Making these cookies each year w/my kids is a very fun tradition. The recipe makes a lot, but its hard to stop at just a few. These make a wonderful gift paired w/some hot chocolate. BTW, we recently had the brie cranberry pizza-it was SO good. Thank you for your wonderful blog.

Peppernut Cookies

Mix together:
2 3/4 C. sugar
1 1/4 C. butter
1 C. less 2T. evaporated milk

Add:
4 C. flour
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
2 C. ground pecans (grind in blender)

Mix together, adding enough additional flour to make a stiff dough.
Roll into pencil like strips, cut about 1/2″ long. Place on baking sheet and flatten each cookie a bit w/your finger. Bake at 350 degrees for aprox. 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy!

HOMEMADE NUTTER BUTTER’S
(these are not crunchy like the boughten ones, they are very soft)
1 cup margarine
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Filling:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk

For cookies, cream together margarine and peanut butter. Add sugars, eggs, and vanilla and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients. Ball cookies and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.(I make these cookies smaller than normal, since they are a sandwich cookie.) Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

While cookies are cooling, make filling.

Cream together, margarine and peanut butter. Add powdered sugar, and milk. Mix very well. If filling is too thin to spread on cookies, add some more powdered sugar.

Put a scoop of filling in the middle of the underside of half the cookies. Put remaining cookies on top and press down lightly to squeeze filling out to the edges.

I make these cookies often, and have been asked for the recipe many, many times.

Sugar Gems

Cream together:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
5 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Sugar Gem Frosting
2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup oil
2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla, coconut, etc.)
3-4 Tbsp milk
Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.

Oh man, I have a cookie fetish, so I can’t wait to see everyone’s recipes! It was so hard to pick just one. I actually have about 5 absolute favorite Christmas cookie recipes. However, this is the one that gets the most requests every single year. They look so pretty on a cookie tray. (You can see a picture of them on my blog if you want to see the finished results.)

White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
Sugar
3 cups white chips (I use Guittard brand)
3 Tbsp oil or shortening

Beat oil, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 350 for about 7 minutes. Cool completely. Combine chips and oil in a small glass bowl. Microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Dip cookies half way into the white chocolate and lay on waxed paper till set.

Thanks Leigh Anne for such a fun contest!

One of my traditional Christmas cookies:

Cherry Bars

Part 1. 1/2 cup butter
2 T. powdered sugar
1 cup flour

Cut butter into flour and sugar as in making pie dough. Spread in a 9 x 13 pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and spread with the following:

Mix together: 2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
4 oz. bottle of maraschino cherries, finely diced, including juice
3/4 c. walnuts, finely chopped

Bake until lightly browned and puffed up. (Your oven temperature may vary from mine.)

Cool slightly. Cut into squares while still warm.

I made these at the first cookie exchange I ever participated in, when I was around 11 or 12. It was one of the cookie exchanges where you all bake them there, instead of bringing them already made. I went with my mother, of course, but she made different cookies. What chaos! But what fun! And these are incredibly rich and delicious.

Coconut Bars

1 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of sugar
3 cups white flour
4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz. shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 300°. Cream together the butter, 1 c sugar, and 3 c flour. Press into a 9×13 pan to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes.

With a mixer, beat the eggs, brown sugar, 1 c sugar, baking powder, 2 tbsp flour, vanilla and salt. Stir in coconut (do not beat). Pour over the baked crust and bake for 40 minutes or until the center is firm. Cut while warm.

Oh what a fun idea! All of these recipes look so great. Since I just wrote out a huge ‘ol post about a new cookie, I’ll post that! Well actually it’s icing, but it goes with a cookie, so that counts, right? lol I’m in love with their cute-ness!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/tutorial-glace-icing-and-cookie.html

Orange Iced Cranberry Cookies

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. softened butter or margarine
1/2 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (I use pecans)

in a large mixing bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs; blend well. Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Gently stir in the cranberries and nuts. Do not overmix. Drop by teaspoonful 2″ apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, then frost with icing.

