Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange

[Krikit 1,164]

Time to start baking Christmas cookies! I have lots and lots and lots to do, including shortbread, almond crescents, and (possibly) thumbprints. Does anyone have a tried-and-true recipe for ginger snaps? Any special Christmas cookies you feel Christmas wouldn't be the same without? Please share. Thank you.

[Marilyn. 340]

I will post some later as I am leaving in a bit to go to the airport..

I am not going to do a lot of baking this year.. the hubster requested chocolate chip oatmeal and chocolate surprise cookies.. I also might make some homemade chocolates, some mini pie bites, and some others...

dang, I just remembered I was going to ask my SIL to send along some mini-coloured marshmallows so I could make my cream cheese balls, they do have them here but the flavours are too strong and the balls don't taste right..

last Christmas I made a bunch of cookies and sold some tins to the lady I worked for.. I would have done that again this year if I was still working for them.. I would have probably had more orders to because a lot of her friends wanted to order some...

[Krikit 1,164]

Thanks Marilyn. How exciting! Your family is arriving! Have fun.

[Jill & Jeff 3]

Oh my god, you do almond crescents? Is it basically those butter and sugar cookies that you mix up with chopped almonds? I do the same thing, except with cashews. I've never met anyone else who has ever done them. They have got to be the yummiest cookie ever!

J-

[Udella&Wiz 325]

This was my first batch of cookies Saturday, as well as Hershey's Kiss cookies on Sunday. I still have gingerbread, sugar cookies and probably 1 more to do.

Sweet Marie Bars

1c brown sugar (I used Splenda br sug)

1c corn syrup

1c peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp butter

5 c Rice Krispies

Combine PB, sugar and corn syrup in a pan over low-med heat until blended.

Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Stir in the Rice Krispies and press into a well buttered 9x9 pan. Chill and cut into squares.

Freeze well and taste great frozen

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Oh yah - my earliest memories of Christmas are my mum starting her Christmas cookie baking....she seriously has a list of 20-30 types that she makes taped to the back of the cupboard and she rotates 15-20 types per year. She is well known in the church community for her lovely cookie platters that she sends with my dad to various families. The minister's family always gets a big batch!

[LeslienScott 6]

Oh my god, you do almond crescents? Is it basically those butter and sugar cookies that you mix up with chopped almonds? I do the same thing, except with cashews. I've never met anyone else who has ever done them. They have got to be the yummiest cookie ever!

J-

I make a German version of those. When they are taken out of the oven I toss them in a vanilla sugar & icing sugar mixture. Soooo yummy! We call the Kipfurl.

[Sgt. McGee 27]

Oh my god, you do almond crescents? Is it basically those butter and sugar cookies that you mix up with chopped almonds? I do the same thing, except with cashews. I've never met anyone else who has ever done them. They have got to be the yummiest cookie ever!

J-

My wife does something similar, but Czech-style. Here's a recipe (in Czech): http://www.varimezdrave.cz/vanilkove-rohlicky-bez-cukru

In English (different recipe - she's already asleep, and I don't want to bother her to get her actual recipe... Maybe tomorrow...): http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/bohemianczechdesserts/r/vanilla-crescents.htm

She always makes them early, and lets them sit in the fridge (in a container - back home, they'd put them out on the balcony, but our weather is not as predictably cold here) for 3 weeks or so. It actually does improve them.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Sgt. McGee

[Krikit 1,164]

Oh my god, you do almond crescents? Is it basically those butter and sugar cookies that you mix up with chopped almonds? I do the same thing, except with cashews. I've never met anyone else who has ever done them. They have got to be the yummiest cookie ever!

J-

I do!! I also make them with ground walnuts. Not sure which is my favourite. Maybe both.

This was my first batch of cookies Saturday, as well as Hershey's Kiss cookies on Sunday. I still have gingerbread, sugar cookies and probably 1 more to do.

Sweet Marie Bars

Mmm. They sound rather yummy.

