Christmas Cookie Recipes

Here is a treat for Christmas which can also be turned into a homemade gift...

Apricot And Almond Biscotti

Although the biscotti will keep for a month in an airtight container, I doubt very much they will be kept - absolutely delicious with a cup of coffee. Here goes...

INGREDIENTS:

250g plain flour
110g dried apricots, chopped
200g caster sugar
50g dates, stones removed, chopped
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
75g pistachio nuts, shells removed
3 medium size eggs, lightly beaten
50g whole blanched almonds
50g dried cherries,cranberries, strawberries or a mixture of all, chopped
50g hazelnuts, shells removed
1 lemon, zest only

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan, 180C conventional/Gas 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

2. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add half the beaten eggs and mix well; then add half of what's left and mix again. Add the last quarter a little at a time until the dough takes shape but isn't too wet. Don't be afraid of using your hands to bind the ingredients together - isn't that the best part?

3. Add the fruits of your choice, nuts and lemon zest and bind in well.

4. Divide the dough into six pieces. With wet hands, roll each piece into a sausage shape about 5cms wide and place well apart on the baking sheet. Lightly flatten the 'sausages' and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and harden for about 10 minutes.

5. With a serrated knife, cut the 'sausages' on an angle into 0.5cms slices and lay these on the baking sheet. (The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months). reduce the heat of the oven to 140C fan 150C conventional/Gas 1. return to the oven and bake for about 8 minutes (or 15 minutes from frozen) then turn the slices over and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until they are a pale golden color. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. When completely cold, the biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

Shortbread Cookies

These melt in your mouth classics can be made for your cut outs or rolled in to balls. Roll the balls in your favorite topping, like crushed almonds or coconut. Christmas balls are the easiest fun Christmas cookies we can all make.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound unsalted butter (yum!)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

PREPARATION:

Mix well, roll out in to about 1/4-inch thick, and cut into shapes. Or, roll into small balls then roll in finely chopped nuts or coconut; place on lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass.

Bake at 300° F. for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Secret Kiss Cookie

Fun Christmas cookies even you can make with a surprise. A cookie with a chocolate kiss is wrapped inside.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 bag chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped (7 ounces)

powdered sugar

PREPARATION:

Cream together your butter, sugar, and vanilla. Blend in Flour. Wrap one tablespoon of dough around each chocolate candy kiss. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, or until dough is set but not browned. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar while still warm.This recipe makes about 2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Thumbprint Cookie

Colorful fun Christmas cookies that even you can make let your kids do the thumb work.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups flour (more if dough seems too thin)

finely chopped pecans, almonds, or other nuts, optional

Jam

PREPARATION:

Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and the next 3 ingredients, blending well. Chill dough 2 1/2 hours. Roll dough into small balls, then roll in the chopped nuts; place on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Make an indention in the middle of each cookie and fill with jam. Bake at 300° for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned on the bottom.Makes about 6 dozen

Candy Cane Cookies

These cookies make a great classroom treat.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons almond flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream the shortening and butter; mix in sugar, egg, almond and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt and add to shortening mixture. Divide dough in half.

Blend red food coloring into one half. Roll 1 teaspoon of the red dough and 1 teaspoon of the white dough on lightly floured board into 4 inch strips. Place strips side by side and press lightly together and twist. Do not pinch. Curve top of rope down in to the shape of a candy cane. Make one complete cookie at a time. If the dough of one color is shaped first, the rolls will become too dry to twist.

Bake 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove while still warm. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crushed peppermint stick candy and 1/2 cup sugar (optional). This recipe will make two dozen.

Black Forest Cookies

Dried cherries and chocolate; fancy and easy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried cherries

PREPARATION:

In small bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling water) melt 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips; let cool.

Beat butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla, then melted chocolate.

In a separate bowl stir flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in cherries and remaining chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes or until edges are firm and centers still soft.

