CookWomanFood.com » Christmas Cookies

Spring Ahead with Raspberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

admin — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:55:26 +0000

Yay!! Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year. Spring ahead! When I was a kid, the best day of the year was Christmas or my birthday. Hmmph. Not anymore! As the years move on, so does the quest for warm weather and sunlight. I live in the northeast and am stuck here due to the housing market, (bad time to sell) and my career (teaching). The northeast is great if you want to ski, go to the beach in the summer, and freeze your butt off in the winter, never mind slipping all over the place on the icy days. Well, that is now in the past for another year. I am moving on to spring. The greens have been removed from the buckets and window boxes, crocuses are starting to pop up, pussywillows are out, and the Easter Bunny is getting ready to deliver those delicious chocolate concoctions. Ahh, spring!! Daylight!! No more feeling like a truck hit me everyday at 6PM. Funny how the daylight makes such an impact on my lifestyle. Now I can walk after dinner. Speaking of which, after dinner is also the perfect time to enjoy a little treat. I tasted these cookies over Christmas and still have yet to post them. They were part of a cookie exchange made by a fellow teacher, Lisa G. They were awesome and though these are in the shape of mittens, they would be perfect in a bunny shape for Easter or any springtime buffet as they are light and quite tasty. If making these a couple days ahead of serving, do NOT assemble. Bake and store, and then fill on the day of the event. Mmmm.

Raspberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
extra confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Filling:
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup shaved white chocolate

1. Mix the flour and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat butter til smooth. Add in the sugar and beat til smooth.
3. Mix in vanilla.
4. Stir in the flour mixture and chill for one hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350*.
6. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out.
7. Using a tiny cookie cutter, remove the middle of half of the cookies as this will be a little window for the jam to show.
8. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, chill entire sheet for about 15 minutes, then bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
9. Remove and cool.
10. Spread the jam on one cookie, sprinkle with the white chocolate shavings, and cover with the window cookie.
11. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:09:05 +0000

This coming Monday is President’s Day so in honor of dear ole George I am posting a great recipe for Cherry Chocolate Cookies handed to me by my friend Brigitte. Yum. They are easy to make, delicious to eat, and everyone needs a reason to indulge in something sweet. Well, not everyone, because I often eat without any rhyme or reason, just because foods are tasty and satisfying! Who really needs a reason? There are ways to make this recipe a little healthier and weight conscious appropriate: replace 1/4 or 1/2 of the butter with cherry applesauce, but beware that the texture might not be so delightful. Applesauce is a better replacement for oil. Also, skip out on the drizzling of the icing. You could also eliminate the kiss, but in doing so you are breaking my heart.

Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies

1 c. confectioners’ sugar
1 c. softened butter
2 tsp. maraschino cherry liquid
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3-4 drops red food coloring
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
48 milk chocolate kisses (use dark to make it more heart healthy)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

Icing: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tsps. water, and 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract.

1. Unwrap kisses (duh) and preheat oven to 350*.
2. Combine sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract, and food coloring, blending well.
3. Add flour and salt and mix well.
4. Fold in cherries.
5. Shape dough into 1 inch balls around kiss and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove, cool, and drizzle with icing.
7. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Here’s an option: , When finished cooking, remove, and immediately press kiss into each cookie instead of baking it on the inside.

Nutella Oatmeal Bars

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Today was a professional development day, better known as a half day for kids, work for the teachers, but in our school it is BEST known for food. Yep, that’s right! You may be thinking that the teachers in our district get a lot of training so therefore the kids must be a lot smarter. Right? Well, that is true, we have a bunch of smarty pant teachers and students, but we also learn to fine tune our culinary skills on these days. Today was no different. It was Itallian Buffet Day and that goes without saying is a buffet with Itallian food. Hmm. Not too hard to plan for this one. (Mantineo-great Italian name). I also recently received a jar of Nutella from one of the most giving people I know, Heather Blanchard. I happened to mention to her that I had never tasted Nutella and lo and behold the next day I receive a jar. Not something I really needed, but who in their right mind says no to food gifts. Tried the stuff and OMG it is so freakin’ delicious. Is it healthy? Yeah, right! 200 calories for 2 tbsps. and I am sure the size of their tablespoon does not equal mine. My thoughts were to get rid of this jar as soon as possible as I have an addiction to good food (like most normal people on the planet) so I decided to rid myself of this jar by creating an absolutely delicious calorie packed dessert for the Italian buffet. Nutella must be Italian. Sounds like it. Gina says she eats in when in Italy so I have all my bases covered with this one. Italian buffet dessert and, AND, I get to get rid of the evil Nutella! Not so, as the recipe called for a jar of this concoction of crushed hazel nuts and cocoa and because it is so delish I had already eaten 1/4 of the jar, so I had to go get another jar of it and now I am right back where I started from! But, one good turn deserves another so I made my dessert and watched little tiny Miss Heather enjoy eating them! I hope everyone else did too. Here is the way to make these incredible bars. Now, what to do with the rest of the other jar…

Nutella Oatmeal Bars

1- 21 ounce jar Nutella
2 sticks butter, melted
2 cups flour
2 cups steel cut oatmeal (not the instant or quick kind)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Butter a 13 X 9 in pan and preheat the oven to 350*.
2. Place flour, oatmeal, sugars, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Mix well.
3. Pour melted butter over flour mixture and stir til crumbly.
4. Press about 3/4 of this into the bottom of the pan.
5. Zap the Nutella in the micro for about 20 seconds and spread on top.
6. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until light brown.
8. Go to the store and get the next size pants because you’re going to need them!

