Aaaaand
finally, the week before Christmas calls for sweet treats. It's my favorite
gift to give because I enjoy making all the various cookies and I love watching
them get devoured. Plus it is so exciting compiling the new recipes and
resurrecting the old favorites.
This
gift is a spin on the traditional cookie exchange. Instead of bringing one type
of cookie to the party, you're bringing ALL the cookies!
When
I curate my list of holiday treats, I have four criteria in mind:
1. Is
it tasty?
2. Is
it beautiful?
3. Is
it festive?
4. Is
it package-able and shelf stable?
There
are so many recipes out there that allow you to decide what matters most to you
in your baking excursion and find recipes that fit your criteria.
For perfect cookies, I ALWAYS take the time to do a few extra things. Firstly,
make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature, including the eggs! If
you're having trouble scooping dough or rolling it out, just chill the dough in
the refrigerator. Add parchment paper to your tray instead of grease--quicker
clean up. When cooking in the oven only cook one tray of cookies at a time.
This is time consuming, but it allows the hot air to evenly distribute. Also
rotate the tray 180 degrees in the oven to make sure the back cookies don't
burn. When you take them out, always take them out of the oven BEFORE they are
completely cooked. They will continue to cook as they cool and this way you
don't over cook them. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for about five minutes
and them transfer to a cooking rack. Follow these tips and your cookies with be
perfect every time!
Timeless
Gingerbread Characters
There
are certain activities that MUST be done come Christmas. Decorating
gingerbread people is one of these activities. This dough makes crisp,
beautiful characters that keep their shape while cooking. I mix up a few
different colors of icing, whip out various sprinkles, and sit down with a mug
of cocoa for a cookie decorating party! Don't forget to put on a festive
movie!
Ingredients:
T 2 3/4 cups flour
T 3/4 cup brown sugar
T 1/2 tsp salt
T 1 tbsp ginger
T 1 tsp baking soda
T 2 eggs
T 2 tbsp molasses
T 1/2 cup corn syrup
Yields approx 40 cookies
Sift
together dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients in large bowl, briefly whisk
to break egg. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet. Mix dough until ball
forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 3o minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break dough into four equal parts and take 1/4 out
of the fridge. Leave the rest to chill while you roll out the quarter portion
onto a floured surface until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters as
desired and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5
minutes and transfer to cooling rack to cook completely.
For the
icing, combine 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, food
coloring, and 8-10 teaspoons* of water in a Ziploc bag. Massage the bag until
everything is incorporated. Snip off a tiny bit of the corner and pipe directly
from the bag.
*You may need
more or less water depending on the consistency you'd like. In general, the
thicker it is, the better it is for lines while the thinner frosting is better
for flooding or "filling in".
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Chip
This
recipe is adapted from Genius
Kitchen. I don't use all of the flour, only about 2 cups, but add 1-2 cups
of semi sweet chocolate chips. Mix all together and scoop using cookie scoop
onto parchment lined tray. Moisten fingers and press each cookie down. The key
to this recipe is to remove them from the oven before they look cooked. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5
minutes and transfer to cooling rack to cook completely. Also, these cookies
burn easily so rotate the tray 18o degrees in the oven to the back and front
are cooked the same.
Oatmeal Crème
Pies
This Oatmeal
Cookie recipe is one that has been based down in my family for generations
but I've tweaked it a bit to work for this specific recipe. You're looking for
flat, but strong cookies that will hold the filling well. I add a marshmallow
creme and rolled them in sprinkles.
Ingredients:
T 1 cup butter
T 1 cup white sugar
T 2 cups brown sugar
T 6 cups oatmeal
T 3 cups flour
T 1 tsp salt
T 1 tbsp baking
soda
T 2 tsp vanilla
T 4 eggs
T 1 cup milk
Yields approx 60
cookies or 30 sandwiches
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and remaining wet
ingredients. Start with 1/2 milk. You can add the rest later if the dough is
too dry. In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients
to wet mixing well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressing the wrap onto the
dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs, preferably over night. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a
cookie scoop drop by tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake on top
rack for 15-18 minutes, spinning rack during cooking process. Allow to
cool on cookie sheet for five minutes and transfer to cooling rack.
