Category: Cookies

Pretzel chocolate chip cookies

I originally posted this recipe in 2010.  I recently made them and made sure I took a much better picture of the cookies.  So I’m going to repost the blog post.  I think it’s fitting because the last time I posted this recipe, we had just formed a new church.  Our church now has a new pastor.  Tomorrow is going to be the ceremony installing as our new pastor.

The Wee One loves these cookies.  He kept snacking on them.  It must be the saltiness and sweetness of the cookie that appealed to him.

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I enjoy reading murder-mysteries.  One of my favorite authors is Joanne Fluke.  The main character in her books is Hannah Swenson.  Hannah has a knack for finding dead bodies which drives her mother absolutely batty.  With the help of her mother, sisters, and friends, she investigates murders.  Since Hannah owns a cookie shop, the author includes recipes for different types of baked goodies plus other food.  In the past, I’ve tried different cookie recipes.  Usually I am impressed with the end result.  One such recipe was for pretzel chocolate chip cookies.

Last month, our new church had a get together.  We were suppose to bring a different type of dish to share.  I decided to take a batch of these pretzel chocolate chip cookies.  Everyone’s reaction to these cookies was a positive one.  Since the only other dessert was strawberry shortcake which also good, it was nice to have a cookies there also.

The boys enjoyed crush the pretzels into tiny bits.  I put a handful or two of pretzels into a zip lock bag, hand them a meat mallet, and a plastic cutting board and then let them pound away at the pretzels.  I’d rather have them pound out the pretzels rather then each other.

Without further ado, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks, 1/2 pound)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (white)
  • 3 Tbsp. molasses
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork – poke the yolks first)
  • 2 cups crushed salted thin stick pretzels (measure after crushing)
  • 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Use an electric mixer if you have one because the dough gets really stiff.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the softened butter with the sugar and the molasses. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, and the molasses is completely mixed in.
  3. Add the vanilla and baking soda. Mix them in well.
  4. Break eggs into a glass and whip them up with a fork. Add them to your bowl and mix until they’re thoroughly incorporated.
  5. Put your pretzels in a zip lock plastic bag. Seal it carefully and place it on a flat surface. Get out your rolling pin and run it over the bag, crushing the pretzels inside. Do this until there are no large pieces and the largest is a quarter-inch long.
  6. Measure out two cups of crushed pretzels and mix them into the dough in your bowl.
  7. Add one cup of flour and mix it in. Then add the second cup and mix thoroughly. Add the final half cup of flour and mix that in.
  8. Measure out a cup and a half of chocolate chips and add them to your cookie dough. If you’re using an electric mixer, mix them in at the slowest speed. You can also pu the mixer away, and stir in the chips by hand.
  9. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray cookie sheets. Place 12 cookies on each standard sheet.
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until nicely browned. (I do it for 11 minutes.)

This post is part of Potluck Sundays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, and Eat at Home.

Santa’s Whiskers – Christmas Making and Baking

I made these many years ago.  This year I decided to make them once again.

Things you need to remember – When you wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap, don’t use press and seal plastic wrap.  That made it difficult to make a roll.  The coconut will make a mess.  Just keep the broom around.  :)

santa's whiskers

Santa’s Whiskers

Adapted from Cooking with Stolen Moments

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 c. butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
  • 2 1/2 c. flour
  • 3/4 c. maraschino cherries, diced, plus 1 tsp. juice from jar (I may have used more juice because I love maraschino cherries.)
  • 1 c. coconut, unsweetened

Steps:

  1. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
  2. Add vanilla and milk.  Beat until combined.
  3. Add flour, 1/2 c. at a time.  Mix until incorporated.
  4. Fold in the cherries and juice.  (I used my mixer.  You can certainly use a spoon for this step.)
  5. Divide the dough in half.  Form each half into a 8 or 9 inch log.  Roll each half in coconut.
  6. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Slice in 1/4 inch cookies.  Place on baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
  9. Cool on wire racks.

I froze mine overnight and then pulled them out of the freezer for 15 or so minutes before slicing them.

