jmw

Peppermint Snowballs

1 C butter, softened
1 t vanilla
½ C powdered sugar
2 ½ C flour

Filling:
2 T cream cheese, softened
½ C powdered sugar
1 drop red food coloring
1 T milk
2 T crushed peppermint candy

Topping:
½ C powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, add vanilla. Stir in flour. Knead until well mixed. Reserve ½ C of dough; shape remaining dough into 1-inch balls. For filling, combine cream cheese and milk in a small bowl. Stir in sugar, candy and food coloring and mix well. Make a deep well in the center of each ball; fill with ¼ teaspoon filling. Use reserved dough to cover filling. Reshape if necessary into smooth balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes. Combine topping ingredients and roll cookies in mixture while still warm. Cool on wire racks. Yield about 4-dozen.

jmw

Christmas Crescents

Coating:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cookies:
2/3 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/3 cup sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) softened unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups of flour

Measure the coating sugar and cinammon into a food processor and pulse until superfine. Dump onto a plate or shallow bowl and set aside.

Place the almonds and sugar in the food processor and grind until fine. Add butter and process until creamy. Add flour and pulse just until blended. Transfer to a bowl, knead together, cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into fourths. Working with one fourth at a time, break off fifteen small pieces. Roll these into sausages, and then bend them into crescents by pushing your thumb into the middle as you place them on the cookie sheet. Bake until just barely browned (test by looking at the bottom of one, if it is brown it is done). Cool on the pans for a few minutes, then roll in the cinammon sugar and finish cooling on a rack. Makes 5 dozen.

wildpear

Makes about 48 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs and peppermint extract.
Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and beat until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips just until combined.
Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly to 1 1/2-inch rounds.
Bake cookies until edges begin to firm but center still appears soft, about 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

jmw

These are a little work, but well worth the finished product.

Peppermint Patties

Cookies:
Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Step 1
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter and sugar until blended and lightened in color, about 2 minutes.
• Stop the mixer, and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.
• Add the egg and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute.
• On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes to firm it slightly.

Step 2
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 325°.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 3
• Roll heaping Tablespoons (3 level Tablespoons each) of dough between the palms of your hands into smooth 1 ½ inch balls, and place them 3 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Using the palm of your hand, flatten the cookies to 2 ½ to 3 inch rounds.

Step 4
• Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and look dull rather than shiny, about 15 minutes.
• Cook the cookies on the baking sheets fro 5 minutes, and then use a wide metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.


Dark Chocolate Coating:
Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Step 1
• Put both chocolates and the oil in a heatproof container or the top of a double boiler, and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler).
• Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Remove from the water, let the chocolate coating cool, and thicken slightly, about 20 minutes.

Step 2
• Spoon the chocolate coating over the top of half of the cookies, (each Peppermint patty uses 2 cookies) using 1 Tablespoon per cookie.
• Using the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate evenly and coat them completely.
• If some chocolate drizzles over the cookie edges, that is fine.
• Let the cookie sit at room temperature until the chocolate is firm. Or to speed the firming of the chocolate, refrigerate the cookies for about 20 minutes, then remove them from the refrigerator.


Peppermint Filling
Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions:
Step 1

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and peppermint extract until smoothly blended, about one minute.
• The filling will be quite thick.
• Turn the plain cookies bottom side up (the one without the chocolate coating over the top of half of the cookie).
• Spoon a well-rounded tablespoon of filling into the center plain cookie bottom and carefully place the bottom of a chocolate-coated cookie on the peppermint filling, and gently press the cookie to spread the peppermint filling into an even layer.
• The peppermint filling will not reach the edges.

Step 2

• Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Serve Cold.
• The wrapped cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

jmw

Checkerboard Cookies Recipe

1/3 cup (45 grams) hazelnuts, toasted

2 tablespoons (12 grams) unsweetened Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder

2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest (1 medium orange)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Bake hazelnuts for 15 minutes or until skins start to blister. Remove from oven and wrap in a clean towel so the nuts can 'steam' for 5 minutes. Rub the towel briskly in a back and forth motion to remove the skins from the hazelnuts. Set aside to cool. When cool, place the hazelnuts in a food processor along with the cocoa powder and process until the hazelnuts are finely ground. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the egg, vanilla extract and orange zest and beat until well blended. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half and place one half of the dough back into the bowl of your electric mixer. Add the cocoa and hazelnut mixture to the dough and beat until incorporated. Set aside.

Lay out two large sheets of parchment paper (about 10 x 12 inch) (25 x 30 cm) and on one sheet of parchment roll out the white dough into a 6 1/2 inch by 10 1/2 inch (22.5 x 26.25 cm) rectangle, making sure both sides of the dough are smooth. Wrap dough and place on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until dough is firm.

