Christmas Cookies

[Traveshamockery]

Anyone making different ones this year?  Any suggestions other than the normal sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies? 

[zeitgeist]

Anyone making different ones this year?  Any suggestions other than the normal sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies?  

How about Eskimo cookies?  No bake, uses oatmeal, contains chocolate, butter, and powdered sugar.  Kids love 'em and can help make them.

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4-1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1)Let butter soften to room temperature.
2)Add sugar and mix thoroughly.
3)Add water, cocoa, vanilla and oats.
4)Cover and chill for 2-3 hours.
5)Pour powdered sugar in dish.
6)Roll walnut-sized bits of dough into balls, then roll in powdered sugar.
7)Store cookies in fridge.

Read more: http://baking.food.com/recipe/eskimo-cookies-64199#ixzz1g8o4vaY3

[zeitgeist]

these are always good too:

http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/1416/Recipe.cfm

But a little more difficult to make,  there is even a youtube:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fnRCZXRfYM[/youtube]

[franksolich]

Anyone making different ones this year?  Any suggestions other than the normal sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies? 

Springerle's good, especially the way my mother made them.

Unfortunately, I could never get them to come out the way she did.

[IassaFTots]

I don't know if I will make any cookies, but I am making toffee and peppermint bark.

[RightCoast]

My mother always made these:

http://www2.kelloggs.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?id=1416

So far Mrs RC says no way - she is the Grinch

[Celtic Rose]

My friends and I are getting together to back cookies next Saturday.  I'll be bringing cheater gingerbread cookie dough.  Betty Crocker's Gingerbread mix has instructions for cookies, and they turn out really good, kind of like gingersnaps. 

[Traveshamockery]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I love eskimo cookies!  I found a recipe for butter cookies that you can decorate.  I might try those.

I had a friend who used to make cherry-almond squares.  The batter was really thick and made with a lot of butter.  You would put that batter into a 13x9 pan and mark squares in it with a knife and drop one or two cherries from canned cherry pie mix and bake.  It was so good but I cannot find that recipe anywhere!   

[Traveshamockery]

I found the recipe.  I will have to make this, too.

http://cookie.betterrecipes.com/cherry-almond-squares.html

[MrsSmith]

We have "standard" Christmas cookies...first Paintbrush cookies.  They are basically a sugar cookie with less baking powder, so they don't spread so much in baking.  We paint them with colored egg yolk before baking.  
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/paintbrush-cookies/71c57baf-3047-4fd7-b03e-f0488e9decc1
We also sprinkle them with extra sugar before baking, or you can skip the painted design, brush with egg white and sprinkle with colored sugar.

The next would be Vanilla Kipferl cookies
http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10052&partNumber=RECIPE_13447
Most recipes talk about tearing up a vanilla bean, we never did that.  I've had vanilla sugar going for years now.  We put a couple vanilla beans in 10 lbs of sugar in a good storage container and let it sit for at least a couple months before first use.  Then we add more sugar as we use it.  I added fresh beans a few years ago, too.

Most years, I make Thumbprint cookies.  
http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/christmas/thumbprint-cookies
I normally fill them with an expensive, seedless Raspberry or Blackberry jam.

Someone always makes Peanut Blossoms
http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/5191/Peanut%20Butter%20Blossoms.aspx
We often use chocolate stars instead of kisses, it makes a prettier cookie

Another favorite is Rum Balls
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Rum-Balls
I run a couple boxes of vanilla wafers through the food grinder, then follow up with nuts (we usually use almonds because I buy them for the Kipferls).  These should sit in a tight container in the fridge for a couple weeks or longer before Christmas.

Last year, Meringue cookies were a big hit.  One brother can't eat any wheat, so good cookies with no flour or gluten were perfect.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/MeringueCookies.html
I made some with mini chocolate chips stirred in, and flavored others with peppermint and tiny bits of chopped candy cane.  There are probably 100 ways to flavor and color them...

And we also make chocolate chip, and add some baking M&M's for color.  

 

[franksolich]

I'm getting ready to make this again.

http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php/topic,20468.0/

with much lingering thanks to jtyangel here, who kindly gave me the recipe.

However, every time I've tried it, I can't quite make them come out like my mother did.

My mother could make them turn out rock-hard, which is the way I like them.

<<not a fan of soft food.

[Traveshamockery]

Thank you, Mrs. Smith! 

Frank:  Springerles sound really good but seem to be a lot more work than it would appear by reading the recipes,  I do not think I've ever had them before but I do love the smell of anise.  Have you tried making them since 2009? 

Coincidentally, my maiden name is Springer.

[franksolich]

Thank you, Mrs. Smith! 

Frank:  Springerles sound really good but seem to be a lot more work than it would appear by reading the recipes,  I do not think I've ever had them before but I do love the smell of anise.  Have you tried making them since 2009? 

Coincidentally, my maiden name is Springer.

Yeah, I have, but I don't do anything fancy.

