***Christmas Cookie Thread***

[Amy]

I'm working on my holiday baking plan. I'd like some recipe ideas for a cookie baking day with my kids. I'd appreciate any tried and true recipes you wouldn't mind sharing. :D

[Lisa]

Oohhhhh yeeeaaahhh.

Bring it.

[Lisa]

I do have a recipe for Cream Cheese Foldovers that are really good, but they are at home.

[Amy]

That's alright, my thread isn't going anywhere. :D

[Natale]

I bought a Krusteez Christmas sugar cookie kit at Target last year. It had EVERYTHING - cookie mix, cookie cutters, frosting mix, green and red food color for the frosting, sprinkles. Just add water. The cookies were so tasty that I went back and bought another kit when they were 1/2 price and split it for valentine and St. Patrick's cookies.

This year I promised BB we could make a Gingerbread house. I think they have a kit for that, too. /not crafty at all

[Terri]

My MIL makes these every year. They are like crack.

Disclaimer: I got the recipe from her last year, but I have not made these myself yet.


HERSHEY KISS COOKIES

1 1/2 sticks butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cups flour
30 Hershey kisses
powdered sugar for garnish

Beat butter and sugar together. Beat in vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in flour.

Chill dough for 1 hour. Shape into 30 balls, and mold each ball around a Hershey kiss. Place balls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar.

[Lisa]

:agree:

My stepmom makes those.

[Terri]

They melt in your mouth. :swoon:

[Danielle]

I also make those mexican wedding cookies, the crack ones(hershey kiss ones), peanut butter, chocolate chip, no bake chocolate oatmeal

I am so not baking this year!

[Amy]

mmm...crack cookies. :D

[taragunner]

Ooh I have some good ones, I'll have to dig them up sometime when I'm home for more than a couple hours.

[Amy]

mmm...these look good and are easy.

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cookbook/FeatureRecipeImages/ff0105-ej-pretzel-treats.jpg


http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41019

[Amy]

These ones aren't cookies or baked, but they look fun as hell to make. :D

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cookbook/FeatureRecipeImages/ff0105-ej-snowmen.jpg

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41006

[Phoebe]

I'm making Rollo Cookies this year.

[Amy]

:laugh: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50093

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cakes/recipes/special/0204_EJ_frosty.jpg

[Danielle]

I think the snow men ones are really cute. I think you could even make the dounts, like fry them if you don't want to buy the holes and actually want to make stuff.

[megan]

mmm...these look good and are easy.

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cookbook/FeatureRecipeImages/ff0105-ej-pretzel-treats.jpg


http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41019

I wonder how many of those I could eat.

[Amy]

I know, right!

I'm thinking of making those for my neighbors. They look so festive! And they are super easy to make.:D

[wimminrule]

I'll dig out my grandma's bon bons recipe. They are too freaking DIE for. We also used to make cathedral windows, which were pretty (although not so tasty) and divinity.

[taragunner]

I sprinkle red and green sugar on these and call 'em Christmas cookies.

1 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
Cinnamon sugar, enough to fill a shallow bowl halfway


preheat oven to 375
cream together shortening and sugar
stir in eggs
sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt
stir combined dry ingredients into creamed mixture until well blended
roll dough into walnut sized balls, then roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture
place them onto an unprepared cookie sheet 2" apart
bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly brown
cool on wire racksThese keep very well and are always a big hit.

[taragunner]

from Christmas-cookies.com

Again, not very Christmasy looking, but delicious and keep very well.

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 - 8oz can of crushed pineapple, drained (reserve the juice to make glaze)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 TB pinepple juice


preheat oven to 400
lightly spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray or use parchment paper (I highly recommend the parchment paper)
cream shortening and sugar until light
beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy
add drained pineapple and mix well
combine dry ingredients then stir into creamed mixture, mix well
drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet
bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
remove and cool about 5 minutes before glazing

[Alie]

I have the Martha Stewart cookie issue from last year :swoon: Its my new cookie bible.

I am making double chocolate coconut cookies and peanut crisps.

