Christmas Baking 2015

Hello! I finished up my Christmas baking today, which is pretty good, since I started yesterday. The bad news is that I only made a few things. The good thing is, you may find the recipes here!

I am going to post links for cookies that I have made in the past, as well.

So, what did I make this year?

Czech Pernicky
In the Czech Republic, you can buy these treats at all of the Christmas markets. They are puffy and delicious. Originally made with rye flour, I believe. They are donned with the most beautiful and intricate icing designs. Pronounced per-knit-ski.

Butterscotch Fingers
This is a simple recipe to bring together and they taste wonderful!

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

We can all thank my best friend's little sister for this recipe. She brought them to  my cookie exchange last week. They are so good, that I had to make them myself! (Origin of recipe unknown at this time.)


2          cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2          cups all-purpose flour

1          tablespoon baking powder

1/2       teaspoon baking soda

1/2       teaspoon salt

2          teaspoons cinnamon

1/2       teaspoon ground nutmeg

1          cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1          cup light brown sugar

1/2       cup sugar

2          large eggs

1          teaspoon vanilla extract


Glaze

2          cups confectioner's sugar

3          tablespoons milk (I used more to thin icing to my liking, don't be afraid to do the same.)


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix oats with flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars.

Add in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

Gradually add in flour mixture until combined.

Roll dough into 2 tablespoon size balls and place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10- 12 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown.

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Glaze once the cookies are cool.


Glaze:

Mix confectioner's sugar and milk together in a medium bowl.

Quickly dip tops of cookies into glaze and let excess drip back into bowl.

Place on wire rack until glaze sets.

Store cookies in an airtight container.


Cranberry Swirl Bread  From Stiers Aesthetic
Makes one loaf

      

INGREDIENTS

Bread:

1/3             cup sugar

1                package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast (or  equivalent 2-1/4 teaspoons)

1/2             teaspoon salt

3-1/2         cups all-purpose flour

1/2            cup water

1/2            cup milk

1/3            cup butter


Filling:

1-1/2        cups chopped cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/4           cup packed brown sugar

1              teaspoon cornstarch

1/4           cup water

1              tablespoon butter

1              tablespoon lemon juice

Confectioner's sugar for dusting



1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with dough attachment, mix sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 cup flour (you'll use the other 2-1/2 cups later). If you do not have a stand mixer you can simply use a large bowl and mix sugar, yeast, salt, and flour together.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat water, milk, and butter, until butter is melted. Let cool until mixture is lukewarm.

3. Once cooled, add mixture to dry ingredients in stand mixer and mix on speed 1.

4. Stir in flour, one cup at a time, until a smooth dough is formed, increasing speed to 2.

5. Mix together until dough comes together in a clean ball. Shape dough into a smooth ball, transfer to a large lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Baker's note: If your dough is too sticky add more flour, one spoon at a time. If you dough is too dry, add a little olive oil.)

6. While you're waiting on your bread to rise, combine cranberries, brown sugar, cornstarch, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to cover slightly as your cranberries will start to burst.

7. Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon juice; cool.

8. Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.

9. Roll into a 10x20-inch rectangle. Spread the cranberry sauce out 1/2-inch from the edges. Starting at one of the shorter sides, tightly roll up dough, pinching sides as you go. With the seam facing down, use a sharp knife and carefully slice completely through the dough, lengthwise down the center, end to end.

10. Braid dough (with cranberry sauce facing up), and transfer to lightly greased 10-inch loaf pan.

11. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30- 40 minutes.

12. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bale loaf for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

13. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

14. Dust with confectioner's sugar and top with fresh cranberries (optional), for a pop of color.




Previous Treats:

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

Melt Aways

Spiked Eggnog Chews

Spicy Apple Pancakes with Cider Sauce

Snickerdoodles and Pepprakakor

Christmas Cookies: Peppermint Sugar Cookies

I hold a cookie exchange at my mom's house every year. I think that this year marked the fifth year that I have organized this little event. I enjoy it extremely, because sometimes it proves to be the only time in the year that I get to see certain people. There is food, conversation, and cookies!

This year, we had a small turn out, but I think fun was still had.

Here are the rules for my cookie exchange:

1. Cookies only! (no bars, rolls, brownies, etc.)
2. Bake 3 dozen.
3. Make them festive.
5. Send me the recipe or print out copies yourself.
4. Come hungry.

Simple.

The rules are simple... but there are a few guests that never get it right. Ha ha. They end up bringing two types of cookies, or doughnuts. I was actually happy about the doughnuts, though. Super good! A cookie exchange is a great way to celebrate the season with those that we love. I hope that you get to attend one this year.

