Christmas Recipes

[ponytail]

Please add a family favorite here! I always bake a LOT of cookies and candies, and every year I rely on the same ones, so here's hoping you will all have some great ones to add to the mix!


Red Velvet Cookies

This recipe is a little long, but well worth the results!
2 (1 oz. squares) unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1 tbsp. red food coloring
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups flour (not sifted)
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1/4 cup softened butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Line unrimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Melt chocolate and let it cool. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add baking soda and salt. Mix in egg, then red food coloring. Add melted chocolate and stir to combine. Mix in half of the flour, followed by the sour cream, then the remaining flour. Fold in the chips. If the dough seems very sticky, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Drop by the tablespoon (or small cookie scoop) on prepared cookie sheets and bake until set, 9 to 11 minutes. Slide parchment or foil off sheets and let cool.

Combine frosting ingredients and mix well. Frost the cookies after they've thoroughly cooled.

* Notes--the frosting is pretty soft, so these don't stack well. I usually freeze the cookies and frosting separately, and then assemble them just before serving. Also, the small cookie scoop works the best because the dough is pretty sticky.

SO YUMMY!

[bacali]

Funny, ponytail.... I was just asking Snowbird if she had a good cookie recipe. I need one that is EASY and yields alot. I am going to a cookie/dessert exchange at one of my daughter-in-laws .
I need some...70 cookies.
But, I need something that can be 'exchanged" and they bring them home... frosting with this one sounds like it won't be possible ?
But, Easy is the key word...
Any other recipe in your "marathon" of baking that will fill this bill?

[ponytail]

Here is a recipe that is easy, tasty and makes a lot--but it is not very Christmasy looking!

Crunchy Chewies

1 C. brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
1 C. margarine (softened)
1 C. oil
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 C. oatmeal
1 C. coconut
3 1/2 C. flour
1 C. Rice Krispies
1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips

This is the list of ingredients! It was given to me this way, with no instructions. Usually I cream together the margarine and sugars, then add the vanilla and egg. The dry ingredients are stirred in a little at a time until mixed. Bake at 350 for approx. 10 minutes--test it out!

It should make at least 70 for you.
These are a different take on the usual chocolate chip cookie--super delicious!

[bacali]

 
 I may try these...since you say they yield 70... they seem like a choco chip, oatmeal type cookie.
I've found that anything with chocolate is usually liked.
My daughter in laws mom is making some kind of a shortbread cookie.
     So much work at this timeof year.... 

[ponytail]

Yes, it is a lot of work! I don't know how I used to do it when I was working full time.

Here is another delicious cookie recipe I just made today. It only yields about 2 1/2 dozen, but they are so good. They are kind of like a thumb print cookie.

Lemon Dimples
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp  baking powder
2 C all purpose flour
1 scant cup prepared lemon curd (found in the jams and jellies section of the store)

Directions: Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon zest and juice and vanilla. On low speed, beat in baking powder, then flour, until incorporated. Cover. Chill dough 1 hour. Place lemon curd into a small ziptop bag, seal bag.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. You'll need baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Shape scant tablespoonsful of dough into balls; place two inches apart on cookie sheets. With index finger, make a deep indentation in center of each. Snip a tiny corner of ziptop bag and pipe lemon curd into dough indentations to completely fill (about 1 tsp per cookie).

Bake 15 minutes or until cookie edges just begin to lightly brown. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack. Dust cookie edges with powdered sugar.

Make sure your indentations are deep or the lemon curd may spill over. Watch the baking time, they may not need the full 15 minutes.

I am always looking for new recipes, does anyone else have a favorite?

[bacali]

   what is a "scant cup"? These sound good.
One of my daughter's favorite cookies are thumbprint...that I put jelly into. If I have time I just bake a single batch for her for Christmas Eve. She takes them and  hides them from her family
And I know what you mean.... when my kids were small, I always had time for the cookies.
I made the dough from scratch and refrigerated it...and would cut out the shapes...and especially my first two kids....who are competitive...The decorating... and whose were prettier...    -
All, I'd hear was " Ma... Ma     when the eyes "had" to be exactly right...
But, we were making those memories.... which , honestly ...they don't remember at all now.

[Snowbird]

If you would like some easy, easy recipes that don't have a lot of ingredients here are a few.

Peanut butter cookies:
Mix 1 cup crunchy peanut butter (or smooth if you prefer) with 1 cup sugar and one egg.  Drop by teaspoon full on cookie sheet.  Press several semi-sweet chocolate chips on top if you wish.  Bake 15 min. at 350.  This recipe is so easy to double or triple to make as many as you want.

Simple Cake Mix cookie:
Choose any cake mix and add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup cooking oil.  If you want to you can add raisins, nuts, coconut, any chips (chocolate, butterscotch, etc.)  Mix and drop by teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet 2 in. apart.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 min.

Reese;s Peanut Butter Bars"
Mix together:
3 cups finely crushed graham crackers.
1 cup melted margarine
1 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Press into 9 x 13 in pan.
Melt two cups chocolate chips.  Add 1/2 cup milk. Spread on top of bars.  Cool and cut into squares. 
They taste just like peanut butter cups.

[ponytail]

Oooh, I like that recipe for peanut butter bars. I will probably have to try that one!

[bacali]

Snowbird...for the peanut butter cookie recipe... no flour needed? And for what you gave us...how many cookies does this yield.
I need a recipe ...easy ..and need 60 cookies.

And, the cake mix cookie...how many does this yield. I could do this ...with those fancy chips I told you all about ( colored choco chips)
And how do you measure "your" teaspoons?

[ponytail]

Thought I would resurrect this old topic! Please add some of your own favorites.

Cherry Mash Candy

This is a wonderful Christmas candy that I make every year. It is always a hit and goes fast. Kind of like the Cherry Mash candy bars if you like those.

2 c sugar
1/2 c margarine
12 large marshmallows
2/3 c evaporated milk
1 (10 oz ) bag cherry chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 (12 oz bag) chocolate chips
3/4 c peanut butter
1 (12 oz) jar unsalted ground peanuts (you can use less, that is a lot)

Bring sugar, margarine, marshmallows, and milk to boil in saucepan over medium heat; stir constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and add cherry chips and vanilla. Stir until chips are melted. Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter; stir in peanuts. Spread over cherry layer and cool. Cut into small pieces.

(I let the cherry layer cool a little before I put on the chocolate layer--it seems to spread over the bottom layer easier).

[ponytail]

I am reviving this long lost category! Maybe we could shift it to the recipes. But I don't know how to do that--Court? Help! There are some very good ones here that I make every year. Anyone else have some favorite Christmas treats to share?

[trouble405]

YUMMMM  How have I never found this thread before! 

Just curious - Bacali did you ever learn what a "scant cup" was?  I think it means just short of a full cup - am I correct.

[bacali]

YUMMMM  How have I never found this thread before! 

Just curious - Bacali did you ever learn what a "scant cup" was?  I think it means just short of a full cup - am I correct.

Yes, you're right Here's the definition"

A scant cup is a cup minus 1 to 2 tablespoons. A scant cup is meant to signify just a little bit less than a standard cup measurement of something.