Icing:

2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. melted butter
1 t. grated orange peel zest
2 to 3 T. orange juice

In a small mixing bowl blend icing ingredients and spread over cooled cookies.

Orange Nut Balls

1 C finely chopped pecans
1 12 oz pkg vanilla wafers
1/2 C butter, melted
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 14 oz pkg sweetened flaked coconut

Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan.

Bake at 350 for 7 - 8 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally.

Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor 6 - 8 times or until wafers resemble fine crumbs.

Stir together pecans, vanilla wafers crumbs, and next 3 ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls; roll in coconut, and place on a baking sheet. Cover and chill 1 hour or until firm. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

I posted this cookie on my blog not very long ago but I’ve made it three times since then and it has quickly become my favorite holiday cookie!

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Sorry for the double comment but my link was wrong - here it is again:

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

These are a bit of work since they are so small, but they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and a nice addition to a cookie basket gift.

Cream Wafers

Mix thoroughly:
1 cup soft butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cup sifted flour

Chill one hour. Roll to 1/8″ thickness. Cut with center of donut cutter. Transfer to wax paper covered with granulated sugar, tossing to coat both sides.

Place on ungreased cooky sheet. Prick with a fork. Bake until puffy, but not brown. 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

Put wafers together with the following icing:

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup. sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 egg yolk

sorry…someone the recipe got posted before I was finished with recipe.

After the 1 egg yolk…1 tsp. vanilla and food coloring. I usually divide the frosting and do one each, red and green.

My Mom’s cousin makes this every year and shared it on our family’s website. It works every time!

Helen’s “Sees” Fudge

Ingredients:
1 cube butter
1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips
2 eggs beaten, or equivalent in “egg beaters”
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (opt)

Directions:
Spray with pam; or butter a (approx) 8×8 pan. line with Saran wrap and either spray or butter the wrap.

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave or double boiler just until choclate is melted. Be careful if microwaving to not let chocolate burn. It only takes a couple of minutes. Stir well.

In a separate bowl combine eggs and powdered sugar. Mix well and then add chocolate mixture while still very warm. Add vanilla and nuts; stir and pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm and then cut.

Number Of Servings:Approx 30 pieces depending on how big you cut.

Preparation Time:15 minutes

This is my family’s favorite Christmas cookie:

Creme de Menthe Squares

CAKE LAYER:
1 C sugar, 1/2 C butter, 1 C flour, 1/2 tsp. salt,
1 tsp. vanilla, 4 beaten eggs, 1 - 16oz. can Hershey Syrup.
Mix and pour in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30 min. at 350 degrees and cool in pan.

MINT LAYER:
2 C pow. sugar, 1/2 C softened butter, 1/2 tsp. mint extract, 1 T water, 3 drops green food color.
Mix and spread on cooled Cake Layer.

GLAZE LAYER:
1 C chocolate chips, 6 T butter.
Mix and melt glaze together. Cool slightly and spread over mint layer. Chill at least 10 minutes before cutting in squares. This recipe freezes well.

These are so simple it should be cheating but they are so great and easy to whip up.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 c. chocolate chips
1 package of Andes Mints

Mix first 4 ingredients into dough. Drop Meduim size ball onto baking tray. Bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes.
Immediately after removing from oven place an unwrapped Andes mint on the cooling cookie. After mint has melted swirl lightly with a knife.

These present well and are always a crowd favorite!

My daughter Jessica made these last Christmas and they were delicious! It was one of the variety of cookies we share with our neighbors each year. The recipe is originally from “Cooking Light” December, 2000

Lemon Drop Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat first 3 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add honey, extract, and egg; beat until well-blended.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto
baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Icing:
Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
Brush powdered sugar mixture evenly over hot cookies. Sprinkle evenly with 2 teaspoons rind. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.
Yield: 32 cookies

This is a delicious recipe I received from a friend a couple years ago.

