12 Days of Cookies

I thought I would share with you Food Networks 12 days of Cookies. I realize that some of you have probably read the recipes or have tried to cook these but I thought I would share them with you anyway.

I know I have said before that sweets are definitely a weakness for me. Each Christmas (if time allows) I make these tins full of sweet and hand them out to family and friends. Last year, since I was 8 months pregnant, I did not do this. I just couldn't spend a lot of time on my feet baking in the kitchen (even though I wanted to.) Now this year-- I would love to do that but with everything else going on I am not for sure time will allow.

Don't you hate that? I do... Running of out of time--that is... There always seems to not be enough time in the day.

Hopefully this will help with your cookie recipe collection and you will be able to find some good ones to add to your family favorites.

So for those of you ladies who have not seen these recipes yet here they are: 
 the recipes include 

Gingerbread Cookie  
Cherry and Almond Cookie  
Butter Cookie  
Linzer Cookie  
Cinnamon Chocolate Cookie  
Citrus Butter Dipping Cookie  
Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch bars  
Orange Current and Polenta Cookie  
Mexican Wedding Cookie  
Peanut Butter S'more Bites  
Shortbread Cookie  
Peppermint Snowballs

#1 Gingerbread Cookie

Directions

This recipe has been in my family for a long time. The smell will send friends and family running for the warmth of the kitchen. A note about good cookie baking: Halfway through, I always rotate the tray in the oven so the cookies bake evenly on all sides. This recipe is no exception.

Ingredients

The foundation:

• 1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 orange, zested

The dry ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

The wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 lemon, juiced

Easy Orange Frosting, recipe follows

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.

Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet. A note about crowding the tray(s): these particular cookies can spread a little. Leave room between the cookies. Better to use 3 baking sheets with fewer cookies than to crowd them on 2 trays. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Got scraps? Form the scraps into a ball, press it flat and chill in the refrigerator. These cookies may be a little more "tough" because the dough will have been worked a little more than the others.

Why not have a little frosting on your gingerbread?

Easy Orange Frosting:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon orange liqueur
• 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup

In a medium bowl add all of the ingredients and whisk together to combine. If too thick in consistency, add a touch more orange juice or water to thin out.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to pipe the frosting between 2 of the gingerbread cookies. Press the 2 cookies halves gently together.

#2 Cherry and Almond Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons  sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla  extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries (see Cook's Note)
• 1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (see Cook's Note)

Icing:

• 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons water, plus extra, as needed

Directions

For the Cookies:

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.

For the Icing:

Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.)

Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Cook's Note Alternative:

Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract. 

#3 Butter Cookies

 

 Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups (or 3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Coarse Pink Decorating Sugar, optional

Directions

Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl.

Put the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add the flour and salt mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Cut the dough into quarters, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (9 by 13-inch) sheet trays with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll out 1 of the dough quarters, (keeping the others refrigerated until you need them), on a lightly floured work surface, to a 1/4 to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into the desired shapes, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to 1 of the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookies with decorating sugar, if desired.

Repeat with remaining dough, and bake the cookies until they are light brown around the edges and on the bottom, about 8 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the pan, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Notes: You can cut these cookies into any shapes you choose, but in our house we choose to cut them into the shape of a pig (pig cutters can be found on-line or in specialty baking stores). 

#4 Hazelnut-Chocolate Linzer Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

Directions

Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.

Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.

Mix in the orange zest, ground hazelnut powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather the dough scraps and chill.

Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to awire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used.

To assemble cookies, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate-spread on the bottom of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie. 

#5 Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookie

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or substitute by adding 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Generous pinch ground black pepper
• Generous pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche, optional
• 1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped, optional

Directions

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. Combine the sugars in a small bowl and mix well with your fingers pressing out any lumps. (Combine in a food processor if lumps are stubborn.)

In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter and margarine until creamy. Add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg white and until the mixture is smooth. Stop the mixer. Add the flour mixture, beating on the lowest speed, just until incorporated. Gather the dough together with your hands and form it into a neat log, 9 to 10 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Fold or twist ends of the paper without pinching or flatting the log. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes, or until needed.

Put the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Use a sharp knife to slice rounds of chilled dough, a scant 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the cookies, 1-inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through. Cookies will puff and crackle on top, and then begin to settle down slightly when done.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or stacking. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

To spice things up, after the cookies are baked, let them cool on a wire rack, drizzle with dulce de leche and sprinkle chopped almonds on top. 

 #6 Trio Butter Dipping Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cool but not straight from the fridge
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cool but not straight from the fridge
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Dash salt
• Finely grated zest from 1 lime
• Finely grated zest from 1 orange
• Finley grates zest from 1emon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. On the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until blended. Divide the batter into 3 bowls, and gently stir in the different zests among the bowls, making 3 citrus flavored batters.

Scrape each batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip, or a sturdy plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe 2-inch long strips, about 2 inches apart, on a cold unlined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat with the other batches.

Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing with a spatula to cool completely on baking rack. Serve with tea or coffee, or just nibble...addictive!

Cook's Note: To butter cookie purists: these are also delicious without the zest!

