Share your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

[pelagia]

I have decided to bake cookies for gifts for some family and friends this year.  So far I am planning on gingerbread girls and boys, which I always make, and "wedding cookies," which I think are a lot like the snowball cookie recipe already posted.  I will also make white chocolate, craisin and macadamia nut bars for my son if I can manage to find macadamia nuts (the downside of living in the country...)

Will you share your favorite cookie recipe with me?

[wrandym]

Two of my favorites:

Russian Tea Biscuits

This was something my grandmother made every year at Christmas

1   cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2   cup powdered sugar
1   teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4   cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4   cup finely chopped nuts
1/4   teaspoon salt
   Powdered sugar

   
1.     Heat oven to 400ºF.
2.     Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
3.     Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4.     Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
5.     Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.


BOURBON BALLS   

I had these at a friend's a few years a go, and now I make every year.

1 pkg. vanilla wafers, crushed
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. crushed nuts
2 tbsp. cocoa
2 tbsp. light Karo syrup
1/4 c. Bourbon

Mix together, roll into balls and roll in powdered sugar.


since we are on the subject (sorry-I had to):

http://www.videosift.com/video/SNL-Sweaty-balls

[pelagia]

yes, that SNL skit is a classic.  I think the Russian tea biscuit recipe is similar to one I have.  I haven't made Bourbon Balls in eons.  I'll have to see if I have any bourbon around!

[pelagia]

I tried this one today.  I pulled the recipe off epicurious.com.  I have to say that these are really delicious.  I love the hint of orange from the orange peel.  The recipe is borrowing from a favorite southern recipe - Ambrosia salad made from oranges and coconut.

Ambrosia Macaroons

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel (I used freshly grated peel from 1 orange)
3 large eggs
24 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 cups firmly packed)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted (good without this too)

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. (I didn't do this and the cookies wanted to stick to pan, so either use the paper or grease pan well; the paper may help keep the bottoms from over-browning).

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in orange peel, then eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. I used a mini ice cream scoop and made 50 macaroons altogether, which was close to the predicted 45 cookies.

Bake macaroons, 1 sheet at a time, until golden on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. My cookies needed only 18 minutes to become lightly toasted. 

Cool completely on sheets.  If you don't use paper, you may need to remove when cookies are warm, but handle them carefully because they will be fragile until cooled.

Using fork, drizzle chocolate over macaroons. Chill on sheets until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. (I haven't done this yet because I am holding them in freezer until I am ready to make my packages for gifts.

I did a recipe analysis using Diet Sleuth and here's what I came up with as far as nutritional content:

For each cookie, w/o the chocolate:

100 calories (kcal)   
0.8 g  protein             
7.0 g  fat   
9.5 g carbohydrates
20.5 mg phosphorus
50.1 mg potassium
45.5 mg sodium

[pelagia]

No other cookie recipes out there?  I still have a few days left!

[Chris]

OK, this is how I bake.
1. I get in my car, go to the grocery store.
2. I go to the dairy cooler and pick up some Pillsbury Doughboy Sugar cookies.
3. Drive Home, turn on oven to 350.
4. Cut off plastic tube from cookie dough, get roller pin out and flatten.
5. Get out cookie cutter and make different shapes.
6. Get cookie pan out and place shapes on pan.
7. Place cookie dough in oven for 15 to 25 minutes till soft  golden color.
8. Take out cookies and place on tray.
9. Wait 5 to 10 minute for one or two cookies to cool then eat them and place others in a cookie jar or decorate.

2nd way
Repat Step one
2 Go to cookie aisle
3. Choose whatever cookie looks and taste good.
4. Drive Home and eat cookies on the way, but always buy 2 bags so there is one for home use.

[Restorer]

I don't have any Christmas-specific recipes, but I always love the Toll House Recipe, with less sugar, and better-quality chocolate chips. The texture of the Toll House cookies is just right - slightly crispy, but also soft.

[kitkatz]

OK, this is how I bake.
1. I get in my car, go to the grocery store.
2. I go to the dairy cooler and pick up some Pillsbury Doughboy Sugar cookies.
3. Drive Home, turn on oven to 350.
4. Cut off plastic tube from cookie dough, get roller pin out and flatten.
5. Get out cookie cutter and make different shapes.
6. Get cookie pan out and place shapes on pan.
7. Place cookie dough in oven for 15 to 25 minutes till soft  golden color.
8. Take out cookies and place on tray.
9. Wait 5 to 10 minute for one or two cookies to cool then eat them and place others in a cookie jar or decorate.

2nd way
Repat Step one
2 Go to cookie aisle
3. Choose whatever cookie looks and taste good.
4. Drive Home and eat cookies on the way, but always buy 2 bags so there is one for home use.

You are my kind of cook! #2 is the way I do it!

