Let's Do A Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange II - Page 6

These are 2 of my favorite holiday treats! They are both fron food network and I LOVE them. The kids love to help with them too. I've made the almond roca cookies with splenda and they were really good.

Blue Ribbon Almond Roca Cookies
Recipe courtesy Lynn Scully, Rancho Santa Fe, California

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 package toffee bits
1 cup coarsely ground almonds
4 ounces milk chocolate
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix.

Place ground nuts in a small bowl. Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 22 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and place in freezer or refrigerator until chocolate is firmly set.



Chocolate Chip Ball Surprise
Recipe courtesy Theresa Cannavo, Winsted, Connecticut

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 cups crispy rice cereal, crushed (recommended: Rice Krispies)
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
2 (12-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate morsels


In a large mixing bowl, using your hand, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, rice cereal and mini chocolate morsels. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place onto a parchment lined sheet pan in the freezer. In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt semisweet morsels. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. With a fork, dip the frozen balls in melted chocolate. Place on a cool cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer for 5 to10 minutes until the chocolate has set. Store the balls in an airtight container at room temperature.

A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.

File updated.


So... anyone have any idea on those chocolate raisin dealies?? I can make them up pretty easily... I'm just trying to remember what all was in them. I think it was raisins and peanuts, maybe marshmallows. You know, I wonder if there was peanut butter mixed into the chocolate. Which makes me think of another of my Xmas faves that is super easy. (need some of those, too!) I could modify this to be like the ones I'm talking about I'm sure!

Title: Crispy Rice Candy

Ingredients List:

2 c. crispy rice cereal
2 c. dry roasted peanuts
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 c. peanut butter
2 lbs. white chocolate or vanilla coating/discs

Directions: In a large bowl, combine cereal, peanuts, and marshmallows. Stir until evenly mixed. In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a double boiler, warm chocolate and peanut butter until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Stir chocolate into cereal mixture. Mixture will be slightly runny. Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. Let set until firm, 2 hours. Store in an airtight container.

Mel, is this what you are looking for?
Chocolate PB Crunch Clusters

1 bag of Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c unsalted peanuts, ruff chop
1 c PB chips
1 1/2 c raisins
2 c Chow mein noodles
1 1/2 c Miniature marshmallows

Melt chips in microwave. Stir until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until all pieces are covered. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper and let set until firm. Makes 2 to 4 dozen cookies.

Boy if that isn't it, it's close enough!! Sounds yummy!!

Peanut Butter Drops

1C Corn syrup
1C Sugar
2C Peanut Butter
4C Rice Krispies
Mix syrup and sugar in sauce pan, boil 1 min. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter until well blended. Add rice krispies mix well. Drop spoonfulls onto wax paper.
Eat and enjoy!

Oooooo! I want to play!

Here a few that I am not allowed NOT to make each year:
(if you wanna see a pic of a cookie tray from Christmas past, clicky here http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=770443 )

Peppermint Tea Cakes

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c. AP flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 peppermint candies
powdered sugar for coating

Heat oven to 400.
Crush the candies in a blender or food processor. In a large bowl, with a mixer set to medium speed, cream together butter, 1/2c. powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Stir 1/4 cup of the crushed peppermint candy.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until set, but not brown. Place remaining candy in one small bowl, and additional powdered sugar in another. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet and roll in powdered sugar. Wait 10 minutes, then roll in crushed candies. Roll again, if you want. (I always do 2 coats of each)

Makes around 4 dozen

Cranberry Hootycreeks
SUBMITTED BY: Susan O'Dell at allrecipes.com

Note: recipe is written in a format for making these as Mix-in-a-Jar gifts. I just copy and pasted, cause I'm too lazy to type it out.

5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.

Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter No-Bakes

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup peanut butter (I prefer creamy, but my Mom likes the chunky)
3 cups quick cooking oats

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 minute, (start timing when the mixture comes to a full rolling boil) remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oats.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Hope they stay on the counter long enough cool. My family eats them as soon as they stop scorching their mouths. I'm not entirely sure how many this makes. Sometimes I use the small cookie scoop, sometimes the large. Either way, some mysteriously vanish off the paper before I'm done scooping them out!

Oh! And thanks for putting these and the cupcake recipes on the Google docs! I fell behind on the cupcake thread at around page 40, and was lamenting all the yummy recipes I was missing out in the thousands of pages!

