Holiday Cookies 2011

[Choctini]

At least one cookie will be these red velvet blossoms from cuisine at home.

Red Velvet Blossoms

Make these cookies as vibrant or deep red as you choose by simply adjusting the amount of food color.
Makes: about 3 dozen cookies
Total time: about 45 minutes
WHISK:1 1⁄2cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄2tsp. baking soda
1⁄4tsp. table salt
COMBINE:1⁄2cup vegetable or canola oil
1⁄2cup packed brown sugar
1⁄2cup granulated sugar
1egg
1Tbsp. liquid red food color
1tsp. distilled white vinegar
FREEZE:32white chocolate “kiss” candies (such as Hershey’s Hugs)

Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Combine oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix to combine.

Mix in food color and vinegar until fully incorporated.

Add flour-cocoa mixture to sugar mixture; mix to combine.

Scoop dough with a #100 or #60 scoop (1–2 tsp.) onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake cookies until puffed and edges are set, 10–12 minutes.

Freeze candies (while baking cookies) to prevent melting when inserted into cookies.

Remove cookies from oven and insert one candy into each cookie. Let cookies stand on baking sheets 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

[cookieee]

Oh what a beautiful color for Christmas. Thank you for posting it.

[srahndennis]

I made shortbread today -- the recipe from Fine Cooking's Dec/Jan issue. I've never made shortbread before and I really liked this!

[Alleycat]

I know the Clove Snap recipe got printed out above so I won't bother sharing again other than to say I did a few things differently (I added white peppercorn, I ground whole spices, I beat the spices into the butter, used orange oil) and if anyone is curious to see my recipe or my pics, they are here.

Sorry, Laura. I was just trying to help out

The peanut butter shortbread sounds so good. I love anything peanut butter.
Joe, the polenta cookies that you and Heavy Hedonist discussed look awesome!
Choctini, thanks for posting the red velvet ones -- they sound so good.

[ljt2r]

Sorry, Laura. I was just trying to help out

Oh you did NOT upset me AT ALL. I was glad you could share it since I did not have it typed out yet. However, if people make it and have any complaints I just thought you all should know I did not make the recipe exactly as Fine Cooking wrote it. Plus it lets me get in a link to my blog lol.

[Kyra]

I am chiming in to report that the clove snaps that ljt2r talked about were very tasty, and had a great texture as well (she was kind enough to save some for me).

I also wanted to tell Juli that there is a recipe in the Rose Levy Beranbaum cookie cookbook (Rose's Christmas Cookies) for lemon poppyseed cookies. I've never made that one, but all her other recipes have been winners for me, and I would happily post it if anyone is interested.

I made a rough draft cookie list last night and there are far, far too many recipes on it. Part of the problem is that more and more cookies get added to the "must make" list and this leaves less room for trying new recipes. Short of baking a zillion cookies, or leaving old favorites off the list, what do other people do about this?

This year I would like to try something with maple. There are two maple cookie recipes in the BHG 100 Best Cookies 2011 magazine, which avariell gave me for my birthday. One is for maple-macadamia icebox cookies, and the other is a maple drop cookie. If anyone has feedback, or a favorite maple cookie recipe, I would love to hear it. I have maple syrup, maple sugar, and maple flavoring available to use.

[Beth]

I made a rough draft cookie list last night and there are far, far too many recipes on it. Part of the problem is that more and more cookies get added to the "must make" list and this leaves less room for trying new recipes.

As you get older and have to please a family, the problem seems to get worse. The boys never have to have a new recipe and at this point in my life, I have more classics than I can make. Maybe that is why I throw caution to the wind and make new recipes for events, meetings, etc. That and I make most of the must haves and try to get in one or two new ones, but short of starting a business, I don't think I could ever make as many as I'd like to.

[Hoodone]

Kyra,

Here is one posted by Valchemist, who you would remember if you've been on the board for awhile. I tried these, but have no memory of them. There is also one I have that is rolled in maple sugar, but I can't find them so will keep looking.

Maple Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dessicated coconut (unsweetened)
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups brown sugar -- packed
1 1/8 cups butter
6 tbsps maple syrup
4 tbsps golden syrup -- Lyle's golden syrup (found next to the honey)
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tsp maple extract
2 cups walnuts

In a very large bowl combine oatmeal coconut, flour, salt and brown sugar.

In medium bowl combine butter and syrups, and heat until butter melts. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup boiling water with 2 tsp baking soda; stir. Stir into melted butter until combined; add maple extract. Stir into oat mixture. Fold in walnuts. Form dough into balls, place on non-stick or greased pans and flatten slightly. Bake at 300° for about 20 minutes. Makes 24 cookies.

