Well, it's that time of year again!!! How about a Cyber Cookie Exchange? Pick your ONE FAVORITE cookie recipe and post it. ONLY ONE PER PERSON, lol!!! (Now, Amy, you CAN do this! If you can't figure out just one, close your eyes and pick one, lol!!!) I will start with the newest addition to our Christmas Cookie Plate, one that Faythe is making even as I type. It's REALLY good!!! Andes Candies Cookies 3/4 cup butter 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1-12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 2 cups) 2 eggs 2 tbs. water 2 1/2 cup flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 pkg. Andes Mint Candies In large pan, cook over low heat butter, sugar and water until melted, then add chocolate chips. Stir until almost all melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until all melted. Pour into large mixing bowl and let stand 10 minutes. With mixer at high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time. On lowest speed, add dry ingredients. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Line cookie sheet with foil. Roll dough into balls and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350° 12 to 13 minutes. Place 1/2 Andes mint in center of each cookie. Put back into oven for a few seconds to melt; I swirl them a little with a spoon when they come out.
This is not new and so easy I feel like I am cheating, but my kids love these. Buy a tube of chocolate cookie dough. Spray mini muffin pan with Pam and fill each muffin hole about half full of the cookie dough. Bake at temp. listed on package of dough and while they bake unwrap Reece's Peanut Butter Cups. (The small ones. We haven't tried using the minis, but they would work too.) When the dough starts to look lightly browned, remove the pan from the oven and push a peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Remove from the pans and let cool on wire rack. I usually let mine cool a few minutes before I remove them by lifting them out with a thin knife blade. Don't let them cool too long or they tend to stick.
Jackie- what a cool idea! Although I thought picking only ONE was going to be difficult, it's not. Here's my favorite cookie. Sugar and Spice Cookies In a large bowl mix together: 3/4 cup margarine or butter 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup molasses In another bowl sift together and then add to the wet mixture: 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp ground ginger 3/4 tsp ground cloves Chill dough. Roll into small balls, roll in granulated sugar. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes. MT3
Well, I can't find my favorite cookie recipe, so I'm breaking the rules and posting a bar recipe instead. lol. This is my second favorite holiday treat. Cake Squares 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup butter, not margarine 4 eggs - large 2 cups flour 1 tsp lemon juice or almond extract 1 can fruit filling, cherry, peach, fresh berries - not too juicy Gradually add sugar to butter; cream at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, add eggs one at a time. Add flour and lemon juice. Pour into well greased 15" X 10" x 1" pan. Mark off 20 squares. Place filling in the center of each square. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Sift powdered sugar on top while warm and then another dusting after they cool. Cut into squares based on where you originally scored the batter.
Really my favorite christmas cookie is one I don't have to bake!....... Honestly I love sugar cookie cutouts with frosting but I hate to make them.
Pfefferneuse cookies Makes about 60 1-2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon lemon peel; grated 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/3 cup butter; softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup walnuts; finely chopped 1 teaspoon anise seed Some Confectioner's sugar in a shallow bowl (for rolling warm cookies) 1.) In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, spices & pepper. 2.) In big bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture alternately with milk, and beat it well after each addition. Stir in chopped walnuts and anise seeds with a wooden spoon. 3.) Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2″ apart, on lightly greased baking sheets. 4.) Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes. 5.) Cool slightly on wire racks (until just handleable). 6.) Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm; cool completely.
PS: this is a borrowed recipe , my recipe I can't find uses anise extract. and I never have white pepper.
I have so many favorites ~ like caramel corn, bon bons, snickerdoodles, pretzels with rolos, etc.... but this one is a definate favorite when it comes to sugar cookies. It was my husbands grandmothers recipe. Sugar Cookies 1 cup butter 1 cup powdered sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 1/2 c. flour 1 tsp. salt Mix together and roll out on floured counter. Bake at 350 for ten minutes. (I don't think I bake them that long on my baking stone) They come out so soft and delicious.
I have so many favorites! This is going to be hard!!!! Okay, lets try....hmmmm..... Ultimate Snickerdoodles Batter: 2 sticks Butter, softened 1 1/2 Cup Sugar 2 Eggs 2 3/4 Flour 2 tsp Cream of Tartar 1 tsp Baking Soda 1/4 tsp Salt 1 Tbs Cinnamon Sugar mixture: 2 Tbs Cinnamon 1/4 Cup Sugar In a large mixing bowl cream butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and 1 Tbs cinnamon. Mix well. Add slowly to creamed butter mixture. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Roll dough into about 1" balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on a cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove to cooling rack and cool about 10 minutes. The cookies will puff at first, and then flatten during baking.
Here is an easy gingerbread recipe I got a few years ago. We had never made gingerbread before, because I normally do not like them, lol. This has a milder flavor, but the texture is great. GINGERBREAD PEOPLE INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Butterscotch Instant Pudding 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 Tbsp. ground ginger 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon DIRECTIONS: BEAT butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. HEAT oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness; cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter, rerolling trimmings. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Use straw to make hole near top of each cutout. BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 3 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate as desired. Insert ribbon through holes to hang cookies on tree.
My husband always loves to make Gingerbread People! (Personally, I prefer gnger snaps, but he has SO much fun making his people!!!)
You said they are soft do you mean chewy? I am looking for a good chewy not crisp sugar cookie. Do you refridgerate the dough at all? One hint dh got from watch in Alton Brown is instead of flour use confectionary sugar to roll out your sugar cookies. I have not tried this yet but I think I might this year.
The only Christmas baking I did this year was for a bake sale 6 dozen ginger snaps. That's it! You're giving me some ideas for next year though... or someday when I feel the need to do Christmas baking!
Since Christmas is the only time I really bake cookies, I'm thinking of setting aside the first Monday of the month to be my "cookie baking day". My mom (who passed away last January) has a cookie jar collection; I'm sure Dad would be willing to let me pick out one to bring home for this project!