Christmas Cookies

As you requested, Chris. I'd be happy to come over and test bake them with you any time. HUGS!

Minty Middle Treasures
(From Betty Crocker)
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
About 2 dozen foil-wrapped rectangular chocolate mints, unwrapped (Andi’s mints)
Almond frosting (below)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat sugars, shortening, butter, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.

Shape about 1 tablespoon dough around each mint. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.

Mix Almond Frosting and drizzle across each cookie as desired.

Almond Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla or peppermint)
a few drops of food coloring, if desired

Mix until smooth. Spread onto cooled cookies, or transfer to a bag to drizzle over cookies.

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Chewy Ginger Snaps (from the ginger people)

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
3 ½ oz chopped Ginger Chips, or candied ginger (baby ginger if possible)

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together dry ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and creamy. Stir in molasses and egg. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix well. Stir in crystallized ginger chips. Dough may be chilled for up to an hour. (But I never do it.) Form into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes; cookies will be soft. Let cool on cookie sheet before moving. Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies.

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Drop Sugar Cookies
Makes approximately 32 medium-sized cookies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup salted butter
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup coarse sugar crystals or regular granulated sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugar until it is nice and creamy. Mix in 1 egg yolk at a time and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well. Using a medium scoop, form dough balls and roll them in sugar crystals. Place cookie balls on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Do not flatten the dough. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the surface of each cookie has a cracked like texture. Remove from oven and allow cookies to remain on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

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Snowballs
(From Betty Crocker)
Makes about 4 dozen

These cookies have many names: Snowballs, Russian Tea Cakes, Swedish Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, and Butterballs are just a few. No matter what you call them, they are bite-sized yumminess!

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts (I pulverize almonds in my food processor)
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and the vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour and salt. Stir in nuts.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and carefully roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.