Original Christmas Cookies

I have been making these sugar cookies for about 5 years. It is my standard go to recipe for shaped cookies. I often make the dough and freeze half for later use. It's easy and delicious. I think I got the recipe from a Southern Living Cookie book but I can't remember.

Ingredients:
1 c butter, siftened
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Frosting

Beat butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Dived dough in half.
Roll 1 portion at a time to 1/8 -inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with desired cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Spread cookies with frosting, decorate with desired toppings

FROSTING:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 T milk
1 t vanilla

WHISK together first 3 ingredients until smooth.

Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies

I admit it. I was having an intense craving for chocolate. I never crave chocolate. So, I made these two types of Christmas cookies that had lots of chocolate.

Triple Chocolate Chewy Cherry Cookies (say that three time fast)

Ingredients:

quick snapshot of the ingredients for both recipes

1 c flour
1/4 c cocoa
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 t instant coffee
1 t vanilla *****see picture below, the ONLY vanilla you should use is Mexican Vanilla (if you can get your hands on it that is) The taste is so much richer, once you try it you will never use that immitation stuff again)
4 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
4 oz white chips
1 c dried cherries ( I chop mine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa and baking powder. In a mixing bowl beat butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, coffee and vanilla. On low add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate and cherries.
Drop heaping teaspoons on cookie sheet (always lined with parchment paper). Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until tops are just firm. Do NOT OVERBAKE! Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.



Now, onto the next...... Chocolate Crinkles

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate melted and slightly cooled
1/2 c oil
2 t baking powder
2 t vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
2/3 c powdered sugar

First melt your chocolate over a double boiler on low, then let cool
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, melted chocolate, oil, baking powder and vanilla. Beat with mixe ron medium until combined. Gradually beat in as much of the flour as you can, use a wooden spoon if you need to. Cover your dough and chill for 2 to 24 hours till it is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You can lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, set aside. Shape your dough into 1/2 inch to 1 inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Place at least 1 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and tops are dry and do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate

Cookies!

Coconutty Cream Cheese Cookies

I love Italian Cream cake, but I needed to make cookies, so I tried to combine the two...they turned out really well!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sugar
• ½ cups Soft Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Soft Cream Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups mixture of almonds and pecans or whatever kind of nuts you prefer
• 1/3 cup coconut (to mix in dough) + 1/3 cup (to sprinkle on top)
  

Preparation Instructions

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add vanilla and cream the mixture again. Stir in flour, nuts, & coconut just until blended.

Shape into balls and flatten on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle coconut on top

Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven when cookies start to brown and cool on a cookie rack.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies - found on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Website


These were a special request by my mom who loves chocolate covered cherries. I can't believe I actually had all of these ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ cups Butter, Room Temperature
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 jar (10 Oz.) Maraschino Cherries, Drained, Reserve Juice
• 1 package (6 Oz.) Semisweet Chocolate Chips
• ½ cups Sweetened, Condensed Milk

Preparation Instructions

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda. Blend well and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter or margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.

Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; beat until smooth and well blended.

With hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press down the center of the dough with your thumb.

Drain maraschino cherries well, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center indention of each cookie.

In small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved cherry juice.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the topping over each cherry, spreading to cover the cherry. If frosting seems too thick, thin it with a little more cherry juice.

(I was worried that I read my original recipe wrong when it told me to put the frosting on BEFORE baking. I thought it would melt and run all over. But I did as it said and it is amazing! This super-silky chocolate frosting does not melt or run anywhere! It seals in the cherry beautifully!)

Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until done. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

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