12 Days of Cookies-- Day 11 & 12 just added!

Foodtv.com puts out this newsletter: 12 days of cookies right before the holidays... i just started getting them, so here they are!

Message edited 12/14/2006 7:13:48 PM.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day One: Black and White Tie



From Food Network Kitchens
Oil, for brushing
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces), softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks

Chocolate Icing:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

White Icing:
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons warm water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 2 baking sheets very lightly with oil.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.

Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat at high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the wet in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the dry to make a smooth batter.

Evenly mound 2 tablespoons batter per cookie onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (A small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop is ideal for this.) Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

For the chocolate icing: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate. Shake the bowl gently so cream settles around the chocolate; set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too many air bubbles. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip with about half of the chocolate icing.

For the white icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and warm water together to make a smooth icing. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip with about a quarter of the icing.

To Decorate:
For tuxedo cookies: Set the cookies on a rack over a rimmed cookie sheet. Pour the white glaze over the whole cookie to cover; set aside to dry. Pipe a bowtie and tuxedo lapel with the chocolate icing.

For a little black dress and pearls: Pipe an outline of a woman's dress with the dark chocolate and fill in with more icing. Pipe white icing pearls around the top of the cookie. Add silver dragees or candy pearls to dress up if desired.

Let cookies dry completely, about 20 minutes. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 days.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 2: Almond Shortbreads



1/2 cup raw almonds with skins, plus about 18 whole almonds for decorating
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for top
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (7 ounces, 1 3/4 sticks), softened, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg white, beaten

Special equipment: 9-inch tart fluted pan with a removable bottom

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Blend and pulse the 1/2 cup nuts in a food processor with the sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand. (If there are a couple small chunks of nuts that is fine.) Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and the salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with an off-set spatula. Dip the spatula in a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and dock (prick) the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top of the shortbread with sugar. Toss the remaining whole almonds in the egg white; evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool the short bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a nut. Cool shortbreads on a rack completely. (Alternatively present the shortbread as 1 large cookie. Cool the shortbread in the pan completely and remove the tart ring. Cut the shortbread into wedges as desired.)

Serve. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 18 wedges
User Rating: No Rating

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 3: Chocolate Chip Cookies



This is such an easy chocolate chip cookie. No special equipment, no creaming--a perfect cookie to do with kids. We love how versatile this dough is, too. It makes an awesome rocky road bar cookie.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt

Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F, (on convection setting if you have it.) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.)

Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. (Alternatively melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon, take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, about 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

For a Rocky Road Bar:
Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Make the batter as per cookie recipe, and fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until the edges are light brown the batter sets, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly and cover surface with 4 cups marshmallows and 1 cup chocolate chips. Broil at least 8 inches from the heat until marshmallows turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Keep an eye on the marshmallows, and turn the pan frequently--they go from golden to char in a wink.) Cool, cut and serve.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 30 cookies
User Rating: 4 Stars

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Keep em' coming!

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Thanks for posting! I was thinking about actually baking some cookies this year.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 4: Peanut Butter and Chocolate Biscotti




10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chunks (about 6 ounces)

Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to cook until the butter browns and gets a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while beating. Then slowly add the butter and vanilla until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds more. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.

While mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, in 2 additions, mixing just until absorbed. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate pieces.

Divide the dough evenly into thirds, and put each portion in the center of a baking sheet. Shape the dough with slightly wet hands into logs about 2-inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake until set and brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. (For even baking take care to rotate the pans-- top to bottom and front to back--about half way though.) Cool logs on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board. Cut logs crosswise, with a long serrated knife at about a 45 degree angle, into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Place cookies cut side down on the baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the cookies over and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Cool biscotti on the baking sheets. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.


Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 5 dozen cookies


User Rating 4 Stars

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Thank you! I'm gonna attempt the black & white cookies!

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 5: Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars



Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.
For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 16 (2-inch) squares

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 6: Whoopee Pie



ngredients
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
18 large marshmallows (not minis)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.

Put the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into another bowl. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until moistened. Switch to a rubber spatula and finish folding the batter together; take care not to over-mix.

Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto the prepared pan. Repeat to make 36 cookies, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly touched, about 6 minutes.

Cool the cookies slightly. Transfer half of the cookies to a rack. Turn the remaining cookies on the pan over, so they lay flat side up. Place a marshmallow on top of each flipped cookie and return pan to the oven. Cook just until the marshmallow begins to soften and puff, about 3 minutes. Cool marshmallow topped cookies slightly, about 2 minutes. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing lightly to make sandwiches. Cool whoopee pies completely on wire racks. Serve.