There's some sort of rolling-pin with "pictures" carved in them, that one rolls over the dough.

I don't mess with that.

I just put a spoonful of the dough on the cookie sheet; after all, they're for dining on, not looking at.

[MrsSmith]

Yeah, I have, but I don't do anything fancy.

There's some sort of rolling-pin with "pictures" carved in them, that one rolls over the dough.

I don't mess with that.

I just put a spoonful of the dough on the cookie sheet; after all, they're for dining on, not looking at.

That's probably why your cookies aren't like your mother's.  You need to flatten the dough to the right thickness, whatever the recipe calls for, to get the correct result.

[Chris_]

However, every time I've tried it, I can't quite make them come out like my mother did.

My mother could make them turn out rock-hard, which is the way I like them.

Leave them in the oven longer (without burning them).

[debk]

Gettting ready to start baking today.

Every year I make Magic Bars, Danish Butter Cookies (my step-grandmother came over from Denmark in her early  20's and I make her recipe), peanut butter blossoms, mini brownie cupcakes w/either pecans or caramel Hershey Kisses stuck upside down on the top, and oatmeal raspberry bars. Also Chex Mix.

I make peppermint bark, chocolate covered toffee, turtles, peanut butter cups, fudge and spiced almonds and pecans.

For Christmas Eve I make creme brulee, New York cheesecake w/raspberry Chambord sauce and Creme de Menthe cheesecake (though last year I made both into cupcake size instead of big ones and also made chocolate chip too, and will again this year), mini pecan pies and mini mincemeat pies w/ B&B in them.

Several years ago, instead of going out and buying gifts for our friends and the secretaries, office manager and broker at my office....I started making up gift bags of goodies. It works out well, as I don't struggle trying to figure out what to get them, and it keeps the cost pretty much the same for each, and it isn't something they get from someone else. Also, we get to have all the different stuff, too, but not so much that we are eating it for weeks!

I buy those patterned cellophane bags at Dollar Tree and put a half dozen of cookies and candy, and then put them into a big gift bag. I will also make either Spice Tea mix that I put into the little 8oz Christmas plastic containers (also Dollar Tree) or will get several different kinds of hot cocoa mix packets and give a "sample" of 1 of each that I tie with a ribbon and put in the bag too.

Those that come on Christmas Eve, take home some of the desserts, and I also make chicken soup that I have frozen and they get a big container of it with a bag of noodles to add when they fix it. I made the soup a couple of weeks ago. I made broccoli cheese soup the other night though, and froze some, in quart containers, and I may give them a choice this year.

Over the years, they've all become very "sub-tle" ...."what are you baking for Christmas this year, Deb?" 

 

[Chris_]

I'm going to make a small tres leche cake for myself.  I'll try Jello's instant chocolate mousse for a topping since the vanilla-flavored whipped cream I made last time didn't go well with the chocolate cake.

[chitownchica]

I'm going to try these over the holidays:

http://consciouscrumbs.com/post/293338277/swedish-creme-cookies-1-cup-butter-2-cups-flour

[debk]

I'm going to try these over the holidays:

http://consciouscrumbs.com/post/293338277/swedish-creme-cookies-1-cup-butter-2-cups-flour

Hmmmm.....these look terrific!!!! 

Might have to add these.

[chitownchica]

Hmmmm.....these look terrific!!!!  

Might have to add these.

I hope they are as good as they look. I always bookmark things and then forget about them. I love the idea of baking, but then get lazy over the actual work .

[Celtic Rose]

I'm going to try these over the holidays:

http://consciouscrumbs.com/post/293338277/swedish-creme-cookies-1-cup-butter-2-cups-flour

Those look tasty.  I wonder if jam could be used to replace the frosting, it seems that it should work.  I'm baking cookies with my friends tomorrow, I might have to try these. 

[chitownchica]

Those look tasty.  I wonder if jam could be used to replace the frosting, it seems that it should work.  I'm baking cookies with my friends tomorrow, I might have to try these. 

CR - I bet jam would be just as good. Yum!

[chitownchica]

My sister-in-law makes these for family get togethers.  They are fantastic!

Apricot Bars
From Taste of Home Ultimate Cookie Collection
 
¾ cup butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 1/3 c. coconut
½ c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. jar apricot preserves
 
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Add coconut and walnuts. Press two-thirds of dough into a greased 9x13” baking pan. Spread with preserves, leaving about a ¼ - ½ border around edges. Be careful not to spread preserves all the way to the edge or mixture will stick and be hard to get out of pan. Crumble remaining dough over preserves. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
 
Makes 2 dozen.

[Chris_]

Anyone making different ones this year?  Any suggestions other than the normal sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies? 

I'm thinking of making the s'mores from the back of the Golden Grahams box. 

Good stuff.

[Traveshamockery]

Oh yum!  Those cookies look yummy!  And Deb - you're going to be busy.

BTW, my mother's side of the family comes from Denmark, too!  Any Christiansens in your family?