[taragunner]

These are slightly higher maintenance to make, but well worth it. This is the best thumbprint recipe I've found, I modified this from AllRecipes.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional


preheat oven to 300F
grease cookie sheets or prepare with parchment paper
seperate egg
cream butter, sugar and egg yolk
add vanilla
add flour and salt, mixing well
roll dough into a pipe/tube shape about 1" in diameter
roll dough into crushed nuts or sprinkles if using them
cut into 1" pieces
place flatter side down on cookie sheet
BAKE 5 MINUTES THEN REMOVE AND PLACE THUMB DENT IN EACH COOKIE - if using jelly filling, this is the time to add it (most easily and neatly done by filling a ziploc baggie, then cutting a corner off and piping the filling in)
bake 8 additional minutes until edges are brown
fill with icing filling if desired, once cooled*see 'cut-out' icing recipe for a yummy white dyeable icing for filling these

These seem to still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. I judge doneness more by appearance of the edges and then cool the cookies on the cookie sheet on which they baked, which finishes them up nicely.

[taragunner]

This is a very versatile cookie icing recipe I got from my bestie's mom. You can thin it down to make a glaze or thicken it to fill thumbprints or ice cut-out cookies

2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 TB vanilla
1/2 TB half & half or milk

Combine ingredients and thicken or thin down/add color to taste.. it does set up very quickly, so if you're adding sprinkles to cookies do it immediately after icing.

Seals cut-out cookies up nicely and keeps them soft and yummy.

[taragunner]

One of my favorites from allrecipes. Lots of steps but it makes a ton and they keep sooo well. Very hard to keep your hands out of the cookie jar for these ones.

shortbread
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

preheat oven to 350F
mix together butter, sugar and flour until evenly crumbly
press into a 9" square baking pan
bake for 20 minutes
make sure crust is finished baking before making caramelcaramel
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 TB light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk


in a 2 qt saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk
bring to a boil, continue to boil for 5 minutes
remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes
pour over baked crust (crust can be warm or cooled)chocolate topping
1 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

melt chocolate and pour over caramel layer

Chill
Cut into about 48 small squares, they're very rich

These store extremely well!

[taragunner]

From Allrecipes.

These are chewy with a little taste of spice. They're good plain or iced with the cut-out icing.

Makes 3 dozen

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon


preheat oven to 350F
cream shortening, sugar and egg
stir in corn syrup and melted chocolate
combine dry ingredients together then add to creamed mixtureCHILL 1 HOUR

roll dough to 1/8" thick on well-floured surface, cut into shapes

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes

[Lisa]

Janis!

Get your ass in the kitchen and start making me cookies! :getyou:

[taragunner]

I like my chocolate chip cookies puffy and chewy, not flat and crunchy.

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened a little but still firm
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg white
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 package chocolate chips


preheat oven to 350F
beat shortening and butter with a wooden spoon until mostly smooth but with a few harder pieces still left, (about 1 minute)
add sugars and beat with a mixer until well blended
add egg, egg white and vanilla, beat until smooth
combine dry ingredients together then add gradually to creamed mixture
fold in chocolate chips
drop by 2TB balls onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper with 1 1/2" in between cookies
bake 12-14 minutes until tops are well browned
slide entire parchment and cookies onto wire rack to coolI like mine extra chewy, so I will sometimes just take them out when edges are slightly browned and let them cool on the cookie sheet as it cools.

[taragunner]

Janis!

Get your ass in the kitchen and start making me cookies! :getyou:

This week or early next week darlin'. Next week Dan will be out of town and I will need something to do with my hands. :indiff:

[Alie]

This week or early next week darlin'. Next week Dan will be out of town and I will need something to do with my hands. :indiff:


:rofl:

[Laura]

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cookbook/FeatureRecipeImages/ff0105-ej-pretzel-treats.jpg


http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefi...splay?id=41019 (http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefi...splay?id=41019)

These look great and simple! I may try them and do some PB cups instead of the kisses.

[Kerri G.]

Damn. I hope Tara is my SS. All I want are all those cookies! :drool:

[taragunner]

Here are some very different cookie recipes:

http://pittsburghpost-gazette.com/pg/06334/742275-34.stm

[Alie]

Here are some very different cookie recipes:

http://pittsburghpost-gazette.com/pg/06334/742275-34.stm

Some of those looks good.

