Cookoff 2.0 #23 Holiday Cookies!

[altonfaninmd]

Cookoff 2.0 #1 - Heat Infusion - Parrothead
Cookoff 2.0 #2 - Tomatoes - Unknown Foodie
Cookoff 2.0 #3 - Butternut Squash - Jackiecat
Cookoff 2.0 #4 - Fennel - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #5 - Grains of Paradise - PattyE
Cookoff 2.0 #6 - Eggplant - Geimerst
Cookoff 2.0 #7 - Soup - Pixie
Cookoff 2.0 #8 - Ribs - Dan
Cookoff 2.0 #9 - Citrus fruit - Moonablaze
Cookoff 2.0 #10 - Clams - Thierry
Cookoff 2.0 #11 - Ground Beef - Parrothead
Cookoff 2.0 #12 - Olives - Grovite
Cookoff 2.0 #13 - Slaw - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #14 - Peppercorns - Grovite
Cookoff 2.0 #15 - Yogurt - Eye4got
Cookoff 2.0 #16 - Summer Squash - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #17 - Collards - ajkdvm
Cookoff 2.0 #18 - Lemongrass - Fleur
Cookoff 2.0 #19 - Summer herbs: basil/parsley/oregano/etc. - ajkdvm
Cookoff 2.0 #20 - Tapas and party bites
Cookoff 2.0 #21 - Fall Squash - ajkdvm
Cookoff 2.0 #22- Cauliflower- altonfaninmd

I hereby decree, this challenge is.... Holiday Cookies!


I"m pretty open minded when it comes to cookies, and I already make about 8 different kinds of them for things like platters and giveaway tins. Please make these a kind you do yourselves for the holidays, and if there's a story behind them, I'm sure we'd love to hear it!

[Dana]

Ghenne - If you don't post your Double Chocolate Espresso cookies, I will!
Amazing!
I'll post something else soon...

[ghenne]

OK Dana....here you go.


Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

recipe from Lisa @ The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Yield – 3 dozen
3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
½ cup butter (1 stick), cubed
1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso granules
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan melt the unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, butter and the coffee/espresso granules. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl beat the sugar and eggs for 3 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture. Stir in remaining chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 – 12 minutes, or until puffed and tops are cracked. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

[ghenne]

I'm also posting one of my personal faves. I love these cookies.

Soft Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups flour
1/2 tea. salt
2 1/4 tea. baking soda
2 1/4 tea. ground ginger
1 1/2 tea. ground cloves
1 1/2 tea. ground cinnamon
sugar for rolling ball into

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and eggs. In another bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Blend thoroughly with a wire whisk. Gradually mix flour mixture with the creamed mixture until dough is blended and smooth. Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut, roll into sugar, and place on greased cookie sheet. I used parchment and they came out perfectly. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! You really want to take these out when they look underdone. Trust me they will set up perfectly.

Cool on wire rack and store in tightly covered container.

[ghenne]

Ok I can't stop myself.....these are cookies that my Mom makes every year. So good.

Mom's Almond Slicesrecipe from Lisa@ The Cutting Edge of Ordinary - recipe from my mom Mim

In a large bowl mix:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 eggs

Mix together:
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Add to the previous ingredients.

Mix to combine and stir in 2 cups sliced almonds. Roll into 2 logs about 10 inches long, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour. (It’s really best to refrigerate the dough overnight).

Place on a cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350. Feel them to see if they are too squishy, if they are put them back into the oven for 5-minute intervals. They should feel slightly hard. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before you cut them into slices.

[ghenne]

These are too good not to enter, lol.

Coconut Crunch Cookies
recipe from Lisa @ The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups flaked coconut
1 pkg (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped almonds (or any other nut you like)

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and gradually add it to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in the coconut, chips and almonds.

Drop by the rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 9 – 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire rack.

[ghenne]

Last one I swear. It's dangerous when you get a bake-a-holic going, lol.

Butter Crunch Cookies
recipe from Lisa @ The Cutting Edge of Ordinary adpated from Taste of Home Best Cookies & Bars

1 cup of butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups lightly crushed cornflakes
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cream of tater, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk. Gradually add the creamed mixture to the butter & sugar. Stir in cornflakes and pecans (if desired). Mixture will be thick and almost dough like.

Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on sheet and remove to wire rack.

[LinC]

I would like to give a big Thumbs-Up to ghenne's Double Chocolate Espresso cookies. If I don't make them for my Christmas party, I get complaints. That's quite a tribute!

I make a recipe very similar to the Coconut Crunch cookies except it calls for a bag of Toffee Bits instead of the chocolate chips. I use sliced almonds instead of chopped almonds.

[koshersalty]

Pecan Toffee Shortbread Cookies

This is really just an embellishment to any shortbread cookie recipe.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small skillet. Remove from heat. Add a 1/4 cup of chopped Pecans. Toss to coat with butter, then add 3 TB of brown sugar and a 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Stir to combine well and spread out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake at 350 till GBD.