Orange Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1 cup sour cream
3 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream together sugar, shortening, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and sour cream. In another bowl, mix together salt, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix well. Chill dough for 2 hours. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Frosting

Mix 2 cups powdered sugar with rind and juice of one orange and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Spread on cooled cookies. You may want to start with 1/2 the juice from on orange and test the consistency of the frosting. Sometimes juice from a whole orange makes the frosting a little runny.
Yield: 5 dozen

PINEAPPLE COOKIES FROM GRANDMA JANE. . . . .Grandma was one of the best cooks I know. These were always a favorite at Christmas time and any other time of the year.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (may use half butter)
1/2 cup shredded pineapple
2 eggs
4 T. pineapple juice
1 t. soda
1 t. lemon extract
3 cups flour
Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs, beaten one at a time. Add pineapple juice. Alternate with flour which has been sifted with soda. Add flavoring and pineapple and nuts to mixture. Place a piece of pineapple and a nut on top of each cookie. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

This one is requested every year and pretty easy. They look different because they are cut into strips. I usually sprinkle green or red sugar over the glaze.
Old Fashioned Ginger Strips

3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
2 1/2 cup flour

Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 T softened butter
1 T milk, or a bit more
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, egg, and molasses. Mix thoroughly. Blend in remaining ingredients. Divide dough into 6 portions. Shape each part into a 12 inch roll on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Brush tops with water, sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (I Baked around 12 minutes, they looked slightly undercooked)
Cool 5 minutes. Cut diagonally into 1 inch strips. Do not separate. Cool completely.

In small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. If needed add a bit more milk to make a glaze like consistency. Drizzle over bars Allow glaze to set, & then separate into bars. Freezes great!

Caramel Choc Bars

1/3 cup evap milk
3/4 cup melted Butter
Mix with a pkg german Chocolate cake mix
Put 1/2 mix in bottom of 9×13 cake pan
bake 6 minutes @ 350 oven

50 Kraft Caramels melted in 1/3 cup evap milk over double boiler, spread over first mixture. Add 1 cup Choc-Chips & 1 Cup nuts.

Sprinkle evenly over top put remaining 1st mixture over top of caramel & nuts & bake 15 minutes more.

I laughed when I read the previous Caramel Chocolate Bar recipe. I have a similar one - sinfully delicious, but I wrote on my notes that you needed help with the unwrapping of the caramels as that was the toughest part of the recipe. My reads, however, as follows:

1 - 14 oz. package Kraft caramels
3/4 c. Eagle brand condensed milk
1 pkt. German Sweet chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 c. melted butter
1 c. nuts
6 oz. package chocolate chips

Melt caramels in condensed milk in a double boiler. In a large bowl add 1 package cake mix, evaporated milk, melted butter, and chopped nuts.

Butter bottom and sides of 9×13″ pan. Spread one half of cake mix batter on bottom and bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Spread chocolate chips over it and then caramel mixture. Spread rest of cake mix over top. Bake 15 - 18 minutes more.

Joan Callaway »

I have this recipe too and it is a favorite at our house too, especially with the college boys and their buddies. I recently discovered that Kraft makes Caramel Bits now - they are like caramel chips. No unwrapping of caramels - it’s great!!!

So hard to choose, but I think these are my absolute favorite.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW COOKIES

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk
18 marshmallows, cut in half
Cream shortening, sugar and egg. Add wet and dry ingredients alternately. Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, press 1/2 marshmallow cut side down on each cookie. Bake an additional 2 minutes. Frost with Chocolate Frosting when cooled. Can be frozen.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
6 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 tbsp. milk
3 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa
Melt butter. Add cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients; beat well.

I was Logan’s MDT and YA adviser at BYU, by the way. Small world.

