Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 c butter
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ c powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 1/4 c flour

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Grease a 9×13 pan.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter, salt and sugar.
4. Add the yolks and mix well.
5. Add the flour and mix until you have a uniform dough.
6. Using your fingers, press the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan.
7. Bake the dough for 18 minutes at 350°, until light golden.
8. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. After cookies cool, prepare frosting.

Peppermint Frosting Ingredients:

• ½ c butter
• 3 c powdered sugar
• 1/3c milk
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 5 candy canes, crushed

Frosting Directions:

1. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer until smooth.
2. Mix milk, food coloring and peppermint.
3. Add to butter/sugar in mixer and mix until fluffy
4. Transfer all of the frosting to the cooled cookie dough and spread evenly.
5. Immediately sprinkle with the crushed candy canes and chill.
6. Cut 6 x 10 to make 60 pieces.

Serves: makes 60 bars

Source: heathercristo.com

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 c white sugar
• 3/4 c butter, softened (1 and ½ sticks)
• 1/2 c eggnog
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large egg yolks
• Eggnog Frosting

Cookie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until it resembles a grainy paste.
4. Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until blended. Do not over mix.
6. Drop by teaspoons (1 oz) onto ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
7. Sprinkle lightly with additional nutmeg.
8. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown.
9. Transfer from pans to rack immediately to cool.
10. When cool, frost with Eggnog Frosting.

Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosting Ingredients:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz salted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or rum extract or spiced rum)
• 1/4 c eggnog
• 2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Frosting Directions:

1. Mix softened cream cheese and butter together.
2. Whip in vanilla extract.
3. Add half of the eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until blended. Slowly add the remaining eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until combined.
4. Spread on cooled cookies.

Serves: Makes approximately 5 dozen small cookies

Source: northpole.com – Karen Hamlin, strongertogether.coop.com

Comments: I use a 1 oz scoop to make the cookies.

You always have to have something gingerbread at Christmas.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ c flour
• 1 Tab ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ c butter (1 ½ sticks) softened
• 1 ¼ c sugar – divided use
• 1 egg
• 1/3 c molasses
• 3 Tab water
• 1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz) softened
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line 9×13 pan with foil.
3. Spray foil with no stick cooking spray.
4. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
5. Beat butter and ¾ c sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in egg until well blended.
7. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well mixed.
8. Stir in molasses and water just until blended.
9. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
10. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
11. Beat in remaining 1/2 c sugar and vanilla until smooth.
12. Remove 1/3 cup icing. Refrigerate the rest.
13. Spoon dollops (about1 teaspoon each) of the 1/3 c of icing over batter.
14. With a knife, swirl icing through batter to marbleize.
15. Bake 30 minutes.
16. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
17. Lift out of pan using foil. Cool completely on wire rack.
18. Invert and peel off foil.
19. Spread refrigerated icing over the top.
20. Cut into 60 pieces. (6×10)
21. Store in refrigerator.

Serves: 60 pieces

Source: McCormick.com

Comments: Can be made the day before.

So, this answers the whole “But I don’t like fruitcake” issue.  These are tasty cookies that keep the holiday tradition.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c light brown sugar
• 1 c flour
• ½ c butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c chopped pecans
• 1 c candied cherries, red (½ lb)
• 1 c candied cherries, green (½ lb)
• 1 c candied pineapple (½ lb)
• 1/3 c bourbon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275°.

1. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan.
2. Cut cherries and pineapple in half.
3. Soak in bourbon overnight.
4. Beat sugar and butter until fluffy.
5. Add flour.
6. Add eggs.
7. Add vanilla.
8. Mix well.
9. Stir in nuts and bourbon soaked fruit.
10. Pour batter into prepared pan.
11. Bake for 1 hour.
12. Cool before cutting into bars. Cut 6 x 10 to make 60 pieces.

Serves: Makes 60 pieces

Source: Based on cooks.com