My Christmas Cookies

I don’t bake every year at Christmas but I consider these recipes to be my Christmas Cookie Collection. If you want to make a bunch of cookies for gifts or special occasions these recipes include a nice variety. Some come from family and some I just wanted to try. Samantha tells me I should try to make cookie making into a business (I think that’s a compliment). But I want to make cookies when I want to. And this year I want to, so I’m pulling out my recipes and stocking up my supplies.

Almond Sweets

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Almond Icing
Colored Sugar

Preheat oven to 350· Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can. Stir in any remaining flour mixture with a wooden spoon.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. When cookies are cool, spread with Almond Icing. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Makes about 60 cookies.

Almond Icing: In a medium mixing bowl stir together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon almond extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk to make an icing of spreading consistency.

Chocolate Star Gingerstaps

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup shortening
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup sugar
48 chocolate star candies

Heat oven to 375·. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, shortening and molasses; beat at medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; beat until well mixed. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until tops are cracked and edges are set. Immediately press 1 candy in center of each cookie. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool about 3 hours or until candy is set before storing. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Pecan Balls

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350·. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt; beat until combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in pecans.

Shape slightly rounded teaspoons of dough into balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in oven about 12 minutes or until bottoms just begin to brown. Transfer to wire racks; cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 72 cookies.

Snickerdoodles

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, the baking soda and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375·. In a small mixing bowl combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

Ultimate Sugar Cookies

1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup (1 stick) butter flavor Crisco shortening
2 eggs
¼ cup light corn syrup or regular pancake syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour (plus 4 tablespoons divided)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375·. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.

Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric until well blended. Add eggs, syrup, and vanilla. Beat until well blended and fluffy.

Combine 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix until well blended. Divide dough into 4 quarters. Tip – If dough is too sticky or too soft to roll: Wrap each quarter of dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Spread 1 tablespoon of flour on large sheet of waxed paper. Place 1 quarter of dough on floured paper. Flatten slightly with hands. Turn dough over and cover with another sheet of waxed paper. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out with floured cutter. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet with a large pancake turner. Place 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with granulated sugar or colored sugar crystals, or leave plain to frost when cooled.

Bake on baking sheet at a time for 5 to 9 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely, then frost if desired. Makes about 36-48 cookies.

Peppermint Meltaways

Cookie
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cornstarch

Glaze
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
2 to 3 drops red food coloring
hard peppermint candy or candy canes, crushed

Combine ½ cup sugar, 1 cup butter and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Reduce speed to low. Add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Cover, refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Heat oven to 350·. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Combine 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Stir in food color. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1 stick (1/4 lb) butter or oleo
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats

Combine sugar, oleo, cocoa and milk in saucepan and bring to full rolling boil. Cook at boiling for one minute; then remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and peanut butter, then stir in oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto foil or waxed paper and allow to cool. Add coconut or nuts at the same time as the peanut butter if desired.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup (1/2 stick) butter flavor Crisco shortening
1 ¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda

Heat oven to 375·. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.

Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with the tines of a fork.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely. Makes about 36 cookies.

Story ID:	1306
Written by:	Shannon Marie Hyle (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Recipe
Location:	Belle Plaine Kansas USA
Year:	2006
Person:	cookies