Store in tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.

ecipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 18 whoopee pies

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 7: Golden Rugalach



Dough:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in pieces and chilled
8 ounces cream cheese, cut in chunks and chilled
2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt

Filling:
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup apricot preserves
2/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Egg Wash:
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar

Instructions
For the dough: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces of butter, about 20 times. Add the cream cheese and sour cream, and pulse until it comes together in a rough dough (with some uneven pebble-sized pieces). Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface, and divide into 4 equal portions. Pat each portion into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze dough for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the nuts in a clean food processor. Add the preserves, raisins and salt; puree to make a very smooth paste.

Roll a portion of dough into a 6 by 14-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. (Don't worry about slightly rough edges; these will be rolled inside of the rugalach.) Spread 1/4 of the filling over the surface with a small spatula. Starting with a long side, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder ending with the seam on the bottom. Press the top slightly to flatten; wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for another 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (The cylinders can be frozen for up to a month.)

Meanwhile, evenly position the racks in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

Slice the cylinders into 1 1/2-inch pieces, and place rugalach seam-side down on the prepared pans. Whisk the egg yolks together and brush this glaze over the top of the rugalach. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until pale golden and crispy on top, about 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Carefully transfer rugalach to a rack to cool. Serve.

Store rugalach in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 8: Iced Citrus Crackle Cookie




Whichever citrus you choose, these crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside cookies will brighten your day

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated citrus zest (Meyer or regular lemon, tangerine or lime)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract (or use all orange extract for tangerine cookies)
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons colored sanding sugar (yellow, orange or green, depending on the flavor of the cookie)
1 tablespoon finely grated citrus zest (the same flavor of the cookie)
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed citrus juice (the same flavor of the cookie)

Instructions
Evenly space the oven racks in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F on the convection setting, if available. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Add the sugar and citrus zest and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. (The creaming is important to get a great texture, so don't skimp here.) Add the yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the extracts.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing at low speed to make a soft dough.

Scoop the dough into rounded heaping tablespoons with a cookie scoop or measuring spoon. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the prepared pans. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. (The cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

Bake the cookies, straight from the freezer, until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

For icing: Mix the confectioners' sugar, colored sugar and appropriate flavored zest in a medium bowl. Add the citrus juice and mix with an electric mixer to make a firm but pourable icing. (If needed, add up to 1 teaspoon more juice, but take care that if the icing is too loose it won't set.) Dip the rounded side of the cooled cookies into the icing, then let the excess icing fall back into the bowl. Dry cookies icing side up on a rack. Serve.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 2 dozen

Re: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 9: Coconut-Cranberry Macaroon



Cranberry and orange add a yuletide note to these wheat-free classics.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 24 cookies

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 cups (about 8 ounces) finely shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Whisk the sugar, egg whites, cranberry, orange zest, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Toss the coconut with the egg mixture until completely coated.

Moisten your fingertips with water. Form about 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter into pointed mounds or pyramids on the prepared pans, spacing them about 1-inch apart.

Bake until the edges are golden brown and the entire macaroon is nicely toasted and dry, 16 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve.

Store macaroons in a tightly sealed container for up to a week.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 9 just added!

Day 10: Super Gooey Chocolate Drops



When you need an intense chocolate experience in cookie form, this is the recipe for you.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 2 dozen large cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 ounces (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup dried cherries (optional)

Instructions
Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)

Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, if using.

Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 10 just added!

Thanks for posting! I'm going to try the cranberry coconut ones next week!

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 10 just added!

Yes, those coconut ones def. look good.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 10 just added!

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 10 just added!

Day 11: Ginger Pecan Oatmeal Crisps

This refined and grown-up twist on the oatmeal cookie is an ideal finish to any holiday feast.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 4 dozen



Ingredients
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Instructions
Grind the oatmeal and pecan pieces in a food processor until they resemble cornmeal--reasonably fine but with some texture. Whisk the whole wheat flour, cornstarch, ginger, salt and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the oat/nut mixture.

In another medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light, about 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated and light brown sugar; continue beating until evenly combined, about 3 minutes more. Add the vanilla and the egg.

Mix in the dry ingredients to make a textured dough. Line a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans with plastic wrap and pack dough into the bottom half of the pan. Press to level off the dough. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top and refrigerate until completely firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Remove dough from the pan and unwrap. Slice dough in half lengthwise if using a large pan. Slice each log crosswise into 1/4-inch thick cookies. Place the cookies about a 1-inch apart on the prepared pans. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and crisp. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 10 just added!

Day 12: Butter and Jam Thumbprints



Teatime or playtime, these old-time holiday cookies are always a favorite.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Yield: about 24 to 30 cookies

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod, or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.

Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Re: 12 Days of Cookies-- Day 11 & 12 just added!

Adding these DELICIOUS and soft oatmeal raisin cookies I made last week

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins

preheat oven to 350

Beat butter, sugars, milk, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy

combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. gradually add to butter mixture, mix well

stir in oats and raisins.

drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

bake 12-15 minutes, remove from cookie sheet and let cool completely.