Peanut butter acorns (yes, sounds more like Thanksgiving, but it is so fevstive looking, I use it year round…. and takes great, esp. if you are a PB and choc. lover)

peanut butter cookie:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup Butter Shortening ( or veg. shorteneing)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbs. vanilla
For topping:
apprx. 1 c. choc chips
1c. chopped to ground up nuts ( I use peanuts for this one)

Creamy together Peanut butter and shortening. Add sugar and mix. Add egg and vanilla mix just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in seperate bowl ( I use the glass measuring cup for this. slowly add to mixture until blended… so not over mix or they will toughen up.
Spoon out about 1 tbs. or a little more for bigger cookies.
cook for apprx. 8 min. at 350 degrees, take out just as they start to turn golden… tops will have that cracked look on top.
Set on cookie rack to cool. When all cookies have cooled you can start to make your choclate mixture.

I use milk chocolate chips… about 1/2c cup at a time:
add to glass bowl and microwaves for apprx. 5 seconds, taking out and stirring and heat up again, until chocolate has melted. These can over cook too quickly, so this must be a stand by and watch moment.

dip half or just the top portion of the cookie into the melted chocolate. Lay on parchment paper or foil. Sprinkle chopped nuts ( I use peanuts almost ground up) over the chocolate. Let dry and enjoy!

The cookie that I get the most “can I have that recipe?” comments is for Raspberry Almond Cookies. We have varied the filling and the extract flavors and always get a request for the recipe.

Raspberry Almond Cookies
2/3 Cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2-3 teaspoons water

Preheat over to 350°.

Beat sugar, butter and almond extract at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low, add flour and beat until well mixed. Shape into 1” balls. Make an indent with thumb and spoon approximately ½ teaspoon jam into indentation.

Bake 14 – 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes then drizzle with glaze.

Striped Cookies

These are so fun to make and are Christmas beautiful. They are the number two “Holiday” cookie recipe that everyone asks me for. The only reason they are number two is because they all want number one too. I will post that as well.

These may be made in different flavors and colors and look wonderful tied in bundles or packed into boxes. We love to eat them with ice cream or light desserts.

Makes 25

1 ounce white chocolate, melted
Red and Green food coloring (I sometimes use blue for Hanukkah, we celebrate both holidays in our family and this year I used orange and made them for Halloween too)
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the over to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment (or you can use a silt pad if you have one). Divide the melted chocolate in half and add a little food coloring to each half. Fill two icing bags (sandwich bags work if you don’t have an icing bag) and snip a small hole.

Place egg whites in a bowl and beat until stiff. Add sugar gradually to make a thick meringue. Add the flour and melted buter and beat until smooth.

Drop four separate teaspoonfuls of mixture onto the prepared sheets and spread into thin circles. Pipe lines or zigzags of alternate green and then red chocolate over each round.

Bake one sheet at a time for 3 – 4 minutes, until pale golden in color. Loosen the rounds with a metal spatula and return to the over for a few seconds to soften. Have several lightly oiled wooden spoon handles at hand. Take one round cookie out of the oven at a time and quickly and carefully roll it around a spoon handle and leave for a few seconds to set. Repeat and place second sheet of cookies in the oven. When the cookies are set, slip them off the spoon handle onto a wire rack. Repeat until you use all the mixture.

If at anytime, the cookies become to hard to shape, just return them to the oven for a few seconds to soften. When the cookies are cold, tie them together with a pretty ribbon and pack into boxes, tins or my favorite….glass jars.

All of these cookies sound sooooo yummy!!!

Mocha Truffle Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 c. mini choc chips
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules

In a saucepan, melt butter and 1/2 c. choc chips over low heat, or in microwave. Remove from heat and stir in the coffee granules; cool 5 min. Stir in the sugars, egg, and vanilla. In a mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Mix well with the coffee mixture. Stir in the 1 c. mini Chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 oven 10 minutes. Let cool 1 min before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

Here’s one of our family favorites:

Sugar Nut Sticks

Ingredients
Dough:
2 c. flour
1 T sugar
3/4 c. butter
1/4 c. milk
1 egg

Filling:
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. raisins (golden)
1/4 c. chopped almonds

Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 T water
almond ext.

