Candy Cane Cookies

My husband loves these cookies!  If there is one cookie that he wants me to make at Christmas, it's these.  He had his mother give me the recipe so that I could make them when we first started dating.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening (half butter or margarine)
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Topping ingredients:

• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix shortening, sugar, egg and flavorings thoroughly.
• Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.  Mix flour and salt.  Stir into shortening mixture.  Divide dough in half.  Blend food coloring into one half.
• Roll a 4" strip (using 1 teaspoon of dough) from each color.  For smooth, even strips, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board.  Place strips side by side, press lightly together and twist like rope.  For best results, complete cookies one at a time - if all the dough for one color is shaped first, strips become too dry to twist.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Curve top down to form handle of the candy cane.
• Bake about 9 minutes, until lightly browned.  While still warm, remove from baking sheet with a spatula and sprinkle with topping mixture of candy and sugar.
• Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
  

Peanut Blossoms

These can be made with Hershey's Kisses or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (minis).  This year, I did half of them with Hershey's Kisses and half with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.




Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Hershey's Kisses

Directions:

• Thoroughly cream the butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla together.
• In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
• Blend ths into the creamed mixture.
• Shape into 1 inch balls; roll in granulated sugar.
• Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 6 - 8 minutes.
• Place chocolate kisses on and return to the oven for 2 - 4 minutes.

Makes 3 - 4 dozen.

Chocolate Mint Sugar Cookies

My mom gave me this recipe years ago for our family cookbook.  I had never made it before and since she has a ton of recipes, it's been a while since she's made these so I thought that I would give them a go.  The one that I tested was pretty good.  I think that I'm going to have to add these to the rotation.

Note: It's official.  These are being added to my rotation of Christmas cookies.  John had some last night and loved them!  Always a good thing.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 drops of red or green food coloring (optional)
• 1 (10 oz.) package of mint-flavored semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and vegetable oil.  Mix well.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.  If using food coloring, add now.  Gradually add in the flour mixture.
• Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Shape into balls by rounded teaspoonfuls and roll in the remaining sugar.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe online a couple of years ago and love it!

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

~ A quick note here.  At Christmas time, I use peppermint coffee (fine ground) instead of expresso powder.

Ingredients

•  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
•  1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant expresso coffee powder
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

 Yields 2 dozen cookies.