In the next 2 1/2 months, aproximately one million people will be visiting my Christmas cookie pages.
Please share your favorite cookie recipes with them by posting them here!


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This cookie recipe makes a nice moist chocolate cookie that is excellent for the holidays. It is easy to make and a good one to do with kids, as they can help roll the dough into balls and then roll

Enjoy!

Mike

Cocoa Snowflakes

1 cup flour
1tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
5 tbs. butter
6 tbs. cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 extra large eggs
1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
½ cup powdered sugar (to roll cookies in)

In a medium bowl, sift flour baking powder, and salt, and set aside. In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat, add cocoa, and blend well with a fork or small whisk until smooth. Remove pan from heat, stir in sugar until combined ( it will be dark brown at this point). Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add vanilla, and then eggs one at a time, stirring well with a wooden spoon or hand mixer after each addition. Add flour mixture and nuts if desired, mix well. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (at least 2 hours). Preheat oven to 400*. Grab a handful of dough, enough for a cookie sheet, leaving the rest in the fridge. Roll each hunk of dough into a ¾ ball, and then roll in powdered sugar. It is easier to roll the dough into balls if coat your hands with powdered sugar. Place the balls onto a greased cookie sheet,2 inches apart.Bake cookies for 8 minutes@ 400*, let cool a minute then remove from pan. Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain the soft and chewy texture. If you like a crisper cookie, cook a minute longer, but be careful not to burn the bottoms of the cookies.

Yield: 40-60 cookies. Prep time 15 minutes plus 2 hours chilling time. Baking time: 8 minutes per pan.

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc

When I first read this I didn't think I had anything to share. But my mind decided to chomp on the idea. What do you think.

Meringue cups with a twist. Rather than make the traditional cup shape. lift the meringue out with one of those little ice cream scoops bake as usual and then decorate to your hearts content. They would look like edible christmas tree ornaments. And of course they can be flavored any way you can think of. Pumpkin pie spice would be really nice that time of year. Well here is the recipe for meringue cups if you want it.

3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
Dash salt

Let egg whites stand in a large mixing bowl about 1 hour or till they come to room temperature. Meanwhile, cover a baking sheet with plain brown paper or parchment sheets.

Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till very stiff peaks form. Sugar should me mostly dissolved. Scoop the meringue out with small ice cream scooper and place gently on the brown paper.

Bake in a 300 degree F oven for about 40 minutes. Turn off oven and let shells dry in oven with the door shut. Store in airtight container until ready for decorating. Roll in honey and then roll in Sprinkles. Or if you are good with a pastry bag decorate with colored icing. Any decorating method would work as long as it is not to liquid as that would break down the meringue. I can't think of what could be used as a loop but if that could be done would a bunch of them on a minature tree be really cute as an edible table center piece.

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Pumpkin Squares

Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 55 minutes

1 1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks cold butter or margarine
1 cup oats uncooked
1/2 cup chopped peacans
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger

Preheat over to 350F. Grease baking pan.

Mix flour, brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender until

mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and pecans. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture. Press remaining mixture

onto botton of pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, pumpkin and spices in small bowl with electric mixer on medium

speed until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 25 minutes. cool completely and then cut into 24 bars.

Makes 24 servings, 1 bar each.

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Adirondack,

Here is a Sicilian Anise Icing recipe from my family:

3 c. icing sugar
1 tbsp. anise extract
3 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 c. lukewarm milk

Sift icing sugar into a bowl and make a well. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Add more milk if necessary to make icing easy to spread but not too thin. Frost cookies or cakes while still warm from the oven with a pastry brush. Icing will harden and cookies/cakes will freeze well. Sprinkle with confettini if desired.

Buona fortuna,
Julianna

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