Holiday Cookies 2017! (746 views)

Gobluem82...those mug huggers are so cute...but I think a little more work than I want to put into something...

My MIL used to make cut out cookies from a butter cookie recipe that came from her mom, we all loved them.  She was recently talking about how her mom would make them for her and put 1/2 pecan on top and they were so good.  So I thought I will make some and send them off to her...along with some molasses crinkles. Other than that I probably won't make any cookies...I don't have much company and I would probably eat the majority of them and sugar has not been agreeing with me much lately...

Butter Cookies...

2 sticks butter

1 ¼ cup sugar

3 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder



Mix all ingredients until well blended. Chill. Roll out and cut out shapes, bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.


The recipe is short and to the point....and pretty easy yet tasty...

Molasses Crinkles
(this came from an old falling apart cook book I bought back in the early 70s and have used the book frequently over the years)


¼ cup shortening (I didn’t have so I used ¼ cup butter in addition to the ½ cup - I think this made them a little bit crispier, usually they are quite chewey

½ cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

2 ¼ cup sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp salt

sugar



Cream together shortening, butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses; blend well

Sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; mix well. Chill dough in refrigerator 1 hour.



Shape dough into balls the size of a large walnut. Dip tops in sugar. Place balls sugared side up about 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets; cool on racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I'm not much of a cookie maker, but this year I hope to make Lidia's Pine Nut Cookies. These were a family favorite when I was growing up and I recently had some when we visited Boston's North End. Oh the memories they bring back.
www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a2118/pine-nut-cookies-recipe/

What kind of jams do you make that are unique?  

Today it was a Blueberry Ale Jam from the newest Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. I am not a fan of beer but wowzers, this jam is spectacular! I also made a Pineapple-Mango Jam that someone shared with me on FB. I think it's going to have a softer set because of the pineapple, but it is also delicious and not something I've ever made before.

I'm considering making a Carrot Cake Jam yet today. We're getting a ton of snow and not going anywhere- the perfect time to have the canner running all day! In addition to the two jams above, I also put in a batch of plain old Red Raspberry made from raspberries I grew myself this year.

I haven't started baking yet (I usually bake and freeze) but what I am hoping to do this year are some tried and true from this list:

Peanut Butter Blossoms
Andes Mint Cookies
Cocoa Spice Crackles
Snickers Surprise
Lebkuchen Spice Spritz
Cream Cheese Spritz
Russian Teacakes
Italian Rainbow cookies
Ricotta Cookies
Cherry Chocolate kisses

I've also been eyeing a few new ones:
Chocolate-Peppermint Waffle Cookies
Berry Shortbread Dreams


It all depends on the input from the people in my house  The Snickers Surprise are usually non negotiable for all.

I was eyeing those Chocolate-Peppermint Waffle Cookies, but there is absolutely no leavening in the recipe. No baking soda, no baking powder, no cream of tartar, etc. Makes me wonder about the texture.

So far I've made:

www.marthastewart.com/319254/white-chocolate-gingerbread-blondies
www.davidlebovitz.com/butterscotch-caramel-blondies-recipe-claire-ptak-violet-bakery/

And this weekend/ next week I'm making:

1. fleur de sel caramels (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...)
2. caramel corn (http://www.onceuponachef.com/2015/10/...)
3. granola nuts (https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/11/gr... - 2 T of Grade B syrup in place of the water, but still use brown sugar)
4. grammy’s spice cookies
cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014421-grammys-spice-cookies
5. cranberry bliss bar
www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2008/12/cranberry-bliss-bars.html
6. bittersweet chocolate bark with pretzels and toffee www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2008/11/jordanas-veggie-birthday-wish.html
7. sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/12/01/holiday-cut-out-sugar-cookies-with-easy-icing/
8. Strawberry meringues (SK recipe from new book)

I love the World Peace cookies!

Yes, those tiny heath bar pieces. I'm making it today. Will update!

