Favorite Christmas Cookies

[Snowflake]

I guess in some respects it is true, I'm after 40 and I seem to be turning into my mother except without the grey hair and children that gave it to her, cats instead, a much better deal :)

It is the "holiday season" and here I am, baking cookies and making fudge! Who would have thunk it? I'm making my favorites from childhood and a couple of new ones to try out.

Snowball cookies (aka Russian tea cookies, Mexican wedding cookies)
Spiced version of Snowball cookies (courtesy this months issue of Bon Appetit)
Pumpkin Pinwheel (courtesy foodtv)
Fudge with toasted walnuts (Mom's old recipe)
Almond Roca cookies (Mom's old recipe)

Anyone else have any favorite traditional cookies, sweets they make during this festive season?

The funny food/xmas memory I associate with pleasure growing up may seem to be a strange one. I guess, in retrospect, it is. My dad was a mailman when it was a good job and before people "went postal." Christmas time was always incredible because my dad would come home every night with the most amazing presents from people on his route. My eye doctor and dentist were on his route and it was always a thrill to see him when I had an appointment. My dad was a great guy. I digress. Every year, one of the ladies on my dad's residential route would give him a couple of jars of her bread and butter pickles. I LOVED those! It was something we all looked forward to every year. They remain in my memory as the best I've ever eaten. They were crispy with lots of onion pickled in there too. Just fabulous and I remember them every Xmas. Strange, I know.

At least it is my sister, and not me, who continues the horrible green bean cassarole complete with Campbell's soup! That's one Xmas tradition I prefer to forget. Other than the cookies, my holiday dinners are non-traditional anyway. And I have NO clue what I am making this year! :rolleyes:

Donna

[libraryvixen]

I love frosted sugar cookies. I know it's an all year round kind of food... but the Christmas shapes somehow make the cookies taste better!

I know it's not a cookie, but my best friend makes buckeye candies every Christmas and they are fantastic. I get to come over and help her dip the peanut butter rounds (because using the word "peanut butter balls" would sound awkward.. lol) into the melted chocolate.

[Snowflake]

I love frosted sugar cookies. I know it's an all year round kind of food... but the Christmas shapes somehow make the cookies taste better!

I know it's not a cookie, but my best friend makes buckeye candies every Christmas and they are fantastic. I get to come over and help her dip the peanut butter rounds (because using the word "peanut butter balls" would sound awkward.. lol) into the melted chocolate.


Buckeyes are fabulous! Any combination of peanut butter and chocolate is a winner for me!

[Crystal]

Traditionally my daughter and I bake for about week to give christmas cookies and candies to family and friends.

We make:

chocolate chip cookies
brownies
sugar cookies
peanut butter cookies
buckeye balls(my favorite too)
fudge (sometimes)
snickerdoodles

We haven't started yet this year, but this thread will probably get me movin'!

Snowflake, would you mind sharing the recipe for the Almond Roca cookies? I'd love to try something new and those sound delicious!

[Snowflake]

Snowflake, would you mind sharing the recipe for the Almond Roca cookies? I'd love to try something new and those sound delicious!

Sure, when I get home and I can type out the recipe, I'd be happy to share!

Dona

[CoasterMatt]

Rumballs - a few of the people on these boards have tasted my chocolate-y rummy good balls (They make for especially good snacks aboard PotC - Yo HO!)

[wendybeth]

Rosettes- I have an iron I bought in a Swedish shop in Leavenworth, and they are the best cookies ever. Take forever to make, but they are soooo good!

[Mousey Girl]

I make fudge every year, it is expected of me. I also make different varieties of cookies. So far this year it has been molasses crackle cookies (think ginger snap but chewy and less ginger more molasses) and chocolate chip butter cookies (shortbread cookies with chocolate chips and not as dry).

Once Nickolas is out of school we will make sugar cookies. It is from a recipe my mom cut off of a box of sugar in the late 60's. They are very good and not the type that you have to frost for flavor. He will sprinkle different sugary things on them for decoration.

The fudge that I make came out of a Baker's Secret cookbook from 1962. It is uber easy and very tastey. I recently gave the recipe to a friend who has gone overboard by using many different kinds of chips in it. I prefer it my way, semi-sweet chips only. Also hers came out way to chewy, where mine is the type that holds its shape but melts in your mouth. I always make it 2 batched at a time, 1 batch of girl fudge and 1 batch of boy fudge.

I have also been known to make gingerbread cookies. They are great to decorate and hold their shape well. The recipe is perfect to use for gingerbread houses. They tend to be hard as a rock no matter how long I cook them, also perfect for teething biscuits (yep, I used them for that with Nickolas).

