More Cookies

More Christmas Cookies 

CHRISTMAS DELIGHTS
GUMDROP COOKIES
ANGEL COOKIES
BUTTER COOKIE WREATHS
THE ULTIMATE SUGAR COOKIE
APRICOT FOLD OVERS
CATHEDRAL WINDOWS
HALF WAYS
MOLASSES CRINKLES
LEMON MACAROONS

CHRISTMAS DELIGHTS

1 1-lb. box of brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped, unpeeled orange slices
1 cup chopped pecans

Empty brown sugar in bowl. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour, orange slices slightly dredged with flour and pecans. Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper and butter lightly. Spread batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees until done. Ice while hot with very thin icing of orange juice, powdered sugar and grated orange peel. When dry, cut into squares. Enjoy! (Editor's Note: The thick batter will need to be patted out; also be sure wax paper is covered with butter.)


GUMDROP COOKIES

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup gumdrops, cut in pieces
1 cup coconut

Cream sugars and butter. Add eggs. Mix. Add dry ingredients and oatmeal. Mix. Stir in gumdrops and coconut. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool on wire baking racks. Store in airtight containers. (To keep cookies from drying out, put a slice of bread at the bottom of each container before putting the cookies in.)


ANGEL COOKIES

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped mixed candied fruit
2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream shortening and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add sugars and eggs, mixing well. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Add flour mixture to egg and sugar mixture; add vanilla. Mix well. Add candied fruit and nuts. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will be just browned at the edges. Hint: You may have to mix the candied fruit and nuts in with your hands; if so, a little shortening on your fingers will keep the mixture from sticking.


BUTTER COOKIE WREATHS

8 oz. white or chocolate-flavored candy coating
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
36 butter cookies or sugar cookies (2-inch/5 cm) with hole in center
Red or green colored sugar
Red cinnamon candies
36 pieces shoestring licorice (4-inch/10 cm lengths)

Line cookie sheets with wax paper. Set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, combine candy coating and shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip top of each cookie into coating. Place cookies dipped-sides-up on prepared cookie sheets. Decorate each cookie with colored sugar and cinnamon candies. Tie licorice into bows. Use coating to attach bows to each cookie. Let dry completely before
storing.

Christmas Jewel Kiss: Omit cinnamon candies and shoestring licorice. Place chocolate kiss in center of each dipped cookie. Continue as directed.

Microwave tip: In small mixing bowl, melt candy coating and shortening at 50% (Medium) for 2 1/2 to 5 minutes, stirring after every minute. Continue as directed.

NOTE: Following sugar cookie recipe works well. I cut the cookies into a circle with a glass and put a hole in the centre with an empty pill bottle, well washed of course.


THE ULTIMATE SUGAR COOKIE

3/4 cup Golden Crisco or Butter-flavored Crisco (shortening)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Coloured decorations or icing

Cream Crisco, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and creamy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture, mixing on low speed until well blended. Cover dough and chill 1 hour, if desired, for easy rolling. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll half of dough at a time. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cut in desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Roll leftover pieces. Sprinkle with coloured
decorations or leave plain to decorate when cool. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are light brown. (Time will vary with cookie size.) Cool slightly, then remove to cooling rack. Makes: About 3 dozen cookies.


APRICOT FOLD OVERS

1/2 margarine, softened
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/3 cup sifted flour
2 tablespoons water
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup sugar

Cream the margarine and cheese, then blend in the flour and water. Chill the dough for 4 to 5 hours.
Preheat the oven to 370F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the preserves and sugar until the mixture boils and is smooth. Set aside. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 10 inch square, cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Put 1 teaspoon of the preserves in the center of each square, fold over and seal the edges. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.


CATHEDRAL WINDOWS

1/4 pound margarine
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
12 ounces colored mini marshmallows
7 ounces grated coconut

Heat margarine and chocolate chips in the top pan of a double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally,
until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Put marshmallows and nuts in a large bowl; stir in chocolate. Tear
five 9-inch sheets of waxed paper and sprinkle each generously with coconut. Divide dough into fifths and place each fifth on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll tightly into 2-inch diameter logs and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, unwrap from waxed paper and cut into 1/2" slices.


HALF WAYS

3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar -- divided
2 eggs -- separated
1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix shortening, sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, egg yolks, baking soda, vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder until it forms a stiff dough. Pat into the bottom of a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread chocolate chips over the dough. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add 1 cup of brown sugar and beat well. Spread over the chips. Bake 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.


MOLASSES CRINKLES

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix together all ingredients except granulated sugar. Chill 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350F. Shape in balls the size of walnuts and dip one side in granulated sugar. Place sugared side up on ungreased cookie sheet 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake 15 minutes.


LEMON MACAROONS

LEMON CURD:

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons zest of lemon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks

MACAROONS:
1 cup powdered almonds
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar

To make the lemon curd, in a saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then simmer for 3 minutes, whisking. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the butter, one chunk at a time. To make the macaroons, preheat oven to 275F. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar, then beat the egg whites until firm. Gently but thoroughly fold the almond mixture into the egg whites. Line baking sheets with oiled parchment paper. Either pipe or spoon mixture into 1 1/2 inch mounds that are 2 inches apart on the parchment. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Turn off oven and let cookies dry with door ajar. To assemble, remove cookies from baking sheets and sandwich with lemon curd.