Christmas cookie recipe?

[madsmom]

I will be hosting my fifth cookie exchange this year and have run out of favorite recipes. I have experimented with some recipes I found on-line, but not found anything festive enough. Does anyone have a favorite Christmas cookie recipe that would look pretty and taste great to share at a cookie exchange?

Lisa :mickeyXmas:

[SuzyQ]

Well, my favorite (which I'm sure that you have either used or received) is Ye Ol' 7-Layer bars. Not very pretty, but YUMMMMMMY!

Easy too!

2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs (give or take depending on how big your pan is)
1 stick butter
2 cups coconut
1 package semi-sweet choc chips
1 package butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (or almonds)
1 can sweetened/condensed milk

In a 9x12 pan, line bottom with graham cracker crumbs until about 1/4 thick. Melt butter and pour over crumbs until moist. Pat firmly with spatula. Now add your "layers" beginning with the coconut (I usually have about a 1/4-inch later of coconut). When all but milk is in place, drizzle milk over top using teh WHOLE can so that all ingredients are covered. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool thoroughly and then cut into 1" squares.

Good luck! I look forward to seeing what recipes you get!

~Suzy

[madsmom]

Thanks SuzyQ,
This is one of my favorites as well. In fact I used it for one of my first exchanges! It is part of our cookie platter every year!

Lisa

[WillCAD]

My favorite recipe is thus:

Ingredients
Pre-made, pre-mix, referigerated dough
Cookie sheet

Directions
1. Buy dough
2. Spray Pam on cookie sheet
3. Preheat oven according to direction on dough package
4. Put dough on cookie sheet and put into oven
5. Take cookied out of oven before they start to burn
6. Let cookies cool enough not to burn your mouth before eating

This is a really flexible recipe. It works for chocolate chip, sugar, penut butter, and oatmeal-raisin cookies. There's even a new type of dough out that includes edible Xmas decorations for the tops of the cookies!

I made some last night, a mix of classic chocolate chip and some new Reeses Penut-butter Cup cookies. In typical Will fashion, however, they came out in blackened-cajun style. That'll teach me to mix cookie types on the same cookie sheet!

[Antyo]

OK - here's one that's a bit different but REALLY yummy! Hope this is what you're looking for...

DATE NUT BALLS
1 stick margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten
1 (8 oz) package dates, cut up
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 teaspoons vanilla

Cook together for 5 minutes margarine, sugar, egg, dates and salt.
Remove from heat and cool. Add nuts, cereal and vanilla.

Stir well and shape into small balls. Roll in flaked coconut.

[KatEnigma]

How about this one? :D It's super-quick and easy. I love bar cookies, especially when cooking for a crowd!

Gum Drop Cookies

4 eggs
2 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cold water
2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. cut gum drops (my mom uses the red (cinnamon) and green (peppermint) one)

Beat together eggs and sugar. Add water. Sift flour and cinnamon and sprinkle over nuts and gum drops. Add rest of flour and cinnamon to mixture. Fold in floured nuts and gum drops. Spread in greased and floured pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut in squares when cool.

[BuzzsMom]

I have a lot of different recipes and would be happy to post some, but as they are long I don't want to post them all. I actually made shortbread two nights ago. This recipe was in the latest Good Housekeeping magazine. You put Christmas sprinkles into the dough and cut it into little cubes. They are really sweet!
I have Hershey's kisses cookies that are rolled in ground almonds, toffee triangles, lime crescents (which are my husbands fave), poppy seed thumbprints, caramel acorns and ice capped gingersnaps. All of these are very good cookies, they all freeze well and look festive!
If you would like any of them, just let me know and I would be more than happy to post the recipes!!
Susan

[madsmom]

Susan,
I would love to have the lime crescents recipe. They sound unusual and fun! I just saw the recipe for the shortbread squares in a magazine. They looked very pretty in the picture. It is good to know you tried them and they turned out well. I think I may try those as well.
Thanks a bunch,
Lisa

[BuzzsMom]

Not a problem! Here it is:

Makes: about 4 dozen, Prep. 10 minutes, Chill: 1 hour, Bake: 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

1 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tbsp grated lime rind
1 tbsp. lime juice
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Lime Drizzle:
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
Green decorator sugar

1. Beat butter, egg yolk, lime rind and juice in large bowl until smooth. On low, beat in confectioners' sugar, flour and salt until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 350. Form 1 rounded teaspoon dough into 2 1/2-inch log; bend into crescent. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough,
3. Bake in 350 oven 10 minutes or until edges are just golden and tops slightly cracked. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack and let cool completely.
4. DRIZZLE: Stir together confectioners' sugar and lime juice in small bowl until smooth. Place wire rack with cookies over waxed paper. Decorate cookies with drizzle. Sprinkle with decorator sugar.

I can give you all the nutritional values as well, but who really cares about that stuff at Christmas!!

I always use organic eggs, unsalted butter and unbleached flour in all my Christmas baking. I find that it really does make a better cookie and it's Christmas so why not splurge a little!!

Enjoy, Susan