Tag Archives: christmas

December 12, 2012 · 2:24 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: White Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Cookies

DAY 12: White Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Cookies

A Christmas cookie with a sophisticated taste. Dried cherries, chopped pistachios and drizzled with melted white chocolate. Save these for the grown-up table.

RECIPE:

White Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Cookies

Servings: Makes 4 dozen cookies
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1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt (increase to 1 tsp if pistachios are unsalted)
¾ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
¾ cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips + 1 tsp shortening for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to mixing bowl and beat just until combined. Mix in cherries (snip cherries in half with scissors if they are large), pistachios and ½ cup white chocolate chips.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Place remaining 1 cup white chocolate chips and shortening in a Ziploc bag. Microwave for about 45 seconds. Knead bag with hands to melt chips. Use a toothpick to poke a hole in one corner of the bag. Drizzle white chocolate over cooled cookies.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

(Recipe adapted from Haute Apple Pie)

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

DAY 11: Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

These are one of my very favorite cookies. Orange flavored not-too-sweet shortbread cookies dipped in dark chocolate.

The dough is shaped into a log, refrigerated until firm and then sliced into rounds to bake. And dipping only half the cookie keeps the fingers much cleaner than trying to dip the whole cookie!

RECIPE:

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

Servings: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
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1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure orange extract
1 tsp fresh orange zest
2 1/3 cups flour
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp coconut oil or shortening

Use a mixer to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and orange extracts and orange zest. Gradually blend in flour.

Roll the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap dough log in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice dough with a sharp knife into 1/4″ slices, reshaping dough into circles, as necessary. Place cookies onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove immediately to wire rack to cool.

While cookies cool, heat chocolate and coconut oil (or shortening) in a double boiler. Dip half of each cooled cookie in the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool.

(Recipe adapted from Smells Like Home)

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December 10, 2012 · 7:02 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Oatmeal Apple Cookies

DAY 10: Oatmeal Apple Cookies

This spiced oatmeal cookie dough has finely chopped apples added. And delicious apple-pie spices. The apples keep the cookies soft and moist. They are almost like a cross between an oatmeal cookie and an apple cinnamon muffin. I like to store extra cookies in the freezer, as the tops become slightly sticky when left at room temperature, similar to the texture of muffins when stored at room temperature.

Raw apples in the dough can cause a few difficulties when baking. The longer the dough sits, the more the apples leach moisture into the rest of the dough. If you bake the dough immediately after mixing, you may need to flatten the dough slightly before baking. But if you bake the cookies one baking sheet at a time, by the time you get to the last batch, the dough is very soft and the cookies will spread much more while baking. The best advice I can give is to scoop the dough onto multiple cookie sheets and bake several pans at a time. This is when I really wish I had double-ovens. If your dough does become too soft, just stir in an extra tablespoon of flour or two, and they should bake fine.

RECIPE:

Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Servings: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
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1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ¼ cups finely chopped fresh apples, peeled (about 2 small)
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with silicon mats or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to mixer bowl and beat until mixed; mix in oats. Add apples and pecans and mix until combined. Dough should be baked immediately. Do not store dough in refrigerator to bake later; the moisture from the apples will affect the texture of the dough.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies begin to brown at the edges. Cool for about 5-6 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Almond Joy Cookies

DAY 6: Almond Joy Cookies

I have always been a sucker for anything coconut. Add almonds and I am hooked for sure. When I saw these on Heather Christo Cooks, I knew that I had to make them as soon as possible. They are really amazing eaten warm.

RECIPE:

Almond Joy Cookies

Servings: Makes 4 dozen cookies
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1 cup salted butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

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

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and almonds; dough will be thick.

Scoop onto baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Don’t overcook.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

(Recipe adapted from Heather Christo Cooks)

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December 5, 2012 · 5:23 am

Twelve Days of Christmas: Snickerdoodle Bars

DAY 5: Snickerdoodle Bars

A delicious cinnamon layered bar with the tang of snickerdoodles in an easy to prepare bar cookie.

RECIPE:

Snickerdoodle Bars

Servings: Makes 2 dozen bar cookies
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2 1/3 cup flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Filling:
½ Tbs ground cinnamon
2 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar using a mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Continue to mix until just combined.

Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Spoon half of the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Mix the cinnamon filling ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Using a spoon, dollop the remaining batter across the cinnamon filling; do not cover the cinnamon mixture completely.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

(Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker)

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December 4, 2012 · 5:24 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Peanut Butter Snowflake Cookies

DAY 4: Peanut Butter Snowflake Cookies

A Christmas version of the traditional Peanut Butter Kisses cookies. I love the fun molded chocolates for different holidays!

RECIPE:

Peanut Butter Snowflake Cookies

1 cup 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
Dove Snowflake Chocolates

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Roll dough into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Immediately press one unwrapped snowflake chocolate into each cookie; cool.

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