Let's do a Christmas Cookie recipe exchange? - Page 3

Great idea, I used to do a cookie exchange at my old job, when I left there I started one with a group of friends we have been doing it for five years, we each make three itemns with a dozen of each for each person in exchange and half a dozen for tasters, any combination of squares and cookies. We get together at a different house each year to do the exchange, munch on tasters and have a few drinks it is a fabulous time and gives each of us enough fo the season. The last couple of years we have also added a appetizer exchange to the list in which we do two appetizers, these are so handy to pull out on Christmas eve and through the holiday.

I always change what I bring except for the following cookie which my friends insist I make each year !!!

Christmas Cowboy Cookies

1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Shortening or Margarine
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 cup White Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 Eggs (well beaten)
2 cups Flour
2 cups Quaker Oats
* Milk Chocolate & White Chocolate
Directions:
Mix together all except flour and oats. Gradually add flour and oats. Roll thin ½ inch to ¼ inch and cut with round cookie cutter. Bake on greased or Teflon cookie sheet at 350 F for 12 minutes ( be sure to leave room between cookies as these do expand). Cool. Melt Milk Chocolate and spread on top of cookie, then melt White Chocolate and pipe a sqiggled Christmas tree on top.

This makes a great chewey oatmeal cookie and the addition of chocolate makes it perfect. These are meant to be big cookies, Cowboy size !!! It is always a favorite and the first to go !!!

Another thing I am making this year are bags of Sweet Minglers, these are highly addictive, you cannot eat just one or two !!! They are super simple but oh so yummy !

Sweet Minglers
Ingredients
1 package (6 oz., 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
6 cups Kellogg's Crispix cereal
1 cup powdered sugar
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Directions
1. In large microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate at HIGH 1 minute. Stir and heat 30 seconds longer at HIGH or until melted when stirred. Stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Gently stir in KELLOGG'S CRISPIX cereal, until evenly coated.
2. Place powdered sugar in 2-gallon zipper-type plastic bag. Add coated cereal to sugar and close bag. Gently toss cereal mixture until evenly coated. Store in airtight
container in refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings
*Microwave cooking times may vary.
CONVENTIONAL DIRECTIONS:
Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.
Stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Pour mixture over cereal in large mixing bowl.
Gently stir until evenly coated. Follow step 2 above.

I love the recipes given so far thanks everyone !!!

BJ,

Here is a link to Antonia74's tutorial on cookie decorating. It has an icing recipe also.

http://www.cakecentral.com/article54-How-To-Bake--Decorate-Cookies.html

Texastwinkie, this is a great idea! I'm enjoying reading all the recipes, and I will post one of my own when I get home!

Here is a great recipe that I have made several times and people seem to like it. It is also nice for showers or teas.

LEMON SNOWBALLS

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 cup toasted blanched almonds, finely chopped

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a large cookie sheet. Beat butter and sugar in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Sift flour, cornstarch, and salt; add to butter mixture with lemon peel. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll each in almonds. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 14-15 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.

For frosting: Whisk powdered sugar, melted butter and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Spoon into plastic storage bag; snip corner and pipe over cooled cookies. Makes 4 dozen. Enjoy!

Note: I have made it without the almonds and it is just as good!

Here is a super simple recipe that I have to make for every holiday in my family
Peanut Butter Treats

10 oz. Special K Cereal
18 oz. Jar Peanut Butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups light corn syrup

Combine sugar and syrup in a saucepan, heat on med-high heat to soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until totally melted. Pour over cereal in large bowl. Stir until coated.
Spoon onto aluminum foil, they stick to waxed paper. Make them whatever size you like. I make super-sized ones for my family and the recipe usually yields about 35 pieces. So if you don't need that many cut the recipe in half.

They are soo good, and quick and simple to make!

As I was browsing through the recipes page on this site, I noticed that the Cookies section is a little bare. We should all post our recipes there when we can, that way they will be available without everyone having to search for this thread in the future. Also, this will give everyone the option of rating the recipe once you've tried it.

Cheesecake Cookies

8oz block of cream cheese softened
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)


Cream together cream cheese and butter.

Add in sugar then flour. Mix in nuts.

Roll cookies into a ball and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until the edges become golden.

YUMMMMMYY

Thanks to everyone who has posted recipes - now it is time to bake!!!

Coconut and Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
Yields about 3 dz.

Ingredients:
9 Tbl. Unsalted Butter, softened
1 c Sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 c Cake flour (not self-rising)
½ tsp. Baking soda
¼ tsp. Salt
1 ½ c Unsweetened coconut
6 oz. Bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 c Sweetened condensed milk  

Directions:

1.  Cream 8 Tbl. Butter and the sugar until fluffy with the paddle attachment.
2.  Add the egg and vanilla, beat until fluffy
3.  In a med. bowl, whisk together flour, baking, soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter and beat on low until combined.
4.  Add the coconut, and beat until combined.
5.  Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper into a 10x15 rectangle about 1/8 thick. Transfer dough to baking sheet and chill at least 1 hour.
6.  Place the chocolate and remaining Tbl. Butter in a double boiler. Melt completely, about 2 min, and remove from heat.
7.  Stir in the milk. Let sit until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
8.  Remove dough from fridge. Peel off top piece of parchment. Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate over the dough.
9.  Using the bottom piece of parchment for support, roll the dough into a log. Wrap in parchment and chill overnight.
10.  Heat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with paper. Remove the plastic from the log, and cut into ¼ thick rounds.
11.  Place the rounds on the sheets, spaced 1 ½ apart, and bake until pale golden around edges, 8-10 minutes.
12.  Transfer cookies to rack and cool.

These are my all time favorite holiday cookies.

Peanut Blossoms

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Sugar
48 milk chocolate candy kisses

Heat oven to 375 F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; blend at low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely. Yield: 4 dozen cookies.
(From the Pillsbury "The Complete Book of Baking". This book has tons of great cookie recipes.)
Enjoy!

When we started making Peanut Blossoms over 30 years ago, we baked the cookies 7-8 min. then took them out of oven & placed a kiss on top of each cookie until it "cracks". Put pan back in oven for 2-3 min. Remove from oven & pan. (This doesn't melt the kisses, and adds to the flavor.)

Looks like a wonderful recipe but I don't understand the symbols for the amounts. Perhaps I am the only one, would you please explain?
Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks for straightening those measurements out for me kiddo!
Hugs Squirrelly

Squirrelly, those are highly technical measurement symbols. I'm surprised you don't understand them That's what happens when you copy from Word to CC. Sorry about that. It should be correct now.

bakersofcakes - I'll have to try your tip. These are the first cookies I remember from when I was a kid... about 30 years ago.

Mary Ann

Oh, I forgot to add ...you don't want the cookies to brown or anything after you've put the kisses on them--just minimal softening of the kisses in the 2-3 min. they're in the oven.