Hungarian Nut Horns :doofi:

[taragunner]

I had a fleeting thought of trying the chai shortbreads and the thai coconut lime ones.. then I thought of all the work I still have to do. :rolleyes:

[megan]

I'd like to hear more about cookies. Thanks.

[taragunner]

They smell good baking.

The dough is tasty.

What else you wanna know?

[Lizz]

:laugh:

[megan]

I don't know, but I want 'em.

[Dar]

I made these tonight.. my "test" batch.

The hugs smooshed best. I think my milk chocolate ones were old. The cherry and caramel ones oozed filling, not surprising. The peanut butter filled held together better.

But they're still melted. I made them over an hour ago. I put them in the fridge.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p84cdb105ed6aef7de91b5bb78cf6651a/ebb78ac3.jpg

[Dar]

And FYI if interested... Target has the pretzels for $1.50 a bag an kisses are $2 a bag.

[taragunner]

I bought stuff to make those. They are so pretty! And salt/chocolate :swoon:

[Lisa]

I want some.

[taragunner]

Sorry, I already mailed yours. :(

[Amy]

So pretty, huh?

I learned that it's best to bake the hugs separately from the kisses.

[Lisa]

Sorry, I already mailed yours. :(

:dance:

[taragunner]

Thanks for the tip. I think I am going to do some of these tomorrow when I get home from work.

[Rebecca]

I made these tonight.. my "test" batch.

The hugs smooshed best. I think my milk chocolate ones were old. The cherry and caramel ones oozed filling, not surprising. The peanut butter filled held together better.

But they're still melted. I made them over an hour ago. I put them in the fridge.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p84cdb105ed6aef7de91b5bb78cf6651a/ebb78ac3.jpg

How funny! I was just coming to find this thread because I'm going to make these! I have the kids putting the kisses on the pretzels as we speak! :love:

[Dar]

:agree: The hugs, since they're not "real" chocolate melt much faster.

I hope these harden up.

[Rebecca]

Meh. The link won't work. What temp? For how long?

[Amy]

175 4-6 minutes. Milk chocolate melts slower that white so cook them separately.

[Rebecca]

:heart: Thanks!

[Lizz]

I printed this out today but mom and I didn't get around to them. I hope to do some this weekend. And more chex mix too.

[Dar]

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41019

Does that link work?

Mine have been in the fridge about half an hour and the hardened up just fine.

[Rebecca]

Yes! Thanks!

[Kate]

we made these last night too!

we did hugs only and ran out out of plain M&Ms and had to use peanut ones from the Halloween cady.

Just don't tell anyone that we are using 2 month old candy, kay? thanks

[Dar]

:laugh:

I have NO idea how old my kisses are. It's obscene that I have almost every flavor in my kitchen.

[Dar]

:laugh:

My co-workers are devouring them and wondering how I made them. :D

[Sheba]

Cookie making tips & tricks (http://www.melindalee.com/cookiedough.html)

Some good info on here! who knew?

<---subbing butter for shortening, even if they do make bigger cookies :D

[Rebecca]

^^^^^^only ever uses butter

[Amy]

^^^^^^only ever uses butter

:word: :doofi:

[Sheba]

I was hunting "substitute butter for shortening" when I found this page :D I haven't had shortening in the house in about 7 years :hide:

[Dar]

Shortening instead of butter? :sick: ALL butter ALL the time in our house. :D

[Mary Ann]

I think I'm going to bake Christmas cookies this year. I'm doing it on a small scale and will just make monster cookies and these cookies that I saw on Paula Deen's show this morning: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32569,00.html

[Sheba]

It's a Crisco thing I think. I've seen lots of cookie & baking recipes that called for shortening :nono:

[taragunner]

*bump*

[taragunner]

Can we sticky this for holidays?

[Dar]

:dance:

Seeing all the Halloween candy on sale makes me think, "what kind of cookies do I want to make this year?" :laugh:

[Amanda Lou]

I won't be eating these this year since I'm avoiding PB and dairy, but :eat:.



Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

8 squares semi sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 8 oz. tub cool whip

melt chocolate, stir in peanut butter, cool to room temperature, gently stir in cool whip.