I decided to try a new recipe this year, that had two parts. One part was the dough and the other part was the icing. I have always wanted to try out royal icing, but felt a bit intimidated by it and put it off. This year, I decided, 'why not?!' I had some issues, but worked them out in time to have 3 dozen decent looking cookies. I learned that your barrier of icing should be dry before you flood the center with icing. What I like about the royal icing, is that you can dye it any old color that you would like and once you get a steady hand, it seems pretty easy to get cookies that will catch the eye. I suggest that you use gel color, instead of liquid. You do not want to thin out your icing until the 'flood' stage. Life is about taking chances, so if you are a little iffy about the royal icing, like I was... JUST DO IT!

The finished product.

I suggest you make a few extra cookies that you can practice on... unless you also want to channel your inner Salvador Dali, like I did.

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Cookies

3          cups unbleached, all purpose flour

2          teaspoon baking powder

1          cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1          cup sugar

1          egg

3/4       teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2       teaspoon almond extract

1.5 inch round cutter (I used a much bigger cookie cutter)

Icing

1/2       cup meringue powder

1          scant cup (almost full) water

2          pounds (32 ounces, or 2 boxes) confectioners sugar

2          teaspoons light corn syrup

1          teaspoon peppermint extract (if desired)

Pink, red or green gel icing color

Small squeeze bottles

Toothpicks

Instruction for Cookies

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and extracts until combined. Add the flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. After the last addition, the dough will look thick and crumbly.

Now, you're ready to roll. Line rolling surface with wax paper. Dust surface and coat your rolling pin with four. Roll a portion of the dough on the flour-coated surface and knead it together until smooth. Roll dough 1/4-inch thick. Dip the round cookie cutter in flour and cut as many circles out of the dough as you can. Remove scrap, re-knead and repeat. Make sure to re-flour the work surface as you go.

Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet. (You can easily lift them, as the dough is sturdy.) You can also roll directly on to parchment paper, remove scraps and transfer the parchment paper to the cookie sheet.

Place cookies in freezer for about 10 minutes. Then bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking tray. Use the cookie cutter to trim cookies to size, if desired. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Instructions for Icing

Mix royal icing in large bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix together meringue powder, peppermint extract (optional), and water until foamy and combined.

Sift in the confectioners sugar, add the corn syrup and mix on low until incorporated.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 5 minutes on medium-low, Increase to medium-high and continue beating until icing is glossy and stiff peaks form. Tint a small portion the the royal icing pink. If you like, add a few drops of white gel color to the remaining white icing.

With a squeeze bottle, pipe and outline the cookies in white. Then thin the icing to create a flood consistency. Add a few drop of water at a time to the white icing until it is the consistency of thick syrup. Repeat with pink icing. Use the squeeze bottle to fill the center of the outlined cookie with white flood icing. Pipe dots of pink around the perimeter and use a toothpick to pull the pink toward the cent of the cookie, to create a peppermint design. Repeat  with the remaining cookies and let dry for 24 hours. (Note: if the pink icing sits on the surface of the white without sinking in, then thin the icings a bit more.) This recipe is from: Bakerella

**I think it is a good idea to put the perimeter on all cookies first and then go in and fill them with the flood icing about 6 at a time... Add the designs and then repeat. Also, the toothpick is very helpful. I recommend that you not only use it to move the flood icing to the perimeter and to design, but also to pop any bubbles in the flood icing.

I hope you enjoy these cookies! They are fun and festive!

Christmas Dough Ornament Craft

I found this recipe for ornaments many years ago and I love it!  It saddens me a bit that the last time I made this dough was in 2008!  Ahh!  I have got to make these every year, they are so easy and fun.

I wish I could recall exactly where I got this recipe from, but alas, I don't.  It was from some type of parenting website.

I like it, because you can make whatever shape you want by using cookie cutters and you can even dye the dough.  I made dinosaurs last time.  If you start with a great imagination, then you are off to a good start!

Christmas Dough Ornament Craft

This shiny Christmas dough ornament craft is the perfect finishing touch to decorating the tree.  It can also be altered and made into lapel pins, magnets and gift-toppers.

What you'll need:

1/2          cup salt
1             cup flour
1/2          cup water

Rolling pin

Cookie Sheet

Toothpicks

Cookie cutters (stars, trees, etc.)

