Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All
and
To All a Good Night!

Christmas Cut Out Cookies

Christmas Cut Out Cookies

COOKIES:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powder sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour

1. Cream together butter and powder sugar.

2. Add in egg and beat until smooth and creamy.

3. Mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, vanilla, and almond extracts.

4. Mix in flour and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until dough is firm.

5. Roll out on floured surface and cut with cookie cutter.

6. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool Completely. Frost with Vanilla Almond Buttercream.


VANILLA ALMOND BUTTERCREAM:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
6-8 cups powder sugar
3-4 Tbsp milk

1. Cream together butter and about half of the sugar.

2. Add in extracts and milk.

3. Beat in enough of the remaining sugar to get the spreading consistency you'd like.

4. Tint with gel food coloring and frost as desired.

Grandpa Hogan's Peanut Brittle

This recipe is originally from my Grandpa. My mom said she vividly remembers making giant batches of it each year. She said she hated all the stirring! It's now something that my Mom makes every year. It's perfect. Wouldn't change a thing. This picture is actually of some Peanut Brittle that my mom made. She sent it home with my husband, and I snapped a picture. Thanks Mom! Tastes Great!

Grandpa Hogan's Peanut Brittle

3 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups corn syrup
6 Tbsp butter
2lbs of raw peanuts
3 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp water
salt

1. In a large pot, mix together sugar, water, and corn syrup.

2. Cook over medium heat until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees. (Soft ball stage.)

3. Stir in butter and peanuts. Continue cooking, stirring CONSTANTLY until thermometer reads 302 degrees. (Hard crack stage.)

4. Pour peanut brittle out onto buttered cookie sheets and spread thin. IMMEDIATELY sprinkle generously with salt.

5. Break and enjoy.

Dave's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are a fan of big, thick, cakey, cookies, you may not like these at all. These are the exact opposite of what I just said. They are flat, thin, crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, buttery, gooey, cookies. Now I happen to like all kinds of chocolate chip cookies, but this recipe is my husbands favorite. He will stand at the kitchen counter and eat one after another. The first time I made a flat, chewy, cookie, it was a total accident. He loved them! The only problem was the next time, when I tried to re-create them, It didn't work. I couldn't remember what I did. So I began searching for a thin, crispy, chewy cookie recipe. I tried many. This recipe is hands-down, the best. It's from the Martha Stewart website. It's called "Lexi's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie." I, however, am not Martha Stewart. So I give her credit for the recipe, and I renamed them for my husband. Try one. Seriously. Right now. Go make cookies. You'll be happy you did.

Dave's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb of butter
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 bag chocolate chips

1. Cream together butter and sugars.

2. Add eggs one at a time.

3. Stir in vanilla and baking soda.

4. Add flour a little at a time.

5. Mix in chocolate chips.

6. Scoop, by tsp. onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

7. EAT COOKIES!

Oreo Truffles

Yum. . .Yum. . . Yum. If given the opportunity to eat Oreos without calories, I'd polish off an entire package of them. Nothing better than an Oreo dunked in milk. If you agree. . .you HAVE to try this super simple recipe. It's all Oreo! This recipe has been around forever, but I've just never made it. This year, came across it again, and for some reason, as soon as I saw this recipe, I thought of my sister, Amanda. She is an Oreo fanatic! She will eat a whole package, calories or not! (Although, you'd never know looking at her!) I can't wait for her to try them. These truffles are sooooo good, not to mention very addicting! Literally will take you 20 minute start to finish, and well worth the time.

Oreo Truffles

1 16oz pkg. of Oreo Cookies
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese
1 2lb pkg. of white almond bark
Sprinkles!

1. Crush Oreos in food processor.

2. Mix crushed Oreos with cream cheese until completely combined.

3. Shape Oreo mixture into 1" balls. (Makes about 55.)

4. Melt almond bark, and dip Oreo balls in the white chocolate.

5. Set on pan lined with wax paper or foil, and top with sprinkles.

6. Freeze until set!

Cream Wafer Cookies

Cream Wafer Cookies

COOKIE:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups flour
Sugar

1. Cream together all ingredients.

2. Roll out to 1/4" thickness on a well floured surface.

3. Cut out into small circles using cookie cutter.

4. Brush with water, sprinkle with sugar.

5. Poke holes in cookie with fork.

6. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.

7. Frost bottoms of 1/2 the cookies and top with additional cookies.


FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Food coloring of choice

1. Mix all ingredients together until frosting it the consistency you'd like.

2. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.

