Category Archives: Cookies

December 5, 2014 · 5:50 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

DAY 5: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nothing fancy. just old-fashioned cookie goodness. These are traditional chewy oatmeal cookies. Add raisins or chocolate chips as you like.

RECIPE:

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: 5-6 dozen
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1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs milk or cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cups rolled oats
1 ½ – 2 cups chocolate chips or raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add milk, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix. Mix in oats, chocolate chips (or raisins) and walnuts.

Drop by tablespoonsful onto baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until barely brown around edges. Cookies will still look slightly undercooked in the middle. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies

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December 4, 2014 · 6:16 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies

DAY 4: Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies

We have finally found an m&m that our chocolate-adverse Little A will eat:

Although I think there must be something wrong with me as a parent that I am looking for candy that my child will eat.

He isn’t happy, however, when I put them in a chocolate cookie. So does this make me a better parent for making sugar-laden treats that he has no desire to eat? Or an even worse mother for tempting him with something he likes, and then pulling the rug out from under him by enveloping it in the one thing he hates?

RECIPE:

Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies

Servings: 4-5 dozen
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2 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ bags (9.9 oz each) M&M’s White Chocolate Peppermint candies, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla extract until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until dough is smooth. Gently mix in one bag of M&M’s. Drop by scant tablespoons onto baking sheets. Press 2 or 3 M&M’s into the top of each cookie.

Bake at 350°F for 10-11 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don’t over bake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes about 4-5 dozen cookies

**You can also use chocolate mint M&M’s or regular chocolate M&M’s

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December 3, 2014 · 5:55 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies

DAY 3: Lofthouse Style Frosted Christmas Cookies

Lofthouse Cookies: those pillowy-soft cookies in the grocery store with a frosting that hardens just enough to be able to stack them. The homemade version are even better. And much easier to make than rolled and frosted sugar cookies.

To frost them, simply hold them in your hand and dip them upside down into a bowl of icing. Shake on some candied sprinkles, let them set for an hour and you are ready to go. You can use different flavored extracts (vanilla, almond, orange, peppermint, etc) for different flavored frostings.

RECIPE:

Lofthouse Style Frosted Christmas Cookies

Servings: 3-4 dozen
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Cookies:
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix into butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

With hands, roll dough into 1” balls (for small cookies, slightly larger for larger cookies). Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten dough balls with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 7-9 minutes for small cookies.

Glaze Frosting:
6 Tbs butter
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla (or ½ tsp almond, ½ tsp orange or ¼ tsp peppermint) extract
1 lb (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
3-4 drops gel food coloring
Candy Sprinkles

Place butter and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 60-90 seconds, until butter melts. Stir in extract (if you want to use white icing, use a clear vanilla or other flavored extract). Use a whisk to mix in powdered sugar. Mix in food coloring.

Dip tops of cooled cookies in warm glaze and place on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle immediately with candy sprinkles (the glaze starts to set fast: dip one cookie, then add sprinkles, then dip another cookie, etc). If glaze gets too thick, heat in microwave for 15-20 seconds. Allow glaze to set on cookies for about 1 hour before storing cookies.

To freeze: Freeze cookies in single layer and then place in container and store in freezer. Thaw cookies in a single layer.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

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December 2, 2014 · 6:10 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Rocky Road Cookies

DAY 2: Rocky Road Cookies

A soft chocolate cookie, baked and then topped with mini-marshmallows and toasted almonds; all held together by a chocolate ganache glaze. A rockier road never tasted so delicious!

This recipe comes from Glorious Treats, with a few alterations.

RECIPE:

Rocky Road Cookies

Servings: 3-4 dozen
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Cookie Dough
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (about 2 cups chips)
1 ½ cups flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
2 cups mini marshmallows (about half of a 10 oz bag)

Glaze
1 1/2 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbs corn syrup
2 Tbs heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coarsely chop the almonds, then spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until well combined. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend until just combined. Add the flour mixture slowly and blend until just combined. Refrigerate dough for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat liner. Roll about 2 Tbs of dough in your hands to create balls. Arrange about 2 inches apart on baking sheets, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake cookies about 10 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven and immediately top each cookie with 5-6 mini marshmallows. Return the cookies to the oven and bake another 2 minutes. Cool cookies on pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer cookies to cooling rack.