 

Make Ahead Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

IMG_1404We love chocolate chip cookies around here.  However, I’m not always in the mood to mix up a full batch of cookies.  Make ahead chocolate chip cookie mix to the rescue.  The dry ingredients are already mixed up so all you need to do is add the wet ingredients and mix.

Hint:  Use an electric mixer because it’s harder to mix by hand.  It’s doable just harder to get all the ingredients mixed together.
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These can be stored for 3 months in an airtight container.  I used zippered storage bags.

Make Ahead Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Adapted from Lauren’s Latest

IMG_1401Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together in an airtight container.
  2. Store for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chip Cookies using the Make Ahead Mix

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Stars of the recipe:

  • Make Ahead Mix
  • 1 stick softened butter (1/2 c.)
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 egg

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  3. Mix together until well incorporated.
  4. Drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
  6. Allow to cool for at least 2 minutes before removing it from the tray.
  7. Enjoy with a glass of milk, cup of tea, or a cup of coffee.

I got at least 36 out of my dough but the original recipe got 18 out of her mix.

Top Clicks of 2012

According to my stats counter, these are the top 10 recipes that were clicked on.

Taco Crescent Bake was #1 – It was published in February of  2011.

Sloppy Joe Pizza was #2 – It was also published in February of 2011.

Watermelon Cookies was #3.  These continue to be my kids and students favorite cookies.  It was published in July of 2010.

Watermelon Cookies
Watermelon Cookies

Makes It Own Crust Apple Pie was #4.  It was published in November of 2011.

Makes It Own Crust Apple Pie
Makes It Own Crust Apple Pie

Baked Spaghetti was #5.  It was published in January of 2012.

Baked Spaghetti
Baked Spaghetti

Homemade hamburger helper was #6.  It was published in October 2010.

Homemade Hamburger helper
Homemade Hamburger helper

Charleston Cheese Dip was #7.  It was published in January 2012.

Charleston Cheese Dip
Charleston Cheese Dip

Ranch Chicken Legs was #8.  It was published in March 2011.

Peanut Butter Blossoms was #9.  It was published in October 2010.

Peanut butter blossoms
Peanut butter blossoms

Green beans, potatoes, and ham was #10.  It was published in April of 2012.

Green beans, ham, and potatoes
Green beans, ham, and potatoes

Here’s to a successful 2013!

Reader’s Favorites

I went to my stats’ summary page to find the recipes that get the most clicks.  This is the top post of 2012.
SONY DSCBaked Spaghetti

Here’s the 2nd to 5th top posts of 2012:

SONY DSCCharleston Cheese Dip

20120413-205004.jpgGreen beans, potatoes and ham

20120323-193315.jpgBacon Cheeseburger Soup

20121014-153818.jpgPeanut Butter Blossoms Redone

Swedish Oatmeal Cookies

I’ve previously mentioned how I like Joanna Fluke’s Hannah Swenson books.  I’m rereading some of the books in the series.  As I was reading Key Lime Murder, she included this recipe.  I was instantly intrigued.  I’ve made other oatmeal cookies that included chocolate chips and M&M’s.  This year I wanted something simple.  This cookie fit the bill!!!

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Swedish Oatmeal Cookies

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 c. butter (2 sticks)
  • 3/4 c. white sugar (granulated)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 c. unsifted flour (all-purpose or white whole wheat)
  • 2 c. oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oatmeal.  I love that texture.)
  • 1 egg yolk

Steps:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes.
  3. Let  the butter cool to room temperature.
  4. Mix in the white sugar.
  5. Add the baking soda, flour, and oatmeal.  Stir thoroughly.
  6. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with a fork until it’s thoroughly mixed.
  7. Add the yolk to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated.
  8. Grease or spray with cooking spray cookie sheet.
  9. Make small balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet.
  10. Press them down with a fork in a crisscross pattern.
  11. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
  12. Let cool for 1 or 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
  13. Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Christmas Baking

IMG_0260Every year I bake and create Christmas goodies.  My grandma used to do the same thing and then share with family and friends.  I have her bench she used to pile the containers onto and the Kitchen aid mixer she used to whip up the batches of delicious cookies.  Once I was an adult living in a place where I could bake, I started the tradition.  I have my tied and true cookies I bake every year and then I try new recipes.

