Thursday, December 18, 2014

Baking Bonanza

I don't know about y'all but I'm knee deep in flour, baking for family and friends.  (And ourselves this weekend)  I like to keep up on what friends I bake for might like and they shared a pic of cookies with a bear holding an almond.  I couldn't find a bear but we did already have a santa so I used him.



Then I forgot after baking some cookies for my MIL to turn down the oven and santa had a tan.

D'oh!

No worries, I made a new batch.  But they are super cute and I know my friend will love them!

When I'm making mega batches of dough, I like to pre-mix the dry ingredients when I have time earlier in the month.  Then when baking day comes, I can dump all of the dry ingredients in after I've whipped up the wet ones.  Just make sure you list what recipe it's for and what ingredients you added so you know not to re-add them.



In case you need some new recipes to try, here are some of the ones I consistently make for family and friends.

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies  (Recipe I used for the nut holding Santa.  Wow that sounds bad)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies  (A little messy to make but always a hit and make the perfect vehicle for a whoopie pie with a twist.  They get better with age)

Maple Buckeyes  (Whether you use maple peanut butter, regular or some other flavors, these are wonderful)

Egg Nog Cookies  (A great subtle egg nog taste even the haters will love!)

Snowballs (aka-Mexican Wedding Cookies)

Biscoff Oatmeal Cookies  (These are always a hit because, well...Biscoff)


I like to use impending visits with friends to try out new cookie recipes so this year I gave these a try.

Potato Chip Cookies

and

Biscoff Criss Cross Cookies

If you have picky people (like my family), don't tell them they are potato chip cookies...I renamed them 'sweet and salty shortbread cookies.'  When I gave the link to a friend I made them for she said "there's no way there's potato chips in there!"  It's a great texture and while they probably won't be in our personal core cookie baking, I will probably make both of those yearly as gifts for others and we'll grab a few out of the batch.  I would blow through those potato chip cookies for sure and since they use chips, that's likely why you can't eat just one.

Our core cookies are cut outs from the old Better Homes and Garden cookbook (decorated with multi-colored icing), chocolate chip M&M (the Mr's favorite), Buckeyes and I usually make gingerbread but sometimes I cheat and use pre-made Trader Joe's Molasses break and bakes to give myself a break which is what I'm doing this year.

If you're looking for more recipe ideas, click here to see all of my 12 Days of Treats links from previous years.  Lots of truffle and fudge ideas in addition to cookies.  I didn't have the oomph to do it this year.  I'll try to do better next year!  ;-)

What are your core cookies your family likes you to bake for them every holiday season?

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8 comments:

  1. I cannot wait til Saturday when I get some of those amazing treats! You do make the best cookies and buckeyes, etc. I'm glad you love to do it because you do it so well!

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    1. Me too! I wait all year for this! YUM!

      Thanks! You might be biased. :-)

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  2. Most of my core cookies have come from you. The ChocoRolo and eggnog cookies are my favorites. Hubby loves Mexican wedding cakes. I make the fluffernutter peanut butter cookies too. Plus plain old chocolate chip.

    My all time favorite Christmas cookies are Pizzelle - but I have no idea how to make them. I think they need a special press that I don't have too.

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    1. You do need a pizzelle maker to make them, its like a waffle iron and the batter is very similar to crepe/pancake batter. I'm not a fan of the anise flavored ones, but have made coconut flavored pizzelles in Christmas passed dipped in dark chocolate which we tasty!

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    2. Aww, so glad my recipes have made it into heavy rotation for your Christmas baking! Give those Biscoff Oatmeal ones a try. They are to die for! My friend makes pizzelles and has a press that was her great grandma's. I just had maple ones and they were awesome!

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  3. I went overboard and made 12 types this year. The only ones I would say are the 'must haves' each year are my piped cookies. They taste just like the Italian cookies you get at a bakery in NYC, are a complete PIA to make, but everyone always raves about them.

    This year I made, peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkle cookies, salted chocolate chip, caramel stuffed snicker doodles, oatmeal raisin, sugar cookies iced like snowmen, peppermint meringues, gingerbread men, 7 layer bars, piped cookies, and cookie press cookies.

    it was way way way too much.

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    1. Hey, if ever there's a time for way way too much, it's now. ;-) Plus there are always family and co-workers to pawn them off on if you get sick of them. You sound like me though. I think I have 10 batches of dough in the fridge! :-)

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  4. These look like so much fun! My mom always baked cookies every year, but more non-traditional ones. I don't make cookies here in the house because the hubs isn't a dessert guy and I don't trust myself around them because I have doubt that I'd snarf them down without thought! LOL I know mom won't be making cookies this year, which is good because it would take her days to do. She would do almond cookies, and some sprinkle type cookie but not really a sugar cookie. And she loved to make Italian cookies - bins upon bins of them!

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