Prepare cookie glaze by placing chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat corn syrup and cream in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, until hot. Pour over chocolate chips in bowl and stir until melted.

Place wire cooling rack (with cookies on it) over a sheet of aluminum foil or waxed paper (to catch any excess glaze). Use a spoon to drizzle a small amount of chocolate glaze over the marshmallows, then place a few chopped almonds on top. Then drizzle a second layer of icing over the nuts.

Allow glaze to set before serving. Refrigerate cookies for 15 minutes to set glaze faster.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

(Adapted from Glorious Treats)

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December 1, 2014 · 8:06 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Pinwheel Cookies

DAY 1: Welcome to the 6th Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies! First up is a fun Christmas Pinwheel Cookie.

This is a fun way to use a simple sugar cookie dough to make multi-colored swirled cookies. Roll dough rectangles together to form a log and then slice and bake. This dough is great for making ahead and freezing, then baking later.

The recipe comes from Just a Taste, who made them in red, white and blue for the 4th of July.

For more Christmas cookie ideas, visit our past cookie events:
First Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies
Second Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies
Third Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies
Fourth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies
Fifth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies

RECIPE:

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

Servings: 4 dozen
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3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (or use additional vanilla extract)
Red food coloring
Green food coloring
Christmas sprinkles

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.

Remove the dough and separate it into three equal pieces (use a kitchen scale to weigh dough, if possible). Leave one section white. Beat (or knead with hands) red food coloring into one section and green food coloring into the third section. Wrap each section in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide each color in half (you will be forming 2 dough logs). Place one of the sections of dough on a piece of waxed paper. Pat into a rough rectangle. Place a piece of plastic wrap over dough and use your fingers or a rolling pin to form a rectangle about 9” x 6” and about 1/8” thick. Repeat with remaining dough sections.

Stack the dough into two rectangles (remove plastic wrap and waxed paper): red, then white, then green. Use a rolling pin to lightly press the dough rectangles together. Starting at the longer edge of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight log. Place the Christmas sprinkles on a large platter or rimmed baking sheet and roll the dough logs in the sprinkles, lightly pressing them into the sides of the dough.

Wrap the 2 dough logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before baking.

To bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Remove dough from refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to slice logs into 1/4” rounds. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

NOTE: Dough logs can also be frozen. Thaw in fridge overnight before cutting and baking.

(Adapted from Just a Taste)

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December 13, 2013 · 5:44 am

Fifth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies Round-up

Twelve more cookie and treats to help you celebrate this Christmas season.

As you whisk and sift and bake this year, be sure to look up from your bowls of flour and melted chocolate to appreciate the joy and wonder of the Christmas season. As we share and give our love to those around us (whether that is through cookies, gifts or service), may we also remember the gift of love given to each of us on that very first Christmas.

DAY 1: Scottish Shortbread

DAY 2: Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

DAY 3: Raspberry Swirl Blondies

DAY 4: Oreo Truffles

DAY 5: Ninja-bread Men Cookies

DAY 6: Hot Cocoa Mix

DAY 7: Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows

DAY 8: Nutella Marbled Cheesecake Bars

DAY 9: Glazed Cranberry Orange Cookies

DAY 10: Rocky Road Cookies

DAY 11: Christmas Fortune Cookies

DAY 12: Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

For forty-eight more cookie and candy ideas, there are links below for the four previous years’ Christmas Cookies:

First Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2009)

Second Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2010)

Third Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2011)

Fourth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2012)

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My best wishes to each of you for a faith filled Christmas season. May God be with you and your family.

Click the photo above or HERE for videos, music, cards and messages reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas, the gift of the Savior of the world, and how we can incorporate that meaning into our lives every day.