Christmas Cookie Day 9

Peanut Butter Temptations (on the back of the bag of Reeses miniature peanut butter cups)

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
36 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar and butter. Stir in the peanut butter, then the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the peanut butter mixture until the dough comes together. Shape into 1 inch balls and press them into the cups of an unprepared mini muffin pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a mini chocolate covered peanut butter cup down into the center of each cookie until only the top is showing. Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from their pans.
These are my daughters favorite so I am making them again this year.  Okay the changes I made were I left out the salt because with all the salt in the butter and peanut butter it seemed like enough. I also put in 1 tsp instead of 1/2 tsp vanilla but that's just because I grabbed the wrong spoon. The cookies take a long time to completely cool off. I was in a hurry to clean up. The tray was cool to the touch so I dumped them out onto the cooling rack and melted chocolate got all over the rack. I hear it is kinda of hard to lick chocolate off a cooling rack. I wouldn't know anything about that personally. There was this guy I use to work with who's wife made a huge batch of a cookie similar to this one.  That guy doesn't work with me anymore. I sure do miss his wife.

The ones in the right corner were done in a regulare size muffin tin.  Still good but I wish I had more then one mini muffin tin

Christmas Cookie Day 8

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

Prep:

10 mins

Cooking:

9 mins

Cooling:

15 mins

Yields:

60 cookies (5 dozen)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

I used this recipe because I like brown sugar.  The other ones only had white.  The only change I made is I had one stick butter and one stick margarine.  I just like chocolate chips this way.  I like these.

Christmas Cookie Day 7

 Milky Way Balls

Milky Way Balls are rice crispy treats with a special surprise melted in--Milky Way candy bars! The gooey, rich, crunchy balls are dipped in chocolate for a beautiful, tasty finishing touch. This recipe yields about 30 1-inch balls.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (2 oz) butter
• 18 large marshmallows (4.3 ounces)
• 3 large Milky Way bars (about 2 ounces each), finely chopped
• 2.5 cups crispy rice or cocoa crispy rice cereal
• 12 ounces chocolate or chocolate-flavored candy coating

Preparation:

1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and set aside for now.
2. Place the butter and the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for one minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir until the marshmallows melt. If they are not quite melted, microwave for another 15-20 seconds, then stir until the mixture is melted and liquidy.
3. Add the chopped Milky Way bars and stir until they are mostly melted. Microwave for an additional 10-20 seconds to fully melt the candy bars, then stir until the mixture is homogenous. It will be somewhat stiff.
4. Quickly add the cereal and work it into the marshmallow mixture. Use a stiff wooden spoon or spatula, as it might be difficult to fully incorporate the cereal.
5. Once mixed, scoop small balls of the candy and roll them between your hands to get them round. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Once cool, the balls can be eaten as-is, rolled in powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or dipped in chocolate.
6. To dip them in chocolate, melt the chocolate or chocolate-flavored candy coating in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Using dipping tools or two forks, dip a Milky Way ball in to the melted chocolate until it is completely submerged. Remove it from the chocolate and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Place it back on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining candy. If you have extra melted chocolate left over, you can place it in a plastic bag, snip off the corner, and drizzle melted chocolate on top of the dipped candies in a decorative pattern.
7. Place the tray in the refrigerator to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes. Milky Way Balls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Lisa made these.  They say dip using a dipping tool whatever that is.  Lisa had a hard time.  Another woman used a slotted spoon and seemed to have better luck.  I think it seemed like a lot of work for what it is.  Other people seemed to enjoy them.  To me, the texture was odd.  I would rather eat the Milky Way.

Christmas Cookie Day 6

Frogs

Makes about 36

1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper. In a large saucepan, stir together cocoa, sugar, milk and butter. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, coconut and oats. Combine well. Drop by tablespoonfulls onto prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Keep refrigerated. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

I just noticed it said to keep refrigerated.  I didn't and they seemed fine.  I wasn't crazy about these.  I think mostly the children made these at the exchange and they seemed to like them.

Christmas Cookies Day 5

Peppermint Candy Shortbread Cookies

Prep Time:  20 minutes Cook Time:  25 to 30 minutes Yield:  3 -1/2 dozen cookies COOKIES: 1 cup butter, softened (no substitutions) 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups flour 1/4 cup Argo® or Kingsford's® Corn Starch FROSTING (optional): 1 cup powdered sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix butter, sugar, crushed candy and vanilla thoroughly using an electric mixer. Gradually blend in flour and corn starch. Form into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press down on each cookie to flatten using fingers or a flat bottomed drinking glass (dipped in sugar to prevent sticking). Bake at 300ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown. Cool for 5 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and mix until frosting is smooth. Drizzle cookies with frosting and sprinkle with crushed candy.

Lisa's from the cookie exchange

Argo's

Lisa made these.  I really don't know about making shortbread with cornstarch?  Neither of us liked them.  I made shortbread for my blog last year from my Good Housekeeping Cookbook and they were good.  I guess a lot of people don't mind the cornstarch.  Lisa and I our going to try these with a different recipe and then use the same frosting recipe from this one.  They are really cute and would taste good without the soapy taste from the cornstarch.  Also 3 1/2 dozen?  Forget it.  It did not make that many so I would say not a good choice for an exchange.

Christmas Cookie Day 4

 This was my second cookie I made at the exchange.

Candy Cane Cookie

Makes about 30

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring OR 3/4 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/2 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix butter sugar, egg, and flavorings thoroughly. Add flour and salt, Mix well. Shape dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap; chill for at least 2 hours or until easy to handle. Roll into 4 inch strips; place on baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle or cane. Bake 9 minutes. While still warm, remove from pan and sprinkle with candy and sugar mixture.

Dough may be divided in half and colored with 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring if desired. Roll each color into strips, place side by side, press together lightly and twist like a rope.

Where to begin.  This recipe needs tweaking.  The dough was hard to work with.  First when I make this again I will use 1/2 cup regular 1/2 powdered sugar. I think that might help.  I forgot the vanilla which it needs and I would increase the peppermint to a teaspoon.  I also put the crushed candy canes on before baking and I did not mix it with sugar and it needs the sugar and putting it on before is a bad idea.  I don't get how they say it makes 30 cookies?  It does not make very many which was not good for a cookie exchange.  The children at the exchange really like the look of this cookie.  If I go next year, I will make a double batch of this dough as soon as I get there and let the the kids have at it.

There is also a picture of Lisa's Shortbread cookie.  I will blog about that one later.

Christmas Cookie Recipe Day 3

 These were made by a couple of people at the cookie exchange.

Lemon Bars

Makes about 24

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
6 tablespoons lemon juice

Cream together butter, 1 1/2 cup flour, and powdered sugar. Pat in a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake 18 minutes at 350 F or 325 F if using a glass pan. Beat together the rest of the ingredients and pour over crust. Bake an additional 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

These are quick, easy and tasty.  I would not change a thing.  I will make these.

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