Almond Apricot Sugar Bars

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 20:58:11 +0000

I love to have friends over so why don’t I have them over more often? No clue. But I do have a clue to a yummy dessert to serve when guests do come over, especially when you don’t want their hands to get sticky. (Not that I have friends that don’t know how to eat and clean up after themselves). Oh boy, I feel myself putting the ol’ big foot in my mouth. Let me explain. Last evening I had a Silpada party, which, by the way, was very successful! When one has a jewelry party, the guests spend their time looking at lovely jewelry while chatting and munching. Now, would you want your guests to touch the jewelry with sticky hands? Is that enough of an explanation? Well, with that said, I decided to make a couple desserts, one of them being an apricot bar, that would be a non messy treat. Mmmm. My favorite, apricot. This bar is very easy to make and the task becomes even easier if you use a pouch of sugar cookie mix. The entire recipe is below, but I know many of my readers have lives, busy lives, while I don’t. So, if you use a prepared sugar cookie mix, make it according to the package directions but include a tsp. of almond extract. Enjoy, and by the way, if you get a chance to go to a Silpada party, go! Even better, host one! I am not a representative for the company, nor is this a plug by any means, but at my party last night I earned over $500 worth of the beautiful sterling silver jewelry, enjoyed berry martinis, and most importantly enjoyed the company of some very dear friends!

Apricot Almond Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tbsps. butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350*.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter, sugar, and egg til smooth.
Stir in milk and almond extract.
Add in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Press half of the batter into a greased 8 X 8 inch pan.
Bake for about 9 minutes til light brown. Remove from oven.
Spread with apricot jam (or jam of your choice).
Top with the rest of the cookie dough, crumbling it as you place it on the top.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t over cook!

Refreshing Mint Patties to Celebrate Peppermint Pattie Day

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:42:10 +0000

February 11 is Peppermint Patty Day! Why not? Who would argue with another holiday, especially one celebrating this delicious candy! Peppermint Patties are refreshing and exhilarating to eat. Remember those great commercials? Okay, so maybe they were a little strange but regardless, there is a holiday here that is worth a second look! What is a peppermint patty? It is a delicious candy. It is also the name of Charlie Brown’s friend, Peppermint Patty, though the spelling is different. Nice name! It must be nice to be named after a candy, but with my luck I would probably be named Airhead, Chunky, or Mounds. Not too pleasing. Sugar Baby, I think not. Regardless, what’s in a name? Let’s celebrate! Have a Peppermint Pattie. Enjoy! I am including the recipe for those that would like to make their own!

Here is another great homemade candy that is great to give or receive. It is also quite fun to make. I omitted the food coloring but it would make a nice festive touch to add either green or red. For any springtime gatherings, use a pastel color. Enjoy!

Refreshing Mint Patties

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1 drop red food coloring (optional)
2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp. shortening or paraffin

Directions

1. Beat corn syrup, butter, mint extract, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Stir in 1 box of powdered sugar and knead until smooth.
2. Color with food coloring if desired. Pat or roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Use small cookie cutters to cut shapes.

Melt chocolate chips with shortening. Dip each pattie into chocolate and place on waxed or parchment paper.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:25:26 +0000

I was brought up on cookies, homemade, delicious ones that permeate the air while they are baking. Nothing says home like the aroma of fresh baked cookies. Well, I guess that’s not totally true as baking apple pie with cinnamon does a great job of providing a tantalizing effect on the senses! I am usually a chocolate cookie kind of girl but I also stray to the healthier side of cookies. Oatmeal kind of makes a statement of health. Of course, pairing oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips provides a very satisfying taste. However, I am trying to go healthier and this year my goal is to post some healthier recipes without giving up the taste of homemade goodness. I decided to make some oatmeal cookies, forgo the chocolate chips and use some dried cranberries. I know what you’re thinking, dried cranberries are not much healthier than chocolate chips, but in all honesty, I have some and the only chocolate chips I have are minty flavored so, cranberries it is!! This is a lighter recipe, I believe a Weight Watcher one that was given to me. These have 2 points a piece and have a unique texture. Enjoy!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 3/4 cups oatmeal
1 cup unbleached flour
2 tbsps. nonfat dry milk powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt-I always use sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 egg white-I also added a bit of the yolk
1/2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Heat oven to 375*.
2. Mix oatmeal, flour, dry milk, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter, egg white, and brown sugar until fluffy. (Mine wasn’t fluffy, but the recipe calls for fluffiness)
4. Stir in the flour, milk, and vanilla into the butter mixture. Add in the cranberries.
5. Place by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Makes 24 cookies-2 points each!

