Semi Homemade Christmas cookies.

I thought I would start my Christmas cookie blog with some semi homemade recipes.  My thought was this might be an option for busy people who still want to make some holiday cookies.  I hope to do much better this Christmas season keeping up on my blog.  I might have some guests on the blog.  I think having guest on my blog is a wonderful idea.  So here we go. 

I have used the Krusteaz Belgium waffle mix before and it is delicious.  So when I seen this cookie mix, I bought a 5 LB box at a GFS.  It cost around 8 dollars.  It will make 7 dozen cookies.  I thought this might be an alliterative for busy people who still would like to make cookies for the holidays.  The problem was the box gave vague directions for small batches.  I emailed them asking for some small batch recipes.  They immediately emailed me back with 7 recipes.  It is nice to receive such wonderful customer service.

Apricot Bars

1 lb (3 cups) Krusteaz Deluxe Cookie Mix

4 oz (1 1/2 cups) quick oats

4 oz (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, softened

8 oz (1 cup) apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13x9x2-inch pan. Place Krusteaz Deluxe Cookie Mix, oats and butter in mixer bowl.  Using a paddle, mix 30 seconds on low speed or until crumbly.  Reserve 1 cup.  Press remaining mixture firmly into bottom of pan.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and spread apricot preserves evenly over hot crust.  Sprinkle with reserved mixture. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 2x1-inch bars. Makes about 54, 2x1-inch bars.

Variation:  Other fruit preserves:  raspberry, peach, blueberry, blackberry may replace  apricot preserves.

So here is what I did when I made them.  In my typical ADD way I did not read all the way to the end of recipe.  I put it totally together and baked in one step.  I did not use preserves.  We love Solo Apricot filling which is 12 oz instead of 8 oz.  On the back of the Solo label is a similar bar recipe and they bake in one step so its all good.  My husband likes them.  I could take them or leave them. 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies  ( 3 cup mix and 9 T. water)

1½ cups chocolate chips, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake at 375°F 12-14 minutes.

I didn't change much except I did flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.  They don't spread out very much. Also used peanuts instead of walnuts.  I am not a big fan of nuts in chocolate chip cookies but love them in brownies?  Everyone at work ate these up.

I will not being making any more cookies from a starter mix.  I think they are just okay.  Last year for my blog I made Domino's starter mix.  I did not care for those cookies either.  

The next mix my daughter made.  It was Nestle Toll House, Cookie-Brownie Delight

• Makes 1 Dozen Bars or Cups
• Just Add Eggs & Butter!

Kit Includes:

• 1 Cookie Mix & 1 Brownie Mix
• 1 - 6 oz bag of Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels

For Brownie Batter You Will Need:
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 large egg

• Stir Brownie Mix, melted butter, water and egg in a large bowl until well blended.
• Add half of the Nestle Toll House Semi Sweet Morsels. Stir in morsels with a spoon.

For Cookie Dough You Will Need:
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon water

• Beat softened butter in large bowl with mixer until creamy.
• Add Cookie Mix; mix until small crumbs form (about 1 minute).
• Add water; beat until dough forms (about 60 seconds).
• Stir in remaining morsels with spoon.

Cookie-Brownie Delight Bars:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease 8 x 8-inch baking pan.
3. Prepare brownie batter and cookie dough as instructed above.
4. Spread brownie batter into pan. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoon evenly onto brownie batter.
5. Bake for 23 to 27 minutes or until cookie dough is golden brown.
6. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Store tightly covered.

I liked these and she didn't.  I would make these again.

We also made Reeses Puffs Muffin Mix so I thought I would go ahead and review it even though it is not a cookie.  Only one person who tried them thought they were good.  And that was my daughters boyfriend.  We both suspect he was just being nice.  One word describes them.  Blah.  You would think a muffin with candy in them would be good.