Meanwhile, take the chocolate dough and remove 1/2 cup (used later for wrapping the checkerboard log) and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside. On the second sheet of parchment roll out the remaining chocolate dough into a 6 1/2 inch by 10 1/2 inch (22.5 x 26.25 cm) rectangle, making sure both sides of the dough are smooth. Wrap dough and place on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until dough is firm.

When both the white and chocolate dough are firm, remove from freezer and lay the white dough on a cutting board, removing the parchment paper. Lightly brush the top of the white dough with a little water (this helps the layers to stick together). Remove the parchment paper from the chocolate dough and place it evenly on top of the white dough. Trim the edges of the two doughs so the rectangle now measures 6 inches by 10 inches (21.25 x 25 cm). (Take the chocolate dough trimmings and add to the 1/2 cup of reserved chocolate dough.) Lengthwise cut the rectangle into thirds (3 - 2 inch by 10 inch stripes) (5 x 25 cm). Place one strip on a piece of plastic wrap. Brush the top of the dough with water and place the second strip on top of the first (alternate colors so you have white, black, white, black pattern). Brush the top of the second layer with water and stack the third layer. Press down lightly on the top of the dough and then wrap and freeze for 15 minutes, or until firm.

When firm, remove from freezer and unwrap, placing the dough on a cutting board. Using a sharp long knife, cut the layers lengthwise into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) wide and 10 inch (25 cm) long strips. (You will end up with 4 strips). Stack the layers, turning every other strip so top faces down and bottom faces up, to produce the checkerboard effect. Rewrap stack and place in freezer again to firm up.

Meanwhile, take the reserved chocolate trimmings and 1/2 cup of chocolate dough and roll out on a piece of parchment paper into approximately 9 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch (24 x 26.25 cm) rectangle, making sure the dough is smooth. Cover and refrigerate until slightly firm.

Remove stack of checkerboard dough from freezer and place in center of chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the checkerboard layers until you have a smooth surface that encloses the checkerboard design. Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm. Can freeze dough for up to a month.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from freezer and place on a cutting board. With a sharp knife cut the block of dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place on prepared baking sheet spacing about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart. Bake for about 5-7 minutes or until cookies just start to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to one week.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

mamagia

Espresso Crisps (makes about 3 dozen cookies)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2/3 cups butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 tsp rum extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tblsp. instant espresso coffee
pecans, (halves or chopped)

Grease cookie sheet
Cream butter and sugar
Add egg & rum extract & mix well
Shape dough into rolls that are 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper & chill
When firm, cut into thinslices & top w/ nuts
Bake on prepared cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

pals86

LEMON AND PISTACHIO COOKIES


Ingredients
Serves 4
1/2 tsp Lemon rind (grated)
20 Pistachios (coarsely ground)
110 gms Refined flour (maida)
2 tbsps Cornflour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
100 gms Butter (chilled and diced)
110 gms Sugar
1-2 tbsps Milk (chilled)


Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking tray. Sieve refined flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add butter and mix with fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add sugar, lemon rind and mix. And milk and mix into a dough. Roll it into a cylinder and refrigerate for fifteen minutes. Cut into half inch thick roundels. Flatten each slightly with palms and press one of each cookie in the coarsely ground pistachios. Place the cookies, pistachio side up, on the greased tray with sufficient space between each. Bake in the preheated oven for about twenty minutes. Turn them onto a wire rack to cool. Store in airtight tin.

fdlvr

Butterscotch Pecan Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine,softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 (6 ounce) package butterscotch morsels, finely chopped

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light & fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt
Add to creamed mixture, beating well (batter will be stiff)
Stir in pecans and chopped butterscotch morsels

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes
Remove from cookie sheet & cool completely on wire racks

Yield: 6 dozen

alecia

White Chocolate and Macadamia Cookies

3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 teasp. baking powder
1/2 teasp. cream of tatar
1c. butter
2c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/2c.roasted macadamia nuts(chopped)

Preheat Oven to 375

Grease a cookie sheet.Stir together the first 3 ingredients.
In another bowl beat together the butter and sugar untill fluffy.
Add eggs,milk,and vanilla beat well.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet beating untill well mixed.
Fold in the chocolate chips ant nuts.
Cover and refigerate for at least an hour.
Roll into balls.
Then roll in the lefted over sugar.
Place cookies on cookie sheet
Dip the end of a glass in sugar press down each cookie lightly.
Bake for 10-12 mins or till the eages are light brown.
For soft cookies bake a min or 2 less.
Makes 3-4 dozen

hardcase

Ultimate Killer Black Walnut Cookies
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup oats (uncooked oatmeal)
1 cup crushed corn flakes
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup chopped Black walnuts (or more)
make about 2 cupful of batter into black walnut cookies, 2 cupful into plain cookies ect..


Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, corn flakes, sugars, .
Add eggs, vanilla and melted butter.
Mix until well blended.
Mix in walnuts
In a seperate bowl, mix flour salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add flour mixture and stir until it is all incorporated into the dough.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
Cool on a wire rack.