This recipe is great for making with children.  It will not get tough with repeated rolling.  Wash your hands!

Ingredients:

• 1 c butter
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 400°.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add egg and vanilla.
4. Mix flour, salt,  soda,  and cream of tartar.
5. Add to creamed butter.
6. Chill about 1 hour.
7. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.
8. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes.

Serves:  Depends on size of cookies and how much cookie dough gets eaten.

Source: Marge Rohde, Los Altos

It is not Christmas if pepparkakor are not on the cookie plate!  I LOVE Christmas baking!

Ingredients:

• 1 c dark corn syrup or light molasses
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c butter
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tab sour cream
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 c flour and about 2 more cups of flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 400°.
2. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
3. Heat syrup to boiling .
4. Add sugars and butter.
5. Stir until disolved.
6. Add eggs and sour cream.
7. Transfer to large mixer bowl. (large bowl and stand mixer)
8. Beat well.
9. Sift dry ingredients.
10. Add to syrup mix.
11. Add enough additional flour so the dough does not flow.
12. Chill several hours until firm (overnight).
13. Cut on floured cookie cutter into hearts and stars.
14. Decorate hearts with candied cherries and stars with almonds.  (cut cherries/almonds to size appropriate to the cookie)
15. Bake until barely brown – about 8 minutes.

Serves:  10 – 12 dozen depending on cookie cutter size.

Source:  Winifred Kleerup

Everyone has this recipe, or one like it.  I put it on the blog so I could find it.Always a best seller!

Ingredients:

• 2 c flour
• 1 c butter
• 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 c sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tab lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Blend butter, flour, powdered sugar thoroughly.
3. Press evenly in a square 8×8 pan.
4. Bake 20 minutes.
5. Beat rest of ingredients together.
6. Pour over crust and bake 20 – 25 minutes more.
7. Cool.
8. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar (Use a small, fine strainer and a spoon.)

Serves:  Makes 12 ( double and make in a 9×13)

Source:  Betty Crocker Cookie Cookbook

One of the many variations on the marshmallow ones.

Ingredients:

• 2 c milk chocolate bits (11 1/2 oz)  (I uses semi-sweet)
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/2 c light corn syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 c sifted powdered sugar
• 4 c Rice Krispie cereal

Directions:

1. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. (or butter)
2. Combine chocolate, butter and corn syrup in medium sauce pan.
3. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth.
4. Remove and stir in vanilla and sugar.
5. Add Rice Krispies, mixing lightly until well coated.
6. Spread evenly in 9×13 pan.
7. Chill until firm.
8. Cut into 1 1/2″ squares.

Serves:  48 cookies

Source: Magazine ad

One of those great no mix cookies.  Sometimes known as seven layer cookies.

Ingredients:

• 21 graham crackers, crushed (1 1/2 c crumbs)
• 1/2 c butter
• 2 c coconut (less if you are not really wild about coconut)
• 2 lb bag chocolate chips (3 c)
• 2 c chopped nuts (1/2 lb)
• 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk (14oz)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350°.
2. Melt butter in 9×13 pan.
3. Add crumbs and mix.
4. Press into bottom of pan.
5. Spread with coconut, chocolate chips, and nuts.
6. Pour condensed milk on top.
7. Bake about 30 minutes.
8. Cool slightly, then cut into small pieces.
9. When cold, lift out the pieces with a spatula.

Serves:  8 dozen

Source:  Janette Bates, Parent co-op pre-school in Los Altos (And every cookie cookbook published since the 50’s)

Because it is hard to read the package.

One of the 5″ must have” Christmas cookies.

Crust ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c butter

Filling ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 1/2 c coconut
• 1 c walnuts, chopped
• 2 Tab flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Icing ingredients:

• 2 c powdered sugar
• 2 Tab butter
• 2 Tab lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275°.
2. Mix crust and pat into 9×13 glass pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Increase oven temperature to 350°.
5. Beat eggs and add rest of filling ingredients.
6. Spread on crust and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
7. Mix icing and spread on cookies while warm.
8. Cut into bars when cool.

Serves:  3 dozen cookies

Source: Mary Jo’s Aunt Winnie

Always on the cookie plate at Christmas.

Ingredients, base:

• 1/2 c soft butter
• 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1 c flour

Ingredients, top:

• 3 Tab butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar, packed
• 1 Tab water
• 3/4 tsp lemon juice
• 3/4 c sliced almonds
• 3/4 tsp vanilla

Directions, base:

1. Preheat oven 350°.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add flour.
4. Pat into the bottom of a 9×9 pan.
5. Bake 12 – 15 minutes.

Directions, top:

1. Melt butter. Add brown sugar, water, lemon juice.
2. Bring to a boil stirring.  Remove from heat.
3. Add almonds, vanilla.
4. Spread gently on baked crust
5. Bake 15 – 20 minutes.
6. Cut while warm.

Serves:  2 dozen

Source:  Nell Hinshaw

Notes:  No point in making so few!  2 times makes a 10×15 jellyroll pan, 3 times a 12×18 1/2 sheet pan.

This is a recipe a patient of my father’s (Bob Austin) gave him – along with a plate of cookies.  They are simple enough a 10 year old can make them.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dark brown sugar (2 cups)
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
• pinch of salt
• 1 c nuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 375°.
2. Mix the eggs and sugar well.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Spread thinly into well greased 11×17 pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Do not over bake.

Serves:  5+ dozen

Source:  Mrs Troutman