Tag Archives: Christmas cookies

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Peppermint & Vanilla Butter Cookies

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DAY 8: This was a new cookie recipe for me this year. I found it at the Fun and Food Blog. They looked so cute, that I couldn’t resist trying them. Unfortunately, they turned out to be absolutely awful! No one in our house liked them. And when a teenage boy won’t finish a cookie, you know it’s bad. Little J’s comment was, “These taste like Moon Sand.” Having never eaten Moon Sand, I’ll have to take her word for it. But they had a crumbly, pasty texture that instantly sucked all of the moisture out of your mouth.

There is the definite possibility that I did something wrong making these, or that the recipe was printed wrong (1/3 cup powdered sugar seems a little low). But it wasn’t just the sweetness. Try them yourself, if you dare. Let me know how they turn out for you. I was so disappointed because they turned out super cute! They did, however, prompt a great discussion at the dinner table tonight about how these would be a great cookie to trick people with, since they look so good, but taste so awful.

Peppermint and Vanilla Butter Cookies
………………………….(Recipe from Mansi at Fun and Food Blog)

1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract *
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp red food color

Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in the flour.

Divide the dough in half. Stir peppermint extract and food color into one half of dough, while keeping the other part as it is.
Divide each color of dough in half again (making 2 white and 2 pink parts).

Roll each section of dough on a generously floured surface into a thick cylindrical rope, about 12 inches long. Place 2 ropes, 1 red and 1 white, side by side. Twist them together with your hands so they get entwined. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough.

Make small balls from each double-colored dough, then shape each into a flat cookie shape.

Place cookies about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.

*NOTE: The only change I made to the original recipe was to use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence.

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies
DAY 3: Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
DAY 4: Cherry Nut Mudslides
DAY 5: Snickerdoodles
DAY 6: Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies
DAY 7: Peanut Butter Kisses

 

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Peanut Butter Kisses

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DAY 7: These are pretty standard “Christmas Cookie Plate” fare. You can dress them up by using different flavors of Hershey’s Kisses, or different shapes of chocolate-I love the Dove heart shaped chocolates (but they are usually only available around Valentines Day). These are made with Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses. I know that a lot of people roll these in sugar before baking, but I prefer the less-messy-sugarless option.

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Peanut Butter Kisses

  • Servings: about 3 dozen
  • Print

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½ cup butter
½ cup coconut oil or additional butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses (or Dove Hearts or other “shaped” chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter, coconut oil (if using), peanut butter, and sugars. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Add dry ingredients. Roll dough into  balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Immediately press 1 Kiss (or Dove heart) into each cookie; cool.

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies
DAY 3: Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
DAY 4: Cherry Nut Mudslides
DAY 5: Snickerdoodles
DAY 6: Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

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DAY 6: These are my very favorite cookies EVER! They are light, flavorful and contain two of my all-time favorite flavors: raspberry and almond. DSC04763-3This is the same cookie dough that I use for sugar cookies.
I just roll the dough out a little thinner for the linzer cookies.

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To keep the dough from sticking to your cookie cutter, dip it in flour before each cut (tap on counter to remove any excess flour). A toothpick is a good way to get out the center piece of dough.

Save those tiny centers. They make great little sugar cookies!

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Warm the jam in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir until smooth. Frost a bottom cookie with the almond frosting and top with a small dollop of seedless raspberry jam.

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Place a cut-out cookie on top and press down slightly.

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RECIPE:

Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

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Cookie Dough:
3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
About 7 – 7 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Filling:
1 cup butter
1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar
2 Tbs. cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ – 1 tsp almond extract

Raspberry jam (seedless)

For cookies: Beat sugar, butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Add soda, salt, and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Chill for 20 minutes to 1 hour for easier handling. Roll dough fairly thin, about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut cookies with a linzer cookie cutter or use small round cookie cutter and smaller designed cookie cutter to make tops and bottoms.  Bake at 375°F for 5-6 minutes; do not brown. Cool on rack.

Beat filling ingredients until smooth.

Frost bottom cookie with small amount of filling. Top with about ½ tsp raspberry jam in the middle of the cookie (heat jam in a small bowl in the microwave to make it easier to spread). Place top cookie (with cut-out design) on jam.

NOTE: This is the same cookie dough that I use for sugar cookies. I just roll the dough out a little thinner for the linzer cookies.

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies
DAY 3: Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
DAY 4: Cherry Nut Mudslides
DAY 5: Snickerdoodles

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Snickerdoodles

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DAY 5: Snickerdoodles are one of Little A’s favorite cookies: I’m sure it has something to do with the not-liking-chocolate thing. And who doesn’t love a cookie with a name like Snickerdoodle. Rolling dough balls around in cinnamon and sugar also adds to the fascination. I used to make these with half butter/half shortening, but have switched to all-butter. (No more trans fats and hydrogenated oils around here.) And they still have plenty of rise and stay nice and soft!

RECIPE:

Snickerdoodles

  • Servings: about 4 dozen
  • Print

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1 cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar
2 Tbs cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt and mix well.

Mix ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1” balls. Roll balls in cinnamon mixture and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies
DAY 3: Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
DAY 4: Cherry Nut Mudslides

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Cherry Nut Mudslides

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DAY 4: These cookies are for more of a grown up taste palate. They are not my kids’ favorite cookies, but Brian and I sure love them. They are full of dark chocolate, nuts and dried cherries. I think I’ll keep telling the kids that they don’t like this kind of cookie!DSC04591-2

Cherry Nut Mudslides

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3 cups (1.5 lb) bittersweet chocolate (use chips or coarsely chop)
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 ¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼ cups sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
½ cup salted pistachios
½ cup chopped dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a double boiler, melt 2 cups bittersweet chocolate with unsweetened chocolate. Cool.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. With a mixer, beat butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and then melted chocolate. At low speed, beat in dry ingredients. Fold in nuts, cherries, and remaining 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips.

Roll into balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until the tops are lightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet; remove to wire rack to cool.

Makes 4-5 dozen

Adapted from Food & Wine magazine

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies
DAY 3: Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Food Blogga Cookie Logo For more wonderful Christmas cookie ideas, visit Food Blogga’s Eat Christmas Cookies Event. For submitting your own cookies to the event, visit Food Blogga.

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Chip Cookies

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DAY 3: Except I didn’t actually use chocolate chips. I used red and green Holiday Swirl chips in one batch and red and green dark chocolate M&M’s in a second batch. During non-holiday times, I would use chocolate chips (or my favorite Ghirardelli bittersweet chips).

I spent a long time trying to find the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie recipe. I know that will be different for everyone, depending on what you expect in sweetness, texture, chocolate density. This is my compilation of the best parts of several different recipes. Including an oatmeal cookie. The main differences between this and most chocolate chip cookie recipes: melted butter, and ground oats. The melted butter starts to melt the sugars (but not completely) giving the cookies a wonderful smooth texture. The ground oats help to give lift and keep the cookies soft. I am definitely NOT a crunchy cookie fan.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies (Adapted for the holidays)

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1 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups uncooked regular oats (or 2 cups oat flour)
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (or holiday chips, M&M’s)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

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Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat butter and sugars with a mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture and beat well.

Process oats in a food processor until finely ground. Add to butter mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets. Then, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECAP:
DAY 1:
Swedish Peppar KaKar
DAY 2: Mint Oreo Cookies

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