[I started typing this post up two weeks ago... probably time I should finish it.]
I made a ridiculous amount of cookies this year... like I do most years. Of course, this year I was put on maternity leave early so I had a little extra time on my hands. Here are a few of my favorites from this holiday season!
3/4 cup butter, softened
11/2 cups sugar
11/2 tsp baking soda
11/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp shredded tangerine peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange extract
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white cornmeal
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1) In large bowl, beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add the 11/2 cups of sugar, the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, tangerine peel, vanilla, and orange extract until combined. Gradually beat in oil until smooth. Beat in cornmeal. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill for 30-60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2) Preheat oven to 350 F. Place the 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, press an X into each ball of dough.
3) Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until tops are very lightly browned. While warm, lightly press again with wooden skewer to make deeper X. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Makes about 84 cookies.
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup pumpkin butter
1/2 cup snipped, pitted whole dates
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1) For filling: In a small saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in pumpkin butter and dates. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until filling is thickened, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 hour.
2) Meanwhile, stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and molasses. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. Divide dough into thirds. Cover and chill about 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large cooke sheet with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a floured fluted, round 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place half of the dough rounds 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each round on cookie sheet.
4) Using a floured 1/2- to 3/4-inch hors d'oeuvre cutter, cut out centers from the remaining dough rounds (I used a special cookie cutter with the center already cut out). Place cutout rounds on top of filling-topped rounds; press edges together.
5) Bake for 8-9 minutes or just until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with remaining dough portions and remaining filling. Makes about 60 cookies.
22/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1) Combine first five ingredients and set aside.
2) Cream softened butter and sugar with mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3) Stir in half of flour mixture with half of sour cream to the creamed mixture. Add remaining flour and sour cream; mix well. Divide dough into four parts.
4) On lightly floured surface, roll out one part of the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
5) Place cutouts one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.
6) Repeat with remaining dough.
7) Top with icing and sprinkles when cool! Yields approximately 31/2 dozen cookies.
ENJOY!!
I made a ridiculous amount of cookies this year... like I do most years. Of course, this year I was put on maternity leave early so I had a little extra time on my hands. Here are a few of my favorites from this holiday season!
Tangerine Butter Cookies
These are delicious and unique, I have made them two years in a row. I got this from a Better Homes and Gardens special edition magazine from 2008. |
| Tangerine Butter (top cookie with the "+") Pumpkin Pockets (middle cookie with the star) |
11/2 cups sugar
11/2 tsp baking soda
11/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp shredded tangerine peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange extract
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white cornmeal
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1) In large bowl, beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add the 11/2 cups of sugar, the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, tangerine peel, vanilla, and orange extract until combined. Gradually beat in oil until smooth. Beat in cornmeal. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill for 30-60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2) Preheat oven to 350 F. Place the 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, press an X into each ball of dough.
3) Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until tops are very lightly browned. While warm, lightly press again with wooden skewer to make deeper X. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Makes about 84 cookies.
Pumpkin Pockets
Also my favorite! Found this recipe in the same magazine and bought a nice cookie cutter to make these extra fancy and professional.1/2 cup water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup pumpkin butter
1/2 cup snipped, pitted whole dates
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1) For filling: In a small saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in pumpkin butter and dates. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until filling is thickened, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 hour.
2) Meanwhile, stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and molasses. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. Divide dough into thirds. Cover and chill about 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large cooke sheet with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a floured fluted, round 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place half of the dough rounds 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each round on cookie sheet.
4) Using a floured 1/2- to 3/4-inch hors d'oeuvre cutter, cut out centers from the remaining dough rounds (I used a special cookie cutter with the center already cut out). Place cutout rounds on top of filling-topped rounds; press edges together.
5) Bake for 8-9 minutes or just until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with remaining dough portions and remaining filling. Makes about 60 cookies.
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
And finally, my go-to yummy sugar cookies recipe I use for those fun cookie cutouts I get to decorate with icing and sprinkles! Easy and delicious. |
| Christmas Cutouts |
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1) Combine first five ingredients and set aside.
2) Cream softened butter and sugar with mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3) Stir in half of flour mixture with half of sour cream to the creamed mixture. Add remaining flour and sour cream; mix well. Divide dough into four parts.
4) On lightly floured surface, roll out one part of the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
5) Place cutouts one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.
6) Repeat with remaining dough.
7) Top with icing and sprinkles when cool! Yields approximately 31/2 dozen cookies.
ENJOY!!
