Friday, December 15, 2017

2017 Christmas Cookies!

It's time for the yearly Christmas Cookie lineup!

Cookies made last year that are a yearly tradition are Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints, Double Chocolate Treasures, and Viennese Specials.

This year, a host of new cookies are "in the mix".

Christmas Sprinkle Cookies


Cook Time: 9 Minutes | Total Time: 19 Minutes | Yield: 3 Dozen

Ingredients
  • 1 Stick butter softened
  • 1/4 Cup cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup sprinkles nonpareils
Instructions
  1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or a large bowl using hand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and extracts until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix together on low/medium speed for one minute, until combined.
  3. Refrigerate dough for two hours before baking.
  4. When dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  5. Pour the sprinkles into a medium bowl, and roll tablespoon sized balls of dough into the sprinkles.
  6. Place the cookies onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 7-9 minutes. These should not turn golden brown, and will still look wet when they come out of the oven.
  8. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Recipe & Photo courtesy TheSaltyMarshmallow

Kris Kringle Crinkles

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes | Yield: 1.5 Dozen

Ingredients
  • 1 cup Butter (softened)
  • 1½ cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (or Almond, Lemon or Mint)
  • ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 3 cups Flour (all-purpose)
  • Powdered Sugar
Instructions
  1. Cream the butter and sugar until completely combined.
  2. Add in eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until the dough is fluffy.
  3. Add in the Baking Soda.
  4. Mix in the flour, a third at a time.
  5. Split into two portions and color one red and one green.
  6. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
  7. Roll dough into balls.
  8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.
    Recipe & Photo courtesy TwoSistersCrafting

Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints with Kahlua Ganache

Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Total Time: 55 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

For Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints:

  • 1/2 c. butter softened
  • 2/3 c. sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 c. flour
  • 1/3 c. baking cocoa
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped hazelnuts

For Kahlua ganache:

  • 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c. heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. Kahlua or coffee liqueur

  Instructions

For Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl, and beat until just combined.
  5. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough easily forms into a ball.
  6. Shape into 1-inch balls.
  7. Roll each ball in the chopped hazelnuts until well-coated.
  8. Place each ball 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
  9. Press an indentation in the center of each dough ball using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set when you lightly touch an edge (carefully).
  11. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
  12. Prepare ganache.

For Kahlua ganache:

  1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, and butter.
  2. Microwave on high at 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  3. Whisk in Kahlua.
  4. Pipe or spoon into the center of each cookie.
  5. Allow 10-15 minutes for the ganache to slightly set.
    Recipe & Photo courtesy The Gold Lining Girl

 

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 30 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice, plus additional as needed
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugars until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and then add to creamed mixture a little at a time, beating until well combined. Shape into 24 balls, about 1" round, and place on ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Slightly indent each ball with one of your fingers and then push one cherry into each ball.
  2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add 2 tablespoons reserved cherry juice and stir until smooth. Add additional cherry juice if necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle frosting over cooled cookies or alternately, transfer the frosting to a pastry bag and pipe over the cookies for a more uniform look.
  4. Store cookies in an airtight container.
  5. Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
    Recipe & Photo courtesy Valerie's Kitchen

Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Kisses

Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Yield: 2 Dozen

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon mint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 28 unwrapped peppermint kisses
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream butter & both sugars with mixer. Add eggs one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Mix in mint extract.
  3. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup dry mixture to butter mixture. Blending after each addition just until combined and scraping side of mixer bowl as needed. Remove bowl from mixer and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  4. Butter hands and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only. Press one peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie. Move to cookie cooling racks being very careful not to the touch the kiss. Recipe & Photo courtesy Small Town Woman
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