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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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!!!!!!!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.