Absolute Favorite Christmas Cookies and/or Goodies

[cjs]

How about all our favorites?? I'll start with the all time favorite for my family.

Family story on these - a few years ago, I was lucky to spend Christmas with my grandchildren who I hadn't been able to spend it with often as they were growing up. But, I always sent a big box of Christmas goodies for them and their mother (Tracie, who lurks on this site, but NEVER posts!!). Well, I brot the cookies with me for the year we spent together and expected them to be very happy, but they didn't touch the LEBKUCHEN - when I asked them why, they said they had never seen them before and were hesitant. About this time Tracie Lee went slinking out of the room - all these years, she had hidden these from her kids 'cause they were her favorite!!! That's bad enuf to put those kids in therapy! (hope you read this, Trac)





LEBKUCHEN

4 lg eggs, well beaten
1 3/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsps cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each: cloves, allspice & mace
15 drops (~1 tsp) maple flavoring
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp brandy or brandy flavoring
2 Tbsps water
6 Tbsps butter, melted
2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1 c honey
GLAZE:
2 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
3 Tbsps milk
2 Tbsps butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat together eggs, sugar & salt.
Add balance of ingredients, mix well, adding nuts and honey last.

Bake in large flat pan which has been lined with wax paper (or parchment), for 25 min. in 350° oven.
Turn from pan and spread immediately with glaze.

GLAZE: Sift sugar into a bowl.
In a saucepan, heat milk and butter over low heat, stirring till butter melts.
Remove from heat and add to the sugar, mixing well. Add the vanilla.



Serving Ideas : -----
Cut into 1 1/2" to 2" squares.

NOTES : One of the 8 family Christmas cookies printed in the Yakima (Washington) Herald newspaper - Dec. 8, 1960

[Roxanne 21]

I have been searching for a really good recipe for Lebkuchen for a LONG time!!! Thanks, Jean--this looks like a winner to me---

Now I have to dig deep and find something to contribute---

[dollop]

The first recipe is a favorite of my DS and DH and I enjoy the second one more. I hope Y'all enjoy these.


Fudgy Brownies with Raspberry-Cream Cheese Swirl - Pam Anderson
- 16 brownies

Raspberry-Cream Cheese Swirl
¼ cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla

Brownies
2/3 cup AP flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
10 Tbl butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs

¼ cup raspberry jam

Raspberry-Cream Cheese Swirl
Mix sugar, cream cheese, egg yolk and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.
Set aside

Fudgy Brownies
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325F.
Whisk flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl; set aside.
Spray an 8 inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
Fit a 16 by 8 inch sheet of foil in pan and up 2 sides, so you can use foil overhang as a handle to pull cooked brownies from pan.
Spray sheet of foil with vegetable cooking spray.
Melt chocolates and butter in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla.
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next.
Continue to whisk until mixture is completely smooth and glossy.
Add dry ingredients; whisk until just incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan.
Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over batter, then top with remaining brownies batter.
Spoon raspberry jam by teaspoonful over batter.
Use a tablespoon to gently swirl jam, batter and cream cheese filling for a marbled effect.
Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out with wet crumbs 35-40 minutes.
Cool brownies in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Use foil handles to pull brownies from pan.
Completely cool brownies on rack, at least 3 hours.
Cut into squares and serve.
If not serving immediately, do not cut brownies.

*Whole brownie cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, and refrigerated for up to 5 days.




Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1 cup pecan pieces
Pinch salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Grind flour, pecans, and salt in food processor, to almost fine powder consistency.
Set aside. (I add the pecans a little at a time to maintain some nut pieces in dough).
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.
Add the flour mixture, blend in well.
Gather dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap for at least 3 hours/over night.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out dough to 1/4" thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut into shapes or just rounds with 1" cookie cutters.
Gather scraps and repeat process until all dough is used up.
Place cookies on sheet and bake until lightly colored, 20 - 25 minutes.
Yield ~ 36.


This is my favorite cookie!

Apricot Jam Shortbread Bars from Baking with Julia

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 egg yolks
1 cup apricot jam

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and egg yolks until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly form two balls (one just slightly larger than the other). Wrap in plastic and freeze for at least 1 hour (or as long as 1 month).

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Take the larger ball of frozen dough and coarsely grate (by hand or using grating disk of food processor) into the bottom of prepared pan. Spread out the shreds of dough evenly in the pan.

Spread the apricot jam evenly over the base layer of dough. Take the remaining ball of frozen dough and coarsely grate over the jam layer.

Bake until golden brown, approximately 35-45 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. Sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar if you like.

[pjcooks]

These are sooooo good, light and tender with a soft praline topping.

Pecan Frosties

Oven 350

2 cups AP flour
½ tsp soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla


Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add sugar to butter , cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Add dry ingredients, mix well.

Scoop into 1 inch balls, place 2 in apart on parchment or ungreased cookie sheet. Make a depression on each, fill with 1 tsp of filling. (Recipe below)

Bake 12-14 min until delicately brown.


Topping

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
¼ cup sour cream

Yield about 3 dozen


PJ

[cjs]

Oh my, this is going to be a fun, fun thread - I have some chutneys (and I know Lorraine does too!!) that are always popular during the holidays!!

[farnfam]

I love to decorate little gingerbread people as a part of Christmas, but no one here is a big gingerbread fan. But they all LOVE chocolate, hence the solution:
Chocolate Gingerbread Boys and Girls (from Cooking Light, I think)
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Morsels, divided
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
MICROWAVE 1 1/2 cups morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100
percent) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second
intervals, stirring until smooth; cool to room temperature.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon in medium bowl. Beat butter
and sugar in small mixer bowl until creamy; beat in molasses and melted chocolate.
Gradually add flour mixture alternately with water, beating until smooth. Cover;
refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
ROLL half of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface with floured rolling pin.
Cut dough into gingerbread boy and girl shapes using cookie cutters or a stencil.
Place on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
BAKE for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still slightly soft. Cool
on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

[dollop]

Oh fun! Thank you farnfam...I will make these!!

[Bizymomma]

PJ....how many dozen does this recipe make?

[dollop]

I've made these for several years now. I love ginger and the lemon really sets these cookies off.

Lemon-Ginger Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
dash salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Confectioners' sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 325*.
In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, ginger, lemon zest, and salt.
Mix until blended well.
Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Take care not to over process.
Pat dough evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
Press a fork on edges all around to make a decorative border.
Prick the dough every 2 to 3 inches with the fork.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until lightly browned and firm in the center.
Remove pan sides and score into serving size wedges while still warm.
If desired, dust shortbread with confectioners' sugar.
Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container, or freeze for several months.
Makes about a dozen wedges.

Source: DianasDesserts.com

[pjcooks]

Angela, I'm sorry I forgot to include this! It makes about 3 dozen cookies. I will go back and edit!

PJ