Holiday Cookies: My Family's Favorite Cookie

You are intrigued, right? Well this cookie goes out to my entire family but most importantly, to my late Grandma. The funny thing about this cookie is that EVERYONE in my family loves this cookie except me...actually, it's just weird. However, my Grandma made this cookie for my mom and her siblings and now my aunts make these for us, and now I am returning the favor and making it for them...and one day, I guess I will make it for my kid(s)? Yes, I will.

Now you must be wondering, what is this cookie that is at the center of your family? Mincemeat Cookie. It's special, it's delicious...and although we have them at the holiday season (that's when you can get mincemeat), we really like to eat them all year round.

If you start making this cookie, you will love it. I promise.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs beaten
1 9 oz. package of Borden Nonesuch Mincemeat

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375
2) In one bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda
3) In another bowl, cream butter, sugar until fluffy. Add eggs until smooth.
4) Stir in mincemeat to wet mixture and then gradually add flour mix. Mix super well.
5) Roll into two inch dough balls and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
6) Bake for about 10-12 minutes until slightly browned.
7) Share and Enjoy!!!

These cookies are about family and that is good enough for me. <3

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Holiday Cookies: Sugar Cookies

These are simple and classic...and easily adaptable to any situation.

Adapted from Food Network

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon milk

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees (after mix has been refrigerated)

2) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3) In another bowl, place butter and sugar and beat until light in color.

4) Add egg and milk and beat to combine.

5) With your mixer on low speed, gradually add flour. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

6) Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator and roll it out until its about 1/4 inch thick. Becareful to not let the dough stick.

7) Form cookie shaped circles and place about at inch apart on a greased baking sheet.

8) Bake for 7-9 minutes until the cookies just BEGIN to turn brown.

9) Remove from oven. Top with red and green sprinkles (or whatever colors you fancy). Cool.

10) Share and Enjoy!

Just fun.

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Holiday Cookies: Gingersnap Cookies

These are one of my favorite holiday time cookies. However, they are so good that sometimes I am tempted to make them all year round. Just saying...

Additionally, I am not a huge proponent of using shortening while baking (yeah, it's kind of gross), but a couple of the holiday cookie recipes I use, utilize it...so yeah.

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2) Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Blend well.
3) Beat together the shortening and white sugar followed by the egg and molasses.
4) Add the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture and mix well.
5) In a separate small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
6) Make 1 inch balls of dough and roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
7) Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8) Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the cookies crack slightly.
9) Share and Enjoy!

What is the holiday season without gingersnap cookies?!?

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Oatmeal Holiday Cookies

These are like Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies but better. Only because they have Holiday M & M's instead...so that automatically makes them better. Just saying. Make these next Christmastime, your family will love you.



Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup M&M's

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar until smooth.
3) Beat in eggs and then add vanilla
4) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
5) Stir the dry ingredient mixture into the creamed mixture until well blended.
6) Add in the oats and fold in the M&M's.
7) Drop by spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
9) Share and Enjoy!

Yeah just make them any holiday...and add the seasonal M&M's! So much fun.

Made: 12/22/10
"Posted": 12/22/10
Posted: 06/02/11

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Holiday time= Cookie Time. This was my pre-cookie mania but these were really simple and super tasty. A little bit of mint extract goes a long way...

Adapted from Food.com



Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt
3) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, and extracts until well blended.
4) Stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined.
5) Fold in chocolate Chips
6) Cover bowl and refrigerate for two hours (or don't...).
7) Roll cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookies sheets.
8) Bake for 11-13 minutes
9) Share and Enjoy!

These are super simple but I really liked the hint of peppermint because it was so unexpected. A perfect holiday cookie primer. :-)

Made: 12/11/10
"Posted": 12/11/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Oatmeal Blueberry Scones

Well my secret is out. Breakfast is my favorite. If I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day, I probably would be tempted to do so. That being said, I think it makes complete sense that muffins and now scones have been a recent popular item on BOOF. However, making scones have always scared me. I realized that I needed to conquer this fear so gathered up my courage and made some scones. They were good. They had blueberries. They also had oatmeal. I really like those things. I like them even more together in the scone form.

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 Cup of Blueberries
2/3 cup buttermilk plus additional for brushing

Directions

1) Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

2) Sift together flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3) Add 1 1/3 cups oats and mix together with your hands.

4) Add butter and and work until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small lumps.

5) Transfer to a bowl and add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms.

6) Gently knead on a floured surface a few times.

7) Pat into a 9-inch square (1/2 inch thick). Cut into 9 (3-inch) squares. Cut each square diagonally to form 2 triangles. (Or just make approximately 18 two inch blobs.

8) Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

9) Brush with buttermilk and bake until golden brown, about 16 minutes.

10) Share and Enjoy!

These were raved about. I will make scones again. They are the best when the just come out of the oven and still have a little warmth to them. Ugh, I want these with coffee right now. Like this second. Sigh.

Made: 12/09/10
"Posted": 12/09/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Cranberry Lime Muffins

Apparently I go on sprees. Cookies. Muffins. Pasta. Yeah, it's a little weird. I guess I'm consistent though? These bad boys are tasty and tart and a perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee and the morning paper...for those of us who still read the paper and do the crossword. :-)

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping

Directions

1) Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners or grease muffin pan

3) Melt and brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove from heat.

4) Whisk milk, egg, yolk, vanilla and lime zest until combined. Add the brown butter and combine.

5) Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl

6) Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine.

7) Gently but thoroughly fold in the cranberries.

8) Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

9) Bake for about 18-20 minutes and a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

10) Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan.

11) Share and Enjoy!

These are really quite good especially for those who like tart flavored things. I really like the nutty flavor that the browned butter brought to the muffin and the lime provided the perfect citrus balance. I will make these again soon. Yes, yes I will.

Made: 12/08/10

"Posted": 12/08/10

Posted: 06/01/11