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!

  

  

  

#15 Snowman & Reindeer Donuts

Now I know you all have seen these on pinterest....they are just waaaay too cute not to try!!

SNOWMAN & REINDEER DONUTS

Powdered sugar donuts
Chocolate donuts
M&Ms
Mini chocolate chips
Pretzels
Candy Corn
Frosting

These are pretty simple to figure out. Have fun with them!!

#14 Creamy-Dreamy Thumbprints

My apologies for falling behind. Finals was a very hard and stressful week for me...buts its OVER! I'll try to catch up if I can. =)

CREAMY-DREAMY THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Colored Sprinkles
Vanilla Frosting

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks, vanilla and extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand.  Cover and chill for about 1 hour. 
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in assorted colored sprinkles. 
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball. 
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. 
• Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Fill each thumbprint with frosting. Serve immediately. 

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#13 Peanut Butter Cookies [feature!]

I saw these cookies and wanted to make them part of my 25 days of Christmas sweets! These come from Kim of The Misplaced Midwesterner, so make sure you hop over and show her some comment love!

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Click on image to directly see post

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cup sugar, the peanut butter, and egg until well mixed. Using your hands, roll peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a drinking glass that has been lightly greased and dipped in sugar. Lightly grease a small star-shaped cookie cutter; dip in sugar. Press into the center of each cookie.

2. Bake about 9 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Makes 36 cookies.

MY NOTES: I baked mine for 7 minutes because the 9 minute ones came out pretty dark and very crisp. I like mine to have some softness to them.

#12 Chocolate-Mint Thins

CHOCOLATE-MINT THINS

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 Tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp mint extract
green food coloring

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer, then stir in any remaining flour. 
• Divide the dough in half.
• Add coca powder to one dough half, stir until combined. 
• Add mint extract and few drops of green food coloring to the other half dough and stir until combined. 
• Divide each dough half in half again (2 portions each).
• Shape each dough portion into a 9-inch rope. Loosely twist together one rope of green and one chocolate. Gently roll ropes together to form 9-in log. Repeat with other portions. 
• Wrap each log in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill for abot 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut logs into 1/4-in slices. Places slices 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#11 White Chocolate Macaroons

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

1 7-oz package flaked coconut
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4-oz white chocolate (bark)

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine coconut, sugar, flour, and salt. Add egg whites and vanilla, stir until combined. Stir in mini chips. Drop small mounds of mix by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• Bake in the oven for about 18 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Transfer to wire rack, cool completely.
• Melt white chocolate bark in a double boiler, or carefully in microwave. Drizzle over cooked cookies.
• Let the chocolate set, and serve!

I used "Chirstmas" sprinkles and drizzled with white chocolate. You can easily switch these up to your liking! Try semi-sweet morsels and drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate over top.

#10 Butterscotch Haystacks

This are so addicting...beware! =)

BUTTERSCOTCH HAYSTACKS

1 1/2 bags of butterscotch morsels
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
2 bags Chow Mein noodles

• Melt butterscotch morsels in double boiler, or carefully in the microwave.
• In a large bowl, mix noodles and marshmallows. Drizzle the melted butterscotch over the noddle mix and toss with your hands until well combined.
• In small piles, or "haystacks," drop on wax paper, and let them cool completely.

#6 PB & J Thumbprints

PB & J THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup cocktail peanuts, chopped finely
Creamy Peanut butter
Jar of grape jelly

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand. 
• Cover and chill for about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease cookie sheets. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in chopped peanuts.
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Fill each thumbprint with 1/2 teaspoon creamy peanut butter and then with 1/2 teaspoon grape jelly. Serve immediately.

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#5 White Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY BROWNIES

1 cup butter
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
4 eggs
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups snipped dried cherries
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz white chocolate, chopped

• Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 disposable foil baking pan.
• In a large saucepan, heat and stir butter and 4 oz white chocolate over low hear until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in eggs, one at a time; stir in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat with wooden spoon just until smooth. Add flour, 1 cup of cherries, almonds, baking powder and alt; stir until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the 6oz chopped white chocolate and the remaining dried cherries. 
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and just set in the center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

#1 Cherry Thumbprint

So I'm trying this little segment out, but its a dooooozy. "25 days of Christmas Sweets." Originally it was "Christmas Cookies" but then I expanded my recipes to cover a bigger range. Yes, I will diet AFTER Christmas, but before then...enjoy! A new sweet will be posted EVERY DAY until Christmas (hopefully!!)!

Thumbprints are a new adventure for me. I don't know why I've never made them before of wanted to make before--they are actually really EASY and quite delicious!

CHERRY THUMBPRINTS

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup slivered almonds, chopped finely
1 can cherry pie filling

• In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined. Then beat in egg yolks, vanilla and extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer, then mix in the remaining by hand. 
• Cover and chill for about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grease cookie sheets. 
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll ball in beaten egg white and then roll in chopped almonds.
• Place balls 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Using your thumb, make indentation in each dough ball.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Fill each thumbprint with cherry pie filling and a cherry. Serve immediately.

If saving for later use, store cookie without the filling in the middle stacked in an air-tight container with wax paper between layers.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition