Recipes

[wagirl]

No I won't be doing cookies--mostly because I have such a tiny kitchen--no room for much---but my kids  loved the eggnog sugar cookies I made---to decorate on.

[Just Bling]

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE

FROSTED COOKIE CANES

1 CUP BUTTER

1/2 CUP POWDERED SUGAR

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

1/4 TEASPOON SALT

2 CUPS SIFTED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1/4 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

CREAM BUTTER, GRADUALLY ADD SUGAR. ADD VANILLA AND SALT.

WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS BEFORE BLENDING IN.

SHAPE LEVEL TEASPOON INTO PENCIL LIKE SHAPE AND TURN END TO RESEMBLE A CANDY CANE

PLACE ON GREASED COOKIE SHEET

BAKE 350 DEG FOR 10 MINUTES  FROST WHEN COOL APPROX 6 DOZEN

FROSTING

CREAM

1-1/2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

RED FOOD COLORING

MINT EXTRACT

ADD ENOUGH CREAM TO POWDERED SUGAR TO MAKE FROSTING OF THE SPREADING CONSISTENCY.

DIVIDE IN HALF   ADD RED TO ONE BOWL

ADD MINT EXTRACT TO WHITE

FROST RED WHITE JUST LIKE A CANDY CANE

LET DRY BEFORE MOVING.

TIPS:

i DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO DO A TEASPOON SO I FORM A LOG AND ROUND ONE END WITH ABOUT 2 TEASPOONS OF DOUGH.  I BAKE A LITTLE LONGER, THEY SHOULD BE THE LIGHTEST OF THE BROWN

MAKE WITH BUTTER ONLY, BEST ABOUT A WEEK OR SO BEFORE SERVING

I USE A PASTRY BAG FOR THE RED AND THE WHITE FROSTING ALTERNATING PATTERN.  I ACTUALLY DO THE WHITE STRIPES FIRST THEN FILL THE SAME BAG WITH THE RED AND FINISH WITH RED STRIPES.  NO BAG, USE A TEASPOON TO DRIP THE FROSTING ON THE COOKIE IN STRIPES.  DO NOT MOVE UNTIL DRY. PLACE WAX PAPER BETWEEN LAYERS OF COOKIES

I OMIT THE MINT EXTRACT FOR THE FROSTING.

WHEN BLENDING IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS, GENTLY ADD, OVER MIXING THE FLOUR MIXTURE WILL RESULT IN A TOUGH COOKIE.

THESE COOKIES TAKE TIME FORMING BUT EVERY MINUTE WILL BE REWARDING, THEY ARE A DELICIOUS LIGHT TENDER BUTTER COOKIE.  THE WEAK PART IS THE CANDY CANE "TURN"

BE GENTLE WHEN REMOVING FROM THE COOKIE SHEET AND COOLING, BE ALSO CAREFUL MOVING THEM AROUND, THEY ARE SO TENDER AND CAN BREAK.  

BE CAREFUL WITH THE RED FOOD COLORING, ADDING WAY TOO MUCH WILL MAKE THE FROSTING BITTER, GEL PASTE CHRISTMAS RED FROM WILTON IS RECOMMENDED,

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE COOKY CANES, I'M SURE JUST REGULAR LOGS WILL WORK, THEY WILL TURN OUT LIKE A BARBERS POLE AND LOOK JUST AS NICE ON YOUR COOKIE TRAY

THESE LOOK BEAUTIFUL ON YOUR COOKIE TRAY AND TASTE THE BEST!!!!

[Just Bling]

ANOTHER HOLIDAY FAVORITE

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES

1 CUP BUTTER

1/2 CUP POWDERED SUGAR

1/4 TEASPOON SALT

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

2 CUPS SIFTED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

ADDITIONAL POWDERED SUGAR FOR ROLLING

CREAM BUTTER.   ADD SUGAR GRADUALLY

BLEND IN SALT AND VANILLA

ADD FLOUR, MIXTURE WILL BE STIFF

TAKE APPROX TEASPOON OF DOUGH AND DROP ONTO UNGREASED COOKIE SHEETS

BAKE 400 DEG FOR APPROX 12 MINUTES

COOKIES SHOULD JUST BE STARTING TO BROWN

REMOVE FROM PAN AND ROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR AND PLACE ON COOLING RACK.

TIPS:

DO NOT OVERWORK THE FLOUR WHEN MIXING

I PLACE WAX PAPER BETWEEN LAYERS AND JUST BEFORE SERVING, REROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR

I STORE IN A TIN WITH EITHER THE COVER OR A PIECE OF ALUMINUM FOIL, NOT ADVISED TO STORE IN COVERED PLASTIC CONTAINER.

THEY NEED A MIN OF 3 DAYS FOR THE FLAVOR OF THE COOKIE TO BE ENHANCED.

THESE ARE REALLY EASY AND GREAT FOR A BEGINNER COOKIE MAKER.

[vaberry]

Please share the eggnog sugar cookie recipe. I do a sugar cookie with honey from my mom's 1958 Betty Crocker cook book that my mom always made. They are just called Merry Christmas cookies. I love a good sugar cookie.

