Tag Archives: christmas

December 2, 2011 · 5:20 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Maple Cookies

DAY 8: Maple Cookies

A simple maple flavored cookie. No frills; just a quiet, unassuming cookie.

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RECIPE:

Maple Cookies

Servings: 60 small cookies
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1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup real maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ tsp maple extract (optional)
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Granulated or raw sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet or use silicon baking mat.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, syrup, vanilla, and maple extract (if using). Mix until well blended. Stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir into mixture until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes about 60 small cookies

Recipe from AllRecipes

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December 1, 2011 · 5:24 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Sugar Cookie Bars

DAY 7: Sugar Cookie Bars

Love sugar cookies, but hate all of the work rolling, cutting and decorating? These sugar cookie bars are the perfect substitute. The dough makes a thick, soft sugar-cookie-flavored bar cookie that you can top with your favorite icing and fun holiday sprinkles. These are topped by one of our favorites, a cooked vanilla frosting.

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RECIPE:

Sugar Cookie Bars

Servings: 32
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COOKIE BARS:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ – 1 tsp almond extract (optional)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

FROSTING:
1 cup whole milk
5 Tbs flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar (do not use powdered sugar)
Optional: food coloring

Prepare bars:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Mix in vanilla and almond extract, if using.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased, rimmed baking sheet (you can use either a 12×17” pan for thinner bars or a 10×15” pan for slightly thicker bars).

Bake: 10-15 minutes for a 12×17” pan or 15-20 minutes for a 10×15” pan, until light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Frost with desired frosting and add sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate the bars until firm… it will be easier to get nice, clean cuts.

Prepare frosting:
In a small saucepan, mix the flour and milk until combined. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture thickens (and is just about to boil). Remove from heat and let it cool completely to room temperature. Stir in vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl (a stand mixer works best for this) cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the cooled milk mixture and beat for 5-7 minutes, until frosting is light, fluffy and completely uniform throughout. Beat in food coloring, if desired.

Yield: about 32 bars

Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

Other Frosting Options:
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Buttercream

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November 30, 2011 · 5:13 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Nanaimo Bars

DAY 6: Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo is a little town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is where my dear husband spent the first half of his childhood. These bars have a controversial history all their own, but Canadians are ever true to these bars originating in their little seaside town. More info and the recipe officially adopted by Nanaimo can be found on the Nanaimo city website.

These bars are definitely more like a candy than cookie. If you remember that before you take a great big bite, they will not seem so outrageously sweet. Think “double frosted fudge” not “brownie” and you will take appropriate nibbles that will keep your blood sugar in check.

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RECIPE:

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
½ cup butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 Tbs cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup shredded coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, almonds and coconut. Press firmly into a buttered 8″ x 8″ pan.

Middle Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbs plus 2 tsp cream
2 Tbs vanilla custard powder (Birds’ Custard Powder)
½ tsp vanilla
2 cups icing sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Top Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbs unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over middle layer and chill in refrigerator until firm. Cut into small squares.

Recipe from the City of Nanaimo website

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November 29, 2011 · 5:14 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Covered Pretzels

DAY 5: Chocolate Covered Pretzels

It is usually the simplest treats that are my kids’ favorites. These chocolate covered pretzels definitely fall into that category. They are easy to make, and fun for kids to help with. Adding the sprinkles is a coveted job in our kitchen.

For easy dipping, pour melted chocolate into a tall narrow container, like a drinking glass, wide mouthed canning jar, or a Pyrex measuring cup. For easy cleanup, line your glass or jar with a Ziploc bag. Fold the top edge of the bag back over the lip of the glass. When you are done, just throw the bag away: no scrubbing chocolate out of the glass.

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RECIPE:

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Pretzel Rods
Dipping chocolate: dark, white, and/or colored
Variety of sprinkles

Melt chocolates using a double boiler (or melt slowly in the microwave). For easy dipping, pour chocolate into a tall narrow container, like a drinking glass, wide mouthed canning jar, or a Pyrex measuring cup. (For easy cleanup, line your glass or jar with a Ziploc bag. Fold the top edge of the bag back over the lip of the cup) Use a spoon, if needed to coat about 2/3 of the pretzel rod with the chocolate.

Place dipped pretzel on a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle with contrasting colors of chocolate, if desired (for easy drizzling, use a squeeze bottle, or a Ziploc bag with a hole poked in one corner). While chocolate is still wet, garnish with sprinkles. Let dry completely before storing.

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November 26, 2011 · 7:54 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Blueberry Crumb Bars

DAY 2: Blueberry Crumb Bars

A delicious fruity bar cookie that can be made from fresh or frozen blueberries. Like blueberry pie in a streusel topped cookie bar.

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RECIPE:

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Servings: 36
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4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
scant ½ cup granulated sugar
scant ½ cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
1 egg
¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan (or spray with baking Pam, the kind with flour).

In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir together ½ cup granulated sugar and 4 tsp cornstarch; stir into blueberries. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, combine scant ½ cup each of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Whisk one egg in a small bowl and stir into the flour mixture.

Press about 2/3 of the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the blueberry mixture over the crust. Optional: Stir chopped walnuts into remaining flour mixture. Sprinkle mixture over the blueberries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is light brown and blueberries are bubbly. Let the bars cool on a rack and then place in the fridge to chill. This will make the bars easier to cut and remove from the pan. Cut into squares.

Makes about 36 squares

Recipe adapted from Cookin’ Canuck

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December 9, 2010 · 9:47 pm