Instructions
Mix flour and 1 T sugar. Cut in 3/4 c. butter until particles are size of small peas. Stir in milk and egg until dough forms a ball and cleans side of bowl. Divide in half, roll into rectangle and place on baking sheet. Heat oven to 350. Mix 1/2 c. sugar, 1/4 c. butter, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup nuts and 1 tsp. extract. Spread 1/2 of the mixture over each rectangle. Bring edges of each rectangle together to seal and bake 30 minutes. Cool and glaze. GLAZE: Mix 1/2 c. powdered sugar with 1 T. water until smooth–add a small amount of almond extract for flavoring.

No Christmas cookie basket would be complete without some

Snowy Nutballs

Mix together: 1/2 pound butter
4 tsp.granulated sugar
2 cup sifted flour
2 cups finely chopped nuts
vanilla

Form in small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 30 minuts at 320 degrees. Roll in powdered sugar while still hot. Carefully place on rack to cool.

Oh…and here’s another favorite. I make these whenever I can find those tiny holiday paper muffin wrappers…you know the ones??? These are a bit of work, but oh, so worth the effort for special occasions. Not exactly a lunchbox treat!

Swedish Macaroon Tea Cakes

Cream together: 1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar

Beat in: 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift in: 2 cup flour

Mix well and drop a rounded teaspoon into tiny greased muffin cups (I use the tiny holiday paper ones), pressing batter over bottom and up around the sides, coating 1/4″ thick, leaving center hollow for the filling. Chill.

Fill with the following macaroon filling:

Beat until light and foamy: 2 eggs
Gradually beat in until well blended: 1/2 cup sugar.
Mix in 1 1/4 cups blanched almonds, finely ground
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring (or vanilla)

Bake at 325 degrees 25-30 minutes or until delicately browned and set. Check because, as you know, ovens do vary. Makes 2 dozen…depending on size.

Everyone has a favorite and here is mine…
(I love cherries so I add almost a whole cup of chopped cherries. Also at high altitude use a little more cherry liquid.)

Cheery Cherry Chocolate Dots

1 c powdered sugar
1 c butter, softened
2 tsp. maraschino cherry liquid
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
48 milk chocolate drops
4 drops red food coloring

Combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food coloring; blend well. Add flour and salt, mix well. Stir in cherries. Shape into one inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bate at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately top each cookie with a chocolate drop, pressing down firmly.

..These little cookie/candy balls are such a favorite we have been making them for 25 years… each year more and more folks expect the little Chinese take out boxes with these goodies inside…they freeze & travel well… last year 400 of them found their way to Iraq for my son and his unit.

Buckeyes

1 cup butter ( allow to soften at room temp)
1 cup peanut butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Mix very well together( hands work great) and roll into balls a bit smaller then a walnut..place on wax paper covered cookie sheet and place in the fridge over night or at least 6 hours.

when they have chilled ( they are good at this point… but it gets better) melt chocolate chips in a double broiler and use a toothpick to dip the tops of the cookie/candy into the chocolate… transfer back to the wax paper and allow to harden up a bit…

..Merry Christmas!!

I got this recipe from a friend and it’s very popular. It combines two common “loves”–brownies and chocolate chip cookie dough! Note that the dough part contains no eggs, so no worries that it is not baked!

Two-Tone Fudge Brownies
(Cookie Dough Brownies)

1 c. (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (opt.)

Cookie Dough Layer:
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 c. (6 oz) semi sweet (or milk chocolate) chips

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips. Cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in melted chocolate. Combine flour and baking soda; add to batter. Stir in nuts, if desired.

Spread into a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out barely clean. Cool on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons over cooled brownies; carefully spread on top. Cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

This easy recipe has been a family Christmas favorite for many years.