Four years ago, I lost my grandma on Christmas Eve.  For five days before her death, my family sat by her bedside.  When I couldn’t be there, I baked and created in my kitchen as a way to keep my mind off of losing her.  I then brought the goodies with me when I was at the nursing home.  The family shared the treats.  It was a wonderful way to honor her.

On Christmas Eve of 2008, after everyone had left the nursing home when God welcomed her home.  I was at the Christmas Eve service when I got the call that she had died.  I remember breaking down into tears.  Grandma so loved Christmas that she took her last breath the night before Jesus’ birth.

Another tradition we hold dear is baking a cake, cupcakes, or brownies to celebrate Jesus’ birth.  We sing “Happy Birthday” to him as a way to remember him.  The tradition started when the Imaginative One was a baby and has continued ever since.  However I was introduced to the concept almost 20 years ago.  I had worked at McDonald’s as a college student and was trained to host birthday parties.  One party I hosted was a birthday party for Jesus.  It was held during the holiday season and stuck with me.

The Wee One and I were baking snickerdoodles right before Thanksgiving.  His words were that it smelled like Christmas.  His memories of Christmas are going to include the smell of cinnamon.

My children are going to remember peanut butter blossoms, snickerdoodles, and Rolo turtles as being part of their holiday season. 

For more Christmas or holiday baking ideas, please visit my Christmas/holiday page or click on the link. 

Have a great holiday season from my house to yours!

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Molasses Spice Cookies

Every year I try to find new cookie, candy, or treat recipe to add to my Christmas baking.  This year I made molasses spice cookies which has a similiar taste to gingerbread.

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Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

Once a Month Mom

Stars of the recipe:

  • 3/4 c. butter, softened (1.5 sticks)
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c.molasses (original)
  • 2 c. flour (all purpose or white whole wheat)
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. Chinese five spice or 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • granulated sugar for rolling cookies – I also used colored sugar.

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
  2. Add egg and beat well.
  3. Add molasses, mix well.
  4. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
  5. Chill dough overnight.
  6. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar.
  7. Place two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  8. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown.
  9. Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Printable Recipe

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Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies

I love cookies.  They are one of my favorite desserts.  Like a Lay’s Chip, you can’t eat just one.

So last week, when Cookies and Cups posted a recipe for Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies, I knew I needed to try it so I can put it in my growing cookie recipe “file.”  These cookies were so easy to make with only four ingredients.

Everyone who has tried the cookies has given it a thumbs up.  They are extremely moist which is a plus.

Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies

Cookies and Cups

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 Chocolate cake mix (I used Devil’s Food cake because that’s what I had at the house.)
  • 2 Lrg. Eggs
  • 1/3 cup of Canola Oil
  • 1 8 oz. bag of Reese’s Minis

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. With your mixer, beat together cake mix, oil and eggs until combined.
  3. Pour in entire bag of Reese’s Minis.
  4. Mix on low until Reese’s are evenly incorporated.
  5. Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2″ apart. Cookies will spread. (I used pan release from my local candy /cake supply store instead.)
  6. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Printable Recipe

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Every New Years Eve, the Imaginative One, the Wee One, and I head over to my mother-in-law’s house to ring in the new year.  A new tradition was created a couple of years ago.  The grandkids (4 of them in total) spend the night at grandma and grandpa’s house after staying up until after midnight.  Mommy and daddy (if he is off of work) go home to an empty house which is nice.

During the hours that lead up to midnight, we watch tv or movies, eat snacks, or play games.  The kids also do a craft.  Last year, it was painting Christmas ornaments that my mother-in-law stored until Christmas time this year.  I decided we could decorate sugar cookies.  I already knew which cookies I was going to bake.  The problem was what kind of frosting was I going to make for the cookies.  I didn’t want a glaze that would be super messy and I didn’t want anything that would be too difficult to frost a cookie with.

I finally found the recipe at Allrecipes.com.  It was super easy to put together using my Kitchen aid mixer.