3. Tint with food coloring, and frost cookies.

Hershey's Candy Cane Blossoms

Heryshey's Candy Cane Blossoms

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Candy Cane Mint Candies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
Red or green sugar crystals

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

4. Roll in green or red sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookie is set.

6. Press a candy piece into center of each cookie. Let melt, and swirl with a toothpick.

Rolo Brownie Buttons

Rolo Brownie Buttons

1 box brownie mix (9 x 13 size) plus ingredients to prepare
1 bag of Rolo Candies

1. Line mini muffin pan with paper wrappers.

2. Prepare brownie batter as directed on box

3. Spoon 1 Tbsp of brownie batter into each paper cup.

4. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

5. Press Rolo into center of brownie, and pop back in the oven for a few more seconds for the candy to melt a bit.

Peanut Butter Munchies

Peanut Butter Munchies

COOKIE:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Cream together, butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until combined.

2. Add in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well.

3. Stir in flour.

4. Form dough into 32 balls, and set aside.
5. For filling, mix together powdered sugar and peanut butter.

6. Shape filling into 32 small balls.
7. For each cookie, shape the chocolate cookie dough ball, around the small peanut butter ball.
8. Lightly flatten balls with a glass dipped in sugar.

9. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Bark Cookies

I make these every year. They are a favorite of my husbands. Not even kidding, he eats so many before the Holidays, that by the time I'm filling cookie trays, they're almost gone. Today my sister came over and baked with me, and while I was working on the Candy Cane cookies, (and picking up kids from school) she was making these. They're not the most beautiful cookie on the tray, but definitely one of the most delicious!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Bark Cookies

1 2lb bar of white almond bark
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups peanuts
2 cups marshmallows

1. Melt together the almond bark and peanut butter.

2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

3. Drop by Tbsp onto waxed paper and freeze until solid.

Chocolate Turtle Waffle Cookies

Chocolate Turtle Waffle Cookies

COOKIE:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt

1. Cream together butter and sugar.

2. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. Mix in vanilla and salt.

4. Stir in cocoa and flour.
5. Drop by Tbsp, onto hot waffle iron.
6. Cook for one minute.
7. Top with frosting.
Frosting for Chocolate Turtle Waffle Cookies

1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, mix together cocoa, sugar, butter, milk, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil.

2. Boil for 3 minutes, and then COOL COMPLETELY!

3. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla.

4. Drizzle over cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies

My mom made these time-consuming cookies every year when we were kids. They are most definitely a tradition in our house. This year I got together with my sister, and we baked a double batch. It took forever!!! But how cute are these cookies!?!

Candy Cane Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
red food coloring

1. Cream together butter and sugar.

2. Add in vanilla, almond, egg, and baking powder.

3. Add in the milk and flour alternately.

4. Divide dough in half.

5. Color half the dough red.

6. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

7. Using a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop, scoop out 1 ball of each color.
8. Cut balls of dough in half.

9. Roll 1/2 dough ball into a rope.

10. Do the same with the other color.
11. Lay ropes side by side, and twist.
12. Form a candy cane.
13. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Swedish Almond Cookies

These are my mom's favorite Christmas cookies. Her mom made them when she was growing up, my mom made them when I was growing up, now I make them for my kids. I guess that makes them a tradition. Actually, most of the cookies I make for the holidays are a tradition. I tend to bake the same cookies year after year. These cookies are sweet, buttery, and full of almond flavor. I love them! The almonds on top with the egg white and sugar give you a perfect sweet crunch when you bite into them.
NOTE: These cookies contain no eggs.

Swedish Almond Cookies

1 lb butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond extract
Additional sugar
Egg Whites
Sliced almonds

1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add in baking powder and almond extract.

3. Mix in flour until combined.

4. Roll mixture into a log, wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Slice rolled dough into cookies, and place on cookie sheet.

6. Brush with egg white.

7. Sprinkle with sugar.

8. Top with a few almonds.

9. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

Russian Tea Cakes

Some people call these "Mexican Wedding Cookies" but not me. My mom made them and called them "Russian Tea Cakes" and so do I.

So I have to admit, when I was a kid, I hated these cookies. My mom made them every year, and they totally grossed me out. Why is that you ask? Because I never tried one because I didn't like nuts. . .or so I thought. These are now in my top five! Love them! Buttery, nutty, and covered in powdered sugar. Yum.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Cream together butter and powdered sugar.

2. Add in vanilla, salt, and flour. Mix utnil dough forms.

3. Stir in pecans.

4. Roll into 1" balls and bake at 400 for 10 to 12 minutes.

5. When cookies are still hot, roll them in powdered sugar. (I like to mix my powdered sugar with red and green sugar sprinkles. We call this "Reindeer Dust.")
6. Let cool, and then roll them in sugar again.
NOTE: Be careful when handling cookies. . .this is one cookie that definitely crumbles.