[Fab]

I do Gingerbread houses (this year: Animal Crossing houses). When we lived in Florida, I was President of the Orlando, Florida chapter of the NFFC, and that Christmas, I did the WDW HM in Gingerbread.
Swiss meringue rolls - old family recipe
Rudolph's Rockets - a creation from the old days on a.d.d. when we were all Altoids-mad. I use chili and peppermint oil in them now.

[Gemini Cricket]

Chocolate Crinkles
Nestle Toll House

:)

[Snowflake]

Almond Roca Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, soft
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup crushed toffee
1 cup coarsely ground almonds
4 ounces milk chocolate
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix. (you might want to chill for about 15 minutes to firm up the dough)

Place ground nuts in a small bowl. Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 22 minutes and then cool on a rack.

Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or carefully in the microwave). Place cookies on a cookie sheet (on wax or parchment paper) and drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies. It will take a few minutes for the chocolate to set. Then enjoy with :coffee:

[Prudence]

My favorites are M&M cookies, which we traditionally only make at Christmas time. Second favorite are the peanut blossoms. So I'll definitely be making those. My cookie press sucks, so I probably won't make butter cookies. On the other hand, my sugar cookie recipe rocks, so I'm in charge of those. The paper published a few recipes this year that think I'm going to try - including a new thumbprint variant. The ones I usually make are really annoying to make, but I feel compelled to make thumbprints for the holidays. No idea why.

[Drince88]

Rosettes- I have an iron I bought in a Swedish shop in Leavenworth, and they are the best cookies ever. Take forever to make, but they are soooo good!
Let me know when you're making them, so I can come over. (They are SOOO good when they're fresh out of the oil!)

One year I went TOTALLY overboard on cookies -- I think I made 5 or 6 kinds. The favorite from that year were chocolate mint press cookies, dusted with powdered sugar.

[Snowflake]

One year I went TOTALLY overboard on cookies -- I think I made 5 or 6 kinds. The favorite from that year were chocolate mint press cookies, dusted with powdered sugar.

Yum! I fail completely at press cookies. All my cookies look like some weird mutants.

[Fab]

My favorites are M&M cookies, which we traditionally only make at Christmas time. Second favorite are the peanut blossoms. So I'll definitely be making those. My cookie press sucks, so I probably won't make butter cookies. On the other hand, my sugar cookie recipe rocks, so I'm in charge of those. The paper published a few recipes this year that think I'm going to try - including a new thumbprint variant. The ones I usually make are really annoying to make, but I feel compelled to make thumbprints for the holidays. No idea why.

Make triangular sugar cookies, then use two blue, green or brown (or one green one brown if you're a Bowie fan) M&Ms for eyes, and a red one at the bottom of the triangle point for the red nose. Broken pretzels are good antlers. Super easy, and people go all lovey over them.

We made Russian Tea Cakes and lemon bars last night, and chocolate hazelnut cake cookies today.

[Drince88]

Yum! I fail completely at press cookies. All my cookies look like some weird mutants.
I THINK the trick might be to use a specific press cookie recipe, or else one that doesn't 'puff' too much. Same thing happens to me when I use Pillsbury dough and cookie cutters with 'designs' in the middle (that you have to roll to EXACTLY the right depth) -- they always puff so much you can't tell what the shape is.

(If I was better at my baking chemistry, I'd tell you what ratio of ingredients puff more/less, but no such luck here)

Oh, and I always go for the most basic shapes - either the rings or trees!

[cirquelover]

Would someone be willing to share a buckeye recipe with me. Please! My friend from Ohio brought me some one year and they were divine!

I always make rum or bourbon balls, chocolate crinkles, Russian teacakes, fudge, sugar cookies, party mix(not a cookie but husbands family tradition), lemon bars, magic cookie bars and chocolate chip of course!

This year I'm making Pfeffernusse(pepper nut) cookies for my 86 year old neighbor. He is so excited, he hasn't had them since he was a child. I just hope I can do as good as he remembers, I haven't made them for many years but I'm willing to try!

[Matterhorn Fan]

It may be after Christmas, but it's never too late for cookies!

cirquelover, I've not tried this Buckeye recipe, but here's one from a postcard I received from Ohio--I've had it magneted to my fridge for a couple years now. I ought to try it; it sounds like the one I used to make.


Buckeye Candy

1 lb. bag confectioner's sugar
2/3 lb. jar creamy peanut butter
2 sticks soft butter
16 oz. bag of chocolate chips
1 T paraffin
1 wood toothpick

Blend together confectioner's sugar, peanut butter, and butter.
Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Freeze for about 5 minutes or until firm.
Melt chocolate and paraffin in double boiler. Insert toothpick in ball and partially dip into chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes about 4 dozen.


I made gingerbread sea creatures and chocolate Andes-chip cookies this holiday.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Usually I make cookies, though I didn't this year. Usually I make ginger/spice pinwheel cookies, and spritz cookies.