Monday, November 27, 2017

It's Christmas Cookie Time

Finally....... the magical time of year is approaching, Christmas.  This year we won't have any snow, due to moving back to S. CA, but hey palm trees swaying in the breeze is just as nice. I've been overjoyed with the smells that have been wafting throughout the house as Christmas cookies are being baked; cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, sugar, chocolate, peppermint, lemon zest, and toasted nuts just to name a few.  Baking Christmas cookies puts me in my happy place.  I love finding interesting antique containers or platters to put my cookies and candies on to deliver to family/friends and neighbors.

Do you love hosting cookie parties?  Get in the spirit with a party that will satisfy every guest's sweet tooth and spread lots of wintry cheer.  Invite friends/family over for a cookie swap.  They contribute their own recipes on creative cards as well as everyone will enjoy a variety of baked goods to bring home.  Go for a winter theme; spread the table with a beautiful white cloth or vintage quilt.  Gather up some branches spray painted white or brushed silver and sprinkle on some glitter, place branches into large urns or vases for a lovely winter look.  Add bowls full of Christmas ornaments with some fresh greenery tucked in.  Sprinkle some white snowy glitter around the table and place the platters of cookies around with fresh greenery tucked about.  Not only will it look lovely the smell of fresh greenery is divine.  Serve small appetizers, along with some wine for an evening of festive enjoyment.


Make some pretty place cards for the cookie party or for Christmas dinner or brunch the next day. These are so easy; start by spraying glue adhesive generously onto pine cones. Then liberally sprinkle fine silver glitter all over and set aside to dry completely. Once they're dry, simply insert a handwritten menu card into the top "scales" of the pine cone and display in front of the corresponding dish/cookie, etc.  Note; if the card won't stay in place, just add a touch of adhesive.


I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below and have a perfectly wonderful, beautiful and blessed Merry Christmas!  Note; all eggs will be large unless otherwise listed.

Fantastic Frosted Peppermint Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
2 tsp.pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
crushed candy canes for topping
Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, soft
4 Tbl. unsalted butter, soft
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Into a bowl sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter, shortening and sugar until pale and fluffy scraping down sides of bowl.  Add egg and beat in then add egg white, vanilla and peppermint extract until combined.  Slowly add dry ingredients to combine. Transfer dough to plastic wrap and cover well refrigerate about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Scoop about 3 Tbl. of dough out at a time and roll into ball.  Place dough onto lightly floured surface and sprinkle top lightly with flour.  Using something flat press dough into 1/2 inch thickness. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Repeat process and bake cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes.  Allow to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to cooling racks.  Cool completely.  Frosting; into bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment add cream cheese, butter whipping to pale and fluffy. Add extract and powdered sugar whipping to combine.   Frost cooled cookies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Easy Breezy Peanut Butter Cookies - these are perfect for gluten free allergies

1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use natural version)

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Into a bowl add ingredients and stir to combine.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls.  Place 1-inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets and press with tines of fork.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.


Peppermint Blondies - these are really good

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. pure peppermint extract
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups white chocolate, coarsely chopped
16 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup peppermints, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper allowing the edges to hang over.  Into a bowl beat the butter and sugars to fluffy.  Add eggs and extract mixing to combine. Whisk the dry ingredients into a bowl and incorporate into the wet, stir in white chocolate and pour into pan.  Bake about 30 to 35 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Into a bowl beat the cream cheese to fluffy, beat in powdered sugar and remaining 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Remove blondies from pan and frost, sprinkling on crushed peppermints.  Cut into squares.


Delicious Fig Bars - always a favorite

Crust
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temp. and cut into pieces
1 egg
1 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Filling
3 cups dried Mission figs
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
1 medium orange zested
1 cup unsalted chunky almond butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 13x9 baking dish and add parchment paper with sides overhanging.  Crust; whisk the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until combined.  Beat in the egg, cream and vanilla to combine.  Add dry ingredient's until mixture forms clumps, press into a dough ball, lightly knead and cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate about 1 hour.  Filling; place 1/4 cup water, figs, orange juice, vanilla and zest into food processor, blending to finely grind figs, add the almond butter and blend to combine. Add almonds and pulse to combine.  Remove dough and cut in half.  Onto a lightly floured work surface roll one piece of dough to form a 8x12 rectangle.  Cut dough in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise to make 4 equal pieces.  Transfer dough to parchment and arrange in single layer.  Pinch edges of dough together to seal.  Spoon on filling and spread evenly over dough using damp hands.  Roll out remaining dough, doing the same thing and place on top of filling pinching edges together. Bake about 25 minutes until golden.  Place on cooling rack for about 1 hour.  Lift the bars out of the baking pan with excess parchment paper and cut in to bars.


Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 orange zested
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Into a bowl of electric mixer cream butter, sugar and vanilla, stir in flour spices and salt to form a dough.  Stir in pistachios and cranberries.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.  Onto a lightly floured work surface add dough and roll out dough to 1/4 or 1/2 inch.  Using small round cookie cutters cut out cookies and place onto baking sheets about 2-inches apart.  Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or light golden brown and firm to touch you can switch pans half way through cooking.  Remove from oven to wire cooling rack.