For the marshmallow creme, following this recipe from
A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. Add this to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe
onto cookies. Roll or sprinkle edges with red sugar sprinkles and you're all
set. I like to freeze these cookies because they can get quite messy as you
package them up.
Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies
The
basis of the cookie is a classic sugar cookie recipe. The trick is to add
almond extract to the batter and fold in chopped maraschino cherries.
If you'd like, use your go-to sugar cookie recipe and add the extras or you can
use my perfected recipe.
Ingredients:
T 1 cup butter
T 1 1/4 cups white sugar
T 2 tbsp pure almond extract
T 1 tsp vanilla extract
T 2 tbsp maraschino cherry syrup
T 2 egg yolks
T 2 1/2 cups flour
T 1/2 tsp baking powder
T 1/2 tbsp salt
T 1 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
T crushed or whole almonds for garnish (optional)
Yields approx 48 cookies
Preheat
oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Add wet ingredients and
mix. In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add chopped cherries to
dry ingredients and coat evenly. This helps distribute the cherries evenly
throughout the batter. Mix into the wet ingredients. Using a cookie scoop drop
by tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with crushed almond
or press a whole almond into the cookie. Bake for about 14 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to
cooling rack to cook completely.
These last few aren't technically cookies, but I like to include a large
variety of treats to suit every taste. I usually add two truffles of each
variety and a few squares of fudge.
Gingersnap Truffles
Pulse
1 bag of store bought gingersnaps in a blender until fine crumbs, set aside 2
tablespoons of crumbs. Using hand mixer whip 1 block of softened cream cheese
in a separate bowl. Add 1 cup powdered sugar to cream cheese stirring well.
Fold small amounts of cream cheese mixture into cookie crumbs until the mixture
clumps together. You want it to be wet enough to stick together but dry enough
to roll into balls that hold their shape. Roll the mixture into quarter sized
balls. I like to place a toothpick in each truffle to help when it comes time
to coat in chocolate. The place balls in freezer for at least one hour. Melt
one bag white chocolate chips over double boiler or in microwave, stirring
regularly. One at a time dip truffles in chocolate coating evenly and allowing
excess to drip off. Then place coated truffles on a cookie sheet, remove
toothpicks and sprinkle with reserved crumbs. You can also drizzle any leftover
white chocolate or try red or green melting wafers.
Oreo Truffles
This
method is almost identical to the previous truffle. Instead of gingersnaps, use
oreos. Pulse 1 package of oreos (creme and all) into fine crumbs. Using
hand mixer whip 1 block of softened cream cheese in a separate bowl. Fold in
oreo crumbs and roll into balls. Add toothpicks and freeze for one
hour. Melt 1 bag of chocolate chips ( I use white, but you can use
whatever) and dip truffles in. You can sprinkle them with leftover cookie
crumbs, crushed peppermint candies, or use colored melting wafers to drizzle.
Classic Fudge (Two Ways)
White Chocolate Peppermint
This
recipe is literally Nestle's basic fudge, but why tamper with things
that are so perfect? Check it out on Very Best Baking. I replace the
chocolate chips with white chocolate, but you could use milk or dark. Also, add
one teaspoon of peppermint extract to the pot along with the vanilla. I like to
add green food coloring to color the fudge but this is totally optional. Crush
peppermint candies and sprinkle into the fudge as well as on top!
Chocolate
Walnut
Follow
the above recipe as normal and add chopped walnuts. My grandmother always sends
us a bunch of her timeless walnut fudge around Christmas and it makes the
season so much brighter.
I
have family members who don't like chocolate (blasphemy, I know) and one who is
allergic to nuts. Therefore I try to tailor each box to suit the person I'm
giving it to. Keep in mind your recipients' diet restrictions and
preferences and you'll all have a very merry Christmas!
Lots of Love and Merry Christmas!
Anne