After I whipped up the frosting, I put it into 4 separate containers and then added different food dye to the frosting so they could have different colors.  When I handed each of them a container of frosting, they stayed with that one color with the exception of the Imaginative One.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

(I made the some of the cookies into the shape of vampire teeth because I thought the boys would enjoy decorating those.  They also decorated the cookies on place mats so there would be less mess to clean up.  The sprinkles I had were Valentine themed ones so my nephew used those on his sugar cookies.)

Here is the recipe:

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup of shortening or butter
  • 2 Tbsp and 1.5 tsps of milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • food coloring

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, cream together powdered sugar and shortening (or softened butter)
  2. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff (about 5 minutes).
  3. Color with food colored if desired.

Printable Recipe

Sugar Cookies

Happy New Year!  I haven’t blogged as much as I like during the past year.  This needs to be corrected.

Right before Christmas, I was browsing through Not Rachael Ray’s blog and found this recipe for sugar cookies.  I had all of the ingredients so I got to work baking those cookies.  Oh my goodness, these are easy cookies to make.  I usually have lots of problems when using cookie cutters.  Only a few times did I have a problem.

Last night being New Years Eve, I decided to make a batch of the sugar cookies and homemade icing so the Imaginative One, the Wee One, and their cousins could decorate sugar cookies while waiting for midnight to come.  With the excitement in the air and the anticipation of the new year, they quickly decorated the cookies (5 to 10 minutes tops) before they were back to playing and their movie marathon.  The cookies were soon forgotten.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Rachel offers three different variations for these cookies.  I’m only going to only list one of the variations which is the simple cut out cookie.

Sugar Cookies

(We had decorated them on place mats so we did not get my mother-in-law’s table super messy.  Both the Imaginative One and the Wee One managed to get sprinkles and icing all over their mats.  So I removed them from the mats to clean them and put their cookies on their plastic bags to dry.)

Sugar Cookies

Not Rachael Ray

Stars of the recipe:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Steps:

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and lemon extract.
  3. Add milk and flour alternately until combined.
  4. Chill dough until easy to handle. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Roll dough out on a well floured board or counter (for crisp cookies, roll to about 1/8” and for softer cookies roll to about 1/4”).
  6. Cut with floured cutter.
  7. Bake at 350*F for 6-7 minutes.

Printable Recipe

 

Lemon Cookies

One of my favorite author/book series is Joanna Fluke’s Hannah Swenson series.  Not only does Hannah bake cookies for a living, she also solves mysteries.  Joanne Fluke also provides recipes for the readers.  I have found several of my favorite recipes from her books.  This is one of those recipes.  I don’t remember which book it is from.

If you like tart lemon bars, you will like these.  They are the lemon bars in a cookie bar form.  Yummy!  Enjoy!

These are wonderfully lemony and quite tart.  You may wish to sprinkle them with powdered sugar before you serve them to those who like them sweeter.

Lemon Cookies

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick = 1/4 pound)
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg beaten (just whip it up in a glass with a fork)
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 2/3 c. flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
  • 1/2 c. milk

Steps:

  1. Beat the butter and the sugar together until they’re light and fluffy.
  2. Add the beaten egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Mix it all up.
  3. Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.
  4. Mix in half of the flour and half of the milk.
  5. Stir everything all up and then add the remaining flour and the remaining milk.  Mix well.
  6. Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Make these cookies small, about the size of a cherry.  If you make them too large, they’ll spread out on the cookie sheet and crumble when you remove them.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees  Farehenheit for 12 to 14 minuts.
  8. While they are baking, mix up the topping.

Topping:

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1/4 c. of lemon juice
  • 1/2 c. of sugar

Steps:

  1. Heat lemon juice just a bit in the microwave.
  2. Add sugar and stir it up.
  3. When the cookies come out of the oven, remove them to a wire rack with a piece of foil placed under it.
  4. Brush the topping onto the hot cookies.  The faster you do this, the quicker the topping will dry into a glaze.

