335732 Fri Oct 20 14:18:46 -0700 2006 187 31 Home Cooking 0 1959909 It's early, but I'm getting a jump on my shopping list for my holiday gift bags, and I'd like your list of your favorite cookies that you give as gifts. I usually give traditional cookies, but I'd like to branch out this year! Here's my list: Oatmeal raisin walnut peanut peanut butter russian teacakes traditional decorated sugar cookies lemon bars chocolate crinkles candy cookies thumbprints chocolate chip Thanks for expanding my cookie horizons! Fri Oct 20 14:18:46 -0700 2006 10885 OneJayneDoe 1 1959925 Shortbread...easy to make, and you can stamp it with holiday images, or use sprinkles, choc. syrup, etc to make designs. Fri Oct 20 14:26:00 -0700 2006 1959909 12752 MsDiPesto 2 3123957 This year I'm giving shortbread. I make them as small cookies and then dip them in chocolate. Kind of turns out like a Keebler. Wed Nov 14 07:30:11 -0800 2007 1959925 134060 GenieinTX 3 3145589 In past years I have made a variety of differently flavored shortbread rounds. I sized the rounds to fit tins. I sliced the shortbread eight ways (like a pizza) and individually packaged a couple of "slices", in those crisp Wilton bags, tied them closed and labeled them. I reassembled the round using all the different varities. It makes a pretty dramatic presentation when the tin is opened, but it's less work using just one basic dough. Wed Nov 21 10:06:44 -0800 2007 3123957 81356 aimeekm 1 1959928 I always make Hermits, which in our house were always Christmas cookies - though the recent thread on Hermits made me realize that is not generally the case! Fri Oct 20 14:27:16 -0700 2006 1959909 10985 MMRuth 1 1959956 Biscotti white chocolate chip w/ cranberries and brandy lemon poppy glazed shortbread gingerbread men angel fingers (similar to russian tea cakes) chocolate chip oatmeal w/butterscotch chips raspberry thumbprints Fri Oct 20 14:35:31 -0700 2006 1959909 43168 eriberri 1 1959967 I almost always make these: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe1269&search=true&resultNo=3 They are far and away my favorite cookie I've *ever* made and everyone loves them! I just made circles, usually scalloped, at Christmas time, because the shape of the cookie doesn't hold very well with more complicated shapes, i.e. a Christmas tree or whatever. I usually use raspberry jam, but have used others as well... raspberry is the most festive! And not cookies, but this toffee recipe is fabulous and I intend to have it in my regular rotation! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107519 Fri Oct 20 14:40:49 -0700 2006 1959909 12813 Katie Nell 2 3123056 Katie, I cant get the lMartha Stewart ink to work- I know the post was last year so Im sure this must have something to do with it- I would love the recipe if you wouldnt mind posting! Thanks! Tue Nov 13 19:42:08 -0800 2007 1959967 53141 gastronomy 3 3124220 I've been having trouble with their links timing out lately, so I just paraphrased it. Cream Cookie Sandwich Hearts Makes 36 cookie sandwiches. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1 1/4 cups pink sanding sugar, for rolling (I just use regular granulated sugar) 3/4 cup red-currant jelly (I've used all kinds of red jams or jellies- red raspberry has been a favorite) Mix together flour, butter, cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Make 2 flat disks of the dough and chill, wrapped in plastic. Chill for 2 to 3 hours. Instead of flouring your work surface, sugar your work surface. Roll out the dough using one disk at a time to about an 1/8" thickness. Sugar your work surface and your cookies often to prevent sticking. The dough does soften quickly, so try to work quickly. Cut out in desired shapes- the original recipe uses hearts obviously. For some reason, intricate cookie cutters to do not work well, so I usually use just circles at Christmas time. Place cookies on a silpat-lined or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Chill cookies on cookie sheet again until firm. Bake cookies at 325 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Stir jelly or jam until smooth and spoon about a 1/2 teaspoon on one half of cookies, and sandwich with the other half. My notes: I've had luck with rolling the dough into balls, rolling in sugar, and then flattening with the bottom of the glass instead of going through the process of rolling them out. They don't seem to turn out quite as flaky, but works in a pinch. I've also made them with Splenda- it's a little harder to roll them out without sticking, but works well enough. I just used sugar free jam in that case. Wed Nov 14 08:44:31 -0800 2007 3123056 12813 Katie Nell 4 3124623 Thanks for this Katie, & for the notes re sugar-free cookies, this will come in handy. And thanks to gastronomy for opening up this thread again, very timely! Good recipe ideas here. Wed Nov 14 10:26:56 -0800 2007 3124220 20128 morebubbles 5 3125265 Thank you so much!!! These sound wonderful!!!!! :) The personal notes really help!!!! Wed Nov 14 12:57:17 -0800 2007 3124623 53141 gastronomy 1 1959968 I've been making a very rich butter-cream cheese cookie topped with half a marascino cherry for about 30+ years. The cookbook from which I got the recipe called them "Cherry Crowns (and they were topped with candied cherries); someone many many years ago christened them "Boob Cookies" instead, and so they have remained in my family. I also love to make some kind of pinwheel cookie - I've had a couple of recipes for raspberry or cherry and pistachio pinwheels, which are a festive and seasonal pink and green. I tried one recipe that was a 3-way pinwheel with chocolate, but found that the chocolate flavor overwhelmed the balance. The past couple of years I've also made a Christmasy biscotti recipe, with pistachios and almonds and dried cranberries and cherries. Fri Oct 20 14:41:38 -0700 2006 1959909 18512 Allstonian 2 1961623 I make a very rich butter and cream cheese cookie that gets dipped in pink glaze and sprinkled with red sugar. These were dubbed "Santa Balls" by my friends and that's what we still call them. In the past few years the pretzel logs I dip in homemade caramel, roll in chopped nuts and drizzle with chocolate have been getting more requests than cookies. My best friend calls these "kitty litter sticks" because I used to roll them in a mixture of chopped chocolate and peanut butter chips. They taste way better than they look. Fri Oct 20 23:34:16 -0700 2006 1959968 15882 PrincessBakesALot 3 2964952 Wow. Poor Santa really gives his all. Fri Sep 21 18:53:37 -0700 2007 1961623 60923 MobyRichard 4 3142956 Late reply, but this really made me laugh! Poor Santa. Tue Nov 20 12:39:13 -0800 2007 2964952 86642 MaryDC 1 1960004 Last year I made mini coconut macaroons with chocolate bottoms. They taste like a "Mounds" candy bar and they hold up nicely. Fri Oct 20 14:53:34 -0700 2006 1959909 19599 susan1353 2 1960014 Thanks for all of your replies ! if you happen to have a recipe, cookbook name or link handy, would you be so kind to post it? I'd appreciate that! Thanks in advance to my fellow cookie hounds. Fri Oct 20 14:59:13 -0700 2006 1960004 10885 OneJayneDoe 3 1960498 It just isn't Christmas around our house without making my Mom's sugar cookies. There are many recipes out there but they are best made with a secret ingredient, cream of tarter, which makes them light and helps the dough to rise. Our traditional cookie cutters include Christmas tree, star, Santa, bell, scalloped circle, etc., many of which I either inherited or bought at antique stores. It is always a family event to get four or five colors of icing going, with a table full of sprinkle bottles in all colors and varieties, cinnamon red hots, etc., and fingers all around dyed every color of the rainbow. We leave the decorated cookies out a full 24 hours to set, then stack them up by shape and put them (covered) in the cold storage room until I make up my plates of *goodies* to give to family, friends and co-workers. I also make orange balls, rocky road, almond joys, spiced nuts, gumdrop cookies and sundry other treats. Last year a big hit was *Midnight Rum Balls*, a recipe provided on Chowhound by our own anneinminneapolis. She is a sweetheart and I love her recipe. It is now included in the annual must-do list. Fri Oct 20 17:17:41 -0700 2006 1960014 13257 pilotgirl210 4 1962310 Pilotgirl, I'm flattered - and impressed - that you remembered the source for those Midnight Rum Balls almost a year later! I'm glad you liked them. I think they're originally from Women's Day magazine, back in the 80's. I'm so glad I posted the recipe, because I got all sorts of ideas for variations from many creative chowhounds, including you. Here are links for the recipe and some variations. Important: Note the recommendations for reducing the sogginess - it seems that oreo package sizes have been downsized since the recipe was first developed. