Christmas Cookie Recipes

I have made these cookies for Christmas for many years.  As this is the last year I'll be making cookies, I've provided a booklet for future generations to uphold the tradition.  

Judy's

Christmas

Cookie/Candy

Recipes

Vanilla Cutouts

Blend:

splash vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 stick margarine (Blue Bonnet)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Add egg and blend again:

1 egg

Add flour and milk then blend thoroughly:

2 ¼ cups flour (unbleached)

1/3 cup milk 2%)

DO NOT OVERMIX.

Refrigerate dough overnight.

On well-floured surface, with well-floured cutters,

cut out shapes.

Place on greased or parchment covered baking sheet.

Bake at 350 until lightly browned.

Makes about 27, 3 1/2" cookies.

Vanilla Frosting

splash vanilla

4 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter

½ cup milk (2%)

Beat 7 minutes in heavy-duty mixer.

Chocolate Frosting

To above ingredients, add:

add 2/3 cup cocoa

3 or more tablespoons milk

Chocolate Mint Cookie Press Cookies

(Do not refrigerate dough)

Cookies:

Cream:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

1 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened

Blend in:

2 tablespoons oil

2 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend in:

2 ½ cups flour

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Fill cookie press. Use flower shape.

Bake at 375 on ungreased sheets for 10 minutes.

Mint Filling:

4 cups confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons corn syrup

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Knead until smooth. Shape into balls.

Place on upside-down cookie, flatten.

Topping:

2 packages semisweet chocolate chips

¼ cup shortening

Melt in double broiler until satiny.

Cover mint filling with melted chocolate.

Sandy's Cookie Press Cookies

(Do not refrigerate dough.)

2 ¼ cups flour

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup shortening

1 large egg (plus water to equal ¼ cup)

1 tablespoon vanilla

Bake at 375 on ungreased sheets for 7 minutes.

Remove immediately from cookie sheet.

Variations:

Color dough, add different flavorings,

sprinkle with colored sugars, etc. before baking.

Sandwich together 2 cookie press cookies

with raspberry jam then drizzle with chocolate.

Sandwich together 2 mint flavored

green cookie press cookies

with melted chocolate.

Peanut Butter Cookie Press Cookies

(Do not refrigerate dough)

Blend:

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

Add, then blend in:

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons warm water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

Blend in:

1 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Press dough onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate chips.

Sandwich together two cookies with melted chocolate.

Baked Almond Joys

Toast coconut in oven, cool.

Toast whole almonds in oven, cool.

1 cup margarine, room temperature

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons coconut flavoring

1 ½ cups toasted coconut

Blend all ingredients in heavy-duty mixer.

Refrigerate dough for easy handling.

(If using butter, do not refrigerate dough.)

Scoop out dough with small scoop

then shape dough around whole almond.

Bake at 325 on ungreased sheets

or parchment paper for 30 minutes,

rotating sheets at 15 minute intervals.

Melt 1 package semisweet chocolate chips

with 2 Tablespoons shortening

in double broiler.

Dip in melted chocolate.

(A chocolate melting wafer is just the right size

for the bottom of this cookie.

Place wafer on cookie when it comes out of the oven.)

Glazed Cherry Cookies

Drain cherries and allow to drip dry overnight.

Pat dry with paper towels before using.

1 cup margarine, room temperature

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons marchino cherry juice

Mix dough in heavy-duty mixer.

Refrigerate dough for easier handling.

(If using butter, do not refrigerate dough.)

Scoop out dough with small scoop.

Roll dough into balls, inserting cherry in each ball.

Bake at 325 on ungreased sheets

or parchment covered sheets for 30 minutes,

rotating sheets at 15-minute intervals.

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup marchino cherry juice

Blend glaze in mixer.

Place wire rack on top of cookie sheet.

Place cookies on wire rack.

Using ladle, spoon glaze over cookies.

With knife, transfer cookies to wax paper to dry.

Scrape glaze from cookie sheets back into mixer bowl.

Repeat process.

Butter Pecan Cookies

Chop, then toast pecans. Cool.

1 cup butter (not margarine)

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup toasted pecans

Mix dough in heavy-duty mixer.

Do not refrigerate dough.