Thin Mint Cookies

1 package Ritz Crackers.
Your favorite dipping chocolate.
Peppermint extract.
Wax paper,cotton balls,air tight container.

Melt chocolate, dip ritz crackers in chocolate until completely covered. Place on wax paper until set.

Layer as follows in an air tight container. (I use a
8 1/2 x 11 Tupperware cake keeper.)
Layer 1: Place cookies side by side in bottom of container.
Layer 2: Cover with wax paper. (Large enough to cover all cookies.)
Layer 3: Put several drops of peppermint extract on 3-4 cotton balls. Place cotton balls 3 to 4 inches apart on wax paper.
Layer 4: Top with wax paper
Layer 5: Lay cookies side by side on waxpaper layer.
Continue layering as above until container is full.
Final layer would be wax paper over cotton balls.
Place lid on container and let sit for 24-48 hours.
Enjoy the great taste of Girl Scout Thin Mints.

I have this one posted at my blog

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-pupose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon saltpowdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely and reroll in powdered sugar.

I glimpsed throught the list but if anyone has great recipe for snickerdoodles that is what my son is wanting me to make need a recipe for it

I’m usually a chocolate fan, but for some reason these cookies are my favorite around Christmas-time. If I don’t put some out of reach, I end up eating them all.

CANDY CANE SNOWBALLS

2 cups butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
8 ounces white candy coating
1/3 to ½ cup crushed peppermint candy

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & confectioners’ sugar. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip the tip of each cookie into the candy coating, then into the peppermint candy. Yield: 5 dozen

Pumpkin White Chocolate Cookies

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 bag (12 oz.) white chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar. Add pumpkin & eggs; beat smooth. Add flour, spice, baking powder & soda. beat until just blended. Stir in chips. Bake at 375 on greased cookie sheets about 15 minutes or until set.

Icing: 16 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar

combine and ice cookies while still warm.

These are a yummy treat.
Apricot Crescents

1 Cup cold butter
2 Cups flour
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
sugar

In a bowl, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg yolk and sour cream, add to crumb mixture and mix well, cover and chill several hours or overnight. Divide dough into fourths. On a sugared surface, roll each portion into a 10-in. circle. Turn dough over to sugar top side. Combine preserves, coconut and pecans, spread over circles. Cut each circle into 12 wedges and roll into a crescent shape. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 -17 min until set and very lightly browned.

This is an old recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. Make sure you frost with the Browned Butter Frosting. It makes these cookies extra special.

Frosted Butterscotch Cookies

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
8 ounces sour cream
2/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat brown sugar and shortening with electric mixer until well mixed. Add baking soda, powder, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating until combined after each addition. Stir in the 2/3 cups nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoon on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool and spread with Browned Butter Frosting. Top with additional chopped nuts, if desired.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5 tsp. boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat and stir 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown (don’t burn it!) Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, boiling water, and vanilla. Beat until frosting is easy to spread. You may have to add a little more boiling water, 1 tsp. at a time, to make frosting more spreadable. Immediately spread on cookies as frosting will set up quickly. Enjoy!

2.

There are many different variations to this cookie but they are SO good!

No Bake Cookies (Anonymous)
from: northpole.com

Ingredients:
1 stick of margarine or butter
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
dash salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter
3 cups of quick oats
wax paper

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in a saucepan and cook 5 minutes. Stir in peanut butter. Remove from heat and add quick oats, mix well. Drop from a teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool. Enjoy!

**I have found that it turns out best if kept in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Angel Kisses

Ingredients needed:

4 egg whites at room temperature
1 c. sugar
dash of salt
1 t. vanilla
1t. vinegar
1 c. chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 c. chocolate bits

Cooking directions:

Beat egg whites in an electric mixer until very stiff. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until mixture is very stiff. Beat in vanilla, vinegar and salt. Fold in nuts and chocolate bits.Drop by rounded tablespoonful, one inch apart, on buttered foil on cookie sheet (or the cooking world’s greatest invention: The DeMarle Silpat). I found that flattening the cookie slightly before cooking makes a prettier cookie. Bake in very low oven (250) for 1 hour.Remove from oven and peel off when cookies are cold. Makes 3 dozen.

