One more day until our countdown officially begins for the Christmas season. This means ABC Family will start airing all of our favorite holiday films, Christmas music will take over the radio, and Santa will be anxiously awaiting his Christmas cookies by the fireplace. In preparation for Ol’ Saint Nick, we thought it might be helpful to have a few holiday cookie recipes for all of you to try out.
Starry-Eyed Christmas Cookies
• 1 bag waffle or star-shaped pretzels
• 1 bag holiday M&M’s plain or peanut butter chocolate candies (red & green)
• 2 – 3 bags Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses
Source: thewickednoodle.com via Texarkana on Pinterest
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
2. Open the bags of pretzels and remove all the unbroken pretzels.
3. Place them on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets in a single layer.
4. Unwrap Hershey’s Kisses, place one on each pretzel, repeat for an entire cookie sheet.
5. Place cookie sheet in the preheated oven and “bake” for six minutes.
6. Immediately upon removing from the oven, place one M-n-M on top of semi-melted Hershey’s Kiss.
7. Place entire cookie sheet in refrigerator until cookies are set.
8. Place in cute holiday bags or on a cookie tray for your guests to enjoy!
Peppermint Crunch-Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
7 ounces milk chocolate chips
7 ounces Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips
Source: culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com via Raygen on Pinterest
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed just until smooth, about 2 minutes.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture followed by the chocolate and peppermint chips.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably for 24 hours (do this part for real please).
5. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
6. Slice the logs into disks ¾ inch thick and place the disks 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the chips crumble out (and they will), simply push them back in, they reshape nicely.
7. Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes. If you like soft chocolate chip cookies, as I do, err on the side of underbaking.
8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
Tell us some of your favorite holiday cookie recipes, and have the chance to win Phil Wickham’s “Songs for Christmas” album. Check out Shane & Shane/Phil Wickham’s Christmas tour dates to see if one is near you, it will be an experience that you don’t want to miss!
Happy Holidays!
Chelsea and Brittany
Gingerbread Men cookies!! 1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
I can't take credit for this at all, Its mostly from SeatPeasKitchen blog, but I have modified it a little bit. Its SO yummy!!! Ingredients: ■2 1/2 cups (16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (no more than 61% cacao), divided ■1 1/2 cups all purpose flour ■1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder ■1 teaspoon baking powder ■1 teaspoon instant espresso powder ■1/2 teaspoon salt ■1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature ■1 cup sugar ■1 teaspoon vanilla extract ■1 teaspoon peppermint extract ■2 large eggs ■4 candy canes or 16 red-and-white- striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed 1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. 2.In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave on high power for 45 seconds. Stir. If un-melted pieces remain continue microwaving and stirring the chocolate in ten-second intervals until it is all melted and smooth. Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling. 3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. 4.Roll a tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. 5.Bake cookies in preheated oven until cracked all over, about 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to cooling racks to cool completely. 6.Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate in the microwave on high for 10 second intervals until smooth. Place melted chocolate in a ziploc bag and snip off the very tip of the bag. Gently squeeze chocolate drizzles all over the cookie. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill just until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes.
Love this idea! Chocolate covered pretzels are such a treat, and this seems so much easier, and with peanut butter M & M's, Wow. Perfect combination.
Raspberry Coconut Bars! - Ingredients 1-2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup butter, melted 2-2/3 cups flaked coconut 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 1 cup seedless raspberry preserves 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup white baking chips Directions In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with coconut; drizzle with milk. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Spread preserves over crust. Sprinkle with walnuts. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Drizzle over walnuts. Repeat with vanilla chips. Cut into bars. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Yield: 3 dozen.
Snickerdoodles! with double the cinnamon the recipe calls for! That's the best Christmas cookie ever.
My Great-grandma used to make peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss in the middle....me and my mom now make them and when we do she tells me stories about what my grandma used to love doing with me! ( i dont remember though cause i was little when she died!) =)
Thumbprint Cookies have always been a favorite in my family since I can remember. Simple, but oh so tasty! ½ cup butter (or ½ butter, ½ shortening) ½ tsp vanilla ¼ cup brown sugar (packed) 1 cup flour 1 egg (separated) ¼ tsp salt ¾ cup chopped nuts (opt.) Jelly or jam of your choice (I prefer raspberry jam) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Mix butter/shortening, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla thoroughly. Blend flour and salt together and add to shortening/butter mixture. Roll into small balls. Beat egg white w/ fork. Dip balls into egg whites and then roll into nuts. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. 3. Bake for 5 minutes. Take out of oven. Make an imprint in the center of the ball, using your thumb. Fill the center with jelly and bake for another 15 minutes. Enjoy!