Let the pecans cool and add to the shortbread dough with 1/4 cup of toffee chips.

Bake em and enjoy.

[okbye]

Our family cookie is Santa's Whiskers.

1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup flaked coconut

1. In bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in milk and almond extract. Stir in flour, candied cherries and pecans until just mixed.
2. Form into two (2 x 8-inch) rolls. Roll in coconut. You have to press it in there good. Wrap in plastic or wax paper and chill overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 375*.
4. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and place 1-inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for about 12 minutes or until edges are golden.

Makes about 5 dozen.

[PattyE]

Cookies! I love cookies!

These holiday cookies have been a family favorite since I as a kid! Standard recipe, but time consuming, so not many people bother making them anymore. I brought them to a cookie exchange a couple years ago and won the prize for the most creative cookie!



Candy Cane Cookies

½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup shortening
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups Gold Medal Flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red food color
½ cup crushed peppermint candy
½ cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375º. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, confectioner’s sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half; blend food color into one half.

Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope. For smooth, even ropes, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist. Complete cookies on at a time. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle of cane.

Bake about 9 minutes or until set and very light brown. Mix candy and granulated sugar. Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture, remove from baking sheet.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

[PattyE]

Another family favorite and also the most shippable homemade gift I can send out because they don't crumble...



Date Nut Balls

¼ cup butter
1 lb. chopped dates
1 cup sugar
1 egg – unbeaten
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup coconut

Cook first four ingredients in large saucepan over medium heat for 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and add nuts, Rice Krispies and vanilla.
Butter hands and roll mixture loosely into small balls (1 teaspoon).
Roll date nut balls in flaked coconut.

Yields approximately 5 dozen date nut balls.

[PattyE]

And by the way... I was looking for something different to bring to this year's cookie exchange. I'm on my way to the store right now to pick up the ingredients for ghenne's Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies! They look yummy! Thanks, ghenne!

[n8urebabe]

I make these every year. I print the recipe and put it with the cookies because they always ask for it. I've had more than one person say that they don't usually like "spice" cookies but they like these. I got the recipe from FN's 12 days of holiday cookies about 5-6 years ago.

Ruth Moulton's Spice Balls

Note: They will not be ball shaped, they flatten like regular cookies.

Ingredients

12 tablespoons ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon table salt
Method

Combine the butter and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses.
Sift the flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together onto a piece of parchment. Add to the butter mixture in 2 batches, beating just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a pie plate. Shape the dough into walnut-size balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Arrange 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets and bake until cracked and dry but still soft, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cool on wire racks.

[Butterbean]

This is an old standard, for sure, but one of my very favorites. It probably has many names.

Pecan Balls (a/k/a Snowballs)

Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans

For Rolling:
Colored sugar or sifted powdered sugar.

Hardware
Large bowl
Small bowl
Cookie sheets
Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add granulated sugar and salt. Beat until combined.
Step 4: Beat in vanilla extract.
Step 5: Gradually beat in as much flour as you can, stir in remaining flour with spoon.
Step 6: Stir in chopped pecans.
Step 7: Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Step 8: Bake for 12 minutes or until bottoms just begin to brown.
Step 9: Place colored sugar or powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Step 10: Roll each warm ball in sugar and transfer to a cooling surface.

Makes 6 dozen balls.

[Charlene]

Sugarplum Sticks

My VERY favorite cookies.

SUGARPLUM STICKS

1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit (Del Monte I think has a mix already chopped) (NOT candied fruit)
1/4 Basic Cookie Dough recipe (1 pound), See below
Sifted powdered sugar

Knead pecans and dried fruit into Basic Cookie Dough until well blended.
Shape dough into 2- x 1/2-inch logs, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; place on wire racks to cool.

Yield about 3 dozen. I always make double.

BASIC BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH
From: Southern Living 1995 Annual Recipes
THIS RECIPE MAKES 4 Pounds! Quarter or double it to make 1 or 2 recipes of the sugarplum sticks.

2 cups butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
7 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Beat butter in a mixing bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in vanilla.
Divide dough into 4 equal portions; wrap each portion in plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Chill. Proceed with cooking. Yield: 4 pounds Basic Cookie Dough.
This dough may be frozen, but cookies made from thawed dough may be dry.

Charlene

[mhalbrook]

Cinnamon Nutmeg Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS
------------
574 g All purpose flour
7 g Baking soda
3 g Cinnamon
2 g Nutmeg
10 g Salt
298 g Sugar
298 g Brown sugar
227 g Butter
227 g Butter flavored shortening
2 Ea. Eggs
5 ml Vanilla extract
227 g Chocolate chips

[indybear]

I made these for a cookie exchange on another board and they were a huge hit! They come out a bit crisper than a traditional snickerdoodle.