I posted this recipe on my blog. You can see pics of the cookies here: http://leahbellesrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/angel-kisses.html

RUGELACH
This is a traditional Jewish recipe from my favorite baker, Maida Heatter. If you are a TURE cookie lover, check out her books (your library will probably have all of them and it’s such a great way to check out recipes before you buy a book). Anyway…..this was her grandmothers recipe. It freezes perfectly. Plan ahead….the dough must refridgerate overnight.

The pastry: 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature 1/2 pound cream cheese at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour.
The filling: 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, granulated sugar 3 teaspoons cinnamon 3 tablespoons melted butter 3/4 cup currants or raisins 1 1/4 cups walnuts, finely chopped,
The glaze: 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon water.

1. Prepare the pastry the night before you are ready to cook.

2. To make the pastry, put the butter, cream cheese and salt into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium, then high speed, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Then beat on low speed while gradually adding the flour. If the dough starts to overly coat the beaters, scrape the dough off the beaters and continue adding flour, stirring it in with the hands until thoroughly and evenly blended. The dough will be extremely sticky.

3. Scrape the dough off the hands and fingers. Rinse, wash and dry the hands. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board. Flour the hands and gather the dough into a short sausage shape. Cut this into three pieces of equal size. Flatten each piece slightly and wrap each piece in clear plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil and set aside.

5. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.

6. Place one ball of dough on a floured pastry cloth. Hammer the dough firmly to soften it slightly. Do not let it become warm. Quickly roll out the dough, turning it occasionally, with a floured rolling pin into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Don’t worry about a slighly uneven edge.

7. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with a tablespoon of the melted butter. Sprinkle the dough all over with one-third of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle with one-third of the currants or raisins and one-third of the walnuts. Roll the rolling pin lightly over the top to press the filling slightly into the dough.

8. Using a long, sharp knife, cut the circle into 12 pie-shaped wedges. Roll each wedge jellyroll fashion, rolling from the outside toward the point. Do not be dismayed if some of the filling falls out. Place each roll, point side down, about one inch apart on one foil-covered cookie sheet. Repeat with a second ball of dough and then a third, filling and rolling each as indicated.

9. For the glaze, beat the egg yolk with the water. Brush the top of each walnut horn lightly and evenly with the mixture.

10. Place each sheet on a rack in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Preferably at mid-point during the baking, you should reverse the sheets top to bottom and front to back, to insure even browning. When the horns are cooked, remove them with a metal spatula and transfer them to racks to cool.

Yield: About 36 cookies.

Another promise Leigh Anne…..You won’t be able to eat just one. These are sooooo……good!!!!!! Also, I sometime make these filled with just chocolate chips, another favorite. ENJOY!!!!!!!

I got this recipe from my aunt. Every Christmas time I look forward to eating these. They are so yummy. You can also make these with graham crackers too.

Toffee Squares

1 sleeve unsalted saltines
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter
12 oz chocolate chips
crushed walnuts

Heat oven 350. Line cookie sheets completely with foil (wrap over sides). Lay out saltines in single layer,
meanwhile melt butter and sugar. Pour over saltines. Bake 8-10 mins until golden color. Remove from oven. Spread chips, sprinkle with nuts and freeze 1/2
hour or more if needed. Peel off foil and break into pieces.

These are a big hit at our house, any time of the year, because they are so quick and easy to make, yet so yummy!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 pkg. cake mix**
5 oz. Cool Whip
1 egg
Powdered sugar

Mix together the cake mix, Cool Whip, and egg. Drop by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

**You can use any flavor cake mix. We’ve used chocolate and lemon to great success! My kids love these because they are so easy to whip up!