Acrylic paints (green, yellow, other colors of choice for embellishments)

Glitter glue or glitter paint

Ribbon

** Food coloring, if you would like to die the dough.  Add a few drops to the water before mixing it with flour and salt. You can also paint them once they have baked.  Artist's choice!**

How to make it:

1.      Preheat oven to 250ºF.

2.      Mix together salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.

3.      Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth.  If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone.  Do not add too much flour, this will dry out dough and will cause it to crack before you have a chance to make it.

4.      Roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick with rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.

5.      Use cookie cutters to cut out as many trees and stars (dinosaurs, whatever you like!) as you want.

6.      Use a toothpick to make a hole toward the top of the shape.  Poke the toothpick into the shape, then holding the toothpick straight up and down, make a circular motion, as if you were stirring something.  Keep circling until the hole is the size you want.

7.      Place all shapes onto an un-greased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven.

8.      Bake for 2 hours.

9.      Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

10.    Paint the trees green and stars yellow (but I say paint them whatever color that you want!  Don't be held back from your creative genius.)

11.    Use the handle end of the paintbrush to dot ornaments by dipping into paint then dotting onto ornament.

12.    When paint is dry, use glitter glue or paint to put a sparkling cover coat on your ornaments.

13.    When dry, thread ribbon through hole and tie a knot in the back.

14.    Tie onto a package, if you would like.

Tips:

-      If your toppers are large enough, you can make two hole in each so that you can thread ribbon through like a button, only showing a small amount of ribbon on the front.

-      These make adorable pins to wear to school.  Just don't make a hole.  Glue a pin to the back of the completed ornament instead.

-      Uncooked salt dough doesn't keep well, so only make enough dough for the ornaments you are going to make.  If you are only making a few toppers, halve the ingredients above.  The listed amounts will make enough ornaments for a classroom of 20.



**BONUS RECIPE**

When I was a kid, we would make these all of the time!  The recipe was given to us by my mom's best friend, Libby.  She passed away a couple of months ago and as a tribute to their 50 year long friendship, I share this recipe with you.


Cinnamon Ornaments

Makes: 12- 15 ornaments
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  2- 1/2 hours or 1 to 2 days drying time


3/4    cup applesauce

1       bottle (4.12 ounces) cinnamon



Other supplies:

Cookie cutters
Drinking straw
Colorful ribbon

1.      Preheat oven to 200ºF.  Mix applesauce and cinnamon in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. (You may need to use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.)  Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough 1/4-inch to 1.3- inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Cut dough into desired shapes with 2-3-inch  cookie cutters.  Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer.  Place ornaments on baking sheet.

2.      Bake 2-1/2 hours.  Cool ornaments on wire wrack (or dry ornaments at room temperature by carefully placing them on a wire rack.  Let stand for 1 to 2 days or until dough is throughly dry, turning occasionally).

3.      Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang.  Decorate with opaque paint markers, or paint found at regular craft stores, if desired.

**Tip:  If a different size bottle of cinnamon is used, measure 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.**

Gingerbread Men Cookies

A McCormick recipe.

Photo by:  Me, Tiffiny Hargrave

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Makes:  2 dozen or 24 (1 cookie) servings...  

(I got about 4 1/2 dozen.  I may have used a really small cookie cutter)

Prep:  20 miutes

Refrigerate time: 4 hours

Cook time:  8- 10 minutes per batch

3      cups flour

2      teaspoons Ginger, ground

1      teaspoon Cinnamon, ground

1      teaspoon Baking soda

1/4  teaspoon Nutmeg, ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4  cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2  cup molasses

1      egg

1     teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.  Set aside.

Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.

Press dough into a few flat discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º.  Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface.  

Cut into gingerbread men shapes with cookie cutter.

Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8- 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown.

Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Decorate cookies as desired.

Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

I have made this pie a few times and it is not only easy, but it is super delicious.  The people seem to love it as well.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

www.tastykitchen.com

Difficulty:  Easy

Servings: 8 (or less depending on how much you want to eat in one sitting)... or more.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook time:  35- 45 (depending on your oven)

Butter, For Greasing

2 cups (heaping) Cranberries

¾ cups Pecans, Chopped (measure, Then Chop)

⅔ cups Sugar

1 cup Flour

1 cup Sugar

1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

2 whole Eggs, Lightly Beaten

1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract

¼ teaspoons Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar For Sprinkling

*Adapted from a recipe by Laurie Colwin*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously butter a cake pan or pie pan. Add cranberries to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on chopped pecans, then sprinkle on 2/3 cup sugar.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir gently to combine.

