DAY 3: Chocolate Nutella Brownies
Homemade brownies with the extra fudginess of Nutella added to the batter and swirled into the top.
RECIPE: Continue reading
Tag Archives: Twelve days of Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Lemon Bars
DAY 2: Lemon Bars
There are some classic desserts that completely live up to their reputation. Lemon bars definitely fall into that category. They are a sweet, tart confection that will make you think fondly of trips to grandma’s house.
RECIPE:
Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (Bars & Brownies): Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
Welcome to the 12th Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies! This year, I am focusing on brownies, blondies, and other bar cookies.
A note about cooking bar cookies: If you have trouble with burned edges and raw centers, try using a metal pan instead of a glass or ceramic pan. This is especially true of bigger pans, 9×13” or larger. You can also bake the batter in 2 smaller square pans instead of one larger one to get more evenly baked bars and brownies.
DAY 1: Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
This is an easy to make dressed-up brownie dessert that starts with a boxed brownie mix. Raspberry jam is swirled into both the brownie layer and the cheesecake layer.
RECIPE:
Eleventh Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
DAY 5: Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
The cookie base for these thumbprints is a light shortbread dough. Fill with your favorite jam. We love seedless raspberry or apricot jam. I always add a little more jam after baking so they are “jam packed” with filling.
RECIPE:
Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
About ½ – ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam
Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2-3 tsp milk
½ tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in almond extract. Gradually beat in flour and salt.
Using a small cookie scoop (2 tsp capacity), place level scoops on baking sheets, about 2” apart (I can get 20 cookies on a baking sheet). Roll scoops of dough into balls; return to baking sheet. Using the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until baked through, but still pale. Don’t overbake. Remove baking sheet from oven and let sit for one minute. If desired, add a small amount of additional jam to the centers of the cookies. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, 2 tsp milk, and almond extract in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk until smooth, adding additional milk if necessary. Place glaze in a Ziploc bag; poke hole in one corner with a toothpick or skewer. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cookies.
NOTES:
- For easier filling, heat jam for 20 seconds in the microwave before adding to centers of cookies.
- Apricot and peach jams also make good fillings
- Keep the dough covered when you are not working with it, or it will dry out and your cookies will have more cracks
Makes about 4 dozen small cookies
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Eleventh Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies
DAY 2: Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies
A chocolate cookie loaded full of sweet and salty goodness: chocolate chips, pretzels, and pecans. All wrapped around a gooey caramel center.
Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod
RECIPE:
Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups flour
¾ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, optional
1 pkg (11 oz) caramel squares (about 24)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into butter/sugar mixture, until just mixed. Stir in pretzels, chocolate chips, and pecans.
Cut caramel squares in half and set aside.
Using a cookie scoop, place level scoops of dough on baking sheets, about 2” apart. Roll each scoop of dough around a caramel square half. Return to baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes; cookies will still look slightly underdone. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod
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Eleventh Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Whipped Shortbread Cookies
DAY 1: Whipped Shortbread Cookies
These simple cookies have quickly made their way onto our list of family favorites. The cornstarch and powdered sugar in the dough make them practically melt in your mouth.
In addition to Christmas baking and spending time with family, this month I am choosing to participate in an initiative to “Light the World” through small and simple acts of kindness. Check out the link below for daily suggestions of ways to light the world, or to sign up for daily suggestions by text:
#lighttheworld
RECIPE:
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ tsp salt
1 Tbs vanilla extract
Candied sprinkles
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until very light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Using a small cookie scoop, place level scoops on baking sheets, about 2” apart (I can get 20 cookies on a baking sheet). Rub your hands with a small amount of cornstarch, and then roll scoops of dough into 1” balls; return to baking sheet. Press each dough ball with the tines of a fork dipped in cornstarch, to flatten slightly. Dust the tops of the cookies with candied sprinkles.
Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until baked through. Cookies will still look very pale. Don’t overbake. Cool on wire racks.
Makes about 5 dozen small cookies
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For a wonderful new Christmas video about the birth of Jesus Christ, check out this newly produced “The Christ Child” movie:
No Empty Chairs 