There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to cook during the holiday season.
I suggest You A base tasting cookie recipe that quickly and easily
transforms into a variety of easy as making Christmas treats, friends
and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie
recipes.
Start with the basics.
Cookie dough recipe:
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter ( or margarine ) at room temperature.
1/2 cup brown sugar , lightly packed.
2 tablespoons sugar.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
1 large egg.
1 Vanilla extract teaspoon.
1 1/ 2 cups all-purpose flour.
In
a large bowl , combine all ingredients except flour. Beat with an
electric mixer, scraping sides of bowl several times, until the
mixture is light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the
flour gradually, beating until mixture is smooth.
Place
mixture in a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press with a
spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie
cutter. Bake at 350 º F for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.
This cookie base mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350 º F).
Orange Cookies:
( Makes about 32 )
In addition to the basic dough you will need:
Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a
log that is about 1 1/2" in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Slice
dough into 1/4" thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be
decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty
holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes,
until lightly browned.
Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares:
( Makes about 54 squares ).
In addition to the basic dough you will need:
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
3 large eggs.
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar.
1 teaspoon almond extract.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
3 cups flaked coconut.
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped.
Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil.
Stir
the cocoa powder in the batter mixture. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is dry.
In a
medium bowl combine eggs , sugar , almonds and baking powder and mix
well extracted. Add the coconut and cherries. Pour over baked crust.
Bake
for 30-35 minutes, until top begins to brown and a toothpick inserted
in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Levante on a
cutting board with the ends of the leaves and cut into 1 1/2 " square.
Squares can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 weeks.
Coco pineapple coconut cookies:
( Makes about 36 ).
In addition to the basic dough you will need:
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut.
1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer).
Add
1 cup of the coconut mixture to the dough and mix well. Shape dough
into 1 1/ 2 " balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat. Place
balls of" participation in lightly greased baking sheets . Make a deep
indentation in center of each cookie with your finger.
Bake for
12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly
toasted . Once cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with
jam.
You can change this basic dough to make a wide variety of
Christmas cookies recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or
cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or cook
plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.
Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here's hoping
these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off
the cook.