[deepwaterdotter]

I make Eggnog Snickerdoodles from The Perfect Cookie cookbook:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

2 sticks softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp rum or rum extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in bowl.  Use electric mixer to beat butter and sugar in another bowl until fluffy.  Beat in eggs and rum.  Mix in flour until just combined.

Roll into 1" balls and place 2" apart on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees until edges are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes in pan, then let cool completely on wire rack.

Stir powdered sugar and nutmeg in dish, the dust tops of cookies through a fine-mesh strainer.    

[Just Bling]

Cinnamon Star Cutouts

I made these last year for Christmas and they are very good, a good cookie with a cup of tea or coffee.  Makes 5 dozen, if I make this again I would do a half of recipe, easy to divide

1 cup butter softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup ground cinnamon

in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy approx 5-7 minutes

Add eggs, beating well after each addition.  

Combine flour and cinnamon, gradually add to the

creamed mixture and mix well.

cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy

to handle.

Preheat over to 350 deg.  on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 thickness.  cut with 2-1/2 star shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour.  place stars 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until edges are firm and bottom of cookies are slightly browned.  remove to wire racks to cool

Tips

If you don't have a star shaped cookie cutter, anything about 2-1/2" would work just to keep the baking time according to the recipe.

The type of cinnamon changes the flavor of these cookies, I have both Chinese, regular Penzey's, and Vietnamese in my pantry..anyone will work

I bake on parchment all the time and using parchment paper makes it easy to just "slide" the entire sheet off onto the cooling rack so you are not picking up each one and moving to rack.

These store really well and keep their flavor.  

Want to make them a little more festive, sprinkle some metallic decorating sugar onto the stars for them to sparkle

If you are making the dough and leaving overnight, divide dough up and wrap in plastic wrap so it's easier to roll in smaller sections.

The house smells wonderful when these bake, the aromatic smell of cinnamon.

This recipe appeared in many of my cookbooks, this one is from Taste of Home

[Just Bling]

Had to post this recipe, never have seen anything like it and oh so easy.

Lemon Snowflakes

1 package lemon cake mix regular size

2-1/4 cups of whipped topping

1 large egg room temperature

confectioners sugar

preheat over to 350 deg

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, whipped topping and egg until well blended.  The batter will be very sticky

Drop batter by teaspoons into confectioners sugar and roll lightly to coat.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and tops are cracked.  Remove to racks to cool

**Cracked tops give them their snowflake appearance**

How easy is this one and definitely going to make.

[gardenman]

This is the version of snowball cookie my family has made for forever copied from my post over on Mellyg's board.

This is my timeless snowball cookie recipe that we've made for as long as I can remember. (And I'm 62, nearly 63.) It's been around forever. Don't substitute the butter with margarine. An old neighbor always insisted we gave her the wrong recipe as she never used butter but always used margarine and couldn't understand why hers came out differently. Butter is better.

Snowball Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter (softened, not melted.)
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat until fluffy. Add unbeaten egg, vanilla and beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Add nuts and chill for at least one hour. Roll dough into balls the size of large walnuts and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 8-10 minutes on an unbuttered cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two after coming out of the oven. Roll in confectioner's sugar to coat. Allow to cool and then roll in confectioner's sugar a second time after fully cooled.

[corita]

     Where I grew up, we called the snowball cookies, polvorones.  Very good and very popular, especially for the holidays.  I don't make them, but have bought David's cookies version (HSN or QVC) and they are almost as good!

[lork]

I have a large collection of cookie cutters and "seasonal sprinkles".  To justify my investment, I always bake holiday cut out sugar cookies for my family (11 grands!) and friends.  After years of searching for the perfect sugar cookie recipe - I found it- and have been baking THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES ever since.  

THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES

3 eggs, separated and at room temperature

1 cup melted margarine (not butter)

1 cup sugar

 2 tsp. vanilla

2 tablespoons baking powder (yes, that's TABLESPOONS!)

1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

Beat egg whites until stiff, beat yolks until creamy, combine gently.  Add melted margarine, sugar, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Sift dry ingredients together and stir into egg mixture. Beat well.  Cover and chill for several hours or over night.  Roll dough on floured board to about 1/4" thick, and cut as desired.  Bake on oiled cookie sheets for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cookies should be slightly golden on bottom and firm on top; watch carefully and don't over bake!  Cool on waxed paper and frost/decorate as desired.

I frost these cookies using this BUTTERCREAM FROSTING recipe.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1/2 cup soft butter

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla*

5-6 tablespoons milk (I like to use evaporated milk)

Combine all ingredients together and beat until light and fluffy.  This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting and is enough to decorate THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES.

*Almond Buttercream - add 3/4 teaspoons almond extract

Chocolate Buttercream - reduce the powdered sugar to 4 cups, and add 1/2 cup 

                                           cocoa and 6-7 tablespoons milk

 Lemon Buttercream - add 5-6 tablespoons lemon juice instead of milk and 1                                                    teaspoon grated lemon peel

 Orange Buttercream - add 5-6 tablespoons orange juice instead of milk and 1 

                                     teaspoon grated orange peel

 Peanut Butter Buttercream - add 1/2 cup peanut butter instead of butter and 6-8 

                                                tablespoons milk

Peppermint Buttercream - mix in 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract instead of vanilla