Bake at 325 on ungreased sheets

or parchment paper for 30 minutes,

rotating sheets at 15 minute intervals.

Place 1 cup confectioners' sugar in ziploc bag.

Add cookies. Drench. Repeat.

Chocolate-Chip Mocha Cookies

1 cup margarine, room temperature

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons flavored coffee

dissolved in 2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients in heavy-duty mixer.

Refrigerate dough for easy handling.

(If using butter, do not refrigerate dough.)

Bake at 325 on ungreased sheets

or parchment paper for 30 minutes,

rotating sheets at 15 minute intervals.

Gingersnaps

Helpful Hint: crack egg in measuring cup first,

then use same cup to measure shortening and molasses.

Blend:

1 cup sugar

1 egg

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup molasses

Blend in:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

Mix in heavy-duty mixer.

Refrigerate dough overnight.

Shape into balls using small scoop.

Bake on parchment paper covered cookie sheet

at 375 for 8 minutes or crinkly on top.

Let rest on sheet for a minute before transferring.

Cream Cheese Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup margarine, softened

1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened

Blend in:

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

dash salt

Refrigerate dough overnight.

Scoop out dough using small scoop.

Roll into balls, coating hands with corn starch

to reduce sticking.

Bake at 375 (on parchment paper) for 8-10 minutes.

Topping:

Cream together:

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine

1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese

Blend in:

8 cups confectioners' sugar

lemon juice

Dip in sprinkles while still wet.

Peanut Butter Candy Balls

2 sticks butter, melted

1 cup peanut butter (crunchy)

3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Mix dough in heavy-duty mixer.

Refrigerate.

Shape into balls. Refrigerate.

Melt 1 package chocolate chips

with 2 Tablespoons shortening

in double broiler.

Dip balls, place on wax-paper.

Coconut Candy

Toast coconut, cool.

Blend:

1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

Blend in:

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 cups toasted coconut

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla or coconut flavoring

Refrigerate dough. Shape into balls.

Place on wax paper covered tray.

Chill, covering with plastic wrap overnight.

Dip into melted chocolate.

Chocolate Mint Candy

To above recipe:

omit toasted coconut

add 1/3 cup cocoa powder and a little milk

instead of coconut flavoring, add mint flavoring

and mini chocolate chips, if desired

Refrigerate dough. Shape into balls.

Place on wax paper covered tray.

Chill, covering with plastic wrap overnight.

Dip into melted chocolate.

Mincemeat Tarts

Mincemeat:

6 #s green tomatoes, chopped

2 pounds apples, chopped

4 cups dark raisins

2 cups honey or 4 cups brown sugar

2 cups apple juice or cider

1 lemon, grated rind and juice

½ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

5 teaspoons cinnamon

Simmer (non-aluminum kettle)

4 hours until thick, stirring frequently.

Freeze in quart jars.

Filling:

Mix one quart jar mincemeat with 1½ cups raisins

the night before then refrigerate to plump raisins.

Dough: See Vanilla Cutouts Recipe

On well-floured surface, cut out circles

with well-floured 2 ½ inch cutter.

Fit into greased mini-muffin pan.

Fill with table teaspoon mincemeat filling (above).

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

1 quart mincemeat and 1 cutout recipe = ~72 or 6 dozen tarts.

Mom's (Cora's) Fruitcake

1 cup sugar

1 cup apple juice or water

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ cup melted margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon mace

1 cup raisins

1 cup dried fruit

1 cup nuts

Mix well.

Bake at 325 for 1 ½ hours in greased loaf pan or bundt pan.

(Or bake in your mini-muffin pan for bite size fruitcakes.)

This is basically a spice cake with fruits and nuts.

Wrap in tinfoil. Pour 1 cup cider or apple juice over. Wrap tightly.

Store in refrigerator for one week.

Professional Secrets:

I always use unbleached flour.

I believe it makes a moister cookie with a golden color.

Besides, less chemicals used when processing.

Buy Gold Metal. (Do not use Pillsbury.)

I set the oven temps 25 degrees lower

than recommended setting.

The last sheet of cookies usually contains fewer,

thus requiring less baking time.

In the summer, the cutout cookie dough acts completely different.

More flour is needed when kneeding/rolling out.