Refrigerate 1 hour.scoop with teaspoon or melon baller, shape into balls.
Roll in assorted toppings. Powered sugar, coconut, sprinkles, finely chopped pecans, crushed chocolate cookies.

[Kate]

wow--- bumping this already?

Christmas is still 6 or 7 months away, right? :indiff:

[Angie]

:homerdrool:

*waits by the mailbox for some cookies*

[Mary Ann]

wow--- bumping this already?

Christmas is still 6 or 7 months away, right? :indiff:


Yes :indiff:

[ang]

I love holiday baking. Normally I have a Christmas bake off with all my cousins. I'm not sure if I'll do it this year since I most likely won't be able to have any sugar by then. I can't handle the temptation.

[taragunner]

Oh Lord, Amanda. :homerdrool:

I actually need to evaluate whether making Christmas cookies will be a good thing for me or not. With the bingeing behavior. I may avoid it this year. We'll see.

[Mary Ann]

I'm also on the fence about this. I don't handle temptation in the form of baked goods well at all. My waistline and I might be better off not doing it this year.

[taragunner]

Yeah, if I do any they will be given away immediately. And I don't think I'll be bringing any to Dan's.

[Kristy74]

Well, I am baking cookies this year. I am finally living somewhere with neighbors and cold, and Christmasy vibes...no way I'm missing out! OK, that said. I make these every year. I used to make them with my mom when I was a kid.

Cornflake Wreaths.

Just like rice krispies treats, just use corn flakes and put green food coloring in the marshmallow/butter goo as it's melting. Then drop little mounds of green gooey flakes on to wax paper and put two or three red hots in the center...viola. You can get fancy with the wreath-shaping if you want, but it's easier to just do the dropping. If you need the full RCT recipe, let me know.

Enjoy.

[Angie]

I have had those! Yummy. :D

[Kristy74]

It's funny, because if people haven't seen them before, they shy away from them then they notice someone eating one and going...'oh my god!! this is so good!' Then suddenly, the whole plate disappears. They are my absolute favorites. Can't have Christmas without 'em.

[Sheri Ruth]

Mm, I miss those! I don't think I have had those since 1982!! :laugh:

I have a whole list. I will post it from home. I am starting this week on my baking for Christmas. I host a Christmas "tea" (we use the term tea loosely. lol) every year for my girlfriends. That is on Dec 14th.

[Kristy74]

A Christmas tea sounds fun!

[Moke]

Balls.

[SmileyAmy]

mmm...these look good and are easy.

http://familyfun.go.com/Resources/Cookbook/FeatureRecipeImages/ff0105-ej-pretzel-treats.jpg


http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41019

Ohhh...I love this idea!!

[Kellee]

I'll take a look when I get home tonight. My mom sent me some recipes last year.

[Alie]

Cornflake Wreaths.

Just like rice krispies treats, just use corn flakes and put green food coloring in the marshmallow/butter goo as it's melting. Then drop little mounds of green gooey flakes on to wax paper and put two or three red hots in the center...viola. You can get fancy with the wreath-shaping if you want, but it's easier to just do the dropping. If you need the full RCT recipe, let me know.

Enjoy.

OMG I love those things :laugh: I haven't had them in years! I might have to make them as a surprise for the fam.

[Amanda Lou]

:bang: :bang: :cry:

I need a good recipe for the kind of cookies you cut out with cutters and then put icing/sprinkles/etc on top. Because the shit I just made :vomit: :cry:

[Mary Ann]

Maybe just a basic sugar cookie recipe?

http://www.recipezaar.com/My-Favorite-Roll-out-Sugar-Cookies-3049

[Amanda Lou]

That's basically what I made. The icing was the same. I guess I was looking for icing that had more 'body' to it.

[Amy]

:eat: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chocolate-cheesecake-candy-cane-bars-recipe2/index.html

http://img.foodnetwork.com/FOOD/2006/12/11/12Days_Chocolate_Cheesecake_lg.jpg

[Mary Ann]

Yes please :eat:

[Karen]

Today is the first day of the foodnetwork.com 12 Days of Cookies 2008 :boobies:

sign up for their email!

[Dar]

:bang: :bang: :cry:

I need a good recipe for the kind of cookies you cut out with cutters and then put icing/sprinkles/etc on top. Because the shit I just made :vomit: :cry:


Sheri's recipe she posted last year. :swoon: :eat: I'm planning to make again this year.