Orange Biscotti

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup sugar
1 orange, zested
1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment.  Into a bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal whisking to combine.  In another bowl add the sugar and orange zest, rubbing zest into the sugar to release those fragrant oils.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter with orange sugar to light and creamy.  Beat in eggs, then beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients mixing to combine, add the almonds mixing in by hand. Divide the dough into 2 portions into a 1 1/2 inch log each onto pans, bake about 15 minutes.  Let cool 30 minutes.  Transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice with a sharp serrated knife into 3/4 inch slices on the diagonal.  Return to sheet pans cut side up and bake another 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  You can add a glaze to them if desired. Store in airtight container.


Coconut Snowballs


2 sticks unsalted butter, soft

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. coconut extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped (good quality)
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Into a large bowl of electric mixer beat sugars and butter to light and fluffy.  Add extract and mix. Into another bowl mix flour and salt.  Add to the butter mixture to combine.  Add parchment paper to baking sheets, heat oven to 400 degrees.  Make about 1 to 2-inch balls and place onto baking sheets. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.  Add white chocolate to a double boiler and melt chocolate, turn down heat to simmer.  Place the coconut onto a large plate. Add one cookie at a time  to the melted chocolate and roll to coat, then roll in coconut.  Place onto cooling racks to harden.

My Very Favorite Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups plus 2 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 Tbl. unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, soft
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 Tbl. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 unsulfured molasses
2 Tbl. baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbl. boiling water
1/3 cup sugar

Into a bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder and spices.  Into a bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment beat butter, brown sugar and ginger until fluffy.  Beat in molasses, beat in flour mixture with baking soda mixture.  Shape dough into a log wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheet with parchment and slice dough into 1/4-inch rounds. Dip one side of cookie into sugar.  Place onto baking sheets sugar side exposed 2-inches apart and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.   Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire cooling racks. Cool completely and store in airtight containers.

Fruitcake Cookies - if you love fruitcake as I do, you will enjoy these cookies

1 3/4 cup cake flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, soft
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup Maraschino cherries, finely chopped
1/4 cup candied pineapple, finely chopped
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. brandy
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl.   Into another bowl toss remaining 1/2 cup of the flour with pecans and pistachios.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar to light and fluffy.  Add egg and beat in 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Reduce speed gradually add flour mixture and stir in nuts mixture, cherries and pineapple.   Scoop out about 1/2 Tbl. size dough, place 2 -inches apart onto baking sheet and bake about 14 to 16 minutes.  Cool on wire racks about 10 minutes before removing to racks. Glaze; whisk the powdered sugar, brandy, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 tsp. of milk, adding extra milk if glaze is too thick.  Drizzle glaze over cookies and let glaze set about 30 minutes.

Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

1 cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup unsalted butter, soft
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups white chocolate chips

Into a bowl add the cranberries and pour over boiling water to soak for about 10 minutes, drain well.  Into a bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and stir in oats.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat the butter and sugar to fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture, along with drained cranberries and chips.  Chill the dough at least 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking pans with parchment, scoop out dough and place about 2-inches apart.  Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes.  Remove pans to cooling racks for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.


Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fresh orange zest
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Into a large mixing bowl beat butter for about 30 seconds.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, zest and salt beating about 3 minutes to light and fluffy.  Reduce to low beating in flour a little at a time.  Stir in pistachios and cranberries.  Use your hands to knead dough to smooth. Divide dough in half, on wax paper shape in half into an 8 1/2 inch long log.  Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 2 hours or until dough is firm.  Cut longs into 1/4-inch slices and if dough gets too soft, freeze for a short time.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place cookies 1-inch apart onto baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove and leave cookies on baking pans about 1 minute then remove to cooling racks.


Raspberry Almond Cookies - love these

1 cup butter, soft

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup raspberry jam (good quality)
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Into a bowl of electric mixer, combine butter, sugar and 1/2 tsp. extract beating until creamy.  Add flour and beat on low scraping bowl often until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  Make an indentation into each ball in center with your thumb and fill indentation with about 1/4 tsp. jam.  Bake about 14 to 18 minutes, let stand 1 minute on baking sheets before removing to cooling racks. Glaze; combine all ingredients into a bowl whisking to combine and drizzle over cooled cookies.

Lemon Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, soft
2 eggs
1 Tbl. fresh lemon zest
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbl. cream of tartar (make sure it's fresh)
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
Glaze
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine all cookie ingredients into a bowl and beat until well mixed, scraping bowl.  Drop dough 2-inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets and bake about 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove cookies to cooling racks. Glaze; combine all glaze ingredients whisking to combine. 