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/281375#1497121 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/281923 Anne Sat Oct 21 07:22:22 -0700 2006 1960498 12541 AnneInMpls 5 1970080 Of course I'd remember the recipe came from you, Anne, as I also remember that you like Pink Squirrels almost as much as I do!......tee hee. We're from the same era and I consider you a cooking soulmate. Hmmmm.....drinking Pink Squirrels while making rum balls. Will have to do that this year! Tue Oct 24 23:21:04 -0700 2006 1962310 13257 pilotgirl210 6 1970755 Maybe drinking lots of Pink Squirrels would help develop a "pink squirrel" boozy cookie. Hey, that actually sounds pretty good - the drink ingredients combined with Nilla wafers and lots of powdered sugar... But this season, I'll think I'll be drinking "our" other favorite drink: Lemon Drops. Either that or my new favorite, Kaffir Lime Drops (see the Spirits board). Maybe I'll try baking some lime sugar cookies to go along with the drink. Best regards, Anne Wed Oct 25 05:35:30 -0700 2006 1970080 12541 AnneInMpls 7 1972058 Oh my gosh.......lemon drops. Soooo sinfully good! But of course I love to eat straight lemons, so there ya go. Will have to try the lime drops. Thanx for the heads-up! Wed Oct 25 18:55:39 -0700 2006 1970755 13257 pilotgirl210 1 1960028 A few very lucky friend get kifli. They are made with gobs of butter, sour cream, flour and a package of yeast. No sugar. They are rolled out in powdered sugar (horrible) and then filled with a little jam or fruit paste. Light, buttery, tender, crisp, with a sligh caramel edge from the exterior edge. They are my favorite cookie in the world. They are beyond delicous and everyone asks for them and I dread making them every year! Fri Oct 20 15:02:34 -0700 2006 1959909 10099 JudiAU 2 1960093 Would you mind sharing the recipe? I searched for one a little bit, but the recipes varied a lot and it was difficult to figure out which ones were the traditional recipe. It sounds slightly similar to the one I posted above. Fri Oct 20 15:21:31 -0700 2006 1960028 12813 Katie Nell 3 1964198 I have a stained 3x5 card with the ingredients only but here goes the instructions from memory. My family lost the real recipe about twenty years ago. Kifli (Czech variation) 4 cups of flour 4 egg yolks 1/2 pint sour cream 1 lb. of butter 1 package of yeast Proof yeast with a little warm water. Mix egg yolks and sour cream. Cream butter and alternate adding liquids and flour. Add yeast. Knead gently using as little flour as possible. Chill for at least an 1 hour or overnight. Cut into four pieces so can work with the dough more easily; chill the pieces you aren’t working with. The dough will look normal and good-tempered when you take it out of the refrigerator. You can roll the dough out in powdered sugar (difficult-lovely exterior), a mixture of powdered sugar (tolerable-nice exterior), or flour (easy-sad exterior). I suggest starting with a 50-50 ratio. The dough Roll out the dough—maybe 1/8 inch thick. Cut cookies 2 inches square. Fill each with about 1 tsp. conserves or fruit filing (Solo being a good choice—we use prune, apricot, poppy as well as raspberry jam). Chill briefly and bake? My guess is about 350/375 for 6 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on a rack. Enjoy. Sun Oct 22 17:52:35 -0700 2006 1960093 10099 JudiAU 4 1965980 Thank you so much... I'm in the mindset that everything tastes better with sour cream!! Mon Oct 23 16:33:08 -0700 2006 1964198 12813 Katie Nell 2 1960501 Judi, your kifli has yeast and sour cream? My recipe (from my former mother in law) has butter, cream cheese and flour in the dough...Huge pain to make. Beyond delicious. I fill some of mine with poppy seed or a walnut filling. Fri Oct 20 17:18:06 -0700 2006 1960028 26353 Elizzie 3 1964201 Cream cheese, i.e. Philadelphia, is mostly an american product, isn't it? I've always assumed that the cream cheese was a substitution for other ingredients like sour cream/farmer's cheese, cottage cheese, etc. that were harder to find in the U.S. Sun Oct 22 17:54:17 -0700 2006 1960501 10099 JudiAU 1 1960044 My mom would make snickerdoodles, with anise seed and rolled in cinnamon. She also loved the cookie-gun cookies, just for looks and ease of gifting. I also in the past have made kolacky, Polish crescents filled with nut or poppy seed or fruit jam, dusted w/powdered sugar. My version contained no yeast, and was mostly butter and cream cheese, very easy. This is close to what I remember (I used a pizza cutter after rolling the dough to make rectangles, filled one corner and rolled into crescents): http://www.recipezaar.com/76441 Fri Oct 20 15:07:42 -0700 2006 1959909 12858 Covert Ops 2 1966222 I just made snickerdoodles yesterday!! No anise seed, but definitely rolled in cinnamon sugar. Fun to make and a wonderful texture. These will be added to my list of must bakes for the hols. Mon Oct 23 17:44:05 -0700 2006 1960044 18154 prunefeet 3 1966512 Yeah, my mom has a habit of calling things by incorrect names -- I don't know if they were ACTUALLY snickerdoodles. But I know they contained partially-ground anise seeds -- not extract -- and I can't seem to find a rec around. Mon Oct 23 19:10:44 -0700 2006 1966222 12858 Covert Ops 3 1971027 That's a big sugar cookie type thing, no? http://insidewoodland.com/pictures/cookies/snickerdoodle.jpg Of course, it looks like a Pizza base there. TT Wed Oct 25 13:33:27 -0700 2006 1966222 19247 TexasToast 3 1991780 Actually, someone in another post just jogged my memory -- my mother did make snickerdoodles, but the anise cookies I'm thinking of are called biscochitos! :-D Thu Nov 02 17:57:23 -0800 2006 1966222 12858 Covert Ops 3 2099132 Snickerdoodles are awesome year round, but I love making them around Christmas, because they're so easy and simple and absolutely yummy... Thu Dec 14 15:09:08 -0800 2006 1966222 57787 cheeseonastick 1 1960097 Shortbread dipped in chocolate - Martha Stewarts recipe (although i'm searching for a new one) 3 Layer Bars Fudge Cinnamon sugar pecans Toffe - the kind made with Saltine Crackers (people go wild over those, that combo of sweet and salty!) http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Saltine-Toffee-Cookies/Detail.aspx Almond Candy Cane cookies (labor intensive but always a favorite) http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Candy-Cane-Cookies-I/Detail.aspx Fri Oct 20 15:23:26 -0700 2006 1959909 13924 mrsmegawatt 2 1962301 If you're looking for a shortbread variant with mix-ins, I highly recommend this recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies from the Food Network. I added dried cherries to the recipe, and it was amazing - people fought over these cookies! http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_30706_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html Anne Sat Oct 21 07:10:09 -0700 2006 1960097 12541 AnneInMpls 1 1960152 Holiday cookies have been in my brain the last few weeks, too! Close friends get Swedish Ginger or Sugar cookies- rolled paper thin and cut out in holiday shapes. Sugar cookies get only a dusting of colored sugar to not take away from the amazing taste! My family has also made: Polish tea cakes (butter thumbprints rolled in nuts w/ rasp jam) Nutmeg logs Lemon logs (lemon nut cookie dipped in dark chocolate) Growing up, my mom made literally thousands of cookies & froze them. We got to eat her delicious cookies from Thanksgiving thru March! I have followed her tradition, but only make a couple of varieties & double batches of those. Fri Oct 20 15:44:10 -0700 2006 1959909 39085 tall sarah 2 1970195 The lemon logs and Nutmeg logs sound good, I've never encountered anything like those, would you be willing to share the recipe? Thanks! Wed Oct 25 00:12:19 -0700 2006 1960152 10911 LisaN 1 1960156 Neopolitan (rainbow) cookies Linzer tarts Buried cherry cookies (like brownie, made with marischino juice. and marishino cherry on top, covered with fudge like icing) (got this out of a kids mag!) Peanut butter/rice krispie truffles Bourbon balls Pignolia cookies Almond crescents Bakery cookies (butter cookies sandwiched with jam, dipped in chocolate and sprinkles on one end, you know them!) Surprise cookies (made with a fun sized/miniature snickers bar wrapped in peanut butter cookie dough, it all melts together into layers of chocolate and caramel and nuts: my favorite) I have a big family and ship everyone cookies every year, so I have to make lots, takes a solid week but I'd rather do that than shop at the mall! Fri Oct 20 15:45:17 -0700 2006 1959909 11097 coll 1 1960186 I've taken over the family tradition by baking Candy Bar Cookies which were the 1962 Pillsbury Bake-Off Grand Prize Winner. A shortbread cookie, with a gooey caramel-pecan topping, with choclate on top of this, and finished off with a whole pecan. My mom made them every year. Very labor intensive, but well worth the time and effort. These only get made once a year at Christmas time, so they've always remained very special. Great given as a gift. I still have the original yellowed printing from Feb/'62 which I believe was printed in Parade magazine. Delicious!!! Fri Oct 20 15:52:10 -0700 2006 1959909 20762 Phoebe 2 1960849 http://www.pillsbury.com/bakeoff/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=10087 Fri Oct 20 18:43:05 -0700 2006 1960186 10817 BarefootandPregnant 3 1961810 The "original" ingredients vary from what is posted on the attached website. Sat Oct 21 00:27:24 -0700 2006 1960849 20762 Phoebe 1 1960196 I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but I made mini-loves of quickbreads one year (banana, apple and an irish sodabread) and everyone RAVED. They all loved fudge too (and I make the super-easy no frills microwave kind, not the real good stuff) Besides that, my cookie baking extravaganza includes: Chocolate chips White chocolate macadamia Spritz Oatmeal Rasin Rum Balls (I make them with Jack Daniels and call them Jack Daniels Balls!) Ginger Cookies (not snaps, but nice soft chewy ones) Chocolate Peanut butter Cup Cookies Pecan Sandies Hello Dolly bars Fri Oct 20 15:55:28 -0700 2006 1959909 12144 CeeBee 2 1965960 Could you please post a recipe for your Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies? I tasted one once and loved it - but I could never find the right chocolate cookie recipe to recreate. Mon Oct 23 16:28:00 -0700 2006 1960196 12037 Ida Red 1 1960233 I am so NOT a baker. However, last year I made these chewy ginger cookies which were a huge hit. I'm going to have to make double or triple batches this year. Even I adored them and I'm not a huge cookie fanatic. Be forewarned - the batter is VERY stiff - it was an arm breaker. I didn't own my stand mixer yet and it was NOT the kind of mixture you could use a electric beater with. But well worth the effort. This year - the Kitchen Aid will make it much easier. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/103156 Fri Oct 20 16:05:20 -0700 2006 1959909 12099 sivyaleah 2 1960304 I couldn't make it through the holidays without my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I'll be starting to make my cookies Thanksgiving week this year, I think. That makes me wonder, in your experience what doughs freeze better than others? Short term vs. longer? I only use butter and don't like (have no experience with, wouldn't go with) shortening based dough. Again, thank you! thank you! Fri Oct 20 16:28:15 -0700 2006 1960233 10885 OneJayneDoe 3 1960319 Hi Jayne, I guess you didn't read my post well enough - I said I don't bake LOL. I wouldn't know a thing about freezing dough - I'm a complete novice. In fact up until last year I never baked a cookied for Christmas. I'm Jewish, but married into an Italian family and it was my first dive into the cookie-making tradition. I'm happy I did since it was such a success and I intend to continue with it for now on. Fri Oct 20 16:31:29 -0700 2006 1960304 12099 sivyaleah 4 1960532 I'm so sorry! I apologize. I did read your post. My reply was to the posters in general if they freeze dough. Sorry! Glad to hear that you've joined the baking club. I hope that you enjoy it! Congratulations on your success! Fri Oct 20 17:24:36 -0700 2006 1960319 10885 OneJayneDoe 3 1960507 I freeze most doughs, EXCEPT oatmeal cookie dough. The oatmeal gets really soggy and the cookies lose their texture. Fri Oct 20 17:19:09 -0700 2006 1960304 13257 pilotgirl210 4 1960634 Yep, I'm amazed at how well doughs freeze... I just started experimenting with freezing dough last year. I always have something in the freezer: at the moment, chocolate chunk, m&m, and butterscotch white chocolate! Fri Oct 20 17:48:04 -0700 2006 1960507 12813 Katie Nell 5 1961212 Yummmm.....I'm coming to your house! Fri Oct 20 20:34:41 -0700 2006 1960634 13257 pilotgirl210 5 1970384 do you tend to freeze the dough as a big bulk, or pre-shape the cookies then freeze? how do you package it? Wed Oct 25 01:38:50 -0700 2006 1960634 11128 pamd 6 1970961 I pre-shape the cookies, either cut-outs or balls or whatever, put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer, and then once they get hard, I put them in ziploc bags. I'm amazed at how this has changed my baking for events and such... I'm no longer baking at midnight to bring cookies to work the next day! Wed Oct 25 12:59:46 -0700 2006 1970384 12813 Katie Nell 3 2964915 I have not had a problem freezing any of my cookie dough. What I do, is make the dough, make each cookie, put them on a silpat on a cookie sheet in the freezer. When they are frozen, I take them off the cookie sheet and put them in a freezer bag. That way I always have a supply of cookies ready to bake, be it one or two dozen. Fri Sep 21 18:35:50 -0700 2007 1960304 115579 Mother of four 1 1960324 I make springerle and pfefferneuse, several kinds of biscotti, and a rich slice-and-bake butter cookie with pistachios and dried cherries. Also several kinds of fudge, with both white and dark chocolate. Fri Oct 20 16:32:00 -0700 2006 1959909 14164 sheiladeedee 1 1960478 I have a dark chocolate with mint icing drop cookie that is very popular. Bisciotti are always popular Shortbread is a holiday standard sugar cookies Rugulach or other similar eastern European cookies made with a cream cheese dough. Danish wedding cookies oatmeal-butterscotch and chocolate chip cookies. Linzer cookies sour cream drop cookies. rum balls Fruitcake! Fri Oct 20 17:12:12 -0700 2006 1959909 22220 Kelli2006 2 2081992 Could you post your recipe or a link to your dark chocolate with mint icing drop cookie? Thanks, it sounds fabulous! Fri Dec 08 17:25:01 -0800 2006 1960478 58309 KellyC 3 2106488 I second that request! Chocolate and mint is one of my favorite combos! Sun Dec 17 03:13:46 -0800 2006 2081992 58027 Aloo0628 1 1960489 Last year a friend of mine baked about a dozen different kinds of cookies. The ones I liked the best were the Italian cookies that have several layers and are rectangular, chocolate, green, and pink. Some of which have marzipan mixed in. Fri Oct 20 17:16:39 -0700 2006 1959909 23824 niki rothman 2 1960513 Are those the ones that have the chocolate coating on the outside? If someone has a recipie for those (I know them as petit fours, but maybe they have a different name?) I would LOVE to get my hands on that. I adore them! Fri Oct 20 17:20:27 -0700 2006 1960489 12099 sivyaleah 3 1960662 aka neopolitan or rainbow cookies. There were a few recipes posted a couple of months back. I make them every year, it's not much harder than making a three layer cake, except for the cutting of all the little pieces at the end.. If you can't find the recipe, let me know, I have to run to my office now but I can post tonight (it's pretty long). Fri Oct 20 17:56:31 -0700 2006 1960513 11097 coll 4 1960709 No, don't bother if it's long. I can do a search online now that I know what they are called. Thanks! Fri Oct 20 18:08:28 -0700 2006 1960662 12099 sivyaleah 5 1961500 I also make rainbow cookies every year, and I use the recipe from epicurious. I think they turn out well, and I always get compliments. Another holiday staple for me is fudge, I make it every year. The rest of the cookies depends on how much time I have and what I feel like making that year. Fri Oct 20 22:27:48 -0700 2006 1960709 11327 lizzy 6 1962480 Here's the recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102755 They're a little time-consuming, but not difficult. They taste great and are special because most people wouldn't even think of making them at home. Sat Oct 21 14:10:19 -0700 2006 1961500 12233 Pia 1 1961855 Biscotti - at least 4 varieties with various dips - most popular The peanut butter cookies with the caramel and dark chocolate hersheys kisses Fruitcake drop cookies -I'll dig out the recipe if anyone wants it. Rugulach thumbprints with meyer lemon ginger marmalade Dang, it's already time to start planning...... Sat Oct 21 00:50:09 -0700 2006 1959909 10784 Scrapironchef 2 1962373 Yes. Fruitcake Drop Cookies sound great! I love fruitcake, now maybe I can trick everyone else into eating some. Sat Oct 21 11:31:51 -0700 2006 1961855 11097 coll 2 2029772 I'm making rainbow cookies for the first time this year(recipe from allrecipes.com)any tips? hope I can pull it off. I bake all kinds of cookies for christmas every year adding new ones here and there. I would love to have a biscotti recipe made with almonds and cinnamon if you know of any, also I love rugulach and would love a recipe for that. Also could anyone tell me how long cookies will stay fresh, I am always baking at the last minute so no gets stale cookies. Thanks for all the help! What I'm baking this year: Chocolate crinkle cookies Cream cheese spice cookies Peanutbutter kisses Thumbprints w/raspberry and apricot Tea tassies and hopefully/biscotti & rainbow cookies Fri Nov 17 15:35:36 -0800 2006 1961855 53843 kat222 2 2060558 Scrapironchef--I found this site by googling for Woman's Day Fruitcake cookie recipe. It seems that you might be the only person that has this recipe! I have made them for years but now my recipe is in storage and here I am with a big thing of candied fruit and a bottle of brandy, craving a cookie! Sure hope you can help. Thanks so much. Fri Dec 01 01:45:00 -0800 2006 1961855 56831 jeanneb 1 1961884 These are all sounding so good. My usual for exchanges is Russian tea cakes [Mexican wedding]. Years ago I did make some candy cane cookies, twisting a red and a plain dough log together into the shape of candy canes. Sat Oct 21 01:03:48 -0700 2006 1959909 15667 himbeer 1 1961914 I told my husband I started my Christmas shopping today. There was a sale at the local grocery store on sugar so I bought 20 pounds! I make both cookies and candies. For cookies several I make every year are: Champagnebrod-a press cookie filled with apricot jam (Gourmet Dec 1975) lemon stars-lemon butter cookies filled with lemon curd (Cooks Illustrated basic cookie dough) apricot foldovers-cream cheese dough filled with dried apricots (Ladies Home Journal Dec 75) craisin pistachio biscotti macademia lime cookies (Nick Malgeri' Cookies Unlimited) For candies (all from Better than Store Bought by Helen Witty & Elizabeth Schneider): lemon, orange & grapefruit rinds almond buttercrunch white chocolate, craisin, pistachio bark vats of caramel corn Sat Oct 21 01:33:29 -0700 2006 1959909 11076 AGM_Cape_Cod 2 1962315 AGM_Cape_Cod, you were kind enough to post your lemon stars recipe last year, and it's wonderful! I made them last winter, and they were a huge hit. Better yet, the recipe makes tons, so the investment in time and effort was worth it. Here's a link to that recipe, for others who think this cookie sounds interesting (go for it - they're great!) http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/281376#1497303 Anne Sat Oct 21 07:29:11 -0700 2006 1961914 12541 AnneInMpls 3 1962372 Ditto, it's going to be an annual recipe for me. Sat Oct 21 11:30:42 -0700 2006 1962315 11097 coll 2 2105434 I really really want to make the lemon stars but I'm concerned about the lemon curd. Will these have to be refrigerated? I don't want to give anyone the gift of food poisoning for christmas. Sat Dec 16 17:50:28 -0800 2006 1961914 60151 ktm 3 2105867 I don't know if I should admit this, but I use prepared lemon curd, Stonewall Kitchen I think it's called, the reason I first made these cookies is because I had a jar of it I wanted to use up somehow. The cookies are in my garage now and although it's in the 50s this year, I'm definitely not worried. No one got sick last year. Sat Dec 16 21:13:02 -0800 2006 2105434 11097 coll 1 1962092 I make Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies, also known as the Chocolate Cookies of Doom, adapted from Maida Heatter: DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 6 oz. semisweet chocolate 2 tbsp. (1 oz.) butter 1/4 c. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt 2 eggs 3/4 c. sugar 2 tsp. ground coffee 1/2 tsp. vanilla 6 oz. chocolate chips 8 oz. walnut pieces (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. Line cookie sheet with foil; oil lightly. (Or just use a non-stick cookie sheet, or--my preference--a silicone sheet such as Silpat.) 3. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water; stir until completely mixed and smooth. 4. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. 5. Beat eggs with sugar, coffee, and vanilla on high speed; reduce speed and add melted chocolate. 6. Add dry ingredients; stir just until blended. Add chips and nuts. 7. Spoon onto cookie sheet; bake 8 minutes or just until tops are dry. (Caution: these burn easily.) Sat Oct 21 03:53:57 -0700 2006 1959909 17327 rootlesscosmo 2 2106432 There was a similar recipe a few years back on Food Network's 12 days of cookies. Instead of walnuts I do pecans and the FN recipe also adds white chocolate chips. It's almost too much -- one cookie will do ya (in). Sun Dec 17 02:36:22 -0800 2006 1962092 11729 kivarita 1 1962318 peanut butter cookies with a hershey kiss smooshed in the center. Sat Oct 21 07:34:35 -0700 2006 1959909 12078 rebs 1 1962350 The family Christmas tradition is bratzeli. This is a Swiss cookie, made in a bratzeli iron, which presses out the lacy-patterned cookies, 4 at a time. Roll up 4 balls of dough, put in the hot iron, press down the top. Sssszzz. Remove and repeat -- for the next hour or two. When a girl in the family came of age, she got her own bratzeli iron. Sat Oct 21 10:17:16 -0700 2006 1959909 13619 Sharuf 2 1971097 there is an italian version of these cookies called pizzelles--which I make every year (and when I got married, I got my own iron!) They are a bit labor intensive (standing there while each cookie bakes) but SOOOOO worth it! Wed Oct 25 14:01:11 -0700 2006 1962350 26918 lotus_blossom 2 2078541 Would you please let me know where you got your bratzeli iron. Thanks so much. you can e-mail kyleckelly@earthlink.net Thu Dec 07 16:52:32 -0800 2006 1962350 58309 KellyC 1 1962740 For something fruity.. Apricot Cups (placed inside of mini cupcake tins) 2 oz bittersweet chocolate 24 dried apricots 1 Tbsp chopped pistachios Microwave the chocolate on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through until completely melted. Dip the apricots halfway into the chocolate. Let the excess drip off. Place the apricots onto wax paper. Sprinkle the pistachios over the chocolate-covered portions, and place them in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set. Makes 8 servings Sat Oct 21 17:18:43 -0700 2006 1959909 36312 HillJ 1 1963550 I've made all kinds over the years, because I like old favorites, but I also always like to try something new, and there are so many tempting cookie recipes out there. But the one that has gotten more raves than any other from the first time I made them is a fruit florentine - a buttery almond florentine with golden raisins and dried cranberries, drizzled with bittersweet chocolate. They don't freeze, but they keep for a couple of weeks, so I've still been able to make and mail them long distance without going crazy. I also love these chocolate, hazelnut, and ginger biscotti, and so does everyone who gets them: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102709 Sun Oct 22 03:25:12 -0700 2006 1959909 10074 Caitlin McGrath 1 1963783 gingerbread cookies Sun Oct 22 08:49:26 -0700 2006 1959909 29331 pancake 1 1963912 I will usually do peanut butter blossoms and a sweet and savory biscotti for gift giving. However, I have to hand it to my mom who still makes an assortment of cookies that she gives to her 3 girls to then give away as gifts as well (of course, we certainly keep some for ourselves too!). Mexican Wedding Cookies Persimmon Cookies Date Bars Italian Anise Cookies (not biscotti) Chocolate Crackles Lemon Icebox Cookies and it's not a cookie, but Fudge Thanks Mom!! Sun Oct 22 14:29:17 -0700 2006 1959909 33941 rosielucchesini 2 1964059 I love Date Bars and have been unable to find a receipe that replicates the ones of my childhood. Please post yours! Thank you. Sun Oct 22 16:30:19 -0700 2006 1963912 18889 Tinitime 1 1964312 Some great ideas here. I plan to start an annual cookie/candy holiday tradition to send to friends and family. We just moved away, so all packages will need to be sent via mail across country. I am not really a baker, so could someone give me some guidelines on the following: *What kind of timeline should I give myself for completion of cookies, being sent, eaten. (ie - how perishable are cookies/candies in general, especially if being sent) *Freezer guidelines? (Put dough in freezer or can you put some completed items in freezer) *Any recipes that are not recommended for longevity? *How do you usually send via mail? Thanks in advance! Sun Oct 22 18:55:36 -0700 2006 1959909 20603 akp 2 1964533 Nothing against the USPS, but also consider Fedex or UPS, you can track them from the minute you ship and they're a little better with the guaranteed delivery. From someone with lots of experience shipping holiday cookies. You can do 1 day, 2 day, 3 day, whatever suits your fancy. Sun Oct 22 21:30:09 -0700 2006 1964312 11097 coll 3 1966077 You can track with USPS as well - just have to choose it if you're shipping Parcel Select or however you're shipping (not all USPS shipping allows tracking, however). And I'd take the USPS over UPS any day in the reliability of shipping. UPS is an absolute nightmare if you have a claim issue. Just my experience. Mon Oct 23 17:06:01 -0700 2006 1964533 10532 LindaWhit 4 1967323 I mostly do Fedex, especially because they're about 3 minutes from home (across from PO). No complaints at all. I've never been able to get tracking from the Post Office, except actual delivery confirmation when using Priority or first class, not that I ever had an actual delivery issue. They admitted to me if you pay extra for confirmation or whatnot, the package gets special service. Mon Oct 23 23:44:27 -0700 2006 1966077 11097 coll 2 1966038 Depending on the type of cookie you are making you can make & freeze up to 3 months ahead of time. I actually have 3 types of chocolate chip cookies in my freezer right now. I roll them in parchment & slice & bake when I'm ready. Also shortbread freezes well. For shaped cookies I roll, cut & freeze them. I'll layer them between parchment paper & store them in a rectangular tupperware. I send via 2 day mail. If I have truffles or some kind of ganache or moist filled cookie, I'll ship overnight. Mon Oct 23 16:56:54 -0700 2006 1964312 15755 sugarbuzz 3 1981099 You can freeze already-baked cookies, too. For years (at least 20), my mother has been cooking and freezing 15-20 different kinds of cookies up to 3 months in advance of her big holiday party. She wraps them with wax paper between layers in airtight plastic containers or in zipper-locked plastic bags inside the plastic lining and cardboard of empty cereal boxes (which she saves for this purpose) that are taped shut and labeled. On the day she needs them, she just takes everything out of the freezer to defrost several hours in advance. I have eaten so many of her cookies that I can attest to the fact that most bar and drop cookies taste wonderful even after having been frozen for a couple of months! Sun Oct 29 19:06:16 -0800 2006 1966038 29608 Neuromancer 4 1983614 This is what I have been doing!! Mon Oct 30 20:39:46 -0800 2006 1981099 18154 prunefeet 1 1964344 I've made a zillion over the years. The ones our family loves most are my *intensely-clove-tasting* spice cookies (a very good palate cleanse!). (Although, I do love my rosemary shortbread cookies, and many love my Blackberry-Sage Thumbprints.) Sun Oct 22 19:15:32 -0700 2006 1959909 10309 Funwithfood 2 2106443 Hey Funwithfood, Love anything with cloves, could you share recipe or link to recipe for the "intensely-clove-tasting" spice cookies? Thanks...Tim Sun Dec 17 02:43:44 -0800 2006 1964344 28933 twh1475 3 2107148 Sorry Tim--haven't been around lately...here it is: Refreshingly Spicy Spice Cookies 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1/2 cup dark molasses 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs -- room temperature 5 1/2 cups flour 3 teaspoons baking soda 3 tablespoons cinnamon 2 tablespoons ground ginger 3 tablespoons ground cloves 3 teaspoons ground mace 3 teaspoons kosher salt -- (or 1 1/2 tsp reg.) Sugar Topping 1/2 cup sugar Note: Prepare dough ahead--needs to chill overnight. