It's that time of year. Christmas is creeping every so close. I love this season and creating for this season. So i thought i would share some of my favorite recipes from years past. We have food traditions in this house, especially baking ones. We always do ornament cookies, adding to our cookie cutters each year. Last year we added a butterfly in rememberance of my sister. We make a gingerbread house, collecting just the right candy to adorn it. Peppermint bark has become a new tradition. And the above gingerbread hug cookies. I do usually give away baked goods to various families as gifts. It's something i love to do and share. Here's a look at some favorite recipes of ours, starting off with the gingerbread hug recipe.
Ginger Bread Hug Cookies
3/4 C. Shortening 1 C. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Soda 1 Egg
4 TBS Molasses 2 C. Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Cloves
1/4 tsp Salt 1 tsp Ginger
Hersey Hugs
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Mix shortening, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until creamy. Sift together dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to sugar mixture. Roll into balls, then roll into sugar to coat balls. Bake for 10 minutes on 350. While cookies are in the oven, unwrap the hugs.Remove cookies to racks to cool. Let the cookies cool just a bit before placing hug into cookie, otherwise it melts too much.
These peanutbutter candies are so easy to make. Melt your favorite chocolate (be it dark, milk, white, or maybe some of each). Ready your cups on a tray or cookie sheet. Make this Peanut Butter Filling. Fill the cups with a bit of chocolate on the bottom. Add the peanut butter filling to the cup and cover with more chocolate. Easy Peasy.
Christmas Ornament Cookies 375
3 3/4 C. Flour 1 C. Butter
1 tsp Baking powder 1 1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt 2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
Blend together dry ingredients in separate bowl. Whip together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter with mixer. Gradually add dry ingredients. Wrap dough in aluminum foil and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. I personally like the metal cookie cutters better. You can find a variety at La Sur Table. Bake for 6-8 minutes on 375. Remove cookies to cooling racks. Decorate as desired. We like to use Joy of Baking's Royal Icing.
Peppermint Bark Recipe
If you want to get the kids involved, have them crush the candy canes, spread the chocolate, & sprinkle the crushed candy canes. It's important to note that the better the chocolate, the better the taste. The chocolate should have Cocoa Butter and not so much vegetable fats. Read the label on the back to check it out. ;)
- 4 oz Bitter/Dark Chocolate (60% Cocoa or higher)
- 4 oz semisweet Chocolate
- 8 oz White Chocolate
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 - 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
other tools....
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper
- heat proof spatula (optional)
- baking/cake spreader
- parchment paper
- sauce pan & heat proof bowl or double boiler
- whisk
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Melt both bitter & semi sweet chocolate with 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil & 1 tsp of peppermint. I used a sauce pan filled with water & my stainless steel mixing bowl to melt the chocolates. whisk chocolate as melting. Pour on cookie sheet & spread evenly. Scrap bowl with a heat proof spatula to get all that chocolate from the bowl. Place in refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes.
Next crush candy canes. Place in bowl & set aside. Melt White chocolate using same method above again using 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil & 1 tsp of peppermint extract. Pour melted white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate & spread until even. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane chunks. Refridgerate for 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet & parchment paper and break into pieces. Store in containers in the fridge. So very yummy.
What are your favorite traditional holiday recipes?