Ok. So I talked to my Mom. The recipe is REALLY hard. Hold onto your hat!

Melt chocolate.
Mix in raisins to taste.
Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Put in fridge.
Don't eat them all at once or your tummy will hurt.

That's it. Seriously. So Mel, try the rum raisins first and let me know.

Chat later.

I think she is saying shes not allowed NOT TO?
Like my family. I have to make the every yr Holiday favorites ,Its not Christmas without Pb balls. etc !
If I leave out even 1 favorite at any given Holiday ,Boy do I hear about it Its just not Christmas /Thanksgiving with out the all time fav,s !

Hey, I know how that goes. If I show up to Thanksgiving dinner without pumpkin bars they lock the door and won't let me in.

File has been updated!!

thought of a couple more I love...newer recipes...from Chatelaine December 2001

Southern Pecan and Bourbon Bites

prep time..........15 minutes
baking time ........8 - 10 minutes per sheet
Makes 5 1/2 dozen

1 cup/250 ml unsalted butter...room temperature
1 cup/250 ml granulated sugar
2 tbsp/30 ml bourbon(or rum)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups/550 ml all purpose flour
1/2 tsp/2 ml salt
3/4 cup/175 ml finely chopped pecans

preheat oven to 350F.
Beat butter and 1/2 cup(125ml)sugar in large bowl with wooden spoon,till light and fluffy.Beat bourbon and vanilla into butter mixture.
In another bowl,mix flour with salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture till just combined.
Stir in pecans till evenly distributed.
Roll into 1inch balls...place 2inches apart on UNgreased cookie sheets.
Bake in centre of 350F oven till they appear set.about 8-10minutes. Bottoms should be a light golden colour...be careful...they brown quickly.
Rotate baking shets if using more than one sheet at a time.
Remove cookies to a rack,and roll in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar while still warm.Cool cookies completely on rack.
Store in airtight container in a cool place,or refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

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Pineapple - Coconut Pleasers

prep time ............15 minutes
refrigeration time ...1 hour
baking time...........20 -25 minutes per sheet
Makes about 45 cookies

14 oz/398 ml can crushed pineapple
3 cups/750 ml all purpose flour
1/2 tsp/2 ml baking soda
1/2 tsp/2 ml salt
1 cup/250 ml unsalted butter,at room temperature
3/4 cup/175 ml brown sugar
1/4 cup/50 ml granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp/10 ml vanilla
1/4 cup/50 ml each of finely chopped red and green glace cherries
1 1/2 cups/375 ml sweetened shredded coconut (if preferred..toast coconut on baking sheet at 375f for 5-7 minutes till light golden brown)

Place pineapple in sieve set over a bowl,press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon,,,should have about 1 cup /250 ml fruit.
(use juice for something else)
Stir flour with baking soda and salt ,with a fork, in a medium sized bowl.
In a large bowl,using electric mixer or wooden spoon,beat butter till creamy.Gradually beat in brown and granulated sugars,egg,then vanilla,occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.
Beat in pineapple on low speed.
Stir in flour mixture 1 cup at a time,using wooden spoon,till just combined.
Stir in cherries and 1 cup/250 ml coconut.
Place remaining coconut on 12 x14sheet of waxed paper
If dough looks wet or is sticky,flour hands and work surface.
Divide dough into 4 equal parts...make 4 balls...roll each ball into 1 1/2 inch x 6 inch log.Roll logs in coconut on waxed paper.
Wrap logs in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm enough to slice(at least an hour)....preferably overnight) Alternatively refrigerate up to 5 days,or freeze up to 1 month.....thaw in refrigerator till sliceable.

Preheat oven to 325F oven.
Slice logs into 1/2 inch rounds..place 2 inches apart on UNgreased baking sheets.
Bake in centre of 325F oven till lightly browned on bottom..about 20-25minutes.
Immediately remove to rack to cool.
Store in airtight container in cool place or refrigerate 1 week...freeze up to 3 months.

playingwithsugar... No Problem !
I call mine a granny moment ! LOL!
Wow Mel Your on the ball with those updates !
And yes anytime starting around Hallowen my family will all give the hints ...You are making this and that this yr RIGHT ? lol!

Double negatives when you are tired never make sense.

Yeah, if I didn't make those each year, there would be a full-scale mutiny in my house.