25 days of Christmas Cookies | One Hundred Dollars a Month

25 Day of Christmas Cookies – Quaker Oatmeal Cookies

December 14, 2012 2 Comments

Why mess with a good thing right? I’ve been making these Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal cookies for about 10 years now. And like all good things, they never seem to stay in the cookie jar too long before the HH or the kids snatch them up.

Sometimes I’ll add in chocolate chips, shredded coconut, raisins, dried cherries or chopped nuts to the batter, it just depends on what I have on hand.

This time around I made naked oatmeal cookies {no extras} and I’m sure by this time tomorrow they’ll all be gone. If you don’t already have this yummalicious recipe in your files, simply use the “print” button at the bottom of this post.

Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies By Quaker Oats {Recipe Credit}

Ingredients

1/2 cup {1 stick} plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt {optional}
3 cups quick or old-fashioned, uncooked}

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by 2 tablespoon cookie scoops onto ungreased cookie sheets {I use silpats}.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Mavis’ Cookie Essentials

Amazon - Cookie Scoops
Amazon - Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mats

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, desserts, oatmeal, recipe

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Gingerbread Biscotti

December 12, 2012 3 Comments

I spotted this recipe in the recent addition of Family Fun Magazine* and thought I would give it a try. If you are planning on having guests over soon, I would bake this about an hour before they arrive because your house will smell amazing. If you have never made biscotti before, it’s pretty simple so don’t be shy.

I really liked how this turned out and can’t wait to share the gingerbread biscotti with everyone tonight.

Here is the recipe -

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons light molasses {I used Blackstap Molasses}
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.

In an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar, egg, molasses, and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.

Reduce the mixer’s speed to low and blend in the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper {I use a silpat}* and shape the dough and shape each piece into a 3 by 14-inch rectangle. Transfer the loave to the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and the top is just starting to crack {about 25 minutes}.

Let the loaf cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut the loaf into 3/4 inch thick slices. Place the slices cut side down on the baking sheet/mat and bake until slightly toasted, about 7-9 minutes.

The gingerbread biscotti should be crunchy on the outside but not rock hard. Let cook completely then store in an airtight container.

Go HERE for More Cookie Recipes

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, cookies, desserts, gingerbread, recipes

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Black Bottom Mini Brownie Bites

December 11, 2012 6 Comments

So maybe these are not cookies, but you simply MUST include them on your cookie platters this year. The Girl and I made these yesterday and had planned on freezing them to put on our Christmas trays this year, but we unfortunately we left them on counter to cool while we ran some errands. When we came home Monkey Boy had eaten over half of them {the recipe makes 24}. So, it looks like we’ll be making them a second time.

Boys! I tell you they will eat anything AND everything in sight.

Here’s is the recipe. I hope you like it. We sure do.

Cream-Cheese Layer

1 {3 ounce} package cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Layer
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a mini muffin pan*{mine has 24 cavities in it} and set aside.

For the Cream Cheese Layer
In a small bowl mix together the cream cheese, sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla until nice and smooth. Fold in the chocolate mini morsels and set aside.

For the Chocolate Layer
In a medium sized glass bowl, microwave the butter and chocolate for 1 minute. Stir well then continue to cook and stir at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is just about melted. Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture and set aside.

In another small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in the egg, 1 tbs water and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until the mixture is well blended and the sugar dissolves and the chocolate batter is nice and smooth. Stir in the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until everything is combined.

Next spoon a 1/2 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture into each mini-muffin cup. Then spoon 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture over the top of the chocolate layer. Then finally add another teaspoon of the chocolate batter for a third and final layer.

Bake for 11- 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a muffin pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes then invert brownies and place on a platter. These will go quick so you may want to make a double batch.

The All-American Cookie Book ~ Available from Amazon.com

*Direct link to an Amazon.com product

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, brownies, chocolate, desserts, recipe

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Chocolate Brownie Cookies

December 9, 2012 4 Comments

I have been making these cookies ever since my friend Jane told me about them a few years ago. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Cookie Book and I typically bake a double batch of these delicious cookies when my kids request them for their sporting events or if I’m asked to bake cookies for a bake sale.

The are seriously the best chocolate cookies I have ever tasted, and, there are never any leftovers. The only thing I’ve changed from Martha’s original recipe is I have added a touch of cinnamon and reduced the baking temp a bit for a chewier cookie.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
2 cups sugar + 1/4 cup for rolling cookie balls into
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter, 2 cups sugar, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy {I use a KitchenAid mixer for this}

Slowly add dry ingredients, and mix well. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for one hour until the cookie dough is somewhat firm.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or with a silpat baking mat. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scoop to form dough balls and then roll the balls in sugar. Bake 10 -12 minutes . Cool on a wire rack. Hide a few for yourself and then serve a big plate full to your kids with a tall glass of milk to wash them down.

Martha Stewart’s Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share ~ Amazon.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, chocolate, cookies, desserts, recipe, recipes

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

December 7, 2012 1 Comment

The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird and her bff’s get together every year right before Christmas and make a bunch of cookie platters for all of their teachers. Some years they’ve made as many as 12 different kinds of cookies all in one day.

But this year The Girl asked if we would make a few batches ahead of time so they would have more time to decorate and spend less time actually baking the cookies.

So this morning, I went ahead and whipped up a batch of our favorite sugar cookie dough and made 8 dozen sugar cookies in various shapes for them. Once they cool down properly, I’ll store them in the freezer until the day of the cookie party.

