 1/2 Cup melted chocolate chips if desired.
*Note: You can layer dough and refrigerate until ready to bake. This is what I did and it worked very nicely.
8 large bars (if you cut off edges), 12 bars (if you keep edges)
