Share Your Favorite Christmas Dessert Recipe – Cookie Cookbook Giveaway!
Share Your Favorite Christmas Dessert Recipe – Cookie Cookbook Giveaway!
UPDATE: Christmas Day, 2010 – Entries for this are now closed.
The winner is Marni Kaner! Congratulations Marni!
The winner is Marni Kaner! Congratulations Marni!
For several days I’ve been struggling with what holiday desserts to make. When I sent it out to my Facebook fan page, many fans had some great ideas! I wanted to share them with my readers and preserve the recipes for next year… because I’ll do this analysis paralysis every year!
So, here’s the deal…. please post your favorite Christmas dessert, cookie or sweet treat recipe in the comments section of this post. It can be cookies, candy, pies, tart, cake.. doesn’t matter. It can be a recipe, or link… or general description. But the full recipe is best (if you have it.) Just share your holiday favorite or tradition with us. To “sweeten” the deal, all recipe entries will be entered in a drawing for a free collection of the best trifecta of cookie cookbooks….
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunch by Alice Medrich
The Gourmet Cookie Book
and…..
The Everything Cookies and Brownies
by my one of my favorite blogger friends, Marye Audet of Restless Chipotle
Please go check out Marye’s website as she is a master of desserts, cookies and anything sinful and delicious!
So, that’s all you have to do… share your recipe! I’m sure you will enjoy reading all of the other readers Christmas treat recipes just as much as I do… consider this a virtual cookie swap!
Right now, before you get busy and forget… leave your recipe in the comment section below! If you have more then one recipe – then please share it. Either describe the recipe or cut and paste it… or you can also leave a link if it is on another site. Just make sure it’s accurate as readers (including me) may use it!
You will get one entry per recipe. Also, please share this with your friends – if they win and you don’t – at least you can borrow the books!
I’ll select a winner at random and will announce on Christmas Day (after my family opens presents while drinking mimosas… kind of a tradition!)
Happy Holidays!!!
Hi Marni – I’m trying to reach you regarding your cookbooks… if you get this please email me your address at laura@laurasbestrecipes.com – Thanks!
Pumpkin Roll with cream cheese frosting! original recipe by Paula Deen and tweaked by me. But mostly my Mother-in-law’s (rip Nan) NY cheese cake – I tweak with espresso or other coffee liquor. The top never cracks either. When Nan was getting older and forget to put sugar in the cheese cake I was honored with the baking of it for years!!! My family get enough, even those that never liked cheese cake!Merry Christmas to you and your family, and thank you for all the research and development and sharing you do for us!!
Will type out the recipe tomorrow, can’t find the e-recipe now.
This sugar cookie recipe came from my grandmother. They’re always a hit and hold up well. Recipe makes 8 dozen or more; usually more!
SUGAR DELIGHTS
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 sticks margarine (I use butter)
2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Mix all ingredients together. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with granulated or colored sugar before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: Because of all the oils in these cookies, they are easiest to work with when the dough is refrigerated after mixing. Dough can also be frozen and thawed to bake later.
I’ve used chocolate sprinkles, peppermint colored sugar, candy dots … use your imagination!
I came up with this recipe just the other day. It’s called Chocolate Cherry Chip Winks. Tastes like a Chocolate cherry cordial. Here’s the recipe:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 pkg cherry chips
1 jar marachino cherries, halved
Melt the butter and chocolate, mix together. Add sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet mixture. Mix well, but don’t overbeat. Using dough hook, Mix in cherry chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Put a half marachino cherry on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Remove immediately to cooling rack. Enjoy!
My Grandma would make Pizzellas every Christmas – and sometimes other holidays (if we were lucky and/or begged) 🙂
She has since passed away but we still break out her old Rival Pizzella maker. The recipe is as follows:
3 eggs
3/4 c butter melted
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp almond
1 tsp vanilla
Mix and use press to cook. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot or cold. You can also roll them or press them into shapes while they are still warm.
Note: Gma loved anise in her pizzellas and we did too but have found almond is our favorite. We’ve even been known to add extra almond! 🙂
Rolled Sugar Cookies
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add it to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
Roll dough onto lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Decorate with sprinkles or candies. Cut with cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 mins or until edges are brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
(White Chocolate Glaze)
1 18.5 oz package plain spice cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat oven to 350. Mist Bundt pan with spray.
Place cake mix, pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are blended, 30 seconds. Scrape with spatula and then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
Pour the batter into the Bundt pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Run knife around the cake, shake pan gently, and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely (35- 45 minutes).
