Category: Sweets – Cookies

Holly Wreath Cookies

Another great Christmas cookie.  You can add a drop of green food coloring and decorate with cinnamon red hots.  

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c butter
  • 1/2 a 3 oz pkg of cream cheese
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 c sifted flour
  • 1 Tab vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Cream butter and cream cheese together.
  3. Add sugar gradually and cream thoroughly.
  4. Add vanilla.
  5. Gradually blend in flour,.
  6. Fill cookie press with star tip.
  7. Form cookies into 2 inch circles on ungreased cookie sheet.
  8. Bake 8 -10 minutes.

Serves: 2 dozen-  WAIT! Nobody makes 2 dozen cookies!  Multiply by four – that is 1 lb of butter, 2 3 oz pkg cream cheese 1 c sugar, 4 c flour – duh!

Source:  Karen Eckardt at KOA 1990

 

Pecan Pie Bars

Swedish tradition is to serve seven kinds of cookies on a tray for special occasions.  You will learn to pick seven less complicated cookies when you do this!  Bar cookies and ice box cookies for the win!

Ingredients:

  • 1 8 oz box butter or yellow cake
  • 1/2 c butter, soft
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 c reserved cake mix
  • 12 c brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 c dark corn syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 c+ pecans

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan.
  3. Reserve 2/3 c dry cake mix.
  4. Mix remaining cake mix, butter and egg until crumbly.
  5. Press into pan.
  6. Bake until light brown – about 15 minutes.
  7. Combine reserved cake mix, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and eggs.
  8. Beat 1 – 2 minutes.
  9. Pour over parochially baked crust.
  10. Sprinkle with pecans.
  11. Bake 30-35 minutes until filling is set.
  12. Cool and cut into bars.

Serves:  Makes 3 dozen bars

Source:  Magazine add

 

 

Marge’s Cookies

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

Pepparkakor

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

 

 

Lemon Squares

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

Fudge Krispies

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

Hello Dolly Cookies

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)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Because it is hard to read the package.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi sweet chocolate pieces
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 375°
  2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
  3. Beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
  6. Stir in morsels and nuts.
  7. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.
  10. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Serves:  Makes 4 – 5 dz 2 inch cookies

Pan cookie variation:  Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

Slice and bake variation:  Prepare dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Note:  May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

For high altitude (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 3 1/4 cups. Add 1 egg

Source:  Betty Crocker’s Best Cookies

Bing Bars

These bars were made every Christmas at Grandma’s. She knows they are Breda’s favorite and Breda knows she can find them at Grandma’s anytime, not just at Christmas.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2/3 c. Carnation milk
  • Dash of salt
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 12 lg. marshmallows
  • 6 oz. pkg. cherry chips
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 c. peanut butter
  • 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
  • 2 c. salted peanuts, chopped fine

Directions:

  1. Combine first 5 ingredients and boil for 5 minutes.
  2. Add cherry chips and vanilla.
  3. Pour into bottom of greased (bottom greased only) 9 x 13 pan.
  4. Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips until blended.
  5. Add peanuts.
  6. Pour over cherry mixture.
  7. Cut in squares right away.

Serves:  Depends on how big you cut them.

Source: Cooks.com  

Aunt Winnie’s Lemon Squares

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