Kelly at
Kelly's Korner is hosting a cookie recipe exchange! Sooo fun!! And, a great way to get some ideas for some yummy Christmas goodies!! Here are a few holiday favs at the Rooneys!
Peppermint Bark
Ingredients:
- Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
- 2 pounds white chocolate
- Peppermint flavorings, optional
Directions:
Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup margarine or butter softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions:
Mix powdered sugar, margarine, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Heat over to 375 degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured rolling board. (Also roll on floured covered surface) Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until edges are light brown, 7 to 8 minutes
Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon table salt1 tablespoon ground cinnamon1 tablespoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and slightly softened3/4 cup molasses2 tablespoons whole milk
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the molasses and milk and stir together; set aside. In the bowl of the mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix at low speed until combined (about 30 seconds). Scatter the butter pieces over the top and mix at medium-low speed until it resembles very fine meal (about 90 seconds). Reduce the speed to low and drizzle in the molasses mixture with the mixer running and mix until the dough is moistened thoroughly (about 20 seconds), then increase the speed to medium and mix for 10 seconds more to combine. Cut out at least 4 parchment rectangles to fit the bottom of your sheet pans. Scrape dough onto a work surface and divide into 2 (I used a scale to be accurate: I divided it into 2-502g masses). Place each dough half onto its own parchment rectangle and cover each with another parchment rectangle. Pat out each with your fingers through the parchment into a rough rectangle, then roll each into an even 1/4-inch thickness sandwiched in between the 2 parchment sheets. Stack the dough sheets (still intact in their "parchment sandwiches") onto a sheet pan and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes, or refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
Place a rack in the upper and lower-middle positions of your oven and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper (I just used the ones on my dough sheets, to conserve paper....trying to be green). Remove a dough sheet from the fridge and peel off the top parchment sheet, gently lay it back on the dough and put another sheet pan on top. Flip the whole set-up over and peel off then discard the other parchment sheet. Using a 3- or 5-inch gingerbread person cutter or a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out shapes and transfer to the lined sheet pans, leaving 3/4 inch space in between. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes (for 3-inch people, which is what I used), or 8-11 minutes (for 5-inch people or 3-inch cookies), rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through. You're looking for set centers and for the dough to barely retain an imprint when touched gently with a fingertip. Don't overbake! They will set some more while cooling. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the pans then transfer with a wide metal spatula to a cooling rack.
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