White chocolate glaze-
½ cup sugar
¼ cup milk
½ stick (4 Tablespoons) butter
1 cup white chocolate chips
Place the sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and let come to a boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes.
Cookie Dough Pie
¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (or more)
Mix top 5 ingredients. Stir in Chocolate chips. Pour into pie crust (either graham or regular). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Pie should be light brown. Should be gooey.
Buttery Spritz Cookies
You need a cookie press to make these cookies.
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups butter softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add Egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. Stir together flour and baking powder, gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough. Do not chill. Place dough in cookie press and press cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies from sheet and cool on rack.
Makes 7-8 dozen.
We love this recipe I got from my good friend Diane many years ago!
Diane’s Mini Cheesecakes
Makes 12 Muffin size Cheesecakes
You will need to go out and get the foil muffin cups for this recipe-sorry but you must do this it is necessary!
Pre-Heat oven to 325
Line a 12 muffin pan with foil liners
Place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup
Mix till well blended:
1 lb. cream cheese at room temp
1/2 C. Sugar
1 t. vanilla
Add one at a time:
2 eggs
Pour into muffin liners to 3/4 full
Bake for 25 min tops should be slightly browned
(they will settle a bit during cooling)
Top with your favorite fruit pie filling
Watch them disapear!
Chocolate Raspberry Bars are a new favorite. :o)
Blueberry Sugar Cake
2010 NC Blueberry Festival “Best In Show”
2 cans crescent rolls
1 8-ounce block cream cheese
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1½ cups blueberries
1/3 cup water
½ cup sugar
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 stick butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Press 1 can crescent rolls in bottom of pan, making sure to press seams together and completely cover bottom of pan.
Mix cream cheese, almond extract and confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Spread mixture on crescent rolls in pan.
Prepare blueberry filling: Simmer blueberries in 1/3 cup of water for 3 minutes. Meantime, combine sugar, cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add to simmering berries, and continue to cook berries for 1 minute. Spread berry filling over cream cheese filling on the crescent rolls in the pan.
Roll out the second can of crescent rolls on a floured surface, sealing all seams in the rolls. Place over blueberry filling.
Melt butter and pour over the contents of the pan.
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of contents in the pan.
Bake cake for 30 minutes.
Makes 12 to 14 servings.
don’t remember where I got the recipe but they have become a family fav
Almond Blueberry Cookies Recipe
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 to 1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest, about 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using a hand mixer. Add egg and beat to incorporate. Add milk, almond extract, and lemon zest.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the almonds, then the blueberries. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Using two small spoons, dollop mix onto cookie sheets. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.
This is my favorite cookie…been making this for the last several years.
Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Recipe from Everyday Food.
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped
Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, mix peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
Scoop dough by tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake about 7 minutes, or until cookies begin to puff slightly. Remove from oven, and press one peanut butter cup in the center of each cookie. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt.
Cool 10 minutes on pans. Then, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
tshaw6580@yahoo.com
Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oh, how I love these cookies! Great taste and very pretty with the bits of fresh cranberries. Great fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk or a mug of hot coffee.
Prep Time 20 Minutes Cook Time 10 Minutes
Ingredients
•1/4 cup Shortening
•Half stick Butter, Softened
•1 cup brown Sugar
•1 teaspoon Vanilla
•1 whole Egg
•2 cups Flour
•1 teaspoon Baking Powder
•½ teaspoons Salt
•2 cups Fresh Or Frozen Cranberries, Chopped In The Food Processor Or Blender
•1-½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips (I Prefer Ghirardelli’s)
•1 cup Chopped Nuts (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat shortening, softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and egg, mix well.
Combine in a separate bowl the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the shortening mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Stir in chopped cranberries, nuts, and chocolate. Do not overmix or your cookies will be pink, which, depending on you, may or may not be a good thing.
Immediately drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen.
To freeze and bake later, roll out cookie balls, freeze individually until solid on cookie sheets, pop into a plastic baggie and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
I have to share this recipe. It is hands down, the best bread pudding recipe ever: WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING STARS.
Warning: you might get proposals, eyes will roll and unintelligible noises will be made … no worries, not a heartache, just heavenly dessert is being eaten!
Preheat oven to 350
6 cups whipping cream
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
20 oz white chocolate
4 whole eggs
15 egg yolks
24″ stale french bread in 1 inch slices (brioche bread is good alternative)
White chocolate. Sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream and 8 oz white chocolate pieces
1oz dark chocolate for shaving garnish
Whip first 3 ingredients over medium heat. When hot, take off heat add white chocolate pieces. Stir until melted. Combine all eggs in large bowl. Slowly pour hot cream mixture into eggs whipping the eggs as you go.