This is a good one for people watching what they eat: 50% less sat fat • 58% less sodium than the original recipe—see the comparison. Here’s proof beloved Snickerdoodles have room for improvement. Cut half the fat by using fat-free sour cream in place of part of the butter and substituting egg product for the eggs. Prep Time:25 min Start to Finish:3 hr makes:48 cookies 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream 1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour Nonstick cooking spray 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional) 1.In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in sour cream, egg product, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. 2.Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and, if desired, the cocoa powder. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the sugar or sugar-cocoa mixture to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. 3.Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Nutritional Information 1 cookie: Calories 50 (Calories from Fat 15); Total Fat 1 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 25mg; Total Carbohydrate 9g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 5g); Protein 1g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 2%; Iron 2% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. http://www.eatbetteramerica.com
Haystacks are a great holiday treat! Super easy and delicious. HAYSTACK NO BAKE COOKIES 1 c. butterscotch chips or chocolate or peanut butter 1/2 c. peanut butter 1/2 c. peanuts 2 c. chow mein noodles Microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50 percent power for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts and chow mein noodles. Drop on wax paper. Put in refrigerator for faster set or let sit overnight on counter.
I don't remember the name of the cookie, but my grandmother used to make these every Christmas when we would come to visit. For each cookie, you simply take two Ritz crackers, sandwich peanut butter between the two and then dip them in melted almond bark (better than white chocolate). Then you let them harden on wax paper. They were absolutely delicious and easy to make.
It's not Christmas without shortbread cookies. My mom is from Scotland & these are a must every year. LOTS of memories decorating them for the holidays. They are kind of a pain to make since you roll out the dough & sprinkle them (they make a mess), but they're a lot of fun. Now, it's becoming a tradition to make them with Oma (my Mom) when we visit for Christmas. The kids love to decorate them & I still love to eat them.
Love any cookies gimmmee cookies!
Chocolate Drop Cookies 1 3/4 cup Sugar 2-3 Tablespoons Cocoa 1/2 cup Butter 1/2 cup milk Boil well 2-3 minutes. Remove and Add 3 Cups rolled oats 1 cup coconut 1 teaspoon Vanilla Beat well and Drop on a pan to cool For best results (and kids enjoyment) freeze in the freezer. :) We always had these at Christmas time when I was younger. (My brother and I loved them when they were frozen) For those who like peanut butter, you can add it to this recipe if you want. Still really good!
i was so excited to find cranberries this year, and baked with them for the first time! my housemates & i loved my oatmeal cookies with cranberries. ^__^
Big, soft ginger cookies. They have just the right hint of ginger, but they are soft and chewy and don't break your teeth! :-)
Forgotten Cookies (Meringue) 2 egg whites, room temperature 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla 3/4 c. sugar 1 sm. pkg. chocolate chips A brown paper bag Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and vanilla until frothy. At high speed beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, just until stiff peaks form. Fold in chocolate chips. Cut brown paper bag to size of cookie sheet and drop cookies, about 1 teaspoon each, on bag. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes and store covered after cooling. I got this recipe from my best friend's mom in 1978. Enjoy!
I'm not a big cookie person, but I love truffles. I have a recipe for truffles with espresso that is to die for. And Christmas just wouldn't be the same for my oldest son and husband without a batch of Buckeyes. They're like round bite size peanutbutter cups and they love them.
It's now my job to do some or most of the baking for our family Christmas. One thing we make every year is traditional cut out sugar cookies that the kids can help frost and decorate. We also make monster cookies and put holiday M&Ms to add some holiday flair. I love 7 layer bars and my brothers love Special K bars so I make those every year too. And we can't forget the caramel corn done microwave style - so yummy! My mom is the fudge and molasses cookies preparer. We do love making goodies and giving away baskets of treats for the holidays. : )