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the oil, molasses, 2 cups sugar, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, and salt; stir to combine. Add this dry mixture to the wet mixture in thirds. Mix until well combined. Chill the dough overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or Silpat mats). Form dough into 1 1/2-inch round balls and roll in the sugar to coat completely. Place the balls 3-inches apart onto the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops crack over then entire top. Cool on racks then store in a sealed container. Makes 5 dozen. NOTES : These are very "clovey" and deliciously spicy! (Freeze beautifully!) Sun Dec 17 16:06:17 -0800 2006 2106443 10309 Funwithfood 1 1964934 I make very tasty small cookies with sun-dried strawberries, white chocolate and candied lime peel-all the traditional candy cane colors! Mon Oct 23 01:43:07 -0700 2006 1959909 16797 bogie 1 1964982 Wow, great cookie list. I like to make these stained glass cookies: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe1830174&contentGroup=MSL&site=living They are a little odd to eat, but they look really pretty on a tray of mixed cookies. I'm going to try to add more candies to my mix this year. Mon Oct 23 02:22:20 -0700 2006 1959909 11798 MollyGee 1 1965567 My favorite gift to make is a round of shortbread baked from a beautiful thistle-design shortbread mold and cut in eight wedges. I put it on a scalloped 10" cake board and wrap it in red cellophane folded in pleats all toward the center. I love how shortbread just improves with two or three weeks' aging, so I can make this ahead of time. Question for all you givers of cookies: Do you give one kind of cookie, or do you give a variety in one container? If the latter, how do you keep the different scents from infusing all the cookies, and the crsip cookies from getting softened by the moist cookies? Mon Oct 23 14:06:45 -0700 2006 1959909 39701 browniebaker 2 1968056 Last year I gave them out on a large plate in a single layer. I let the recipient sort it out. My sister wraps them individually in colored plastic wrap tied w/ bright ribbon or colorful metallic twist ties. Tue Oct 24 05:19:59 -0700 2006 1965567 11798 MollyGee 3 1968171 I love the way all the different cookies, with all the different colors, look together on one big platter. I keep everything out in the garage until I give them away, it's pretty cold out there this time of year, and never noticed flavors "infusing" one another (I doubt anyone else would either, they usually just inhale them anyway!) Tue Oct 24 09:20:25 -0700 2006 1968056 11097 coll 2 1974314 For this years gifts, I've purchased individual clear party bags that I will put into decorated (hand stamped) gift bags with tissue and tags. I'll wrap the cookies when they're cool, then package them for each recipient. Each person on the list gets a different assortment, depending on their favorites. Thu Oct 26 16:14:54 -0700 2006 1965567 10885 OneJayneDoe 2 2113655 I give a variety of cookies, usually 4-7 or so, depending on how much baking time I've had that year. I use either cellophane bags, or plates wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon like a basket. I try not to do anything too moist, though this year I did Christmas brownies. My solution is to pack the cookies at the last moment, and then usually people just eat them right away. This year I made raspberry pecan thumbprints (a Martha Stewart recipe from her Christmas book, and one of my all-time top 5 favorites) Wienerstube (a Maida recipe, also top 5, a dark chocolate refrigerator cookie that's both spicy and peppery, an acquired taste but wonderful. I use black cocoa like for Oreos, and my vintage heart molds. I've also made Martha Stewart's chocolate pepper cookies, which were a bit hit with the relatives. One insisted I make them again the following Christmas, hinting strongly that she might not be around to eat them if I waited longer <g>) Christmas brownies (also Maida Heatter, variation by me with red candied cherries and candied pineapple this year). These seem to be the people's choice this year ;) lemon-pistachio from the current Martha Stewart Living When I have more time I also do a biscotti, I think chocolate-pecan are the best I ever made (the cookie that got me an unsolicited job offer as a pastry chef) I've also made Neapolitans, they're beautiful in the assortment Also checkerboards, but the recipe I used wasn't very tasty unfortunately Gingerbread with springerle molds (Saveur recipe) etc. Tue Dec 19 20:02:46 -0800 2006 1965567 19108 foiegras 1 1965581 I was gonna ay shortbread, but then I read biscotti. How about some marbled vanilla-chocolate shortbread? TT Mon Oct 23 14:14:09 -0700 2006 1959909 19247 TexasToast 1 1965700 I don't bake as much as I used to, but one of the family favorites is something called Orange-Spice Chewies...my late stepfather would hoard these as they were his favorite. A very easy recipe to make - lots of ginger (I think <g>), and no butter in the recipe, just oil, then formed into balls and rolled in a sugar/dried orange peel mixture. I don't have the recipe with me, but can post it later tonight if anyone wants. Mon Oct 23 15:04:40 -0700 2006 1959909 10532 LindaWhit 2 1965920 Sounds delicious. Would love the recipe if it's not too much trouble. TIA Mon Oct 23 16:15:16 -0700 2006 1965700 11004 SLO 3 1967159 Here you go, SLO. And that "1 tsp." of ground ginger? I usually make it at least 2 tsp. :-) This is just the way the recipe was originally written (and for the life of me, I cannot remember where I got it - I believe some magazine of my mother's from the 1970s.) Orange-Spice Chewies Serving Size : 24 3/4 cup sugar 3 Tbsp dried grated orange peel 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup salad oil 1/4 cup light molasses 1/4 cup honey 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground ginger 3/4 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp salt 1 egg Into a large bowl, measure 1/2 cup sugar, 1 T. grated orange peel, and remaining ingredients. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well blended, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. In a shallow bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and remaining grated orange peel. Preheat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured surface, with lightly floured hands, shape about 1 1/2 T. of dough into a ball (mixture will be sticky); roll ball in sugar mixture and place on large ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar mixture to make about 24 balls in all, placing balls about 3 inches apart on cookie sheets. (I've found that if you bake 9 cookies per sheet, they won't run into each other.) Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are browned and edges are firm (rotate racks in oven halfway through baking time). Remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Store cookies in tightly covered container. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 151 Calories; 7g Fat (42.0% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 9mg Cholesterol; 132mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates. NOTES : The first time my stepfather tasted these he said he didn't want any other cookie at Christmas! (Well, he did try all the others, but he kept coming back to these!) They're definitely not the traditional Christmas cookie, but they've become so in my family. Mon Oct 23 22:35:47 -0700 2006 1965920 10532 LindaWhit 4 1968252 Thanks so much... I know what I'm doing tonight when I get home from work! Tue Oct 24 12:25:31 -0700 2006 1967159 11004 SLO 2 1972139 These sound fabulous and I want try them. Possibly a stupid question, but where do you buy dried orange peel, or do you make it yourself? Thanks - Wed Oct 25 19:13:59 -0700 2006 1965700 11604 mohotta 3 1972330 Any supermarket will have them - usually the choice is Spice Islands or McCormicks in my local Stop & Shop. When I'm making these cookies, I usually buy 2 bottles at a time, so I don't run out. Also wondering if SLO got a chance to make them a few nights ago and if they were liked! No hard feelings if they weren't. :-) Wed Oct 25 20:09:59 -0700 2006 1972139 10532 LindaWhit 4 1975354 Actually couldn't find dried orange peel, went to three supermarkets. Thought about using fresh, but decided to look in a few more markets over the weekend. I will report back! Thanks Thu Oct 26 20:54:28 -0700 2006 1972330 11004 SLO 5 1975526 You can also order dried orange peel from Penzey's. Thu Oct 26 21:38:42 -0700 2006 1975354 10189 celeste 6 1976128 I will be in Grand Central Station tomorrow and I think there is a Penzey's in the food hall. Need more instant gratification than snail mail! Thanks Fri Oct 27 01:52:37 -0700 2006 1975526 11004 SLO 1 1965891 Does anyone have a recipe for these: white chocolate chip w/ cranberries and brandy? Mon Oct 23 16:08:22 -0700 2006 1959909 11227 nissenpa 1 1965918 one of my favorite standbys is the toffee cookie recipe from the Silver Palate cookbook. my mom always made it when i was growing up and they just taste like the holidays to me! and everyone i've ever shared them with has gone crazy for them. they're basically a buttery, brown-sugary, toffee cookie base covered with dark chocolate and pecans. they're a bar cookie, so it's easy to make large batches and i cut them into triangles because 1) they look so pretty and 2) that's how my mom always did it! Mon Oct 23 16:14:47 -0700 2006 1959909 12845 funkymonkey 2 1965976 Those sound amazing... I searched online for the recipe to no avail, but just added it to my check out list at the library! Mon Oct 23 