Here is our tried and true sugar cookie recipe we use year after year.

Ingredients

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk {I used 2%}
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.

Mix the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together with a electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add about 1/2 of the flour mixture, then the 1/2 cup of milk, then the remaining flour mixture until everything is mixed together.

Divide dough into quarters, wrap in Saran Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out cookie dough on to a floured surface with a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutters,* place on a lined baking sheet {I use Silpats}* and bake for 6 -7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate or eat plain.

Wilton Holiday Cookie Cutters, Set of 9 $8.00 available on Amazon.com

*Direct link to an Amazon.com Product

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, christmas, cookies, desserts, one hundred dollars a month, recipe

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Snickerdoodles Recipe

December 6, 2012 6 Comments

If you have never had homemade snickerdoodles before you are seriously missing out. Everyone in our house loves these cookies. I prefer to dip them in tea, the kids like to dunk them in their milk, and the Handsome Husband will pretty much eat anything we leave out on the counter.

Go make these, they’re good. I promise!

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter {softened}
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and flour together in a bowl and set aside.

Mix the butter, eggs, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture until the dough is nice and smooth.

In a small bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

Drop 1 tablespoon sized dough balls {I like to use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop* for this} into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.

Place dough balls on a lined cookie sheet {I use silpat}* and bake at 350 for 11 minutes or until slightly browned.

Cool on a wire rack.

* Direct link to an Amazon product.

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, christmas, desserts, recipe, recipes

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Peanut Butter Blossoms

December 5, 2012 4 Comments

If you love peanut butter cookies then you’ve probably made peanut butter blossoms before. These cookies have 2 of Monkey Boy’s favorite things in them, peanut butter and chocolate. Now if I could just figure out a way to get some Doritos in there I’d probably have to bake a batch everyday.

Here is the recipe, in case you don’t have it.

Ingredients

1/2cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Additional granulated sugar {for rolling cookies in}
2 bags of Hershey Kisses {about 72 pieces}

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In large bowl, combined the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and eggs until nice and smooth.

Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop,* and drop 1 inch cookie balls on to a plate of granulated sugar and roll until covered with sugar.

Place cookies on a lined cookie sheet {I use silpats*} and bake at 375 for 8 – 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press 1 unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into center of each cookie.

Cool, then transfer to a cookie platter or store in an airtight container.

Betty Crocker The Big Book of Cookies* ~ Available on Amazon.com {This book is awesome!}

*Direct link to an Amazon.com product

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, christmas, cookies, desserts, recipe, recipes

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies – Buttered Rum Meltaway Cookies

December 3, 2012 5 Comments

If you are looking for an extra special cookie to make for your cookie platter this year, you’ll totally want to make a batch of these buttered rum meltaway cookies.

I made these cookies last year and everyone LOVED them.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted softened butter
1 cup powered sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and rum. Slowly add the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and combine.

Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Fold the parchment over the dough and roll into a log that is about 1 1/2″ thick. Wrap in parchment. Place in the freezer for at least an hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from parchment and slice into 1/4″ slices (or if you are a rebel like me, slice it a little wider. Place on lined cookie sheets {I use silpats*} and bake about 15 minutes.

Let cool about 15 minutes. Gently toss cookies in remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Brush excess sugar away from cookies and enjoy! Makes 30 cookies.

Martha Stewart’s Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share*

*Direct link to an Amazon.com product

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, christmas, cookies, desserts, recipe, recipes

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies – Gingerbread Man Recipe

November 29, 2012 10 Comments

I posted this recipe last year and I’m posting it again. Why? Because this recipe is the best one I’ve ever tried for making gingerbread men.

Who can say no to a Gingerbread Man cookie? I know I can’t. I’m not sure if it’s my animal instincts or what, but I tend to go for the right arm first. Then the legs. And once I have eaten all his limbs… I bite off his head. This is exactly why I don’t like to decorate my cookies. After all, what kind of sicko wants a helpless Gingerbread Man staring back at her with his mini chocolate chips eyes?

Poor Gingey…It must be terribly traumatic to be a Gingerbread man…

Ingredients

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the sugar and butter until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and molasses and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine with a spoon or spatula.

Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (I like to use silpats*). Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until pliable. Take about 1/2 cup of dough at a time and roll onto a floured board until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out with gingerbread boy and girl cookie cutters. You can re-roll the scraps. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies from the board to the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Recipe By Paula Dean

A few of my favorite things…

Gingerbread Baby* By Jan Brett
Baking Mats*
Wilton Gingerbread Boy Comfort Grip Cookie Cutter*
Gingerbread House Mold*

*Direct links to Amazon.com Products

Filed Under: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Tagged With: 25 days of Christmas Cookies, christmas, desserts, gingerbread, recipe, recipes

25 Days of Christmas Cookies – Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

November 28, 2012 Leave a Comment

If you love shortbread, then you’ll love this recipe for cranberry shortbread cookies. This recipe only makes 12 cookies. 2 sticks of butter for 12 cookies? Oh yeah, they are going to be good! I promise.

Ingredients

1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries* {dried cherries work well too.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl {I like to use my KitchenAid for this} and mix until creamy,then fold in the dried cranberries.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Press dough evenly in the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until the dough just starts to turn golden brown.

When to cookie dough is finished cooking, cool the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper {and cookie dough} out of he pan and place on a cutting board.

Use a 2-inch heart shaped cookie cutter,* and carefully remove the cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days {if they last that long Ha!}. Recipe Credit: Martha Stewart