Gingerbread Cutouts

brought by Soren McQuivey

1/2 cup shortening

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Powdered Sugar Icing

Decorative Candies

In a mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour, the sugar, molasses, egg, vinegar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Beat till thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Cover and chill for 3 hours or till easy to handle.

Divide the chilled dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375º oven for 5 to 6 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Decorate cookies with icing and decorative candies, if desired.

Gingerbread People Cutouts Prepare as above, except roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 4 1/2 to 6-inch people cookie cutters. Bake in a 375º oven for 6-8 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Makes 12 to 18.

Holiday Muddy Buddies

brought by Becky Wilson

9 cups Chex cereal; can use Corn, Rice or Wheat Chex
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bow, measure cereal set aside.

In  a large microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir,. Microwavee about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallow resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

brought by Jamie Cook

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1.     Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2.     Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips over low heat. Cream butter and sugar. Add melted chocolate chips and vanilla; beat in eggs; add flour mixture and remaining chocolate chips.

3.     Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm (about 20 minutes).

4.     Make small balls (1 inch); roll in confectioners' sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cool on wire rack.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

brought by Jenn Iverson
1 box red velvet cake mix (can use other flavors as well – chocolate, spice cake, etc.)
3 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 400º.  Lightly grease baking sheets.  Beat together the cake mix, oil, eggs, and water.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 7-10 minutes. Cookies will spread quite a bit, but if they seem really thin, you may need to add a tiny bit more flour. Let cookies cool completely; then make sandwiches from two cookies filled with Cream Cheese Whoopie Pie Filling. It’s usually best to let them sit for a few hours after putting the sandwiches together so the filling can set a little bit.

For Cream Cheese Filling: Beat 3 egg whites until white, fluffy, and thick. Add 8 oz. cream cheese, softened. Mix until smooth.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla, then 4 cups powdered sugar; mix well. Add 4-6 more cups of powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached (total of 8-10 cups). I like the filling to be somewhat thick, so it doesn’t slide out of the cookies when put together.

Double Mint Chocolate Cookies

brought by Megan McQuivey

Recipe from CHERIE’

2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract

Combine at low speed scraping bowl often until well mixed.
Stir in:
4 cups flour
Beat 3-4 minutes
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough on greased cookie sheets.  Bake 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees.  Top of cookie should spring back when touched lightly.  Remove and cool.

Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp salt
2 T. milk
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp peppermint or mint extract
(May add ½ cup cocoa and reduce sugar somewhat)
Mix all together and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Spread ½ Tablespoonful on each cookie.  Sprinkle with ½ cup crushed peppermint candy if desired.

Iced Anise Cookies

brought by Heather Brown

adapted slightly from Cookie Madness

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon anise extract
2 3/4 cups flour (12.5 oz)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 scant teaspoon salt

Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons milk plus extra if needed
1  teaspoon anise extract
Multi-Colored Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

Beat the sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk and anise extract together using low speed of a hand-held mixer.

Thoroughly stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the batter and stir just until blended.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons, shaping a little to form nice roundes, 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets and bake on center rack for 10 to 14 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are light golden. Cool on wire racks.

Make icing. Mix the sugar and melted butter together until the sugar is moist. Add the milk and beat well until smooth. Beat in the anise extract. It should be thick but pourable. Place a piece of paper towel under your cooling rack so that the glaze can drip through, then spoon it gently over the cookies.
Sprinkle with candy sprinkles.

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

Lime Stars

brought by Heather Brown

recipe from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 2 dozen.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (I used Morton's Kosher)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes total)
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; set aside.
2. Put granulated sugar and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 1 minute. Add butter, and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla and lime juice. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, halve the dough. Flatten each half into a 10-inch disk, and wrap each in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Working with 1 half at a time, roll out dough on parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick. Cut shapes from dough with a 3-inch flower-shape cookie cutter. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cut a hole in center of each with a 1-inch round cutter. Repeat with remaining disk. Wrap scraps in plastic. Freeze 30 minutes; reroll, and cut.
5. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over cookies. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.