Source:
"Martha Stewart Living Magazine, 10-99"

Val’s notes: I followed the recipe but skipped the walnuts and used 1tbsp maple extract instead of 2 tsp. I used unsweetened coconut (big flakes). I made 8 large (golf ball sized) balls of dough and chilled them thoroughly. I spread the rest of the batter in a 9x9 pan and baked it at 350 for 25 minutes. I baked the cookies at 350 for 18 minutes. those times seemed to be just right. both the bars and the cookies are delicious. nice maple taste with the 1 tbsp extract. and the coconut and oats give both the bars and cookies a nice texture and chew. the bars turned out nice and thick (about 3/4 inches in middle but edges were about 1 inch). they are dense and chewy. the cookies are fairly flat, but not too flat. they are crisp on the edges and chewy/sticky inside. second day report: they are even better on the second day. I love the texture (firm but chewy and a bit sticky) and there is a great maple taste. The coconut taste is there, but not overpowering. the coconut and oats give a great texture contrast. I have tried about a half dozen or more maple cookie recipes and this is the best. they aren't crisp on the second day, but that doesn't matter. they are bendable cookies, but NOT the kind where if you hold them horizontally in the air they flop down. They are firm, so they don't bend out of shape when you pick them up. yet at the same time, they are nice and chewy. also, the bars were very good, but I like the cookies better and would do them all as cookies next time.

[ljt2r]

SO excited because I am finally feeling a bit better and my house smells like peppermint chocolate! Biscotti in oven for round 1 as I type....

[RebelYell18]

One of my favorite cookies to make is Rolo Cookies! For some reason, I make them most often around the holidays rather than year-round...so, in my mind, they are holiday cookies, I guess

Rolo Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
48+ unwrapped Rolo candies

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugars; beat well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour - cococa. Gradually add to butter mixture; beat well. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375*.
Press a small piece of dough around a Rolo; roll into a ball.
Bake for about 8 minutes. Cool 1 minute on sheet then remove and cool on rack completely.

[KAnn]

I won't be able to as much as I usually do but I am formulating my list (baking tonight for a shelter bake sale)....so far, I plan on:

Mexican Chocolate slice'n bake cookies (Maida Heatter adaptation)

Molasses Crinkles

Lime Meltaways (MS recipe)

Gumdrop Cookies (my grandmother's recipe)

Almond Mandlebrot

Sugar cookies (family tradition)

[Alleycat]

I just googled mandelbrot. It looks like biscotti. Is there a difference between the two?

Those Rolo cookies sound fun -- and good.

[ljt2r]

I just googled mandelbrot. It looks like biscotti. Is there a difference between the two?

Those Rolo cookies sound fun -- and good.

Mandelbrot is just Jewish biscotti. There may be more subtle differences, but I don't know what they are.

[EmptyNestMom]

Those Rolo cookies sound fun -- and good.

They are really good, nice a chocolatey and with a goey carmel layer in the middle...yum! They are one of my favorites but I don't necessarily wait until Christmas to make them...!!!

We made the red velvet blossoms posted by Choctini last night for a cookie exchange...they were easy and looked nice and tasted very good! I know I'll be making them again.

[BarbaraL]

I'd asked this on the "Cookie Exchange Vent" thread, but this thread might be a better place to ask:

How far in advance do you make your cookies, and how do you store them? I find I'm always doing things at the last minute; it would be easier to do ahead, but I want to make sure they stay fresh.

TIA

[Kyra]

Barbara, the first cookies to get baked are ones that go in the freezer, like pumpkin drop cookies, or the butter "spritz" cookies (we use a pastry bag instead of a cookie press), or...I am blanking on the other Christmas cookies that we freeze.

Next we make dough that we can freeze, like the Maida Heatter Mexican Chocolate Icebox cookies somebody mentioned. We slice and bake those off, from frozen, whenever we want them. I expect there are plenty of drop cookie batters that would freeze, as well, but defer to the more experienced bakers on this question.

All of that can be done in November, before Thanksgiving.

Then we make cookies that keep well, like biscotti. We also have a cutout recipe that keeps (nutmeg snaps).

Finally, the ones that don't keep well (the cranberry-chocolate chip cookies) get done at the last minute. It wouldn't be Christmas without crowding some stuff in at the very end, right?

I am hoping the more experienced bakers chime in here with more information and suggestions for you.

Alleycat, I am not an expert, but I believe that "mandelbrot" is German for "almond bread" and that mandelbrot recipes, therefore, always contain almonds. In my experience, they are almond biscotti, and I only hear them referred to as "mandelbrot" by my Jewish relatives (my aunt has a recipe from her husband's mother). Maybe others have some additional insight?

[CookinginMO/KS]

Cakebaker, would you mind posting the chocolate dipped mint cookies? Love that flavor combo!

[karen w]

I just googled mandelbrot. It looks like biscotti. Is there a difference between the two?
.

