BUTTER COOKIES
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
In a small mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer at medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolk until well combined. Add flour; beat on low speed until well combined. If necessary, cover and chill until dough is easy to handle.
On well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. With a 2-inch-diameter cutter, cut out cookies. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3 Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 20 cookies.
BUTTER CHRISTMAS COOKIES
1 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until well combined. Beat in molasses, eggs, and milk until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in raisins and nuts.
2 Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 90.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Up to 1 month ahead, make and bake cookies. Cool, place in a freezer container, and freeze. To serve, thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
GINGERBREAD DROP COOKIES
1 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until well combined. Beat in molasses, eggs, and milk until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in raisins and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 90.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Up to 1 month ahead, make and bake cookies. Cool, place in a freezer container, and freeze. To serve, thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS WINE COOKIES
3 c. Mazola oil
1 1/2 c. red wine
1 1/2 c. white wine
Pinch of cinnamon
Boil above together for 1 minute.
Sift 8 cups of flour into large bowl.
Add: 1 tbsp.
honey
3 tsp. salt, optional
2 beaten eggs
Mix well,
slowly add the hot mixture; knead until
very stiff; if dough is still too soft and sticky, add more flour. Pinch off golf ball
size pieces of dough and roll over a grooved board or ravioli board. Fry in deep
hot oil. After all the dough is cooked, dip in hot honey, adding a little water to
honey as each batch is cooked. Add more honey as needed.
RUM COOKIES
this recipe is about 80 yrs old
1/2 lb. brown sugar
1/8 pt. dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp rum
3/4 c grated coconut
1 c flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
mix together and form into balls. bake at 350º til lightly brown
MINT COOKIES ~ Art Nolan
2 tubes Ritz Crackers
1 c milk chocolate wafers
1 pkg mint chips
Melt chocolate, dip crackes in chocolate using a fork. remove and place on wax paper. chill till firm
SANTA CUTOUTS
Basic Cookie Dough
1/3 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
Snow Frosting
Powdered Sugar Icing
Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat till combined. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover dough and refrigerate about 3 hours or till easy to handle.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface till 1/8 inch thick. Cut as desired. Place shapes 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or till the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
Diamond Santas:
Cut Santa Cutouts dough into diamonds with a 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inch cookie cutter. To make Santa?s hat, bend the top point of each diamond to the side. Bake and cool as directed. Prepare Powdered Sugar Icing. Divide icing in half; place each half in a small bowl. Stir red paste food coloring into one half.
For hat,
dip the top of each cookie almost halfway into red icing. Place cookies on a wire rack; sprinkle coconut on edge of hat for fur trim and at the tip for pom-pom. Let icing set.
For beard,
dip bottom of each cookie almost halfway into plain icing. Sprinkle beard with coconut. With small dabs of frosting, attach a cinnamon candy in center for a nose and two miniature semisweet chocolate pieces for eyes. Makes 40.
Powdered Sugar Icing:
Combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (about 3 to 4 tablespoons) to make of drizzling consistency. Color as desired with paste food coloring.
**BASIC COOKIE DOUGH
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
Continue as directed in individual recipes.
To Store:
Pack dough into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
CHOCO-PEANUT BUTTER PIZZA
1 recipe Basic Dough (see Recipe Above)**
2-1/2 cups chopped miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups (25)
1 cup chopped peanuts
1-1/4 cups tiny marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 13- to 14-inch pizza pan; set aside. Prepare Basic Dough. Pat dough into prepared pan, building up edges slightly.
Bake cookie pizza in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups and peanuts. Bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake 5 minutes more or until crust is golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut pizza into wedges. Makes 16.
To Store:
Place wedges in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate or freeze.
ROLY-POLY SNOWFOLK
1 recipe Basic Dough (see Recipe Above) **
Coarse sugar
Miniature candy-coated milk chocolate pieces or other small candies
Miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
Crafts sticks (optional)
Gumdrop Hats
Canned vanilla frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Prepare Basic Dough. Shape dough into ten 1-1/2-inch balls, ten 1-inch balls, and ten 3/4-inch balls. Roll balls in coarse sugar.
For each snowperson,
arrange a 1-1/2-inch ball, a 1-inch ball, and a 3/4-inch ball about 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Slightly flatten 1-1/2-inch ball. Press miniature candy-coated pieces or other candies into 1-1/2-inch and 1-inch ball for buttons; press miniature semisweet pieces into the 3/4-inch balls for eyes. If desired, insert a crafts stick into the 1/2-inch ball. Build snowfolk 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 2 minutes on the baking sheet. Carefully transfer snowfolk to a wire rack and cool completely. (Do not pick up by sticks, if using, until cookies are completely cool.) Attach Gumdrop Hats to snowfolk with canned frosting. Makes 10 snowfolk.
Gumdrop Hats:
Sprinkle a cutting board with granulated sugar. Place one gumdrop on board and sprinkle with more sugar. With a rolling pin, roll gumdrop into an oval about 1/4 inch thick. Curve to form a hat and press edges together to seal. If desired, bend up gumdrop edge for brim.
To Store:
Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
SPICE DOODLES
1 recipe Basic Dough (see Recipe Above) **
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
* If necessary, cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a small bowl stir together sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar mixture to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an unerased cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 40.
To Store:
Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
BRANDIED CRANBERRY DROPS
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon brandy or orange juice
1 recipe Basic Dough (see Recipe Above)**
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
Brandy Icing (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Combine cranberries and brandy or orange juice; let stand while making Basic Dough. Stir cranberry mixture and ginger into dough. Drop dough by teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Drizzle cooled cookies with Brandy Icing. Makes about 30.
Brandy Icing:
In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy or milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in additional brandy or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until icing is of drizzling consistency. Makes about 2/3 cup.
To Store:
Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies; frost with Brandy Icing.
