Recipes - 2012

Melting Snowman Cookies

Hot Chocolate Cookie Base Recipe

Note - I did not include the white chocolate chips in the cookie base, because of the melted white chocolate I added on top of the cookie when decorating.

Decorating materials

White Chocolate

Semi Sweet or Dark Chocolate

Powdered sugar

Water

Food Coloring

Marshmallows

Black icing (store bought)

Directions

Step 1 - In a bowl mix a little water and black icing together. Put it in a plastic bag, snip off a tiny hole at the corner of the bag. Pipe the eyes and mouth on your marshmallow. Cut the back side of the marshmallow so it is slanted to lay on the cookie. 

Step 2 - Mix powdered sugar with a little water, 1 drop of red food coloring and several drops of yellow food coloring until you get the color orange. Put the mixture in a plastic bag, snip off a tiny hole at the corner and pipe on the carrot nose. 

Step 3 - Melt white chocolate in the microwave (stir it every 15 sec until melted.) Pour some on top of the cookie and move it around so that it spreads. Place your marshmallow snowman head on the melted chocolate so that it dries in place. 

Step 4 - Melt semisweet or dark chocolate (stir it every 30 sec until it melts.) Put it in a plastic bag, snip off a tiny hole at the corner and pipe the stick arms on the cookie. 

Step 5 - Mix powdered sugar with a little water and any color of food coloring. Put it in a plastic bag, snip off a tiny hole at the corner and pipe on 3 buttons. 

Candy Cane Cookie Truffles

Ingredients

1 box of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s from Trader Joe’s
8 oz block cream cheese
chocolate for dipping (about 24 oz block of white chocolate almond bark
2 candy canes, crushedtoothpicks

Directions

Using a food processor, crush one package of cookies, then add the cream cheese. Mix until well incorporated. To make it easier to roll the balls, stick the mixture in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Then form the balls and stick them in the freezer again for 10 more minutes. In the mean time, crush the candy canes and melt the chocolate.

Once the chocolate is ready, dip the balls by using a toothpick. After dipping, gently remove the toothpick and quickly sprinkled with the crushed peppermint. The toothpick will leave a small hole on top, but the peppermint will hide it. However, at times the hole will be bigger than others so just dab it with chocolate using another toothpick. Before inserting the toothpick into the next ball, wipe the toothpick clean.
Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Recipe 
1 stick unsalted butter, at room tempature, plus more for the baking sheets
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup coarse sugar

Directions

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in molasses, egg and fresh ginger. (The mixture may look curdled.) Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the crystallized ginger with a rubber spatula. The dough should be soft but not sticky; if it's sticky, refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Form tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in the course sugar. Arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the position of the pans balfway through, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer racks to cool completely. The recipe makes 30 cookies.

Candy Cane Hearts & Candy Cane Melts

Candy Cane hearts

Ingredients

Mini Candy Canes

12 oz Chocolate Chips or White Chocolate Chips or both

2 Tbsp shortening

Sprinkles

Directions

Place wax or parchment paper on cookie sheet

Arrange candy canes to make hearts

Mix chocolate and shortening together and heat slowly over double boiler until melted.

Pour chocolate into hearts and let cool to harden.

Candy Cane Melts

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter (room temp)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup peppermint crunch chips or crushed candy cane

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter, sugar & vanilla together

Add flour, salt & candy canes - mix well

Roll into balls the size of a walnut

Bake 15-20 min. You don't want them to brown.

Mix 1/2 cup powder sugar & 1/2 crushed candy cane and roll cookies through the mixture after they have cooled slightly.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

3.5 ounce can (1-1/3 cups) flaked coconut

Directions

1.) grease cookie sheet. Mix eggs whites, vanilla on high speed in a mixer. Gradually start adding 1 Tbsp of sugar at a time once soft peaks form until you've reached stiff peaks. Fold in coconut.

2.) Use rounded teaspoons of batter and space the cookies 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 20 min until edges lightly brown. Let cool on wire rack.

Ginger Snaps

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2-1/4 cup flour

2 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

pinch of salt

vanilla extract

granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg on medium speed in mixer. 

Stir in remaining ingredients except sugar.

Roll into small balls and dip in sugar. Bake sugar side up for 10-12 minutes, then immediately place them on a wire cookie rack. 

No-Bake Peanut Butter Clusters

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

Pinch salt

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup coconut

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal 

Directions

Boil sugar, milk, butter and salt for 1 min.

Add vanilla, peanut butter, and coconut.

Pour over quick cooking oatmeal. Let cool 30 minutes. Make into balls (will be soft.) Let set for 1-2 hours or spread into cake pan and put it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Remove pan, cut into squares.

Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup shortening (half butter or margarine)

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red food coloring

½ cup crushed peppermint candy (optional)

½ cup sugar (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 375. Mix shortening, sugar, egg & flavorings thoroughly. Mix flour & salt, stir into shortening mixture. Divide dough in half. Blend food coloring into one half.

Roll a 4 inch strip (using 1 teaspoon of dough) from each color. For smooth even strips, roll them back & forth on lightly floured board.  Place strips side by side, press lightly together & twist like rope. For best results, complete cookies one at a time. Curve top to form handle.

Bake about 6 minutes, until lightly browned. While warm, sprinkle with mixture of candy & sugar.. Makes about 4 dozen canes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup additional to roll cookies
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 1/2 cups flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg to mixture. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Stir in salt,baking soda and flour until well combined. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green Food Coloring, 8 – 10 drops
2 cups Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add butter and sugar to stand mixer. Cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Add vanilla and mix until light and fluffy again.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer and mix on low until combined. Add enough green food coloring to get the right color. Different brands will take different amounts, but 8 – 10 drops is about what it will take. (The color of the dough should be a little darker than you want the cookie color to be.) Add mint chips and mix until incorporated.

2. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Recipe soon to come....

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

You don't want to miss these cinnamon rolls cookies that are sold seasonally at Safeway. They are soft and have great flavor. 

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
1 bag chocolate kisses

Directions
Mix butter and peanut butter
Stir in sugar, egg, add flour and milk. Mix well.
Shape dough into 1" balls. Place onto cookie sheet about 2" apart.
Push chocolate kiss into center of each ball.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Crackled Cookies w/Chocolate Chips

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown
sugar
1 stick Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose
Flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions
1. Beat brown sugar, shortening and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill 3 hours.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

No Bake Peanut Butter Peppermint Cookies

Recipe soon to come...

Assorted Cookie Plate (Post Exchange)