CHAI SNICKERDOODLES Makes 3-4 dozen cookies
2 cups sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 cup butter, soft
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar and spices; remove 1/2 cup of sugar mixture and place in medium-sized shallow dish or bowl (like a soup plate). Add butter to bowl and cream with sugar mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between balls to allow for spreading.
5. Bake for about 12 minutes, until edges are firm to the touch but not quite browned. Cool for 3-5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

[haleoalau]

Lisa,

Would I be able to make the dough for your Double Chocolate Espresso cookies,, keep in the fridge and then let come to room temp before baking the next day?

[ghenne]

Lisa,

Would I be able to make the dough for your Double Chocolate Espresso cookies,, keep in the fridge and then let come to room temp before baking the next day?

Sure. You don't even need to let it come to room temp. In fact, when I'm making cookies, the dough always goes back in the fridge in between batches, so scoop it cold girl!

[haleoalau]

Lisa,

Would I be able to make the dough for your Double Chocolate Espresso cookies,, keep in the fridge and then let come to room temp before baking the next day?

Sure. You don't even need to let it come to room temp. In fact, when I'm making cookies, the dough always goes back in the fridge in between batches, so scoop it cold girl!

Even better!!! Thank you, ma'am!!!

[altonfaninmd]

Any more submissions before I close this cookoff? I"ll wait till Thursday to see if anyone else posts.

[LinC]

I think this should become a regular post for the holidays. That way we can add to it as the season progresses. I won't have time to take pictures of my cookies until after this weekend (because of my Christmas open house).

[tigger25143]

AB's Paradise Macaroons from the 12 Days of Cookies, last year, are awesome.
I'm reprising them for this year.




Paradise Macaroons
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown for 12 Days of Cookies 2008

Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time:
25 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

* 2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
* 2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
* Pinch kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 large egg whites at room temperature
* 5 ounces granulated sugar
* 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 ounce vegetable shortening
* 2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.

Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.

Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.

[Rental01]

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Made this on Saturday - YUMMY! They almost survived 24 hours.

[altonfaninmd]

Well, after many bags of sugar and flour, and lots of opinions from others, here's the winner...



Ghenne and the Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies! (except I took out the espresso, I hate coffee!)



Close seconds went to mhalbrook's Cinnamon Nutmeg Chocolate Chip Cookies and Charlene's Sugarplum Sticks

I really liked the idea of PattyE's Candy Cane Cookies, but mine didn't taste very good. The dough was hard to work with for me, and I"m a pretty experienced baker. For some reason, the cookies tasted not very sweet, and the sugar/peppermint coating came off easily. Maybe I should have pulled out the cookies and sprinked the mixture on sooner to get it to set into the cookies.

I just got done yesterday making my 7 kinds of cookies for the holidays.. peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, linzer bars, 7 layer bars, Alton's rolled sugar cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and PattyE's candy cane cookies. The chocolate crinkle cookies are always the first ones devoured.

Congrats to Ghenne!!!!

[okbye]

I really liked the idea of PattyE's Candy Cane Cookies, but mine didn't taste very good. The dough was hard to work with for me, and I"m a pretty experienced baker. For some reason, the cookies tasted not very sweet, and the sugar/peppermint coating came off easily. Maybe I should have pulled out the cookies and sprinked the mixture on sooner to get it to set into the cookies.

My mom used to make those when I was a kid and she used peppermint extract, no sprinkles. They still weren't the best tasting cookies but they are cute.

[altonfaninmd]

I really liked the idea of PattyE's Candy Cane Cookies, but mine didn't taste very good. The dough was hard to work with for me, and I"m a pretty experienced baker. For some reason, the cookies tasted not very sweet, and the sugar/peppermint coating came off easily. Maybe I should have pulled out the cookies and sprinked the mixture on sooner to get it to set into the cookies.

My mom used to make those when I was a kid and she used peppermint extract, no sprinkles. They still weren't the best tasting cookies but they are cute.

They look good, but I wonder what could be done to make them taste better. I think the dough needs to be sweeter so no outside sugar would be necessary. I guess you could just use Alton's sugar cookie recipe and knead red coloring into one half of the dough. I'll have to remember that for next year's holiday baking.

[Marz Epan]

I think this should become a regular post for the holidays. That way we can add to it as the season progresses. I won't have time to take pictures of my cookies until after this weekend (because of my Christmas open house).

I like this idea. It's too bad we couldn't put a cookie cookbook together and donate the proceeds to Heifer International.

[moonablaze]

They look good, but I wonder what could be done to make them taste better. I think the dough needs to be sweeter so no outside sugar would be necessary. I guess you could just use Alton's sugar cookie recipe and knead red coloring into one half of the dough. I'll have to remember that for next year's holiday baking.

alton's sugar cookies have a version that's a peppermint pinwheel, the chocolate part of the dough kinda sucks, but the peppermint is good. I do a full batch of the peppermint flavored dough and tint half of it pink to make the pinwheels or candycanes. sometimes I dip the final product in melted chocolate.