Mandel brot or bread are Jewish "biscotti-like" or twice baked cookies. Mandel means "almond" and traditional Jewish mandel bread are made primarily with almonds. However, like biscotti they have been adapted to many variations from simple to outrageous. Typically mandel bread is a slightly softer cookie than biscotti because of the addition of vegetable oil (traditional) or butter in larger amounts than biscotti. Both are yummy, though (IMHO) so you can't go wrong with either!

Karen

[peachesncream]

Kyra, I would love to have the recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Cookies!

My MIL loves anything lemon, so I always bake something lemony for her at Christmas. And I'm running out of ideas (I like to surprise her!).

Thanks!

[ljt2r]

Mandel brot or bread are Jewish "biscotti-like" or twice baked cookies. Mandel means "almond" and traditional Jewish mandel bread are made primarily with almonds. However, like biscotti they have been adapted to many variations from simple to outrageous. Typically mandel bread is a slightly softer cookie than biscotti because of the addition of vegetable oil (traditional) or butter in larger amounts than biscotti. Both are yummy, though (IMHO) so you can't go wrong with either!

Karen

Yes. I mean, I know I am not Jewish but I had enough Jewish friends in college to be pretty certain I am not the only one baking mine without almonds. Technically biscotti are sposed to have nuts too, which I almost always pass on. I also like the more enriched American biscotti and the oil enriched mandelbrot better than the no fat except the nuts biscotti. They just have a better mouth feel when you chew, although I wouldn't really call them soft as long as they have been baked twice.

[ljt2r]

I'd asked this on the "Cookie Exchange Vent" thread, but this thread might be a better place to ask:

How far in advance do you make your cookies, and how do you store them? I find I'm always doing things at the last minute; it would be easier to do ahead, but I want to make sure they stay fresh.

TIA

I do things similarly to Kyra with a few exceptions. I never bake and then freeze cookies. I just don't like them, I only freeze in dough form. Second, for me personally the holidays are all about cookies that last--chocolate chip cookies are practically my favorite dessert on earth but I just don't want them during the holidays. So I make and freeze logs of slice and bake cookies in November, and then within the first 10 days of December I make the rest: shortbread, biscotti, wedding cookies/snowballs, sandwich cookies, pizzelles, nut lace cookies, candies etc. Sometime during this time I also slice and bake the logs.

I am not the bake as needed type. I am the keep loads of choices in Holiday tins on my dining room table to be sprung open at any instant upon need type. I like being able to instantly assemble a really nice cookie tray--but that means no cookies that go stale within a week or so.

The only exception is marshmallows, wicih we go through fast enough that I usually just make them every week or so.

[Kyra]

I will be happy to post the lemon poppyseed cookie recipe for you, peachesncream, but not tonight. I put it on my list for this weekend and will try to do it tomorrow!

[KAnn]

Mandel brot or bread are Jewish "biscotti-like" or twice baked cookies. Mandel means "almond" and traditional Jewish mandel bread are made primarily with almonds. However, like biscotti they have been adapted to many variations from simple to outrageous. Typically mandel bread is a slightly softer cookie than biscotti because of the addition of vegetable oil (traditional) or butter in larger amounts than biscotti. Both are yummy, though (IMHO) so you can't go wrong with either!

Karen

Exactly! Thank you...I just saw the question now. I, too, prefer the mandel bread but I haven't made it in years.

[Kyra]

First, I should thank Hoodone for posting Val's maple walnut oatmeal cookies. I will definitely try those, and thank you!

Next, from Rose's Christmas Cookies, by Rose Levy Beranbaum:

Lemon Poppyseeds

makes about 3 dozen 2-inch cookies

bleached all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups (dip and sweep), 7.5 oz, 218 g
poppyseeds, 6 Tbsp, 2 oz, 54 g
salt, 1/4 tsp
sugar, 3/4 cup, 5.25 oz, 150 g
zest from 3 med lemons, 2 Tbsp (finely grated), 12 g
unsalted butter, 1 cup, 8 oz, 227 g
2 lg egg yolks, 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp, 1.25 oz, 37 g
vanilla extract, 2 tsp, 8 g

Topping:
blanched sliced almonds, 1 cup, 3 oz, 85 g
optional powdered sugar for dusting

Food Processor method

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, poppyseeds, and salt.
In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugar with the zest until the zest is very fine. Cut the butter into a few pieces and add with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy. Add egg yolks and vanilla and process until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl. Add flour mixture and pulse in, just until incorporated.

Electric Mixer method

Soften the butter. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, poppyseeds, and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and zest, scraping sides of bowl. At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture, just until incorporated.

For both methods

Scrape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In a food processor with the metal blade, process the almonds until very fine, almost a powder. Do not overprocess into a "butter." Transfer to a small bowl.

Place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 350 F.

