Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Eggnog Cookies by Jessica L.



Cookies:

1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, room temp
1/2 c. light eggnog
1 t. vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. (Yes 300.)  Cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer.  Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat until smooth.   Separately combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well and add to your eggnog/sugar/butter mixture.  Refrigerate until dough is cool.   Next drop by rounded teaspoons onto a greased baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches away from each other. Bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown. - Be sure to keep an eye on them.   Transfer to cool, flat surface immediately with spatula. - If you leave them on the pan they will burn.

Icing:

3 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. softened butter
1/2 c. light eggnog

Beat the powdered sugar and butter together until well blended. Gradually beat in eggnog until icing is smooth and the desired consistency. You may need less or more egg nog depending on the consistency you like. Then frost the cookies and let the icing harden.   Servings: About 36 Cookies

Source:  http://studio5.ksl.com by Elyse Adamson (November 26th, 2012)


Lemon Crisp Cookies by Jennifer H.


1 pkg lemon cake mix
1 cup crisp rice or puffed rice cereal
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed.  (Dough will be crumbly.)  Shape into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until set.  Cool for 1 minute and move to wire cooling rack to cool completely.  Yield:  2 dozen (I think I made them a little bigger than 1 inch around, so you could get more).

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Polka Dot Brownies by DeAnn S.


Mix well:
1 c. brown sugar (packed)
1/3 c. butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Pour batter in a greased 9" X 9" pan,
then sprinkle with a 6-oz. pkg. of chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Be careful not to overbake, or the edges became hard.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies by Marilynn Koehler



Ingredients
·         1 cup all-purpose flour
·         1/3 cup cocoa powder
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
·         2/3 cup sugar
·         1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
·         2 tablespoons milk
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine (I substituted with chopped almonds)
·         14 soft caramel candies
·         3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1.       Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

2.      Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using 1/2-teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, about 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

3.      Microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently re-press existing indentations. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

*Note:  I used Lisa’s homemade caramel recipe for the filling instead.  Also, I thought it looked pretty with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top, and you can’t go wrong adding more chocolate, right?

One more note:  I didn't love the chocolate cookie part of this recipe.  I thought they were a little dry.  When I make them again, I’ll probably use the cookie recipe from the chocolate marshmallow cookies I made last year.  It’s my favorite chocolate cookie recipe.

(Recipe from America's Test Kitchen Holiday Cookies 2010 Special Issue)

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies by Marilynn K.




1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped (juice reserved)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
4 ounces white baking chocolate, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
White candy coating or additional white baking chocolate for dipping

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the chopped cherries on paper towels to drain well. Don’t forget to reserve the juice!

In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the drained cherries and chopped white chocolate. Stir in the almond extract and enough reserved juice to form a smooth ball. Gradually add a tablespoon of the juice at a time and mix with your hands until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into 1- or 2-inch balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten the balls to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the centers are set. Cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Melt additional white baking chocolate in a plastic bag in the fridge.  Squish until smooth, then cut corner off bag and drizzle over tops of cookies.  Enjoy!

Macaroon Kisses by Lisa H.




1/3 cup butter (softened)
3 oz. cream cheese (softened)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups coconut (divided)
48 kisses (dark chocolate)

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolk and extract.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add gradually to creamed mixture.  Stir in 3 cups of the coconut.

Refrigerate dough 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle (if desired, I didn't find this to be necessary).  Shape in 1” balls or use a small cookie scoop and then roll in coconut.  Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (or until lightly browned.)

Remove from oven and push a kiss into each cookie.  Allow cookies to sit on cookie sheet 2-5 minutes until chocolate is soft.  Transfer cookies to cooling racks.

 Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Julia's Double Rich Chocolate Cookies by Lynne B.


 2 ½ Cups of flour (I add 2 extra Tbsp for living in Utah helps them to not be flat!)
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup white sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla (vanilla extract is fine)
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (I also like to add white chocolate chips as it makes it pretty! Totally optional)
Preheat oven to 300* (yes they cook longer on a lower heat)

In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl blend sugars at medium speed, Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste, scrape downs sides of bowl, (no really it actually says that in the recipe.... duh right?) then add eggs and Vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add flour mixture and chocolate chips and blend at low speed just until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX! 

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto un greased cookie sheet 1 ½ inches apart bake for 21 mins 

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies by Sara W.



1 package Devils Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla
Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses

Beat all ingredients, except Candy Kisses, to form a thick batter. Use cookie scoop to place on cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes (depending on the size of your scoop).  Immediately after removing from oven, gently press unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss onto the top of each cookie.

Holiday Hugs by Michele N.





Holiday Hugs:

1 Bag Snyder's Snap Pretzels
1 Bag Hershey's Hugs
1 Bag Dark Chocolate Holiday M&Ms

Arrange Snaps on baking sheet.  Place 1 Hug on top of  each Snap and bake for 2 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from oven and gently press 1 M&M into warm Hug.  Allow to thoroughly cool before placing in bag or container. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies by Leanne C.




(Modified from Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Chip Cookies)
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine , softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2  eggs
1 cup (half a bag) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (you can use the whole bag if you feel like it)
2 cups (whole bag) Mint Chips

Directions
1.
 Heat oven to 375°F. 
2.
Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, set aside.
3.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. 
4.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 5 dozen cookies.

2012 Cookie Exchange

 Marilynn did it again! She hosted another fabulous cookie exchange. We had delicious appetizers, yummy cookies, and great conversations. We love this tradition! From left to right: Amy J, Lynne B, Sara W, Marilynn K, Lisa H, Jessica L, Leanne C, DeAnn S, Michele N, and Camie C.

Don't these looke mouth watering?