Holiday Cookies
‘Tis the season for baking delicious desserts. Pizzelles, chocolate chip and peanut butter blossoms (the ones with the Hershey’s Kisses in the center) are almost always present on the holiday cookie tray. In honor of Christmas, here are some new cookie recipes that are a MUST for your family, and Santa too!
Classic Spritz Cookies
-1 cup butter, softened
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 ¼ cups flour
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 egg
-1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions:
-Beat butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with a mixer.
-Stir in flour, salt, egg and vanilla.
-Place dough into a cookie press or roll into balls and flatten.
-Add sprinkles* (or you can add icing at the end).
-Bake at 400ºF for 5 to 8 minutes or until brown.
-Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack immediately.
*If you want to add some color for festivity, add a drop or two of food coloring to the dough.
More tips can be found here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-spritz-cookies/aa68df04-bd64-4f1b-8421-0df82064bca4
Icebox Cookies
-1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup of white granulated sugar
-1 large egg
-1 ½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
-2 2/3 cups of flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon of salt
- ¾ cup of candied red maraschino cherries, chopped.
*Add chopped walnuts if wanted.
Directions:
-Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
-Add egg and vanilla.
-Prepare flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, mix together.
-Add dry mixture to butter, sugar, egg and vanilla mixture.
-Mix until dough forms.
-Stir in cherries and walnuts.
-Spread out large sheet of wax or parchment paper.
-Spread out dough into three different sections.
-Smooth and shape into rectangle log shape (about 7 inches long).
-Twist the ends of the paper to seal the dough in.
-Place in refrigerator to chill anywhere from three hours to three days (Or freeze for 1 month).
-When ready to bake the cookies, slice into ¼ inch thick slices.
-Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
-Bake at 375ºF for about 10 minutes.
-Cool and enjoy!
More tips can be found here: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IceboxCookies.html
We hope these cookies find their way on to your cookie tray this Christmas.
;)