16:32:21 -0700 2006 1965918 12813 Katie Nell 1 1965931 Growing up in New Jersey and still today it has always been: Spritz cookies (died green pressed out into Christmas tree shapes with a little piece of candied cherry on top) Chocolate Shortbread Logs (shortbread dipped in chocolate) Kourambiedes (Greek butter cookies dusted with confectioner's sugar). These days I add on to the list, a new favorite is Cranberry Cookies with Orange glaze and a Chocolate-macaroon type of cookie with rum soaked raisins (a good keeper I found out) Mon Oct 23 16:20:38 -0700 2006 1959909 12037 Ida Red 1 1966009 I usually go over the top with my holiday cookies..but I'm toning it down this year due to the fact that I can't afford to send out so many packages to friends that have spread out all over the U.S. Some of these are from The Good Cookie by Tish Boyle. I highly recommend this book for all of your holiday baking. Everything I've made from this book has turned out great. She even has cat & dog treats. There are also some great tips on how to package & send your cookies. Like package your crisp & soft cookies separately so that the crisp cookies don't absorb any of the moisture from the other cookies. pb cocolate chip brownies with some macerated tart dried charries pecan tassies whoopie pies thumbprints(apricot & rasp) chestnut honey madelines ginger shortbread earl grey shortbread lemon cormeal cookies cranberry rugelach fig pillows Mon Oct 23 16:47:17 -0700 2006 1959909 15755 sugarbuzz 2 1966051 Fig pillows? The name alone is intriguing. What are those? Mon Oct 23 17:00:29 -0700 2006 1966009 12099 sivyaleah 3 1966114 It's from the book I mentioned. It's somewhat like a fig newton. A cinnamon dough filled with a dried fig filling. The dried figs are cooked in some water, lemon juice,brandy,sugar,cinnnamon..etc It's then pureed & spooned onto a rectangular piece of dough..folded up & baked seam side down. It is then sliced like a biscotti. A really great recipe. Mon Oct 23 17:14:27 -0700 2006 1966051 15755 sugarbuzz 4 1971036 Sounds like a stuffed Beignet, only baked and not fried. TT Wed Oct 25 13:35:55 -0700 2006 1966114 19247 TexasToast 5 1972345 No it's very cookie like. More like a stuffed biscotti. Wed Oct 25 20:14:29 -0700 2006 1971036 15755 sugarbuzz 2 1966085 Oooh - could you please post the ginger shortbread recipe? Mon Oct 23 17:07:02 -0700 2006 1966009 10532 LindaWhit 3 1966155 http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/lem_gin_shortbread.html Mon Oct 23 17:25:36 -0700 2006 1966085 15755 sugarbuzz 4 1966209 Oh they DO look good! Thanks! Mon Oct 23 17:41:21 -0700 2006 1966155 10532 LindaWhit 2 1987241 Chestnut honey madelienes sound amazing. Would you be able to post your recipe (or your source?). Thanks! I make: fingerklatchen (almond thumbprint with red currant jelly) springerles peanut/chocolate/butterscotch clusters Welch cookies (made on a griddle with currants) ginger chocolate chip cookies sugar cut-outs Wed Nov 01 00:04:54 -0800 2006 1966009 36325 Procrastibaker 1 1970460 i usually go overboard and end up baking for days... i like to make: alfajores pistachio brittle mexican wedding cookies fudge- hazelnut or keylime white chocolate brownies chocolate truffles (various fillings) maamoul (middle eastern date filled shortbread) walnut baklava this year i will add the kosher butter crunch recipe i found on chowhound (SOOO GOOD) Wed Oct 25 02:15:55 -0700 2006 1959909 17067 junglekitte 1 1971066 Has anyone seen the new Fine Cooking magazine (December) that features their best cookies from the past 12 years? They look great. I'd be interested if anyone has made any of them. Here is their list: 1994: Almond Biscotti 1995: Raspberry Bars 1996: Cocoa Walnut Butter Cookies 1997: Coffee Thins 1998: Toasted Almond Butter Thins 1999: Blondies 2000: Sugar Cookies (layered with jam) 2001: Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 2002: Chewy Cranberry-Oatmeal Cookies 2003: Orange-Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies 2004: Chocolate Chunk Cookies 2005: Double-Ginger Crackles Wed Oct 25 13:46:59 -0700 2006 1959909 20603 akp 1 1976329 shorbread always and forever: chocolate(with brown sugar, cocoa AND unsweetened chocolate) brown sugar shorbread (with dried cherries and pecans) last year i added an almond flavored rolled cookie made with confectioners sugar, sandwiched with ganache. this year, i'm trying a new recipe for ginger chewies. Fri Oct 27 03:55:42 -0700 2006 1959909 11324 wonderwoman 2 2130275 Could you please share the recipe for the brown sugar shortbread. I have been looking for a recipe with dried cherries and pecans for a long time. Thanks Wed Dec 27 01:38:11 -0800 2006 1976329 62097 paprkutr 1 1981115 I had no clue what to bake this year for family, friends or community volunteers. My thanks to the OP for setting this thread in motion and all the baking suggestions put forward. My contribution if you enjoy pineapple and chewy cookies: PINEAPPLE DROP COOKIES 1 c. butter, softened 2 c. sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 4 1/2 c. flour 1/2 tsp. soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 1 c. crushed pineapple, drained Cream butter, sugar and eggs in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Drop by teaspoonful on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Yields: 72 servings. Sun Oct 29 19:18:27 -0800 2006 1959909 36312 HillJ 1 1981347 Nothing says Christmas to me like a Pepperkaka cookie. I grew up with these and now I make them. It is a spicy (cardamon/ginger/clove or all spice) crisp cookie. Love them. Sun Oct 29 22:04:38 -0800 2006 1959909 48330 juliebird 2 1987247 Oooh. These are yummy. My Danish in-laws make them too. I like to eat mine as a cracker with sharp cheese (had them this way in Sweden). Wed Nov 01 00:06:41 -0800 2006 1981347 36325 Procrastibaker 1 1983823 Hi, This thread is full of great suggestions (and it's good to know there are so many manic holiday bakers out there, so I'm not alone). I'd just add a couple of choices that have been big hits with my friends and family: Cherry Almond Biscotti (a Martha stewart living recipe) Cranberry Pistachio Cornmeal biscotti (ditto) Also, Real Simple has a wonderful recipe for gingersnaps made with an unusually wide array of spices and a big hit of chopped candied ginger. We have taken to called them "Turbo Snaps" in our house--they have a great chewy texture if you don't overbake them, and one batch makes 6 dozen, which is handy for quantity baking. My hands-down favorite cookie involves two rounds of delicate, walnut dough (like shortbread but lighter and flakier) sandwiched around raspberry or apricot jam and topped with zigzags of chocolate. This is an old Washington Post recipe that I managed to hang on to. All my East European friends claim it's authentically from *their* home country, which must say something. Mon Oct 30 21:45:50 -0800 2006 1959909 14929 lisacs 2 2080302 Any chance you'd be willing to share the recipe for the Washington Post sandwich cookie? It sounds luscious! Thanks. Fri Dec 08 00:03:13 -0800 2006 1983823 19653 mimilulu 1 1994026 I'm of midwestern stock, and I make a lot of really basic cookies every year. They don't sound as exciting as some of your recipes! Many are my mother's recipes that she's been using for years. This year I want to branch out a little more and try some new recipes for my friends, so this thread has been great. I have a too-long list of what I'd like to make, but the "regulars" that I can't imagine not making again this year are: Snickerdoodles (from Mom's 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook) Double-Nut Chocolate Chip (based on a "Mrs. Fields" recipe) Deluxe Sugar Cookies (from Betty Crocker) Spritz cookies Monster cookies (oatmeal, pb, choc chips, M&M's) mini "Oreo" cookies (from a retro desserts cookbook, discussed in another thread) Brownie cookies Cranberry-Pecan bars Fri Nov 03 14:00:12 -0800 2006 1959909 29608 Neuromancer 2 2024702 Yes, I love the more exotic stuff, but you can't beat the classics. Snickerdoodles are one of my great 70s childhood food memories. I make them now for my daughter's more finicky friends--no one can resist! Can you point me to the mini "Oreo" thread? That sounds like fun... Wed Nov 15 21:22:47 -0800 2006 1994026 14929 lisacs 3 2032639 Sure. It's: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/330287 Sat Nov 18 19:09:25 -0800 2006 2024702 29608 Neuromancer 1 2033163 I make something I call Oreo Truffles, but I think the original recipe was called Coated Cookie Drops. It's finely crushed oreos and cream cheese, rolled into balls and coated with chocolate. I usually dip some in white chocolate, some in dark and some in milk, then drizzle red and green candy coating on them. (I change the colors if I do it for other holidays.) Sun Nov 19 01:44:45 -0800 2006 1959909 53971 momjamin 1 2033183 I make cookies that look like little christmas mice. I took my favorite cream cheese sugar cookie and added some unsweetened cocoa to the recipe. Roll into a small (1") ball and form into an egg shape. Take sliced almonds and press into the top for the ears. Bake ~12 minutes. Immediately insert a mini candy cane - straight end into the cookie- into the fatter end to make the "tail." Let cool. when cool use white decoratator icing to make eyes. Put a dot on the "nose" and place one red hot candy for the nose. They are so cute!! Sun Nov 19 02:02:53 -0800 2006 1959909 12088 Jcooks 2 2081538 This sounds absolutely adorable, and I think I just found a project for my friends' kids the next time I go over and visit for the day so