Printable version

Christmas Baking

When I was a teen, I lived with both my mother and my grandparents.  There are several Christmas memories that I treasure.  One is my grandma and her trees.  She loved teddy bears and would put up several trees with just her teddy bear ornaments on it.  Then there we would put up the traditional tree.  I really wish I was into photography then because I would love to have pictures of her and her trees.

The other memory is her baking and making candy.  She had a bench in the kitchen that I inherited from her.  After she would bake a batch or two cookies or make the candy she would put it on the bench.  I was not suppose to touch any of the goodies because they were to be given out as Christmas gifts.  My mom helped her with the baking and making candy but I didn’t.  I don’t remember if it was because I was a teen and didn’t want to or if she didn’t allow me to.  Now I wish I did help her make those goodies and again I wish I had photographs of all the goodies.

I got married in 1999 and moved out of the college dorms.  During Christmas I picked up the tradition of making goodies for Christmas.  And I’ve done it ever since.  While my grandma was dying in 2008, we spent the days leading up to Christmas in the nursing home keeping watch over her and praying.  When I was unable to be at the nursing home, I was at the house baking up goodies and then bringing them to the nursing home to share with family members.  Grandma ended up passing away on Christmas Eve right about the time the Christmas Eve service started at my church.  It was only fitting she died during the holiday season because she loved it so much.

Most of the Christmas baking I do myself but the boys are allowed in the kitchen for some of it.  They do help for the most part.  But their attention span is of a flea sometimes when it comes to this kind of stuff.  Will’s favorite part of helping is cracking the eggs and beating the yolks with a fork.  If I’m making peanut butter blossoms which is their favorite kind of cookie, they are all about putting the Hershey Kiss on the cookie when it comes out of the oven.  Those are memories I want them to have so hopefully they can pass them onto their kids.

So as the Christmas baking season begins for me, I want to list some of my favorite cookies I’ve made and will make once again.

Rolo Turtles

Pecan Nouget Cookies

Spritz Cookies

Peanut butter blossoms

Snickerdoodles

Mock Thin Mints

Sugar Cookies

Watermelon Cookies (A.K.A. Kool Aid Cookies) – Make them in Christmas colors

Pretzel Chocolate Chip cookies (not really Christmasy but delicious anyway)

Easy Fudge

Saltine Chocolate Pieces

Aunt Janet’s Pecan Tarts

Grandma’s White Salad (Not baking but a memory from the holidays)

I use my grandma’s Kitchen Aid stand mixer to make the dough for all the cookies and have used it since 2008.

What are some Christmas memories you treasure?

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

I’m about simplicity especially when it comes to baking or recipes.  So when I saw this recipe in my inbox, I knew I needed to make these cookies.  Fortunately I had both ingredients at my house.

These cookies did not disappoint me.  They were delicious, moist, and easy to prepare.

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
via cookiesandcups

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 box of spice cake mix
  • 1 – 15 oz. can of pumpkin  puree (make sure it’s not pumpkin pie mix

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Dump the cake mix in a bowl.
  4. Dump the pumpkin on top of the cake mix.
  5. Mix them together until blended.  (Might want to use a hand mixer for this step.)
  6. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
  7. Bake at 350 for 13 to 15 minutes.
    The dough does not freeze well.

Printable Recipe

Mystery Cookies

As I have stated before, I like reading Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mystery series.  The books are fun and easy to read.  The added bonus is the author provides recipes.  I have found the recipes for watermelon cookies and pretzel chocolate chip cookies in her book.  This is another one of her recipes found in the Lemon Meringue Murder.

I made these cookies once and I remembered people raved about their taste.  They couldn’t believe the secret ingredient in these cookies.  I do not know where I put my copy of the Lemon Meringue Murder so I lost the recipe.  This week I decided to google the recipe and got lucky.

These cookies are addictive!  I don’t know how many cookies I ate after I baked two cookie sheets worth.  (The rest of the dough is in the fridge waiting to be baked.)