Guilt Free Chocolate Cookies

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:37:34 +0000

One of the teachers at my school, Krystal, brought these delicious cookies to school for our Healthy Buffet. They, if you follow WeightWatchers, are 1 point each, which translate into diet friendly. These cookies were very moist and mouth watering. Very good Krystal! I found out today that Krystal made a little error while baking them (can’t tell though, they were incredible). She inadvertently doubled the recipe without doubling the butter and flour. She remade them correctly last evening and they came out just as good. The only difference is that the new ones were little mounds of pure heaven. For a light cookie, they are phenomenal!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Guilt Free Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup egg substitute (I had to use one jumbo egg and egg whites to = 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup vanilla low fat yogurt (I used fat free yogurt so it made up for the egg yolk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375*F.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Beat butter, egg substitutes, and brown sugar with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.
Gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add cocoa and egg whites, beating well.
Gradually add flour mixture, yogurt, vanilla, and chocolate chips until just combined.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto 2 ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375*°F for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until firm. Makes 24.

C is for Cookie!!

Swedish Tea Ring-Cookies That Melt in Your Mouth

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:11:40 +0000

These cookies are very rich and worth every effort to make. I received this recipe from my sister-in-law, Lori, who is Swedish. This is from her grandmother, a long time baker. These were made for Christmas by my nephew, Dennis, who is keeping with the family tradition of also being a great baker. Some side notes are to line the cookie sheets with foil as these can be quite messy while baking and to be careful not to burn the butter. Make sure to lay the ring on the seam as the filling may leak out if the seam is on the side. The slits that are made are to make the log able to be shaped into a ring and should be on the outside of the ring. Be extra careful not to cut into the filling as it will leak out the sides. I wish I had a picture to illustrate that technique but these were brought to me in a tidy little Christmas tin, already cut and ready to savor!

Swedish Tea Ring
Swedish recipe, from Lori’s grandmother.

Dough:
1 pkg. yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1/4 cup raisins, chopped

1. Sift dry ingredients together and cut in butter until it is fine pieces.
2. Add in 1/4 cup evaporated milk, egg, and raisins.
3. Mix in yeast mix.
4. Mix well and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1. Cover cookie sheets with foil.
2. Make filling: cream butter and add brown sugar.
3. Stir in pecans. Mix well.
4. Divide dough into thirds.
5. Roll 1 part into 12×6 rectangle.
6. Spread on 1/3 of the filling.
7. Roll up starting with 12 inch side and make a crescent shape. Make cuts along the side to within 1/2 inch of center. Cut so filling doesn’t leak out.
8. Turn cut pieces on side. Don’t want the seam on top or side as the filling will leak out.
9. Repeat with remaining dough.
10.Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes,
11.Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.

Glaze: Brown 2 tbsp. butter carefully so it doesn’t scorch, add 1 cup sifted sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir in 1-2 tbsp. evaporated milk til of spreading consistency.
Glaze while warm.

Raspberry Almond Delights with Some Added Zest

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:20:38 +0000

I know I said I would be posting healthy recipes. It will happen but for now I thought I would finish up with my Christmas cookies selections. A very delicious and tender, light cookie is the raspberry almond delight. This Christmas, my sister in law, Lori, made these and added some orange zest to the icing. She thought she put too much in but she didn’t. The zest added a whole new flavor to these Christmas favorites.

Raspberry Almond Delights

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
½ cup jam (raspberry or any favorite jam)
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tsps water
1 1 /2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. orange zest (optional and very delicious)

1. Beat butter, sugar, and ½ tsp. extract til creamy.
2. Add flour.
3. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Shape dough into balls, make a depression in the middle, add ¼ tsp. of jam and bake in 350º oven on ungreased baking sheets for 14-18 minutes.
5. When cooled drizzle with icing made from 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tsps. Water, and 1 ½ tsp. almond extract

Chocolate Chip Cookies-Never Out of Taste

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:52:42 +0000

My son Steven came home for Christmas this year. Even though he is now a mature adult, he still remembers the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. After all, who in their right state of mind wouldn’t remember or desire them, especially when right out of the oven. Remember? Melted chocolate chips in a butter brown sugar base? Hmm? Sounds yummy. I am really trying not to have any so I am hoping they will go fast. If things haven’t changed that much around here, I am sure they will be gone in no time at all! This isn’t my creation of a recipe, it comes right from the Nestle’s bag. Why fix it if it isn’t broken?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick butter
1 egg
6 tbsp. brown sugar
6 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour and about half of a 1/4 cup
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Beat the butter with the sugars. Beat in the egg. Add in the vanilla. Blend the flour, soda, and salt together and add to the butter sugar mix. Beat and add in the chips. Place by heaping teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 375* oven for about 11 minutes.