* Almond Bonbons
* Animal Cookies
* Applesauce-Granola Cookies
* Banana-Nut Bars
* Black-Eyed Susans
* Brownie Crinkles
* Bumblebees
* Candy Corn Shortbread
* Caramel Apple Cookies
* Chocolate Drop Cookies
* Christmas Cookie Slices
* Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Double Peanut Cookies
* Dream Bars
* Frosted Banana Bars
* Fudgy Layer Squares
* Giant Colorful Candy Cookies
* Lemon Cream Oat Bars
* Malted Milk Cookies
* No-Bake Honey-Oat Bars
* No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares
* Old-Fashioned Rum-Raisin Cookies

Whatever kind of cookie you're looking for, you'll find it in The Big Book Of Cookies.

Click Here For Over 200 Delicious Cookie Recipes

The holidays quickly come upon us each year. It seems that every year there is less time available for us to enjoy the celebratory activities of Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are so many holiday celebrations that we would like to participate in, or in a lot of cases we are required to by circumstance. Add in the stress of preparing the main meal and desserts for either one of or both of the holidays, and you the designated cook might find yourself wondering how you are going to do this. There are solutions to the potentially stressful event, and the key is just organizing and implementing them so you will enjoy the day's festivities too.

Whether you're cooking for Thanksgiving or Christmas make sure to take the Santa approach very early for the meal preparation - sit down and write out the different types of foods that you would like to include for the meal. At first your list might be long, but over time it will become shorter as items are checked off or rearranged. Expert chefs and those with extensive experience recommend starting as early as two months before the event. After all you start saving early in the year for Christmas gifts, and often begin your holiday shopping in July, so why take advantage of this time to begin to prepare for the holiday meal time.

There are many other ways in conjunction with a standard meal preparation list you can cut down on stress, and even the expense of the meal. For example, you can delegate to others within the family certain dishes such as those for the dessert bar. Desserts are always a part of the main event, and need as much attention to it. If you know of a special dessert that you think others will like, or a favorite of yours, ask them to contribute a special pie, cake or candy on the holiday. Make sure to include the standard and favorites, such as pumpkin pie, or a unique cake such as red velvet or butter nut delight. Take into account too those that might have special dessert requirements, such as diabetics or those allergic to certain ingredients such as nuts or eggs. Spend a few minutes researching on the internet and cook books for delicious replacements that will make their holiday yummy too. There are the other options of ordering from a bakery, but be sure to check out of the ingredients. Other options to the overly sweet dessert offerings are fresh fruit, such as cantaloupe, strawberries or fresh apples along with low fat and sugar free toppings like whip cream.

The meal wouldn't be complete without a varied option of healthy and nutritious vegetables. They can be cooked in your traditional on the stove top or in the oven, but think of adding a tray of fresh cut vegetables to add color, and a healthy attitude to your table. Again, you may preorder from a local deli or mart, but if you plan right most raw vegetables can be cut and cleaned twenty four hours in advance. If you want to use fresh vegetables for your stove preparation of traditional fares, you can store for example, sweet potatoes after they are cleaned and skinned right in your refrigerator up to twenty four hours before cooking. Just pop into the oven after mashing and add a dash of brown sugar with marshmallows. Other necessities of a holiday feast like stuffing or dressing can be made up too ahead of time, even if your considering going traditional and stuffing the turkey and baking. Fantastic vegetable entrées can be presented in a multitude of ways.

Of course the center attraction for any holiday meal is the meat. Many families prefer the traditional for the Thanksgiving holiday of turkey. However, if you want to be creative or stick to cultural based foods there are options of for example, Italian spaghetti and some sweet wine and fresh garlic bread. In other areas of the country such as in the agrarian south, open season for turkey hunting can present a nice fat round turkey for your dinner table. It can then be cleaned by the lucky hunter and stored early to eat on Thanksgiving or Christmas day. Deciding on your meat should be thought out early in advance. There are options of special ordering from your local meat department, or buying a few weeks ahead and freezing. Quick fix meats can be bought on the hoof pre baked, and then just warmed in the oven for a juicy delight. Other types of meats such as baked hams or hens are good to fix ahead, and refrigerated and kept juicy with a brown or light colored chicken broth.

There are so many options to create your perfect and stress free holiday meal celebration, just remember to start early and delegate what you feel that you might not be able to handle. A good idea is to begin testing a few of your holiday creations if you feel you must fix them. That way you will never feel that your dinner is not what you want it to be, and you can set back and smile knowing you did your very best.

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