Measure level tablespoons of dough and roll them between the palms of your hands to form balls. Drop each dough ball, as soon as it is formed, into the nuts and shake the bowl to coat well with nuts. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until bottoms browned, transfer to racks, cool completely. Can sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Store in an airtight container at room temp or in the freezer. Keeps 2 months at room temp, several months frozen.


I have not made this cookie recipe, but I have made and enjoyed many other recipes from this cookbook. We have also enjoyed recipes from Ms. Beranbaum's other cookbooks, so I would not hesitate to try this. Please report back if you like them. In the header notes, she says she created these cookies to capture the same flavor of her lemon poppyseed pound cake. I hope your MIL likes them!

[Alleycat]

Mandel brot or bread are Jewish "biscotti-like" or twice baked cookies. Mandel means "almond" and traditional Jewish mandel bread are made primarily with almonds.

Karen

Karen, thanks for the explanation. From the couple recipes I looked at, I noticed the vegetable oil. I think I'll try mandelbrot this year -- time to mix things up!

So, any good mandelbrot recipes to try

BarbaraL, I always aspire to have room in the freezer for dough in November. But I never have room! I make a ton of cookies at the holidays. I store them in tins and Tupperware, layered between wax paper, in my dining room. I make refrigerated and filled cookies a day or two before needed. Like Laura, I like to have lots of variety to choose from (and to snack from ).

[Bawstinn]

I'd asked this on the "Cookie Exchange Vent" thread, but this thread might be a better place to ask:

How far in advance do you make your cookies, and how do you store them? I find I'm always doing things at the last minute; it would be easier to do ahead, but I want to make sure they stay fresh.

TIA

I make and freeze cookies (and mini loaves of bread) every year or else I'd never get it all done.

Once the cookies are completly cooled, I store in containers in the freezer with wax paper in between the layers. I start the week after Thanksgving and will bake a couple of batches on the weekend and some nights after work, so they are never in the freezer longer than a month.

Any cookies that have a glaze or frosting go in the freezer without and I frost when I pull them out. I pull the cookies out the morning I am putting the baskets together. They don't take long to defrost at all.

[Bawstinn]

Here are a couple of our favorites that get made every year.

Frosted Cranberry Orange Drops
Land O Lakes

Cookie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter -- softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter -- softened
1 tablespoon orange juice -- (1 to 3)

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except cranberries in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Stir in cranberries by hand.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart, onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon butter in small bowl. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Beat in enough orange juice for desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies.


Festive Cherry Drops
Land O Lakes

Cookie
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter -- softened
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces maraschino cherries -- well drained, chopped
Drizzle
2/3 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add cherries; stir into dough.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power), stirring occasionally, until melted (30 to 45 seconds). Drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Land O Lakes

Vanilla Sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Cookie
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter -- softened
2 whole vanilla beans
1 whole egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet; let stand to dry (4 hours). Sift sugar mixture through strainer to remove lumps. Set aside.

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Split vanilla beans lengthwise with sharp knife. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans; add to butter mixture. Add egg; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip top of each ball in water, then in vanilla sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 14 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.

Yield: "4 1/2 dozen"

[veschke]

How far in advance do you make your cookies, and how do you store them? I find I'm always doing things at the last minute; it would be easier to do ahead, but I want to make sure they stay fresh.

I don't start baking until after Thanksgiving, and I start with the sturdy ones that freeze well. (Sometimes I don't get around to anything else...).

Today was supposed to be baking, but the day got away from me. Oh well.

[peachesncream]

Kyra, thank you so much!

These sound delicious. Will be making them.

[cakebaker]

CookinginMO/KS:
Here is the recipe for Chocolate Dipped Mint Cookies. The original recipe, which I found in a book called "Gifts From the Christmas Kitchen" is Chocolate Dipped Orange Cookies. My substitutions for mint cookies will be in (...). I make both varieties. Both equally delish.

3 1/4 cups AP flour
1/3 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp grated orange rind (3/4 tsp. mint extract)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 package mint & chocolate chips-I believe Nestle's is what I bought)
1 cup finely chopped pecans (Chocolate jimmies or multi-colored nonpariel sprinkles)

Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar and increase speed to high until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in orange peel (mint extract) and vanilla until blended. Gradually blend in flour mixture.
Gather dough together and form a ball. Flatten into disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350*. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls on flat surface to form into 2-3 inch logs. (I roll half the dough into logs. The other half, I leave in balls and slightly flatten with my hand or bottom of a glass. This way I get both logs and disks in the same batch.) Place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake 16-18 minutes or until bottoms are slightly brown. Tops will still look white. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Melt chocolate (mint) chips and 1/2 tsp. oil in top of double boiler or bowl set over simmering-not boiling water.
Dip half of each cookie or log in the chocolate (mint) and roll in pecan or sprinkles/jimmies. Place cookies on wax paper lined cookie sheet or rack. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Recipe says it makes 36 cookies-I got at least 10 more.