Mystery Cookies
www.murdershebaked.com

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1/2 cup of butter, melted (2 stick)
  • 3-1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 can of condensed tomato soup (the secret ingredient)
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups of raisins (golden or regular)
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts
  • 4-1/2 cup of flour (does not need to be sifted)

Steps:

  1. Melt butter in microwave.
  2. Add sugar and then let it cool.
  3. Mix in beaten eggs.
  4. Add tomato soup and beat together.
  5. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Add the raisins and walnuts.
  7. Add flour 1 cup at a time until it is incorporated.
  8. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  9. Drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet.
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes
  11. Cool slightly.
  12. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Makes around 10 dozen cookies.

Printable Recipe

Pecan Nougat Cookies (Shortbread Snowballs)

This is one of my favorite Christmas cookies.  Today I was looking at the Southern Plate’s blog and found a recipe for them.  I decided I needed to try out the recipe.  Oh, my goodness, they were delicious.  I ended up putting them in the freezer so I don’t eat the whole entire batch.  They were that good!!!! 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. softened butter (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. finely chopped, ground up pecans
  • powdered sugar

Steps:

  1. Cream butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy.
  2. Add flour and vanilla, mix well, scraping down sides as needed.
  3. Add nuts and mix until well incorporated.
  4. Shape into one inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 325 for twenty minutes, but don’t let them brown.
  6. Cool cookies.  When cooled, roll in powdered sugar.
  7. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Spritz Cookies

I love Spritz cookies.  However, most recipes I’ve tried have been more work then necessary.  After putting the dough in the cookie gun, I would have to pump it and most times it would not stay on the cookie sheet.  It truly was frustrating.  Rather then giving up, I looked for other recipes.  Then  I saw this Spritz recipe on the Domino Sugar website.  So I decided to try it.  Getting the dough onto the cookie sheet was not perfect at times.  However, I was truly amazed at the ease of getting those cookies on the cookie sheet.

After they finished baking, the Wee One and Imaginative One taste tested them.  They both gave the recipe a thumbs up!

Stars of the recipe:

  • 3/4 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 c. all-purpose flour

 Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
  3. Add salt, egg whites, egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla; mix well.
  4. Add flour, beating at low-speed until well mixed.
  5. Force dough through cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. (I baked mine for 8 minutes.  When I baked them for nine minutes, they were too brown.)
  7. Remove to cooling rack.
  8. Store in airtight container.
  9. Makes 7 dozen.

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is my third week of posting Christmas cookie recipes.  This week’s recipe is another favorite of the Imaginative One.  My mother-in-law adores these.  What’s not to love about them?  Peanut butter and chocolate is delicious together.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Stars of the recipe:

  • 48 Hershey’s Kisses
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Granulated sugar

Steps:

  1.  Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
  2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.
  3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.
  4. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
  5. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
  6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  7.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  8. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.
  9. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
  10. Cool completely.

Other Christmas cookie recipes:  Mock Thin Mints and Snickerdoodles

This post has been linked up to Delicious Dishes. and Eat at Home.

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Snickerdoodles

This is another Christmas cookie recipe.  The Imaginative One loves these.  In fact, this one of his top two favorite Christmas or year around cookie.  I know when I make these, he will have a big old smile on his face.

Last December, I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Cooking During Stolen Moments.  As soon as I tried it, I knew this would be my go to recipe for Snickerdoodles.  They are so light and crispy.

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 c. butter or margarine
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 2 3/4 c. flour
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/3 c. sugar  (I used green or red to make it look Christmas looking.)
  • 2 t. cinnamon

Steps:

1. Cream butter or margarine and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 2-3 minutes.
2. Whisk or sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to creamed butter until combined.
3. Place dough in refrigerator and let chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Roll about 1 t. of dough into a ball. Combine 1/3 c. sugar with cinnamon. Roll dough in cinnamon sugar until covered.
5. Place dough on cookie sheets, flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until edges are very lightly browned.

I’ve started to make my Christmas cookie dough and then put it in the freezer.  This way they are ready to go when it’s time to do my Christmas cooking baking.  I roll the dough into a loggish shape and then wrap it in wax paper.  I then put the wax paper log in a freezer bag with instructions of how to bake it on the bag.  (I have to admit that we do bake some of the cookies so that we can taste test the dough.)

This post has been linked to Potluck Sundays.

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