Place bread slices in 13 x 9 pan and pour half of pudding mixture over bread and press bread into liquid then pour the rest of mixture in. Cover pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes more. For sauce, heat cream to a boil and stir in chocolate. You can serve it hot out of the oven or cool it and cut out stars or triangle shapes and reheat it for 15 min at 275 and pour sauce over and garnish with chocolate shavings.
Enjoy!!
I have been making White Chocolate-Dipped Cherry Cookies for about ten years for a cookie swap. It’s the only cookies they will allow me to make.
White Chocolate-Dipped Cherry Cookies
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, chopped
1 1/4 c. flour
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 Tb. cherry juice or milk
1 package white almond bark
2 tsp. shortening
Drain cherries on paper towels or fine-mesh strainer. In mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar and butter with a hand-held or stand mixer till it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in cherries and cherry juice or milk. Shape dough into a ball, knead till smooth. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookies. Using the bottom of a lightly floured glass, slightly flatten the balls to 1/2 inch thickness. Bake at 325 degrees about 20 minutes. Remove and cool on racks.
Melt the almond bark and shortening in the microwave at 1 minute. Stir and microwave at 1/2 minute a couple times, stirring each time till melted. Dip cookies half way, shake excess and lay on wax paper. Place in refrigerate to harden.
This makes 2 dozen but I have doubled, tripled, etc. to make 6, 8 and even 13 dozen.
I wish I could post a picture but I don’t know how. They are a pink cookie that is half pink and half white when dipped in the white chocolate.
Buche de Noel has been a family favorite since I was a little girl. You can make meringue mushrooms to go around the yule log cake. The recipe is at http://www.saveur.com/../buche-de-noel. Kids and adults get a kick out of it and it is truly DELICIOUS!
I would have to say Pignolata.. more commonly known as Struffoli (deep fried balls of dough about the size of marbles coated in honey and dusted with sprinkles). It was a traditional dessert my Sicilian Grandma made EVERY YEAR for Christmas. She was the only one who made it and since she passed away a few years ago I haven’t had them since 🙁
Maybe this year I will make them in her honor!
One of my favorite treats I ever let float on my tongue was a hazelnut puff. It’s a mercy I no longer live in the same city as the bistro that served the wee beasties to some degree. I wish I had a recommendation for the cream puff shell recipe, but I’m still tweaking the three I rotate between to make them better. You will want to make larger cream puff shells for this.
Take a half-cup of nutella and mix well with two cups of whipped cream (the heavy, what calories? stuff). No cheating, that’s why there are New Year’s resolutions and January gym pennance.
Sprinkle the inside of the shell with a liberal coating of sifted powdered sugar, then fill with cream. Top with more whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate.
Ah…so many delicious sugar-laden sins as my scale can bemoan to everyone. This year, I’m going to make a pistachio mousse pie to follow my pumpkin bread recipe I tweaked. Pistaschio mousse is one of those forgiving things you can make when you find a mob is coming to your house in 15 minutes. 🙂 I love the mob, so long as they are easily appeased. To make the mousse, mix pistachio pudding as directed and fold in a half-tub of cool-whip. When set, place in prepared-graham cracker crust. Depending on your crowd, you can either decorate with chopped pistachio nuts or shaved dark chocolate curls around the edges. I did the same thing with chocolate once, only I used an oreo crust. . .goodness I miss chocolate!
We’ve been making Cherry Delights for years.
Mix 1 cup butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
Stir in 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 2 egg yolks and 2.5 cups flour.
Chill the dough.
Roll into 1″ balls, dip in beaten egg whites, roll in finely chopped walnuts. Flatten slightly and place a 1/2 candied cherry in the center.
Bake 20 minutes at 325. Makes 4 dozen.
The cookie is soft, the nuts crunchy and the cherry very sweet. It looks like Christmas!
This is my favorite Chrismas Cookie. It’s light as a feather and small, seems like there would be no calores at all.
Mexican Wedding Cakes
1 c butter
1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c finely chopped pecans
1/8 t salt
Powered sugar
Cream butter, the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla. Combine flour, pecans, and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Shape dough in 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 325 degree oven 20 to 25 mins til lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on wire racks, then roll again in powdered sugar. Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans if desired. Makes 36
We call these simple treats Reindeer Noses. My children enjoy making these every year. Perfect sweet and salty treat!
Ingredients
Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hershey’s Kiss or Hershey’s Hug
M&M’s candy
X
Instructions
Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss or Hershey’s Hug.
Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M’s candy into the center of each Kiss.
Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.
I love to make Oreo truffles and they are so easy! Take a 16 oz pkg of Oreo cookies and process in the food processor until all cookies are crushed. Add 8 oz of softened cream cheese and process until well blended. Roll into balls and refrigerate about 1 hr. Then, roll in melted white chocolate or white candy coating, place on wax paper and refrigerate until coating is set. They are an easy and delicious add to any Christmas cookie or dessert platter and they are always a hit!
This recipe has been in my family for years, not only do we make it especially during the Holiday season, but everyone begs me to make them year round. My gret grandmother taught my mom, and she taught me! I have known it by heart since I was 7.
No Bake Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c milk
1/4 c. of cocoa
2 c sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3 c quick one minute oats
1/2 c chunky peanut butter
Mix sugar, butter, milk and coca in a large pot, heat on high. As soon as mixture starts to boil, time for one minute. Once one minute has passed, turn heat off, pour in vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal. Mix and immediatly spooon onto aluminum foil. Let set for 10-15 minutes- AMAZING!!!
It wouldn’t be Christmas without my grandmother’s Chocolate Chess pie. So easy and so rich!
Chocolate Chess Pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 small (5oz) can of evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all ingredients except pie shell. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes until topped is puffed. Let cool. Tastes great with whipped cream or ice cream!
We received a Pizzelle maker as a Christmas gift years ago. I love getting it out for Christmas and when I taught prek, the students loved eating the cookies dusted with snow!
6 lg eggs
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 c sugar
Pinch of salt
1 shot whiskey (I use Jameson)
1 t anise oil
2 t vanilla (or more to taste!)
3 1/2 c flour
Beat eggs, add melted butter and beat again. Add sugar => vanilla. Beat again. Add flour, gradually.
Refrigerate before using.
* Pizzelle iron needed
Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies
Crust: Caramel Layer:
2 cups flour 2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick soft butter 1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
*Note: Recipe requires real butter, not margarine.
Mix crust until crumbly and pat into 13” x 9” x2” pan. Sprinkle pecans over the crust. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a pan and let boil for 1 minute, stirring entire time. Pour over crust and pecans and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips and gently swirl the chocolate chips as the chips melt so chocolate covers surface of the caramel layer. Let cool and cut into squares. Makes 2-3 dozen.
This is an incredibly “rich” cookie but it’s hard to eat just one!!
I’m a New Zealander, so my Christmas is spent on the beach, having a BBQ, and trying to cook in the heat! Here is my version of a Christmas Pudding
Summer Christmas Pudding
1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup blackberries (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup currants
1 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup brown sugar
zest of one lemon
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup creme de cassis or black currant juice
1 dozen (approx) croissants sliced 1 inch thick
whipped cream to serve
Put the berries, dried fruit, sugar, lemon zest, water and juice into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Line a 1.5 litre capacity bowl with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Carefully arrange line the bowl with enough slices of croissants so there are no gaps. Put 1/3 of the fruit mixture into the croissant lined bowl. Put a layer of croissant on top. Add another 1/3 or the fruit mixture and another layer of croissant to finish. Cover with plastic wrap. Put a plate on top, small enough to fit inside the rim of the bowl. Weight the plate lightly so the pudding is pressed evenly. Put in the fridge overnight. The next day turn out onto a serving dish and serve in wedges with the whipped cream. Serves 8 – 10
This doesn’t really need a recipe. It is the cake that my mom made with her mom & 10 brothers & sisters every Christmas in Kentucky. She called in Christmas Poke Cake. It is a white cake mix baked as directed. I use 8″ pans. When the cake comes out of the oven prepare green & red jello using just 1 cup of hot water per 3oz box. Poke small holes in each layer of the cake not quite through to the bottom & pour the warm jello over each layer filling the holes as you go. I do one red & one green layer. Let cool completely on racks then refrigerate 1 hour. Frost with an italian meringue & decorate with candied jellies in the shape of leaves and cinnamon candies to resemble holly. When you cut the cake it is so Christmasy! All fluffy white, red & green. I can just image a family of 11 children on a small farm in Kentucky waiting with such anticipation for this holiday treat every year! My mom has been gone 10 years now and this reconnects me to her every Christmas.
Every yeari like to try new cookie recipes but these are mandatory. A favorite of friends and family. Thanks to my friend Kelli who introduced us to them years ago.