[boxman55]

My favorite cookies are the ones in front of me...Boxman

[breezysummerday]

   that'd be me, in case anybody was wonderin......

 

[pelagia]

Okay, so the IHD family is not into baking cookies...  My husband helped me out by sending this recipe he received from a friend:

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies
 
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle of Jose Cuervo Tequila
 
Sample the Cuervo to check quality.  Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
 
Turn on the electric mixer...Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.  Add one teaspoon of sugar..Beat again.  At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK, try another cup, just in case.  Turn off the mixer thingy.  Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, pick the frigging fruit off floor...
 
Mix on the turner.  If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry loose with a drewscriver.  Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.
 
Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.  Who giveshz a sheet.  Check the Jose Cuervo.  Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.  Add table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink.  Whatever youcan find.
 
Greash the oven.
 
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. 
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Finally, throw the bowl out, finish the Jose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in dishwasher.
 
CHERRY MISTMAS
rObB

[twirl]

Flipbob would have changed the Jose Cuervo to vodka

[Rerun]

I am snowed in.  Dialysis has been canceled for tonight because no one can get there including the nurse and tech.  So, I made sugar cut-out cookies.  I frosted about 16 and ran out of cream cheese for my frosting.  If I can get to the store tomorrow I'll get started on the rest.

[twirl]

RERUN   PEEK AT YOUR SECRET SANTA BOX AND YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER
I MEAN THOSE COOKIES WILL LOOK SO MUCH PRETTIER
REALLY
cream cheese frosting----- is that like those cookies at Kroger's with the pretty frosting and they cost like 7.99 for 8 cookies

[Rerun]

Nice Try Twirl!

                                       

[twirl]

what about your stocking
that is not cheating or peeking

[monrein]

   Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies
 


My mother-in-law is the baker in our family.  She makes the best shortbread.  I haven't seen her in almost a week because I don't want to give her my cold.

[twirl]

Bubba's    favorite[/u]

chocolate almond bark covered --- Ritz crackers made into sandwiches with peanut butter in the middle

Stasie's favorite

shortbread pecan cookies --- half dipped in chocolate with that same side covered in grounded pecans

Missy's favorite

Mexican Wedding Cookies -- we call sandtarts-----


Husbands's favorite   

--- anything dipped in chocolate  --- especially Ritz crackers --- without peanut butter

my favorite 

anything non chocolate or fresh fruit

[Chris]

Missy's favorite

Mexican Wedding Cookies -- we call sandtarts-----

What's mexican Wedding Cake?

[twirl]

Mexican wedding cookies
are shaped like a ball and have powdered sugar and I use pecans
they go by a lot of different names
there is no chocolate
they melt in your mouth
 

[wrandym]

Mexican Wedding Cookies are similar to the Russian Tea Biscuit I posted above...go figure 

[pelagia]

I also made biscotti with craisins and pistachios, which give them a holiday twist.  Very pretty.  This weekend I stop baking and start the holiday cheer (maybe a martini or two).  I don't have a tree yet, so I need to get into the swing of things pretty soon. 

Twirl - for Bubba's favorite cookies - Do I dip the Ritz crackers in chocolate and then slivered almonds to get the chocolate almond bark covered part?  Sounds like a deluxe comfort food!

[twirl]

almond bark is the name of the chocolate that you melt
brand name
or you can use choc chips and melt them
you get almond bark in choc or vanilla
it is cheap and easy to melt

melt it --- carefully
make peanut butter sandwiches and using tongs =-- dip them into the choc and shake off excess
place on wax paper to harden

I made some last night and if I can I will post a photo

my husband likes ritz crackers without the peanut butter
just dipped and sometimes I will put peacans on them before they harden

[pelagia]

almond bark is the name of the chocolate that you melt
brand name
or you can use choc chips and melt them
you get almond bark in choc or vanilla
it is cheap and easy to melt

melt it --- carefully
make peanut butter sandwiches and using tongs =-- dip them into the choc and shake off excess
place on wax paper to harden

I made some last night and if I can I will post a photo

my husband likes ritz crackers without the peanut butter
just dipped and sometimes I will put peacans on them before they harden

Okay, I am going to give them a try.  I am having a bunch of 20-somethings over this weekend.  I think they will like those.  I think it will be a surprise when they bite into one.

[twirl]

this is a good one also          "Bacon and Eggs"

you make them look like two pieces of bacon with a fried egg on top

thin long pretzels  --- about 3 inches long---- skinny ones
white almond bark or white choc
yellow m&m's with the M not showing

melt almond bark or white choc in microwave
line two pretzels side by side to look like two strips of bacon
in the center place a dollop of white chocolate  --- like it was the part of the white egg
then in center of that top with a yellow m&m to look like a yoke

let them cool on wax paper
these are so good and they look like bacon and eggs

well, make these on wax paper and let cool