Christmas Baking

[crochetbug]

Seven-layer bars are awesome.

I am currently working on a crochet cookie collection myself. Here is one I made yesterday. It isn't perfect, but I learned a lot.

[Misty]

Haven't heard of those bars before, but if it tastes as good as your crochet does, I'm sure they will be delicious. Misty

[Debora]

Hey Misty~

I make cookie dough ahead & freeze it in small batches; like what will make 1-2 dozen. Then I have them when I want, & can thaw them on the counter for about an hour, or overnight for the next day's baking!

I also love to bake & have these recipes... Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond or Lemon Snow Balls, Peanut Butter Cookies, Jam Thumb-Prints, Snickerdoodles, No-Bake Cookies & Oatmeal Cookies, Candy-Cane Cookies, etc. All of these have been in our family for decades & are easy to make since they're mostly drop cookies.

Just let me know which cookie recipes you would like?

~Deb

[Misty]

Thank you so much Deborah,
I was starting to choose some and then it became difficult, I would love them all. Thanks for the great freezer idea, I will do that too. Misty

[Debora]

Holiday Snickerdoodles (Cookie Exchange Quantity)

Red and green sugars dress up this cookie for the holidays.
Prep Time: 1 hr 20 min Total Time: 1 hr 50 min Servings: 6 dozen

Ingredients
Wet Ingredients (to beat in mixer)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients (to sift)
• 3 ¾ cups Gold Medal® all-purpose, unbleached flour
• ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Sprinkle Mixture (to roll dough balls in)
• 2 tablespoons Betty Crocker® Decors red sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Betty Crocker® Decors green sugar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt & set aside.
3. In small bowl, mix red sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon & set aside. In another small bowl, mix green sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon & set aside.
4. In large bowl, beat sugar & butter ‘til light & fluffy with electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add milk & vanilla & mix to incorporate.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, one spoonful at a time, ‘til thoroughly blended.
6. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll in sugar-cinnamon mixtures. Place about 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Tips & Techniques
• High Altitude (3500-6500 ft)
Bake 7 to 9 minutes.
• I use Red sugar for Valentine’s Day, Pastels for Easter, Red, Blue & White for Independence Day, Orange & Brown for Thanksgiving Day, Orange, Green & Purple for Halloween, etc.
• Did You Know
Cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking or frozen for 3 months. If it's too firm, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Thaw frozen cookie dough in frig overnight or thaw on counter for 1 hour.
• Special Touch
These rich cinnamon-sugar cookies make a great gift! Place a bag of them in a small basket along with packets of cappuccino or hot chocolate mix.

[DonnaJN]

Hi Misty,

Here is the easiest bar recipe I make at Christmas.

Toffee Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Egg yolk
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup Salt
2 cups Flour
8 ounces Chocolate
1/2 cup Black Walnuts - finely chopped (optional)



Instructions
Bring butter to room temp. Blend butter, suger, egg yolk, vanilla,
and salt. Add flour.
Split dough in two. Pat each part onto greased cookie sheet to a depth of 1/2-3/4".
Bake 15 minutes at 350°.
Melt chocolate and spread on warm bars.
Sprinkle on nuts and press them into the warm chocolate. Cut while warm.

I always freeze these when done. It makes the chocolate less 'gooey'.

Donna

[Debora]

Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup butter
¾ cup firmly packed, brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups Quaker quick 1-minute oats
1 cup raisins, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. Sift together flour, soda, salt & cinnamon.
3. In mixer beat butter and sugars ‘til creamy.
4. Add eggs & vanilla, beat well.
5. Add flour mixture by spoonfuls & mix well.
6. Add oats & raisins mixing well.
7. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased, cool cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10-12 min. or ‘til golden.
9. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks & cool thoroughly.
10. Cookies may be iced with following recipe. (make sure to cool completely before storing; icing will harden)


Icing

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk +/-
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Blend sugar, milk & vanilla ‘til smooth & not lumpy.
2. Brush on tops of cooled cookies with a pastry brush.
3. Cool thoroughly before storing or cookies will stick together.

This is the same icing I tint in pastel colors with food-coloring & use for ‘icing’ animal crackers, which I then sprinkle with non-pareils.

I also use this to ice graham crackers for a quick treat.

[Debora]

No-Bake Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
¼ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
⅛ teaspoon salt
¾ cup peanut butter (crunchy is what we like)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups Quaker Quick Oats

1. Melt butter in large saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add sugar & milk.
3. Add salt, peanut butter & Cocoa. When mixture starts to boil remove from heat.
4. Add Oats & vanilla.
5. Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper, flattening as you go.
6. I cool these in the frig. so they harden quickly.

[Debora]

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 ½ cups unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 ½ teaspoons Rumford baking powder (it’s aluminum-free)
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon Redmond’s Sea Salt

1 cup crunchy peanut butter, or creamy if you prefer


1. Preheat oven to 375º F
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt, set aside.
3. Cream first 5 ingredients together in mixer ‘til fluffy.
4. Add flour mixture by spoonfuls, blending thoroughly.
5. Stir in peanut butter ‘til well blended.
6. Drop by teaspoons on un-greased cookie sheets.
7. Press fork to make traditional criss-cross pattern.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes or ‘til lightly browned.

[Debora]

Jam Thumbprints

3 cups unbleached, flour
½ teaspoon Redmond's Sea Salt
1 ⅓ cups unsalted, butter
⅔ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 slightly beaten egg whites
1 ½ cups finely chopped walnuts
⅔ cup cherry or strawberry preserves (others may be used)


1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. Sift together flour & salt.
3. Beat butter for 30 seconds; add sugar & beat ‘til fluffy.
4. Add egg yolks & vanilla; beat well.
5. Add flour mixture by spoonfuls, beating ‘til well combined.
6. Cover & chill for 1 hour.
7. Shape into 1” balls; roll in egg whites, then roll in walnuts.
8. Place 1” apart on an un-greased cookie sheet.
9. Press down centers with thumb.
10. Bake for 15-17 minutes or ‘til light brown.
11. Cool on wire racks.
12. Fill with preserves just before serving so cookies won’t get soggy.

Makes: 72