Cherry Almond Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft

2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract 
1 Tbl. maraschino cherry juice
2 cups all purpose flour
16 maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
4 oz. white chocolate, melted

Into a bowl of electric mixer add butter beating to light and fluffy, add sugar, and extract beating to combine.  On low add cherry juice beating about 1 minute.  On low beat in flour to combine.  Add chopped cherries beating to just combine.  Cover dough with plastic and refrigerate about 4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Take about 1 Tbl. of dough and shape into balls.  If dough gets too soft while shaping place back into refrigerator for a short time. Bake for about 11 to 12 minutes.  Allow to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks.  Cool.  Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over cookies.  I store these cookies in airtight container in refrigerator.


Espresso Chocolate Cookies - these are very good and got the recipe from a cookie exchange last year in Colorado

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
8 Tbl. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbl. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. finely ground dark roast coffee
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup walnuts, rough chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 large heavy baking pans.  Into a double boiler melt unsweetened chocolate and 1 cup of chocolate chips, add butter, stirring to smooth, remove from heat.  Into a bowl of electric mixer beat eggs, sugar and ground coffee until thick and pale about 3 minutes, then beat in melted chocolate mixture.  Into a bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt, add to egg mixture and stir to just combine.  Stir in remaining chocolate chips and walnuts.  Drop batter 2-inches apart onto baking sheets and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool cookies on sheets for about 1 minute then remove to cooling racks.


Snickerdoodles

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, soft
2 eggs
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Sugar mixture
3 Tbl. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine all cookie ingredients into a bowl and beat on low scraping bowl until well mixed.  Into a bowl stir together sugar mixture.   Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll into sugar mixture.  Place 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets and bake 8 to 10 minutes.


Christmas Spiced Cookie Bars

3/4 honey

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup candied orange peel, finely chopped
1/4 cup candies citron, finely chopped
1 Tbl. fresh orange zest
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Into a small saucepan add honey, sugar and salt cooking and stirring about 3 minutes until melted. Transfer to a large bowl and cool about 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degree, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a small bowl sift flour and baking powder.  Stir in egg and honey mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients EXCEPT powdered sugar, then flour mixture to combine.  Pour dough onto baking sheet and with floured hands spread dough into a 12x9 rectangle about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick.  Bake about 20 minutes until golden.  Into a saucepan add powdered sugar with a 2 Tbl. of orange juice, bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.  Brush surface of bars with syrup and slide the bars off pan with parchment paper, cutting into bars.

Coconut Macaroons

1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened shredded coconut

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a bowl coconut with sweetened milk and vanilla.  In a bowl beat beat whites to firm peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into coconut mixture.  Scoop tablespoons onto baking sheet about 1-inch apart.  Bake for about 25 minutes.  Transfer baking sheets to cooling racks and cool completely.


Easy Breezy Peanut Butter Fudge

3 1/4 cup peanut butter chips, divided

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)  I used Jiff
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Into a large microwavable bowl add 3 cups peanut butter chips, heat on high to melt.  Stir after 30 seconds and continue for not more than 1 minute.  Add sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter stirring to combine, it will be thick.  Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing out and place in freezer.  Into a microwave bowl chocolate chips and cream stirring to melt cooking not longer than 1 minute.  Remove pan from freezer and pour over melted chocolate mixture.  Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow chocolate to cool.  Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter chips over melted slightly cooled chocolate.  Place pan in refrigerator for about 1 hour.  Remove and cut into squares, store in airtight container in refrigerator.


Microwave Mixed Nut Brittle

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup salted mixed nuts
1 Tbl. butter
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Grease a small baking pan.  In a microwave safe glass bowl combine sugar and corn syrup. Microwave uncovered on high for 5 minutes stirring twice.  Stir in nuts and butter. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture just turns golden.  Stir in vanilla and baking soda and immediately pour onto prepared pan.  With two forks lift and pull the candy into a thin sheet as it cools.  Cool brittle completely, then break into pieces.  Store pieces in airtight container between wax paper. 

White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Clusters

1 lb. package white almond bark

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, do not use natural (I used Jiff)
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup peanuts
1 cup mini marshmallows

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Into a microwave safe bowl add almond bark and peanut butter heating for about 1 minute and stirring.  If not melted continue at 15 second intervals until smooth and melted.  Do not overmix.  To the melted chocolate add 1 cup cereal, peanuts and marshmallows, stirring to coat.  Mixture will be runny, but if too runny add up to 1/4 more of cereal. Drop about 2 Tbl. measurement of mounds onto prepared pans.  Allow mounds to firm up for about 2 hours at room temperature, or you can place in refrigerator.  Store in airtight container.


Bon Appetit



"The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey." - Exodus 16:31

"How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" 
- Psalm 119:103

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." 
- Proverbs 16;24

"So he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." But they could not tell the riddle in three days." - Judges 14;14

"But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?" - Judges 9:11

"We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng." 
- Psalm 55:14

"My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off." - Proverbs 24;13-14

"So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." - Revelation 10:9


"Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil." - Proverbs 13:19








  

No comments:

About Me

My photo
United States
Julia Bushree and Delicious Decisions, 2009 and following years. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permisison from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julia Bushree and Delicious Decisions with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.