Snowball surprises
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
40 Junior mints
Sifted powdered sugar
Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and mix. Blend in vanilla, flour and pecans. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350. Roll 1 Tbsp of dough around each junior mint. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes (cookies will not brown). Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
My favorite holiday cooking memory is making Stained Glass Candy http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/stained-glass-candy-i/Detail.aspx. I especially loved the root beer flavor!
We make chocolate covered cherries every year and they are as good or better than the ones in the store.
1 jar marachino cherries or more if you want
Almond bark or chocolate chips melted
Dump cherries in a strainer and let sit for a short time to drain off juice. Place cherries on paper towel to further dry them.
Dip cherries in melted chocolate. Let chocolate harden. Enjoy.
Pumpkin Pie Crunch
(serves 16-20)
1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (optional)
1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted
Whipped topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13x9x2-inch pan. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt in large bowl. Pour into pan.
Mix dry cake mix and oats and then spread evenly over pumpkin mixture; top with pecans. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.
I love love this cookies, one day while I was in high school, I made these cookies for the first time and on this same day friends of parents came over to visit and have coffee so I set the plate of cookies in front of the friends and the ate the whole plate of cookies, which were about 3 dozen. I had to make more for us to enjoy for Christmas.
Russian Tea Cakes
Ingredients
1 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped walnuts 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar for decoration
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners’ sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.
It just wouldn’t Christmas at my house without my traditional Shortbread.
1%1/2 cups cake flour
1&1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
Combine flours, sugar and salt. Knead in butter until well blended. Divide dough in half and press into the bottom of 2 8 inch cake pans. Poke with a fork in design or pattern of your choice and bake at 325 for 30 to 40 minutes. Shortbread should be a light golden brown color. Cut into wedges while still warm and cool completely on wire cooling rack before removing from pans.
This is so easy I’m almost embarrassed to post it, but my crowd LOVES it.
Buy a box of pumpkin bread mix, mix it by the directions, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. (You can use your favorite recipe instead if you wish, but I no longer bother.)
Bake in baby bundt pans or mini muffin pans. Make a cream cheese frosting, add chopped dried cranberries and orange zest to taste. Add a dollop to each “muffin,” either with a spoon or a piping bag fitted with a star tip (makes them look fancier).
SO simple, but make more than you think you need. They disappear quickly!
I found this one on the web.
* Exported from MasterCook *
PUMPKIN CREAM PIE
Recipe By :Recipe from Libby website.
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 graham cracker pie crust, 9 inch
1 3/4 cups pumpkin pie filling — (15-ounce can)
5 1/8 ounces fat-free vanilla pudding — 1 package
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups Cool Whip® Fat Free — (about 6 ounces)
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Combine pumpkin, pudding mix, milk and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer
bowl; beat for 1 minute or until blended. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped
topping. Spoon into crust. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Let stand in refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Garnish with remaining
whipped topping and
raspberries. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
Grandma’s pumpkin pie
1 can Pumpkin (medium size 15 or 16 oz.)
1 12 oz. can Milnot (not sweetened)
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour (rounded)
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1/2 butter (melted)
1 tsp. cinnamin
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix all together and place in a Pillsbury pre-made pie crust. Cover the edge of the crust with aluminum foil. Bake 20 min. at 425, then 45 min. at 350
CHOCOLATE PUDDING DESSERT
First layer: 3/4 c. butter (not marg.)
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
With butter softened, mash up with a fork until creamy & spread in 9 x 13 pan. Bake 20 min. at 350.
Second layer: 1 c. powdered sugar
1 8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1 c. Cool Whip
Mix with mixer and spread over cooled first layer.
Third layer: 1 small pkg. each Vanilla and Chocolate Instand pudding
3 cups milk
Mix with mixer and spread over second layer.
Top with remainder of Cool Whip from medium sized container, and decorate with shaved chocolate if you like.
Refrigerate at least 5 hours – can be made the day before.
my mother make the most delicious pie for christmas…i have no specific recipe…but here is the general idea
emily’s “cranberry-yumminess” pie
1. a good graham cracker crust
2. covered with a thin layer of fine melted dark chocolate(or thick! but harder to cut)
3. covered then with a really good vanilla custard
4. covered then with a really good home-made cranberry sauce!
it is served chilled and is total yumminess!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! love your site…and thank you for all your sharing!
lucy poland
farmingdale, maine
My mom was a non-baker, but when she made Christmas dessert, she made an chocolate cookie-whipped cream roll. I’m going to update that into a Buche de Noel with Chocolate Rum Whipped cream frosting, meringue mushrooms, marzipan leaves and berries. It’s too easy, but I hope everyone will forgive me. Oh, yeah, and a free-form apple tart (Skyler’s fave) too.