their parents can Xmas shop! Fri Dec 08 15:12:21 -0800 2006 2033183 56793 ballulah 1 2061188 I've had to adjust my Christmas cooking making due to my childrens' nut and peanut allergies, which means no more peanut butter cookies, no more 7 layer bars (unless I delete the walnuts), etc. Here is my humble repertoire of Christmas cookies, et al: Oatmeal chocolate chip Snickerdoodles (of course!) Lemon bars (from Rose Beranbaum's cookie book) If I'm feeling extra ambitious (not in recent years) I'll make the chocolate orange bars instead Joe's Froggers (from CH's own galleygirl, with the spices doubled) Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/288850?query=joe+cookies&user_name=galleygirl Penuche from Gourmet's big yellow cookbook Fri Dec 01 11:20:14 -0800 2006 1959909 29916 Kiyah 1 2078564 Every year I make Greek butter cookies, my version come out like little snowballs that taste like less sweet Pecan Sandies. And I have a friend who lives in the Dominican Republic who begs me to send him my gingerbread and nothing but my gingerbread. My mother has these spice drop cookies with an orange glaze that everyone loves when I include them in my gift tins. And it's not Xmas for me without Christmas Cake Cookies. Lots of bourbon soaked dried fruit, candied cherries and dense spice cake. No one likes Fruit Cake, but everyone loves these cookies. Thu Dec 07 16:57:54 -0800 2006 1959909 56793 ballulah 2 2078586 I've been trying to find a recipe for Fruitcake Cookies! Do you mind sharing? Thu Dec 07 17:03:06 -0800 2006 2078564 11097 coll 3 2081519 I will go and look for it tonight! It's a coveted recipe my mother has had for 30+ years. Fri Dec 08 15:05:26 -0800 2006 2078586 56793 ballulah 2 2081150 Would you share your Greek butter cookie recipe? They sound terrific! Thanks. Fri Dec 08 07:12:55 -0800 2006 2078564 41288 lcd 3 2081525 Ditto on the Greek butter cookies...I'll find the recipe tonight and post it later. I adapted the recipe from a NY Times article from about 8 or 9 years ago, it was an article about Grandmother's traditional holiday recipes. The dough is so simple and absolutely fool proof, and the batch is enormous. Fri Dec 08 15:07:52 -0800 2006 2081150 56793 ballulah 1 2080355 Rasberry and Apricot "jammies" or baby cakes chocolate pixies sugar cookies mystery bars coconut macaroons madellines dipped in chocolate grand marnier brownies mini cheese cakes Breakfast trays carrot bread banana bread Bing cherry scones blueberry scones mini quiches - not the tiny ones I have these a 5 inch pans for a little savory leek and bacon or pruciutto with brie or fontina And a spinach and cheddar muffin Fri Dec 08 00:19:00 -0800 2006 1959909 50431 chef chicklet 2 3207469 Can I get the recipe for the leek and bacon mini quiches?? Fri Dec 14 07:37:12 -0800 2007 2080355 73860 jules127 3 4053095 A lady I know makes something like this and I swear that she will take the recipe to her grave!!! I have also tried Sarah Bernhardts and, I agree, they are not quite the same. Would you please, please share your version of the recipe? Mon Sep 22 14:40:32 -0700 2008 3207469 227812 chiquitriquis_1 1 2080607 Every year I make a cookie that's basically an almond macaroon, covered on the flat side of the cookie with a thick layer of a very light chocolate buttercream, and then dipped on that same side in chocolate. I've seen something similar, called Sarah Bernhardts, in bakeries in NYC but they are never as good. I have requests for these from friends of friends whom I hardly know. Last year though I found a cookie to rival these from Gourmet mag. called Spoon Cookies. They have a minimum of ingredients and noone, and I do mean noone, can figure out what's in them. The secret is browned butter but everyone thinks it's some kind of ground nut. They are a pain to make as the article along with the recipe will attest but worth every tear! You must make them at least a few days ahead of time. And get ready, your reputation as a Cookie God/dess will be written in stone. Here's the link: www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/233297 BTW, this is my first post to Chowhound. Cookies are my obsession -- I'm glad I found you all! Fri Dec 08 02:00:03 -0800 2006 1959909 58446 DivaDog 2 2081387 Welcome DivaDog... cookies are my obsession as well! I loved that spoon cookie article when it first came out, but it definitely intimidated me! Fri Dec 08 13:56:19 -0800 2006 2080607 12813 Katie Nell 2 2081731 I made those spoon cookies. They were tasty, but for me, not TDF. If you can find a more expedited process (forms, etc) it might make the process easier. (I used tiny muffin pans) Fri Dec 08 16:10:11 -0800 2006 2080607 10309 Funwithfood 3 2081756 When you say "tiny muffin pan", how tiny are you talking about? My mom and I used mini muffin pans for our toffee brownie bites, but would have liked an even smaller mini muffin, but I've only ever seen one size of mini. Fri Dec 08 16:14:42 -0800 2006 2081731 12813 Katie Nell 3 2082984 Do you think the spoon cookies would work as thumbprint cookies? Fri Dec 08 21:32:12 -0800 2006 2081731 10669 Amuse Bouches 4 2092009 My guess is that they probably would not -- the dough is pretty crumbly until it's pressed together. That's probably why she uses a spoon as a form. Please let me know if you try it though. Maybe I like more comlicated cookies. Give me something with a bit of a challenge any day over a simple drop cookie. Then again, that's probably why I don't bake a great variety of cookies during the holidays. In addition to those 2 recipes, I make caramels (also time intensive due to being wrapped individually) and peanut brittle. Tue Dec 12 13:38:42 -0800 2006 2082984 58446 DivaDog 5 2092892 I was thinking you could press it together into a tight ball and flatten it with the thumbprint, then spoon in a bit of jam and bake. Tue Dec 12 17:55:29 -0800 2006 2092009 10669 Amuse Bouches 6 2098671 Are spoon cookies too delicate to ship safely? Thu Dec 14 05:55:07 -0800 2006 2092892 46230 lilyanna 5 3206848 I did end up trying it, and they were delicious, although not beautiful. Thu Dec 13 20:31:26 -0800 2007 2092009 10669 Amuse Bouches 2 4053108 A lady I know makes something like this and I swear that she will take the recipe to her grave!!! I have also tried Sarah Bernhardts and, I agree, they are not quite the same. Would you please, please share your version of the recipe? Mon Sep 22 14:44:42 -0700 2008 2080607 227812 chiquitriquis_1 1 2081403 Chocolate Rads White Chocolate Brownies (not really "brownies", really "whities") My dad's Toffee Chocolate Chip cookies Chocolate-dipped Coconut macaroons Toffee Grahams Chocolate Scotcheroos Fri Dec 08 14:06:09 -0800 2006 1959909 49971 Andiereid 1 2081766 I make grasshopper cookies: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/printer_friendly/233300 And only at Christmas because they take a long time to put together, but we always had them around Christmas time growing up. And, hermits...sigh...I had totally forgotten about those. Is that a New England thing? Fri Dec 08 16:17:04 -0800 2006 1959909 41937 vb_lady 1 2082001 I think Hermits are a very New England thing....hermits and a nice big glass of cold milk....it's a good bribe for Santa, too. Fri Dec 08 17:28:43 -0800 2006 1959909 49959 thegolferbitch 2 2082320 Hermits seem to be a New England thing. I recently made my Maine-born friend's hermit recipe, and my NJ-born husband had never heard of them. (We live in MA, and I've seen them in bakeries/at deli counters around here, but not in NC, where I grew up.) Fri Dec 08 18:49:15 -0800 2006 2082001 53971 momjamin 3 2089920 Share the recipe please! Though, I'm headed to Boston in a few weeks and could just pick some up. Mon Dec 11 20:30:49 -0800 2006 2082320 41937 vb_lady 1 2092156 Love the mice! Another kid-friendly idea, which I simplified from a Martha Stewart Kids magazine a few years back, is to make reindeer faces from smallish gingerbread men. Once they're baked, turn the gingerbread men upside down (head at bottom, feet at top). Spread melted semisweet chocolate on the head and then draw ears and "antlers" up the legs with chocolate--a bamboo skewer works well for this. Make the reindeer face using a cinnamon red hot for the nose and white chocolate chips dotted on the tips with dark chocolate for the eyes. If you want the antlers to look velvety you can dust them with a little white sanding sugar before the chocolate sets. Kids love these--and adults like the ginger-chocolate combo. Thanks to Neuromancer for the recipe link. Tue Dec 12 14:41:09 -0800 2006 1959909 14929 lisacs 1 2099018 A while back someone asked for the recipe for my all-time favorite holiday cookies, adapted from the winning recipe in a Washington Post cookie contest. Sorry--have been swamped with work of late and not much of a presence on the boards. These are a bit like Linzer cookies--you could increase the resemblance by adding a bit of cinnamon, cloves, and lemon zest to the dough. The original recipe called for decorating the finished cookies with zigzags of melted chocolate, but I prefer a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy! 3/4 c. walnuts 1 1/4 c. flour dash of sea salt 1/2 c. butter, softened 6 T. granulated sugar 1 t. vanilla 1/2 c. sieved apricot jam, apricot lekvar, or raspberry jam 1 T. Grand Marnier, Chambord, or other complementary fruit liqueur (optional) powdered sugar for dusting In a food processor, grind the nuts finely. Add the flour, salt, and sugar, and pulse to combine. Add the butter, cut into chunks, and the vanilla; pulse on and off till a crumbly dough forms. Turn the dough onto a sheet of wax paper. Lightly knead the dough just to form it into a ball. Chill slightly, then roll between sheets of wax paper until it is about 1/8" thick. Cut into circles with a 2" scalloped round cutter. Reroll scraps--note that the fat content in this dough is so high that you can reroll without ruining the texture. If dough or unbaked cookies are difficult to handle, chill the dough again briefly. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets at 350 for 8 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on the sheets (they're fragile when warm). Then combine the jam and liqueur, if using. Sandwich two cookies together with jam in the middle and dust with powdered sugar. Makes about 20; recipe is easily doubled. Thu Dec 14 14:07:49 -0800 2006 1959909 14929 lisacs 2 2099103 That was me... thanks so much! Thu Dec 14 14:56:12 -0800 2006 2099018 19653 mimilulu 1 2105452 I always make whole candied orange slices dipped in dark chocolate which are labor intensive, but delicious and impressive. This year I am trying gingerbread cookies sprinkled with both raw sugar and kosher salt. It was the favorite recipe of one of the chefs on a food network gingerbread house challenge. Sounds intriguing. I want to also make some thumbprint cookies with a lemon curd filling.Does anyone know if I would have to refrigerate these due to the curd? Sat Dec 16 17:58:22 -0800 2006 1959909 60151 ktm 2 2107389 Oooh, I'd love a recipe for candied orange (or I'm thinking lemon) slices with bittersweet chocolate! How special! Sun Dec 17 18:21:03 -0800 2006 2105452 16640 compucook 3 2107461 My pleasure. Here you go... Get some good thick skinned oranges. Lightly scuff the exterior of the skin with a grater to open up the pores without removing much of the rind. Slice them in half and then in slices about 1/4 " to 3/8" thick. Carefully remove the seeds while trying to maintain the integrity off the flesh. Blanch the slices briefly. Mix 3 cups sugar with 1 cup water and dissolve over medium to high heat in a large bottemed shallow pan like a saute pan. Once it is good and hot, put a layer of the orange slices in and simmer them in the syrup until the skins turn slightly translucent. As they cook you can either carefully flip them or spoon syrup over tops so they cook evenly. The tricky part is to not destroy the flesh of the orange. Once they are done, lay them on a wire rack or skewer them and hang them between some glasses or any other way you can get them to drain off the syrup and dry. (You can do several batches in the same pan of syrup, but as the batches grow, the syrup will become thinner so after the 3rd batch, you should start over. I always try to get 3 pans going at once to save time.)It will take a couple to a few days for them to dry enough to handle. They will remain somewhat sticky, but not so sticky that the syrup will come off on your fingers. If you lay them flat on a wire rack, you will need to flip them every day. Once they are dry you can dip them halfway in melted chocolate. Then wrap them in wax paper and keep them in an airtight container. They will tend to get too hard within a couple of weeks so enjoy them sooner rather than later. They are delicious and beautiful and make a very elegant gift. Sun Dec 17 18:50:48 -0800 2006 2107389 60151 ktm 1 2105892 I'm in the middle of a biscotti production. Super easy and really fun to mix and match flavors. Going to give them as several in a coffee mug wrapped in celophane. Sat Dec 16 21:26:23 -0800 2006 1959909 15083 sgwood415 2 2109299 I would love to have some of those biscotti recipe's if its not too much trouble. Thanks. Mon Dec 18 15:40:13 -0800 2006 2105892 53843 kat222 1 2107754 Thank you!! What kind of chocolate do you use? Just good quality chocolate chips or do you use a candy makers chocolate with a bit of wax? Sun Dec 17 20:57:07 -0800 2006 1959909 16640 compucook 2 2109312 I just use good chocolate chips, but I do sometimes have trouble with discoloration / blooming, which I camouflage by dusting the chocolate end with cocoa. (I just read something that made me suspect this may be beacause I overheat the chocolate) I've never heard of using wax, but it sounds like something worth trying. Mon Dec 18 15:43:12 -0800 2006 2107754 60151 ktm 1 2110629 If you temper good-quality chocolate, it shouldn't bloom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate#Tempering I didn't say it was fun! Mon Dec 18 21:20:24 -0800 2006 1959909 46230 lilyanna 1 2110938 I love 2 pistachio cookies that are online at that famous cooking magazine site for recipes. One is oatmeal apricot pistachio cookies and the other is called, I think, pistachio orange lace cookies. Both are crispy and both are delicious. Mon Dec 18 22:32:17 -0800 2006 1959909 10245 oakjoan 1 2112043 Holiday cookies aren't part of my tradition (I'm Jewish) but I thought I'd make a batch of cookies to give to my hairdresser and manicurist (who takes care of my really red nails!), both of whom I'll see this week. So I just made a batch of cream cheese cookies, using a recipe my mother has been making for many, many years. It's pretty basic--only butter, sugar, cream cheese, flour, vanilla extract and walnuts--not pretty/holidayish at all, but, boy, are they ever good. Tomorrow I'll make a batch of chocolate chip mandel brot, my SIL's recipe. Tue Dec 19 05:24:28 -0800 2006 1959909 14447 rednails 2 2113262 Hi from a fellow red nails girl - could you please post the recipe for the cream cheese cookies? Always on the lookout for walnut recipes...thanks! Tue Dec 19 18:17:53 -0800 2006 2112043 13709 buttertart 3 2113601 Cream Cheese Cookies 1/4 lb butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 lb cream cheese 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup flour 1/2 cup (or more) chopped walnuts Cream butter and sugar, then add cream cheese and mix til well blended. Add vanilla, flour and walnuts and mix again. Drop by (rounded) teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350F til light brown. Tips--don't be tempted to make the cookies larger, or bake them too long. They're very rustic looking that way. They're soft when they come out of the oven, but will harden when cooled. Also, don't use less than full fat cream cheese either. Interesting story---my mother always said she found the recipe in a newspaper and that it was Sid Caesar's. I recently read a book by Carl Reiner and there's a whole chapter wherein he talks about giving out the recipe while MC'ing an anti-Vietnam war benefit. The recipe was printed in a newspaper the next day but the funny thing is--he forgot one ingredient! I think it was the flour. He credits the recipe to Sid Caesar's personal chef. Anyway, enjoy!! Tue Dec 19 19:48:50 -0800 2006 2113262 14447 rednails 4 2115480 I just made another batch tonight and realized I've been using a whole 8 oz brick of cream cheese! Dunno if that makes a difference or not. I think my mother always used a whole brick. Also, the cookies are more rustic if you don't smooth out the rounded teaspoon when you drop them on the cookie sheet. Its just a matter of which way you like them better (appearance I mean). Wed Dec 20 06:37:22 -0800 2006 2113601 14447 rednails 5 2120081 Thanks a million - and thanks for the further note. Will definitely try these and report! Happy holidays. Thu Dec 21 18:25:24 -0800 2006 2115480 13709 buttertart 6 2120148 You're welcome. I made another batch last night, brought them into work and they disappeared in a flash. You are forewarned! Thu Dec 21 18:40:17 -0800 2006 2120081 14447 rednails 1 3125308 Lots of easy variations but here's mine: Rugelach 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 1/3 cup sour cream 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/2 cup rough chopped raisins DIRECTIONS: Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly. Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks...wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days. Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins). Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets. Wed Nov 14 13:09:44 -0800 2007 1959909 36312 HillJ 1 3129369 Peanut Brittle and Toffee is a great addition to any cookie tray! They are both very easy to make too. Thu Nov 15 17:49:05 -0800 2007 1959909 33866 GIAD 1 3207718 This year I am giving away cut out cookies and decorating kits. Some friends have expressed the desire to make homeade cookies, but are short on time. I've also made homeade fudge and cranberry, walnut, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Now I just need to make sure I don't eat them before I give them away. Fri Dec 14 08:55:12 -0800 2007 1959909 94635 adventuresinbaking 1 4972425 Though not a traditional Christmas cookie, my husband loves the peanut butter cream sandwich cookies I make. Prepare your favorite pb cookie recipe and "glue" two cookies together with pb icing. These freeze well so can be made in advance. Being from Ohio originally, no Christmas would be complete without buckeyes. Mon Aug 24 08:36:39 -0700 2009 1959909 1101710 beachbaker 1 5122122 ina gartens jam thumbprint cookies are to die for!!! Thu Oct 22 05:33:29 -0700 2009 1959909 126800 kushbaby 1 5176538 I always make my grandmother's date bars -- very old skool, very delicious. I also make cherry streusel bars (recipe from an old Bon Appetit, I think), very decorated cut-out sugar cookies, and for candy -- Martha Stewart's English Toffee recipe. Last year I finally found fudge that I love, too, and sometimes do a 3-nut brittle that kicks. Thu Nov 12 13:09:52 -0800 2009 1959909 1095863 chinitav