Pour batter slowly over the top in large “ribbons” in order to evenly cover the surface. Spread gently if necessary.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 5 minutes before removing from oven, sprinkle surface with 1 tablespoon sugar for a little extra crunch.

Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Christmas Cookies: Butterscotch Fingers

I have made some great cookies from Good Housekeeping over the years.  I was thankful to receive their Christmas Cookies cookbook, from my best friend Nicki.  The following recipe comes from this book.  Butterscotch Fingers are super easy to make and they taste great.  Just keep in mind that they need to chill for a substantial amount of time, before slicing and baking.

Butterscotch Fingers Good Housekeeping

Active time:  30 minutes, plus chilling
Bake time:  12 to 14 minutes per batch
Makes:  66 cookies

2-1/3      cups all purpose flour

1/2         teaspoon baking powder

1/2         teaspoon salt

1            cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), softened

1            cup packed dark brown sugar

1            teaspoon vanilla extract

1            large egg

3/4         cup pecans, chopped


1.  On waxed paper, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

2.  In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Beat in vanilla, then egg.  On low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.  With spoon, stir in pecans.

3.  Shape dough into 12" by 3-3/4" by 1" brick.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to slice, 6 hours or overnight; if using margarine, freeze overnight.  (Dough can also be frozen up to 3 months.)

4.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease large cookie sheet.

5.  With sharp knife, cut brick crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices.  Place slices, 1-inch apart, on prepared cookie sheet.  Bake until lightly browned around edges, 12 to 14 minutes.  With wide metal spatula, transfer to wire rack to cool.  Repeat with remaining dough.

6.  Store cookies in cookie jar up to 1 week.

Each cookie:  about 65 calories, 1g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 4g total fat (2g saturated), 0g fiber, 11mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium

Christmas Cookies: Melt- Aways

The name says it all - these cookies melt in your mouth.

Active time:  25 minutes, plus chilling
Bake time:  19- 22 minutes per batch
Makes:  42 cookies


Melt-Aways  Good Housekeeping

2      cups all-purpose flour

1/4   cup cornstarch

1/8   teaspoon salt

1      cup butter (2 sticks), softened (no substitutions)

2      cups confectioners' sugar

2      teaspoons vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 325ºF.  On waxed paper, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt.

2.  In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter until creamy.  Beat in 1 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.  On low speed, beat in flour mixture, then vanilla.  Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

3.  With hands, shape dough by heaping measuring teaspoons into 1-inch balls.  Place balles, 1-inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.  Bake until set and lightly golden around edges, 19- 22 minutes.  With wide metal spatula, transfer to wire rack to cool slightly.

4.  Sift remaining 1 cup of confectioners' sugar into medium bowl.  While cookies are still warm, roll in sugar to coat; return to rack to cool completely.  When cool, gently roll cookies in sugar again.  Repeat with remaining dough in sugar.

5.  Store cookies in a cookie jar up to 1 week.

Each cookie:  About 90 calories, 1g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 5g total fat (3g saturated), 0g fiber, 13mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium.

Christmas Cookies: Spiked Eggnog Chews

These are on my list of cookies to make between now and Christmas.  I just found the recipe in Redbook magazine.  I hope that you'll try them out.

Photo by: Andrew Purcell

Spiked Eggnog Chews Redbook

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 22 minutes

1      stick unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2      cups sugar, plus more for rolling

1      Tbsp canola oil

1      large egg

2      Tbsp milk

1      Tbsp dark rum (or 1 tsp rum flavoring)

1      Tbsp vanilla extract

2      cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2      tsp baking powder

1/4   tsp baking soda

1/2   tsp nutmeg

1/4   cup decorating sugar

1.  Heat oven to 350ºF.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

2.  In a large bowl, stir butter, sugar, oil, and a pinch of salt until combined.  Stir in egg, milk, rum, and vanilla extract until combined.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg; stir until just combined.  Tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

3.  Form 3-Tbsp dough balls; place onto pans.  Place sugar for rolling in the same bowl.  Roll each dough ball in sugar and place back on pan, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.  Flatten each dough ball to about 1 inch tick and sprinkle with decorating sugar.  Bake one pan at a time, until cookies' centers have risen and are beginning to crack, 11 to 13 minutes.

4.  Remove pan from oven and tap on counter to help cookies deflate.  Let the cookies cool on pan, 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.  Repeat with second pan.

Makes 15 large cookies.

**  I made a few batches of these and they turned out really well.  They were a big hit at my cookie exchange, too.  I used dough balls about 1 Tbsp in size and the cookies were big.  So, I suggest that you cut the 3 Tbsp down.**