Oh yah - my earliest memories of Christmas are my mum starting her Christmas cookie baking....she seriously has a list of 20-30 types that she makes taped to the back of the cupboard and she rotates 15-20 types per year. She is well known in the church community for her lovely cookie platters that she sends with my dad to various families. The minister's family always gets a big batch!

Holy smokes! I'm definitely not into making that many. But good on your Mum. That's awesome.

I make a German version of those. When they are taken out of the oven I toss them in a vanilla sugar & icing sugar mixture. Soooo yummy! We call the Kipfurl.

Yes, my recipe is German too! We (my sister and I) used to call them Ingrid's Mother's Cookies because we could never remember the name. Ingrid is one of my sister's best friends and they're a German family. That's who we got the recipe from. That's for the name, Leslie!

She always makes them early, and lets them sit in the fridge (in a container - back home, they'd put them out on the balcony, but our weather is not as predictably cold here) for 3 weeks or so. It actually does improve them.

Ohhhhhh. *sound of penny dropping* Sitting them in the cold removes the moisture, thereby preserving them and keeping them crisp. Thanks for the tip, Sgt. (As an aside, I used to use outside as an extra refrigerator/freezer when I lived in Canada. Only I'd put things in the cast iron BBQ so the raccoons didn't get them. lol)

Edited to change "I almost make them..." to "I also make them..." Think I'll get another coffee.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Krikit

[Peachey 10]

I love love love love these:

Whipped shortbread

1 pound butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

pinch salt

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream together butter, icing sugar, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Gradually add cornstarch and flour. Whip with an electric mixer until fluffy. Place into a cookie press and press out cookies on cool baking sheet. Decorate with candied cherries or dragees if desired. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note: Dress these up by pressing a half a candied cherry in the middle, or decorate with colored sugars or sprinkles.

*** I don't use a cookie press, I just drop them by tsp full on a baking sheet and put a candied cherry on top or sprinkles.

[Colleens 40]

This is not a cookie recipe, but it is one of my fav's. And it is super easy and fast to make...which is an added bonus

Breton Brittle

24-28 Breton Crackers

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

finely chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°f

Line a 9x13 pan with foil. Place crackers on bottom of pan slightly overlapping so entire bottom is covered (I prefer using 4 rows of 6 crackers, but there will be some small gaps between some of the crackers)

Place butter and brown sugar in sauce pan and bring to boil. Pour over crackers making sure they are all covered. Place in oven for 5 min. Remove from oven and cover with chocolate chips. After a couple of minutes the chips will have softened. Use a spatchula to smooth the chips. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (I like using pecans). Place in fridge (or outdoors if climate allows) to cool. Remove from pan and break into pieces.

[Krikit 1,164]

Ooooh, those sound really good Colleen and Peachey. I'm going to have to give them a try. Thank you.

[Marilyn. 340]

last year I made pie bites.. i got the idea from here....

http://www.bakerella.com/easy-as-pie/

I didn't use the lollipop sticks.. and I cheated and used the pre-made pie crust that you can buy in the refrigerated section of the store and canned pie filling.. and after brushing with egg whites I sprinkled a little sugar on top..

[Krikit 1,164]

Those don't look like something that I would try, but those cake pops look good! lol

[Marilyn. 340]

these look good.. i might try them this year

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

(from Martha Stewart, Cookies)

* 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

* 1¼ teaspoons ground ginger

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

* ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

* 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

* ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

* 1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger

* ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

* ½ cup unsulfured molasses

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* 1½ teaspoons boiling water

* 7 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, cut into ¼-inch chunks

* ¼ cup granulated sugar

1. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper or silicone baking mats.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the grated fresh ginger on medium speed until lightened, about 4 minutes.

4. Add the brown sugar; beat until combined.

5. Add the molasses; beat until combined.

6. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in boiling water.

7. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in the baking soda mixture, then the remaining half of the flour mixture.

8. Mix in the chocolate; turn dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Pat out to a 1-inch thickness; seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.

9. Preheat oven to 325° F. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until surfaces just begin to crack, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Cookies are best the day they are made, but can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.

http://gracessweetlife.com/2010/10/chewy-chocolate-gingerbread-cookies/