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Make Christmas cookie-baking a family activity
If you haven’t already made a couple
batches of Christmas cookies, it’s time to
get baking! My family has always made a
big deal out of the cookie-baking thing —
one year, I believe we made 17 different
kinds. While that might be excessive, it’s
understandable, since everybody has
their favorites. So, as we used to say,
“You have to make those.”
“Those” were whatever was popular
that year. For some, Christmas cookies
are only made once a year, so they really
are special. For others, it’s a time to bake
more of their favorites, whether those be
chocolate-chip or oatmeal-raisin. It
doesn’t really matter what you make,
only that you include the whole family.
That’s really the fun part. Oh, and be
sure to save some for Santa!
Bourbon balls
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tbsps. corn syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup chopped pecans
cocoa powder for coating
Grind the vanilla wafers in a food
processor until fine crumbs. Add the
sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, corn syrup
and bourbon; combine well. Remove from
processor and stir in the pecans. Take a
teaspoonful and roll into a 1-inch ball. If
the mixture is a little dry and doesn’t
stick together, add a bit more corn syrup.
Roll the balls in cocoa to coat, and store
in single layers separated with wax
paper in a tightly closed container.
Gingerbread
cookie cutouts
Makes 6 dozen cookies
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup molasses or sorghum
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsps. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
5 cups all-purpose flour
Measure the molasses and stir in the
baking soda. Set aside until pale brown
and frothy.
In large bowl, combine butter with
sugar, ginger and salt until creamy. Beat
in molasses mixture and egg. Gradually
add flour
On a lightly floured surface, knead
dough until thoroughly mixed, kneading
in remaining 1/4 cup flour if necessary.
Divide dough in two; wrap half of dough
with plastic wrap and set aside.
On a floured surface with a floured
rolling pin, roll remaining half of dough
slightly thinner than 1/4 inch. With
floured 3- to 4-inch assorted cookie cutters,
cut dough into as many cookies as
possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies,
1/2 inch apart, on ungreased large
cookie sheet. Reroll trimmings and cut
out more cookies.
Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until
edges begin to brown. Transfer cookies to
wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining
dough.
When cookies are cool, frost with prepared
icing. Let dry completely before
storing cookies between layers of waxed
paper.
Buttery sugar cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies
Cookies:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
LYNN YNN GREENE REENE
LYNN’S PLACE
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
4 tsps. milk
Vanilla frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 tsps. vanilla
3 to 4 Tbsps. milk
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking
powder and salt. In a large mixing
bowl, cream butter and sugar until light
and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and
orange zest. Stir in milk. Gradually add
flour mixture to wet ingredients; stir just
until combined and a ball forms.
Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or until firm
enough to handle.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to
1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cookie
cutter. Place 1-1/2 inches apart on lightly
buttered cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for
6 to 8 minutes or until a delicate golden
color. Cool completely on racks. Glaze
with vanilla frosting.
Vanilla frosting: In a small mixing
bowl, combine sugar, butter and vanilla.
Gradually add milk; beat until smooth
and creamy.
Chocolate-covered
cherry cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1-1/2 tsps. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
42 maraschino cherries, well-drained
1 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate
pieces
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 to 5 tsps. maraschino cherry liquid
Beat sugar and butter until light and
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fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Add combined
dry ingredients; mix well. Shape
dough into 1 inch balls; place on
ungreased cookie sheet. Indent centers;
fill each with one cherry. Combine chocolate
pieces and sweetened condensed
milk in small saucepan; stir over low
heat until smooth. Blend in enough cherry
juice to make nice spreading consistency.
Drop 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture
over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
Bake at 350° F for 12 minutes or until
set.
Chunky butter
Christmas cookies
Makes 5 dozen cookies
1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 egg
2 tsps. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned or quick oats,
uncooked
1 package (10 oz.) white chocolate
pieces
1 cup flaked coconut
1 jar (3-1/2 oz.) macadamia nuts,
coarsely chopped
Beat butter and sugar until light and
fluffy. Blend in sour cream, egg and
vanilla. Add combined flour, baking soda
and salt; mix well. Stir in remaining
ingredients. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls
of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased
cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12
minutes or until edges are lightly
browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to cooling
rack.
Coco-nut cookies
Makes 6 dozen cookies
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsps. vanilla
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
In a medium bowl, stir together the
flour and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for
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30 seconds. Add sugars; beat until fluffy.
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour
mixture; beat until well-combined. Stir in
the coconut and chopped nuts. Shape
dough into three 7-inch rolls. Wrap each
roll in waxed paper or clear plastic wrap
and chill several hours or until firm
enough to slice.
Taking one roll from the refrigerator at
a time, unwrap roll and cut into 1/4 inch
slices using a thin-bladed knife. (Rotate
the roll as you slice to avoid flattening
one side.) Place on ungreased cookie
sheets. Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes
or until cookies are lightly browned.
Chocolate clusters
Makes 5 dozen cookies
Cookies:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate,
melted, cooled
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia
nuts or hazelnuts
Chocolate frosting:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsps. butter
3 Tbsps. buttermilk
2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a mixing
bowl with electric beaters, cream together
sugar, butter and egg. Mix in cooled
chocolate, buttermilk and vanilla until
blended. Combine flour, baking soda, salt
and nuts in a separate bowl; add to
chocolate mixture.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 1
inch apart onto buttered baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until
almost no imprint remains when cookie
is touched lightly in center. Remove at
once from baking sheet to wire rack to
cool.
Chocolate frosting: Melt chocolate and
butter together over low heat or in the
microwave. Stir in buttermilk and powdered
sugar until smooth. Frost cookies.
Lynn Greene is senior editor for
Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes
Walworth County Sunday. Contact her at
lgreene@ communityshoppers.com.
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