I saw that someone’s favorite cookie was Andes Mint cookies - mine too! My recipe is a little different.

ANDES MINT COOKIES

Cream:
3/4 c. margarine
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Melt on low:
2 t. water
2 cups chocolate chips
Mix creamed ingredients with melted ingredients.

Add:
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Place 1/2 an Andes mint on each cookie immediately after taking cookies out from the oven. Let the mint melt and then spread it around the top of the cookie with the back of a spoon.

I just finished my first round of Christmas baking on Saturday! Here ya go!

http://kellycooksandotheramazingfeats.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-cookies-spritz-cookies.html

http://kellycooksandotheramazingfeats.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-cookies-italian-cookies.html

http://kellycooksandotheramazingfeats.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-cookies-russian-tea-cakes.html

My mom, sisters, and I have been baking this cookie for a few years now and we really love it. We dress them up with white chocolate and nuts.

Chocolate Butter Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed until creamy (1-2 minutes). Add egg and almond extract; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour and cocoa, scraping bowl often until well mixed. Shape dough with cookie press or divide dough into thirds. Wrap each third in waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours). Work with 1/3 of dough at a time and form into desired shapes (balls, logs, etc; we usually do small logs). Place 1″ appart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 degree for 7-9 minutes or until set. Surface may crack slightly. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired.

We melt white chocolate and dip the ends in the chocolate and then in chopped nuts. You can also drizzle the white chocolate on top.

I just wanted to tell you that I just made the Chocolate Butter Cookies that is in comment #48. They are sooooo good. I didn’t put in the almond flavor( I just don’t care for it) I chilled the dough all in one bowl, dipped them with my small cookie baller, and flattened them to 1/4″ thick with a glass dipped in sugar. When cooled, I frosted them with a mild chocolate frosting. I put the icing in a cake decorating bag with a big ribbed tip. I started at the edge and went in circles to the center. (like a snail) They look and taste like the Koko Swirls I get at Blondies Cookies.

Just wanted to let you know they are worth making, I have already ate four. Oops.

Sorry, I meant to give you the frosting recipe I used.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. milk

FYI - Yesterday we made the Candy Cane Snowballs in post #37 above and they are wonderful! They taste great and the kids had fun helping me dip them in the chocolate and candy canes.

A new favorite of ours are these Roly Poly Santas. I got the recipe from Taste of Home and if you make them you should go to their website to see a picture…you really need it to see how cute they are and how to put them together. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Roly-Poly-Santas

Rolling all the balls takes awhile, but even just one of them on a tray of cookies makes a big difference!

ROLY POLY SANTAS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Red paste food coloring
• Miniature chocolate chips
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons milk, divided

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and mix well. Remove 1 cup dough; add red food coloring. Shape white dough into 12 balls, 3/4 in. each, and 48 balls, 1/4 in. each. Shape red dough into 12 balls, 1 in. each, and 60 balls, 1/2 in. each. Place the 1-in. red balls on two ungreased baking sheets for the body of 12 Santas; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach 3/4-in. white balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. red balls to each Santa for arms and legs. Attach 1/4-in. white balls to ends of arms and legs for hands and feet. Shape remaining 1/2-in. red balls into hats (see the photo). Add chocolate chip eyes and buttons.

Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes; carefully remove from pans to wire racks (cookies will be fragile).

For frosting, combine shortening and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; mix well. Gradually add 1-1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar; add 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add remaining sugar and milk. Fill a pastry bag with frosting. With a round decorator’s tip, add a band of icing on hat, cuffs at hands and feet, and down the front and at bottom of jacket. Use a small star tip to pipe beard and pom-pom on hat.
‘

Yield: 1 dozen.

i just made these cookies and they were sooo yummy!! i used white chocolate chips. they will look so pretty on my treat plates that i make for neighbors and friends. thanks so much for sharing the recipe!