Favorite Christmas Cookies

Ok, I know we have a couple of weeks here to think about it but I would like to widen my horizons and feel in the mood to bake Christmas Cookies. The only ones I make every year without fail are the rich roll cookies from the Joy of Cooking. They are rolled out refridgerator cookies with lots of butter. I've been making them for forty years now! Sometimes I make Toll House Cookies but I'm looking for something more interesting. Anybody have any other suggestions? I guess the new KitchenAid is making me more ambitious than usual.

I have the recipes at home -- I'm posting this to remind me to get them tonight.

sugar cookies with caraway (no kidding, they're great), pfeffernusse, peanut butter cookies, and a massive batch of chocolate chip cookies will be what I'll bake this year and distribute to neighbors, along with quick breads, apple cake, brownies, palmiers, and whatever I decide to bake.

NO way even Jesus could resist a warm Snickerdoodle and a cold glass of whole milk.

chocolate dipped spritz (I'm also doing the little trees dipped in green colored white chocolate.)

ruggelach (apricot and nut)

Bourbon balls

Peppermint Bark (candy)

Coconut Bonbons (candy)


I'll probably be doing 2 or three other kinds but those are the standards I do every year.

OldLeftyLawyer posted a thread here with a seven-layer cookie recipe. In my family we call those "sprinkle bars" and they're made every Christmas - they're easy to make and easy to eat.

chocolate/red and red/white versions. They are "fun" looking and good to eat too.

Mocha chip cookies

2 cups softened butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups unsifted flour
4 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
1 12 oz package of semi-sweet choc chips
Cream butter with powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix in flour

Stir in instant coffee crystals and choc. chips (dough will be stiff)

Shape into 1 inch balls using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each. Place on foil lined baking sheets. Flatten by crisscrossing with fork.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-15 minutes or until light brown (do not overbake).

From the old Betty Crocker cookbook.

also known as bride's cakes.

Katharine Hepburn brownies.

Gazelle horns.

Florentines (spelling?)

Cigarettes.

Spritz, Cheese Straws, and Cream Cheese Holly Wreaths. Then in 1970, she started making Pecan Tassies (little pecan pies with cream cheese crust). We usually have Mexican Wedding Cookies, and Chocolate Coconut Balls. Since Mom died, we don't have quite the variety every year, but always try to carry on the tradition. This year my niece and I are making Cheese Straws and I've just learned a new recipe for Nut Brittle using the microwave. Today I made it with raw cashews and it is heavenly. Wish I could share it with all DUers.

I always make a double batch of ricotta cookies so I have enough to share with my son and his family. I'm wondering if your Christmas cookies are like the shortbread cookies my mother always made and I continue to make.

I also make chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies.

but a little shorter, not shortbread. The recipe is as follows:

Joy of Cooking's Rich Roll Cookies

Cream:
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar

Beat in:
1 egg

Combine and add:
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

Chill dough 3 to 4 hours before rolling.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll out and cut into holiday shapes. Bake for 8 to 10 mins. or until slightly colored.
Frost with your favorite frosting.

******

I don't frost mine, I use the colored sprinkles on them - and I usually double the vanilla. I use cookie cutters in Christmas shapes. Believe me, this is simple but a time honored recipe. The family won't let me get through December without making these at least once.

*****

If you have a good shortbread recipe, I'd love to have it.

Thanks for posting your recipe. I don't have my recipe handy right now. I'll look it up tomorrow and post it for you.

Here's my mother's shortbread cookie recipe.

1 lb Butter
1 C 10X Sugar
4 C Sifted Flour
4 Tbls Cornstarch

Blend the dry ingredients into softened butter and shape into one inch square or round bars. You'll have four or five bars. Wrap the bars in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.

Slice the bars into 1/4 inch pieces and put them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or so at 375 degrees. If they brown they'll taste scorched so keep a close eye on them.

Dust the cookies with powdered sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. Let them cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the cookie sheets to cool completely before packing.

They were plain old b-flat chocolate chip cookies made from the recipe on the back of the Nestle's chocolate chip bag. Followed religiously.

Try as I might, I have not been able to make them taste the same.

underbakes them so they are soft and chewy and not "snappish"

I sent the recipe to my step mom and we'll bake them Friday so DH feels at home LOL

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
1/2 c molasses
4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 tsp each of ginger and cinnamon

Cream sugar, eggs, molasses and shortening. Add dry ingredients

chill 2 hours, roll in to walnut sized balls, dip in sugar. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes (but really only about 5-6 minutes. take them out as soon as they flatten out and the cracks are across the cookie and edges are firm DO NOT OVERCOOK! unless you really want "Snaps")

I have a Springerle mold my aunt gave to us a long time a go. I think Mom and I used it once. But I did like the cookes.

They are a very delicate cookie with a slight anise flavor. I might play around with some variations like peppermint too, since I'm not crazy about anise.

my friend makes amazing chocolate pistachio roll cookies, i should get that recipe.

:rofl: that sounds yummy!

:hi:

okay, i'll find out and post it.
B

Pepparkakor (spice cookies) are our favorites. I usually make a few batches in October...they taste best when they age.

Cheers!

Back in 1957 the ladies of the local Temple were having a cookbook sale. So, not being familiar with Jewish cooking, I bought a book.
The best cookie we have ever had at every Christmas since then is as follows.

1/2 pound of butter, or oleo.
1/2 pound cream cheese
2 cups flour
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of--apricot paste, sugared to taste.

Mix all the first three ingredients, chill to roll out.
Flour your board, cut out a round or square cookie.
Put a spoonful of filling, and fold over the sides to the middle.

Put on parchment paper, or oil pan, put 2" apart, and bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. They will not brown, but will be soft.
When cool, sprinkle powder sugar over top, as this is not a sweet cookie.
Be sure to seal the fold well or they will flop open. Any fruit can be used, or any nuts to fill, sometimes I punch a hole in a round cut out and fill it with jelly.

I have an old family recipe for Christmas Stars - very simple, just flour, butter & sugar (sometimes I add vanilla) - basically just a simple shortbread cookie. Always cut with a star cutter, always iced with white icing.

Christmas just isn't Christmas without them...