Favorite Christmas Recipes

EGG NOG

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated (use only Grade AA)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 C. (1 quart) homogenized milk
1 C. bourbon or brandy, optional
Nutmeg

Directions

In large mixer bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and light. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, salt, vanilla, and milk. In small bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks; gently fold into sweetened condensed milk mixture. If desired, stir in bourbon or brandy. Chill. Pour into chilled punch bowl or serving cups. Garnish with nutmeg. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Yield: about 2 quarts
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MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 sticks cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Grind almonds and pecans in food processor, then add butter and continue to grind until smooth.
3. Add 1/4 c powdered sugar and vanilla, then mix again.
4. Add flour and anise seeds and grind mix until blended.
5. After flouring hands, roll the dough into small balls.
6. Place them about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until brown on the bottom.
8. Cool for 15 minutes, then roll the still warm cookies in the rest of the powdered sugar.
9. Let cool again, then add more powdered sugar.

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PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 24 Hershey’s® Kisses

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add peanut butter. Beat until combined. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk until combined. Add vanilla. Beat until combined.

1. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined.
2. Using 1 level tablespoon dough for each cookie, form each into a ball. Toss in sugar to coat. Transfer to cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Continue with remaining dough. Make an indent in the center of each cookie with the base of a kiss.
3. Bake 13 minutes, or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and place a kiss on each one. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Substitution(s)

Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light brown sugar.

Make-Ahead

Cookies can be made through step 2 and stored in the refrigerator up to one week or in the freezer up to 6 months.

Tips & Tricks

For a more festive look, use sanding sugar (the large sugar crystals) to coat each cookie instead of granulated sugar.

Preparation Time:

30 minutes

Servings:

About 18 cookies

Baking Time: 13 minutes per batch
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SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk until combined. Add vanilla. Beat until combined.
2. Add flour and salt. Beat until combined, scraping down side of bowl occasionally.
3. Between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap with a rolling pin roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes. Reroll and use scraps until all dough is used.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes,depending on the size of the cookies, or until lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Make-Ahead

These cookies can be made through step 3, wrapped well, and refrigerated up to 1 week, or frozen up to 6 months.

Tips & Tricks

These cookies are also the perfect consistancy for making spritz cookies.

Preparation Time:

25 minutes, not including decorating time

Servings:

About 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutters

Baking Time: 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies

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CHOCOLATE CHIP & ORANGE COOKIES

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, cold

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add orange peel. Beat until combined. Add brown and granulated white sugars. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks until combined. Add vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
2. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping down side of bowl occasionally. Add chocolate chips. Beat to combine.
3. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Substitution(s)

• Using all white sugar will result in a crisper cookie.
• 1 cup of toasted, or non-toasted, nuts may be added.
• Using whole eggs in place of the egg yolks will make a crisper cookie.

Make-Ahead

• Cookies can be made through step 2, wrapped well, refrigerated up to 1 week, or frozen up to 6 months.

Preparation Time:

20 minutes

Servings:

About 3½ dozen cookies

Baking Time: 10 minutes
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PISTACHIO CRANBERRY BISCOTTI

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, cold

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add orange peel. Beat until combined. Add brown and granulated white sugars. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks until combined. Add vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
2. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping down side of bowl occasionally. Add chocolate chips. Beat to combine.
3. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Substitution(s)

• Using all white sugar will result in a crisper cookie.
• 1 cup of toasted, or non-toasted, nuts may be added.
• Using whole eggs in place of the egg yolks will make a crisper cookie.

Make-Ahead

• Cookies can be made through step 2, wrapped well, refrigerated up to 1 week, or frozen up to 6 months.

Preparation Time:

20 minutes

Servings:

About 3½ dozen cookies

Baking Time: 10 minutes
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SNICKERDOODLES

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces butter, softened (1 cup = 2 sticks)
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, more or less according to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or spraying with vegetable shortening.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
5. Add sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Scrape bowl.
6. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
7. On low-medium speed, mix in dry ingredients two cups at a time. Beat well and scrape sides of bowl, making sure to get down to the bottom.
8. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes before scooping and baking.
9. In another bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together.
10. Using a cookie scoop or Tablespoon, measure out dough, roll into balls and coat completely in cinnamon sugar.
11. Place on prepared baking sheets, leaving room for the cookies to spread.
12. Bake at 350 degrees F for 13-16 minutes or until the outside of cookies feel slightly firm to the touch.
13. Remove and cool on racks before storing in airtight containers.
14. Makes 24-30 warm and delicious nickerdoodles!

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SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1/2 - 1 cup sugar for rolling cookies
• 6 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 cups (one pound) butter, softened
• 3 cups brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup molasses, your choice
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:

1. This is a large batch of 48 cookies. If you don't have at least a 5 quart mixer, divide the recipe in half.
2. Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or give it a good spritz with vegetable spray shortening.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. An oven thermometer is a handy item to have to insure your temperature is where it should be. Adjust if neccessary.
4. Measure 1/2 - 1 cup sugar in a large bowl for rolling cookies and set aside.
5. Blend flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and ginger in a large bowl and set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl with a beater attachment, beat butter until creamy.
7. Add brown sugar and molasses and beat until fluffy. Scrape bowl.
8. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl again.
9. Add flour mixture a few cups at a time and mix only until well blended and scrape once more.
10. Add optional raisins and/or nuts.
11. Cover dough and chill for 30 minutes.
12. With a cookie scoop or Tablespoon, scoop and roll into balls. Roll cookies in sugar.
13. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets leaving some spreading room between them.
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until slightly firm.
15. Remove to cooling racks and cool completely before storing in airtight containers.
16. Makes 48 warm, soft molasses cookies.