Almond Raspberry Shortbread

Almond Raspberry Shortbread

COOKIE:
1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup ground natural almonds
1/2 cup raspberry preserves

GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add in almond extract and slowly mix in flour.

3. Mix in almonds until combined.

4. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough onto cookie sheet 2" apart.
5. Roll dough in your hands to make smooth balls.
6. Make an indentation in each ball with the end of a wooden spoon.
7. Fill a small Ziploc bag with raspberry preserves and cut corn off.
8. Pipe preserves into each indentation.
9. Bake at 370 for 12 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, mix together ingredients for glaze.

11. Using another Ziploc bag, pipe glaze over cooled cookies.

Snickers Cookies

Snickers Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Jif)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 bag Snickers Miniatures

1. In a mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until fluffy. To get the best texture for your cookies, at LEAST 5 minutes. It should be very pale in color.
2. Add in the eggs and baking soda.

3. Add in the flour and beat until just incorporated. Don’t over mix.

4. Then with a standard cookie scoop, scoop out 40 dough balls.

5. Refrigerate the dough balls for about 20 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Flatten the dough slightly. Place a Snickers bar in the center of the dough and cover it completely.

8. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes.

NOTE: I like to add a chocolate drizzle so they don't look like you're everyday cookie.

Chocolate Mint Shortbread Cookies

These are melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Chocolatey, minty, buttery, goodness! My favorite part about baking these cookies, is that as soon as you open the oven, the whole house smells minty. One of these cookies, hot cocoa, and a good book. . .that's my perfect day.

Chocolate Mint Shortbread Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup powder sugar
2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup Andes mint pieces
Granulated Sugar

1. Cream together butter and powder sugar.

2. Slowly add in melted chocolate. Mix until combined.

3. Stir in vanilla extract.

4. Add in flour.

5. Stir in Andes mints.
6. Roll into 1" balls, and then roll in sugar. Flatten slightly.

7. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

NOTE: Cookies will be very fragile and crumbly!

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

These are another fave of my husbands. They are peanut butter, inside of peanut butter. (Cutest puffy little cookies you'll ever see!) Reese's Pieces are his favorite candy ever, so when I found these cute little mini pieces, I had to get them. They are perfect for cookies! They seem to only come out during the Holidays. I normally do all my shopping at Target, groceries and all, but I had gone to Walmart with my mom a few days ago and found them there. When I was unloading groceries and putting things away, he was dying to dive into that bag of Mini Pieces! (Of course, he didn't! After all, they were for my Holiday baking!) So when I made these cookies, I was sure to set aside a few for him before tossing them into the freezer for Christmas. He'll be happy when he gets home from work tonight!

Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter (I recommend Jif-In my ipinion it's the BEST!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1 bag of Reese's Peanut Butter chips or if you're lucky enough to find them, Mini Reese's Pieces.

1. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, and butter.

2. Add peanut butter.
3. Add in egg and mix until combined.

4. Mix in baking soda, salt, and vanilla.

5. Mix in flour until combined.

6. Stir in peanut butter chips/or Mini Pieces.
7. Roll into balls, and then roll in sugar.8. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cookies are puffy and slightly browned.

Maple Glazed Pecan Cookies

Not a huge fan of anything Maple, but Dave is. So this is a new recipe I came across and decided to make just for him. I know, thoughtful and selfless. That's me. These cookies are soft, chewy, and remind me of a pancake with maple syrup. Not my fave, but he adores them!

Maple Glazed Pecan Cookies

Cookie:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups flour

1. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and baking soda.

2. Add maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Beat until combined.

3. Mix in flour.
4. Drop dough by Tbsp, onto cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.
Maple Butter Glaze:
1/2 cup evaporated milk
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp maple extract or flavoring
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
Chopped pecans

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and butter.

2. Stir in maple flavoring.

3. Beat in powder sugar.

4. Frost cookies, and sprinkle with pecans!

Check out the pan that I burnt to a crisp! That happened while texting my husband. Forgot they were in the oven until I smelled something aweful. They were rock hard and just black on the bottoms!

Spritz Cookies

Spritz Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond
3 1/2 cups flour
Food Coloring
Colored Sugars

1. Cream together butter, sugar, and baking powder until light and fluffy.

2. Add in egg, vanilla, and almond.

3. Stir in flour.

4. Add in desired food coloring.

5. Fill cookies press and use as cookie press is directed.

NOTE: I use a Pampered Chef Cookie Press. It works really well, and as you can see, it comes with a lot of different shapes for different times of year.

6. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.