Christmas Cookies from
Country Chatter and Calico Kitten Designs

 Gingerbread Cookies 

2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup buttermilk
Raisins, icing, candies

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in molasses and egg, mixing well.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves by sifting together in a large bowl. Alternately add flour mixture in thirds with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition and ending with last third of flour. Wrap dough in wax paper or foil and chill in refrigerator fro several hours.
3. When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Dust a board of pastry cloth with flour. Roll our dough in sections until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut desired shapes and place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
4. When completely cool, decorate with desired type of icing first then place candies, raisins or other dried fruits on cookies. Let sit for several hours, then carefully package in covered containers.

                    Cream Cheese Mints 

2-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 - 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
7 drops red food coloring
7 drops green food coloring
Granulated sugar

1. Cream confectioner's sugar and cream cheese together in a small bowl.
2. Blend in peppermint extract. Divide mixture in half. Add red food coloring to one half and green to the other.
3. Knead until consistency resembles pie dough. Form dough into 1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and press into candy molds.
4. Remove immediately and place on wax paper while getting ready to store in containers.

Yuletide Kisses 

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
 

1. Preheat oven the 350 degrees F and line 2 - 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not stiff. Add the sugar gradually a few tablespoons at a time.
3. When about half of the sugar has been used, add vanilla. Continue adding the sugar until it is all used and the meringue appears shiny.
4. Gently fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Using 2 teaspoons, scoop on teaspoonful of meringue and use the other to push out onto cookie sheet.
5. Place about 1 inch apart. Place in preheated oven and turn the oven off. Leave cookies in the oven undisturbed for at least 2 hours to overnight, until crisp and dry.

Glazed Eggnog Spritz

Cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons rum extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Rum Drizzle

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F (if using dark or nonstick cookie sheet, heat oven to 325°F).
In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, 2 teaspoons rum extract and the egg until smooth. Beat in flour and 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
Place 1/4 of the dough at a time in cookie press. On ungreased cookie sheet, form desired shapes with dough.
Bake 6 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
In small bowl, stir all glaze ingredients except nutmeg with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Pour mixture into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze on cookies. Before glaze is set, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg over cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 egg
3 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food color
2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies
2 tablespoons sugar

Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
.Heat oven to 375ºF.
Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Buckeye Bars

LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer.

REFRIGERATE 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

Chocolate Rum Balls

MELT chocolate as directed on package. Stir in milk and extract. (Mixture will be very thick.) Let stand 5 min.

ROLL into 84 balls, using 1 tsp. of the chocolate mixture for each. Coat with nuts.

MIX chocolate and extract.
DIP crackers in chocolate, turning to completely coat each cracker. Carefully scrape off excess chocolate. Place crackers in single layer on waxed paper-covered baking sheets; sprinkle with crushed candy.
REFRIGERATE 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

Can't forget Santa

All of us at Country Chatter and
Calico Kitten Designs want to wish you a
Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year.

Thank you for visiting our website,
sharing your lives with us and
being our friends.

Please stop in to visit in the New Year!!

http://www.countrychatter.com

http://calicokittendesigns.com