[Heather]

:homerdrool:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?recipeId=45637

[Jen]

For Janis

Frosted Sugar Cookies

1 Cup Butter (or margarine is fine too)
1 1/2 Cups sugar
3 Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 Cups flour
2 tsp baking powder (NOT SODA)
1/4 tsp salt


Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla well, until a very light yellowish/ivory color and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda and salt in divided amounts until well mixed. Dough should be slightly stiff. Add more flour if desired. Refridgerate dough for a minimum of 2-3 hours.

Scatter flour on a smooth surface and flour up your rolling pin. Roll out in sections..roll it relatively thick. Unfortunately I have done this all my life and just know how thick to do it, so I can't be more exact. Play with it a bit. The thinner you roll it, the thinner and crunchier the cookies will be. This dough actually makes a great softer cookie when rolled semi-thick. Cut out your cookies and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350-375 (depending on your oven and how hot it cooks..watch them closely) for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should be puffy and barely brown around the edges, definitely not brown all over. Remove, let cool a couple of minutes, then use a spatula to move them onto cooling racks.

Let me know if you want to know how I do my frosting :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/gentylwind/cookies2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/gentylwind/cookies_0001.jpg

I have never shared this recipe before, but its been in our family longer than I have :love:

The frosting is a no recipe kind of thing. I use:

Softened real butter
Milk
Powdered sugar
Vanilla


I pour a bunch of powdered sugar into a bowl. This is totally an eyeball thing. Toss in a chunk of very soft butter(not melted), Vanilla to taste and a bit of milk. Start stirring briskly (and be prepared to get very tired...this is a work out!). Continue to add sugar and milk in alteration until a stiff but spreadable consistency is achieved. Spread onto cookies and hand off to a family member/child to decorate as they see fit with holiday sprinkles. Set aside and allow to harden for a couple of hours, then package in large tupperware type containers with wax or parchment paper separating single layers. Do not package until the frosting has set or you will have an icky mess and destroyed cookie art.

[Dar]

I use that sugar cookie recipe with a buttercream recipe I found on recipezaar.com.

[Karen]

thanks Jen!
I was just thinking I needed Sheri's frosting recipe too.

[Angie]

:homerdrool:

I can't wait to eat/bake/receive :right: cookies.

As much as I enjoy making cookies, I really am an awful baker. :laugh:

[Sheri Ruth]

I use that sugar cookie recipe with a buttercream recipe I found on recipezaar.com.


Your recipe is the same as what I do...I just eyeball it instead of measuring :laugh:

I love using Mexican vanilla for it...nice strong vanilla flavor.

[Dar]

/needs a recipe :laugh:

[Karen]

Does the buttercream recipe harden Dar? I have awful luck with making icing, which may be why I rarely make cookie cutter cookies.

[Karen]

I have a batch o sugar cookie dough in my refrigerator that we made last night that still needs to be rolled/cut/baked/iced.

[Sheri Ruth]

Mine hardens, but it takes a couple of hours...also have to be sure to make it stiff enough.

[Dar]

Does the buttercream recipe harden Dar? I have awful luck with making icing, which may be why I rarely make cookie cutter cookies.

No, it doesn't. Unless you refrigerate it, but then it softens as it warms.

For something that hardens, you'd want a glaze. But I love buttercream. :D When I make sugar cookies, I'll frost what I want to eat, then save the rest to frost later.

[Dar]

The outside of the frosting will harden as it dries out, yes... but I put too much frosting on. :laugh:

[Dar]

For some reason I could not get that cookie recipe to work this year. It was way too sticky after I let it sit in the fridge, but it seemed fine when I made it.

I almost scrapped it all before I realized I could just make bar cookies. :laugh:

[Ms. Kim]

*wants cookies in the the mail*

:right:

[Sheri Ruth]

For some reason I could not get that cookie recipe to work this year. It was way too sticky after I let it sit in the fridge, but it seemed fine when I made it.

I almost scrapped it all before I realized I could just make bar cookies. :laugh:

Just for future reference, I have noticed the recipe can be sticky, particularly if its humid....I just add some more flour and its ready to roll.