Christmas Cookie Recipes
Brought to you by the ladies who participated in the 1999 Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Missing from Photo Kate K.

Brownie Cookies
Tried them myself!!

Ingredients:

• 6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 6 T. butter
• 1-1/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp. Baking powder
• 1 c. white chocolate chips

1. Microwave chocolate and butter on High for two minutes, stirring halfway through.
2. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
3. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate/butter mixture with sugar, and beat until blended.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour and baking powder.
5. Add in white chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. (These cookies don't spread.) Bake ten minutes at 325° F. Do not overbake. Makes three dozen.

Hint: for a slightly different flavour, try using almond extract instead of vanilla.

Cinnamon Sugar Butter Cookies

Topping:

• 3 T. sugar
• 1 T. cinnamon

Cookies:

• 2-1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat over to 300 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, blend sugars with an electric mixer set at medium speed.
5. Add the butter, and mix to form a grainy paste.
6. Scrape sides of bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla extract.
7. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
8. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined.

Do not overmix.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in cinnamon-sugar topping. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool, flat surface. Makes 3 dozen.

Merry Christmas from Lenore!

Sari's Shortbread

• 1 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. icing sugar
• 1/2 c. cornstarch
• 1-1/2 c. flour

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add icing sugar and beat until creamy.
3. Sift flour and cornstarch and add to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.

Form into shapes (cookie cutter or balls). (If dough is too soft, chill thirty minutes.) On ungreased baking sheet, bake at 350 F for 15 - 20 minutes.

Do not overbake.

Merry Christmas from Sari!

Pink Angel Kisses

Bottom layer:

• 1-1/2 c. Graham Wafer crumbs
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. brown sugar

1. Combine ingredients.
2. Spread evenly in 9" x 13" pan.
3. Bake at 275 F for 15 minutes.

Middle layer:

• 2 c. coconut
• 1 can of Eagle Brand milk

1. Spread coconut over bottom layer.
2. Pour Eagle Brand over the coconut.
3. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Top layer:

• 1/4 c. butter
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. icing sugar
• maraschino cherry juice (just enough to make the icing light pink)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese.
2. Add the vanilla, icing sugar, and cherry juice.

Do not ice until the pan is cool.

Anne's Chocolate Sugar Cookie Drops

• 2-1/2 c. flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 10-oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips (can use mint-flavoured morsels)
• Assorted coloured sugars or additional granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.

1. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In large mixer bowl, combine sugar and oil.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Blend in vanilla.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.

Shape rounded measuring teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Roll in coloured sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes, until set. Let stand on cookie sheets two minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely. Makes about 5-1/2 dozen cookies.

Cheryl's Lebkuchen

Layb-COO-cun is a popular, well-known German Christmas cookie. Leave plain, glaze, or glaze and decorate. Pretty and spicy. No fat in these.

• 2/3 c. honey
• 1/3 c. molasses
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. candied citron, chopped
• 1/3 c. almonds, finely chopped
• 3-1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• Flaked almonds, cherries, corn syrup for garnish

1. Bring honey and molasses to a boil in small saucepan.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Beat egg in mixing bowl until frothy.
4. Beat in sugar.
5. Add lemon juice, citron, almonds and hot honey-molasses mixture.
6. Stir next six ingredients together and add.
7. Mix well.

Roll out 1/4-inch thick on floured surface. Cut in 2-1/2-inch circles. Place on greased cookie sheet. Decorate with flaked almonds and bits of cherries. A dab of corn syrup helps them stick.

Bake in 375 F oven for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Cool. Brush with warm corn syrup to glaze.

Sherry's Black Forest Oatmeal Fancies

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2/3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 c. quick oats (not instant or old fashioned)
• 6 oz. white chocolate chips
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped red candied cherries
• 1/2 c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 F.

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.
2. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
4. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed until well blended.
5. Stir in, one at a time, oats, white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, cherries, and nuts with a spoon.

Drop rounded spoonfulls of dough 2 inches apart (these spread) onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 - 11 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove to cooling rack.

Merry Christmas from Sherry!

Golden Ginger Folk
Anyone sensing the PC police?

• 4 and ¾ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp each salt, baking soda, baking powder
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• ¼ cup milk

1. In bowl, stir together flour, ginger, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat shortening with sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in corn syrup.
4. With wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture.
5. Stir in milk then remaining flour mixture.
6. Mix with hands to make stiff but smooth dough.

Divide into quarters; wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 1 hour or until chilled (Make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours)

Between parchment or waxed paper, roll out each portion of dough to ¼ inch (5 mm) thickness. Peel off top paper. Using 5 inch (12 cm) gingerbread person cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Remove scraps. Slide paper with cookies onto rimless baking sheet; refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.

Gently transfer cutouts to parchment paper-lined or greased rimless baking sheets, arranging about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 375F (190C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, for about 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool on pan on rack for 3 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. (Make ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month).

Makes about 46 cookies.
Brought to you by Jill!

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