I haven't made cookies, does 50 loaves of cinnamon bread count?  I started a personal tradition about 20 years ago (when I worked in an office with 6 people) of making a loaf of cinnamon bread for my co-workers at Christmas.  I think the year with the most was when I did about 125+ loaves for co-workers, spouse's co-workers and all of the neighbors...I enjoy it and it sure makes a weekend go by quickly!!   Still have to do neighbors bread but I can carry to them over the weekend...

WOW that's impressive!  I would be interested to hear how you're able to pull this off over the course of a weekend.  How much bread dough do you make at a time, and how many pans do you have?  You sure have a lucky bunch of friends!

Wish I was on your gift-giving list, Pam! That's a good idea for some Christmas. I've always wanted to make a cinnamon bread--care to share your recipe?

Well, I am getting into the Christmas dessert spirit with Cannoli Pound Cake (really good) and Chocolate Ganache Tart with Sea Salt and Espresso Beans (new recipe), but I still don't know if cookies are on the list. I am thinking they might be for my dad's family's Christmas which we are celebrating on Jan 6. Room to breathe after the Christmas craziness and still time for fun and festiveness.

I looked back through my recipes and this was the cappuccino chip cookie I was thinking of, but thanks for the mandelbrot, lantana. I think they are perfect for a friend of mine.

Gwen's Very Special Mocha Cookies

2 1/4 c King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour -- (10 1/4 ounces)
1/3 cup Double Dutch Dark Cocoa OR natural cocoa -- (1 3/8 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 cup butter -- (2 sticks, 8 ounces)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup cappuccino chips

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugars, espresso powder, butter, eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating till well-combined. Stir in the chips. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake the cookies in a preheated 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they're just barely set. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: about 4 dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies.

Val's notes: I got about 32 cookies. Excellent! great fudgy and coffee flavor with a hint of cinnamon. crisp outside and chewy inside. definitely worth buying the KA chips for.

Those mocha cookies and the cannoli pound cake sound wonderful!  Just wanted to report back that I did end up making the gingerbread house mug huggers.  I have a much better appreciation now of why Williams-Sonoma charges $10 each for these babies   I don't know how to post a picture without some type of photo account, but they did turn out cute.  If I do make them again, I've definitely learned through trial and (much!) error how to make them quicker and better.

I haven't made a single cookie -- so unlike me.  I will have to make my family's Dutch Santa Claus Cookies today and a batch of wassail.  That's required.  I made a half recipe of brownies before the boys came home and they haven't touched them.  I had images of care packages sent to college, shared with friends and roommates -- being devoured unless a few were hidden for later.  Imagine my surprise when I visit a month later and find the cookies still sitting there.  I think the oldest started hiding the cookies -- all of them, and then forgetting they were there in undergrad.  In grad school he doesn't have a roommate, but he has a GF who bakes cookies for him. Younger one -- not sure what his excuse is.

Goblue -- I have cutters for the mug huggers, but I have not made them.  I need to do that.  I think I have a pair that are more Christmas themed and another pair that are not.  I bought them a couple years ago, then put the cutters away in a spot where they got forgotten.  Need to pull them out.  

Emptynest -- I was going to say you could drop off a loaf of cinnamon bread here while you are in Texas.  Since you shared the recipe, I should try making a loaf myself.  That's a great gift and I bet your house smells wonderful well into the new year after all that baking.  I am assuming that is one medium size loaf.  We are going to a movie today -- perhaps I can start a loaf when we get back and have it tomorrow.  

Mrswaz -- I will have to check out the blueberry ale jam.  I don't remember noticing that one.  I think I did a pineapple mango the year I did several mango things.  I have also done an apricot pineapple that is good.  Did you try the carrot cake jam.  I have seen that and thought it sounded interesting. Do you have the Mes Confitures book that Kayaksoup recommended?  I bought it way back then and have made some great things from that one and adapted a couple to create new recipes.  If you like unusual things, that books is worth checking out.  The pumpkin marmalade is wonderful (pumpkin, apricot and oranges IIRC).