#7 Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pea-sized pieces, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (11-ounce) bag butterscotch chips
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drape a 9 by 13-inch pan with overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, creating handles for easy removal. Butter the paper, and reserve.

In a food processor add the flour, oats and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Add the 2 sticks of butter, the cinnamon and the butterscotch chips. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture forms clumps when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer, reserve the other half. Bake in the preheated oven just until slightly golden and set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or with an electric hand mixer until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Spread evenly over the baked and cooled oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle the remaining half of the oatmeal mixture over the cream cheese. Bake until the top is golden, about 40 minutes.

Cool and chill before cutting. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and using the foil handles, transfer the bars to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife and serve.

Call yourself a superstar!!!

Cook's Note: For a delicious and healthy variation of this recipe, try replacing the butterscotch chips with tasty dried cranberries. 

 #8 Mexican Wedding Cookie

 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups walnut pieces
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch (tapioca flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 sticks butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons grade A dark amber maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until the consistency of coarse cornmeal (twenty 2 second pulses). In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, tapioca and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, add the butter and sugar and blend until smooth. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, using the paddle attachment on your mixer, at slow speed. Once the mixture has pulled together, mix at a slightly higher speed to fully incorporate the ingredients. Finally, add the walnuts and mix briefly to combine. Roll the dough into ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1/2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Measure 1 tablespoon of the dough into your hand, roll into a log with tapered ends and shape into a crescent. Repeat with remaining dough. Arrange the cookies, about 1-inch apart, on the baking sheets. Bake just until the bottom edges start to turn golden, about 14 to 16 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack until completely cool, about 20 minutes. Put the confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl, and dredge the cookies, 1 at a time, tapping off excess sugar.

Daisy's Variation:

Add 1 teaspoon of good quality cinnamon, and 1 cup of mini morsels (recommended, Nestle's) to the dough. You can also flavor the confectioners' sugar by sifting it with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, for wonderful results. 

 #9 Orange Current Polenta Cookie

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried currants
• 1/4-cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier) or water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium oranges, zest finely grated
• 1 tablespoon coarse polenta or cornmeal

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, add the currants and orange-flavored liqueur, or water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the liquid. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to combine. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until incorporated, (the mixture will look curdled). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix again on low speed until a dough forms - scrape again including the beaters. When a dough forms add the currants, zest, and polenta and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Roll into small 1-inch balls, and arrange on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving. 

#10 Peanut Butter S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 cups crunchy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 24 ounces (4 cups) milk chocolate chips, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup coconut flakes, optional
• 2 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, add the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar and beat with a whisk or electric beater until smooth. Using a teaspoon measure, scoop the mixture and form into balls, then press into a coin shape the diameter of a quarter. Refrigerate to set up dough cookies, about 30 minutes.

To make bites, dip peanut butter coins in melted chocolate then toss in graham cracker crumbs until coated, double dip and double coat if you feel dangerous. Arrange the coated coins on a wire rack and refrigerate for about 30 more minutes to set. Add the marshmallow fluff to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Remove the coins from the refrigerator and squeeze about 1 teaspoon of marshmallow fluff into the center of half of the coins. If you don't have a pastry bag, use a plastic bag, fill it with fluff and cut 1 corner off and dollop that way. Then top each half with another coin to make a sandwich and place return to the refrigerator to set, about 1 hour.

Options: chop coconut flakes and add them to the graham cracker crumbs to use for coating.

Add puffed rice cereal into the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar for a bit more texture and crunch. 

#11  Shortbread Cookie

Ingredients

Classic Version in 4 ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add the flour, salt, and powdered sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Pulse together just until a dough is formed. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long. Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Arrange on nonstick cookie sheets, parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just light brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Tansfer to wire racks and cool until room temperature. Enjoy!

#12 Peppermint SnowBalls

 

 Ingredients

• 1 package (18-ounce) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, room temperature (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (recommended: McCormick)
• 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies, plus more for garnishing
• 1 cup powdered sugar, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the cookie dough into 8 pieces. In bowl of electric mixer, on medium speed thoroughly combine the dough pieces, peppermint extract, 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies, and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.

Roll the dough into 1-inch diameter balls. Arrange, 2 inches apart, on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake until set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on cooling racks.

Add 1/2 cup of the remaining powdered sugar to a small bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies and serve.

As the cookies cool, they will flatten slightly.

Variation: Peppermint Candy Cane Twists

• 1 package (18-ounce) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, room temperature (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (recommended: McCormick)
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the roll of cookie dough in half. Put the halves in separate large mixing bowls. In 1 bowl, thoroughly mix 1/4 cup of the flour and the peppermint extract into cookie dough. In the second bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and enough food coloring to make a red dough. Mix well with gloved hands until the color is well blended.

Divide the white and red dough into 24 pieces each, (for a total of 48 pieces). Roll each piece into a rope 8 inches long and about 1/4-inch in diameter.

To shape candy canes, arrange 1 rope of each color side by side on parchment lined cookie sheets. Gently twist together and shape into a candy cane. Repeat with the remaining pieces, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest, about 5 minutes, before transferring the cookies to racks. Gently remove them from the cookie sheets with a long metal spatula and cool on cooling racks.

 Enjoy!