Christmas Cookies Review

2011 CHRISTMAS COOKIES REVIEW

Here are a few of the cookies I made last year. I did a "25 Days of Christmas Sweets"...so every day. For 25 days. I'm not going to do that again...it was a LOT of work.

But here, enjoy them again this year!

  

  

  

#9 Candy Cane Cheesecake

I know this picture isn't the best, but cheesecake is really difficult to cut smoothly! It still tastes the same! =)

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

2 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
red food coloring
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
whipped cream and mini candy canes for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix well.
• Place 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture in a small bowl and stir in peppermint extract and few food coloring (enough to turn it a pretty shade!) and mix well. Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture into pie crust.
• Drop peppermint cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls into cream cheese mix and swirl with a knife to create marbled effect.
• Make for 45 minute, or until edges are firm and the middle is slightly loose.
• Allow to cool 1 hour then cover and chill at least 6 hours before serving.
• Top with garnishes!

I made a little too much of the batter red, so the marbled look isn't as clear as I hope...so less is better!

#3 North Pole Cupcakes

NORTH POLE CUPCAKES

(You'll see a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest!)

This isn't really a recipe. I used box cake (gaaaasp! I know!) and "box" icing (gaaaaasp! I know!) that tasted like peppermint. Made the cupcakes according to the direction and frosted them. I sprinkled a little white sugar over top to give it the "sparkly" snow has. Take a peppermint stick (or break candy canes apart, like I did) and then put a little icing on top and top it off with a red M&M.

A few hints:

• Don't put the peppermint sticks in until you are ready for delivery or to eat--the candy "melts" and will make the snow look more like blood....trust me on this one. You could probably freeze them to prevent bleeding as well, but don't quote me on that.
• The peppermint icing was AWESOME and gave it more of a unique flavor rather than just plain vanilla.
• Get a HUGE bag of M&Ms so you can eat all the ones you didn't use!
• Put in clear plastic cups for a cute shell around it and delivery it without any hiccups!
• These are PERFECT for bake sales!