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My 12 Days of ~ Christmas ~

cookies
cookies
cookies

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SNOWFLAKE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
For Assembly
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 candy canes
DIRECTIONS:
For the cookies:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix just until dough comes together. Divide dough into two pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350Â°F. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take out one ball of dough and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible, transferring with a spatula to the prepared cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling scraps and moving onto the next ball of dough as necessary. Bake cookies until just dry on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For assembly: In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar and water until smooth, adding a little more water if necessary. Take a small spoon and fill with icing. Drizzle icing over a cookie in a zig-zag pattern. Immediately sprinkle with candy cane pieces. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let icing set completely, about 1 hour, before placing cookies in an airtight container.

RAINBOW COOKIES (ITALIAN)

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 10 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 63
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces almond paste/ rec filling (12 oz)
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs,
2 cups all-purpose flour
Almond extract Â½ - Â¾ TBs
1/4 tsp salt
6 drops red food coloring / gel
6 drops green food coloring / gel
1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, Melted
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp corn syrup OR butter shortening??
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Line three 9x13 inch baking pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, break apart almond paste/filling with a fork, and cream together with butter, sugar, and eggs. When mixture is fluffy and smooth, mix in almond extract, stir in flour to form a dough. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Mix one portion with red food coloring, and one with green food coloring. Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks.
4. Place green layer onto a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all three layers. Spread green layer with raspberry jam, and top with uncolored layer. Spread with apricot jam, and top with pink layer. Transfer layers to a baking sheet, and enclose with plastic wrap. Place a heavy pan or cutting board on top of wrapped layers to compress. Chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.
5. Remove plastic wrap. Top with melted chocolate chips/butter/corn syrup OR shortening, and refrigerate 1 hour, or until chocolate is firm (better, if overnight). Slice into small squares to serve.
NOTE: CAN FREESE JUST BARS..THEN WHEN NEEDED CUT INTO RECTANGLES
----OPTIONS / TIPS: Adding some almond extract to it really enhanced the almond flavor. Another thing that helps is to melt the chocolate (without cracking) with 2 tablespoons butter and a 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
==suggest using ALMOND FILLING instead of paste. This will make them moist and is easier to mix. Use almond extract, it makes the difference. Use gel food coloring instead of liquid. Use enough to get true rich colors. omit the apricot jam
== take the parchment paper and make it large enough to put under the pan on each side which makes it MUCH easier to spread.
==make it easier by just spraying the pans with non-stick cooking spray instead of parchment paper and the cookies easily come out.. spray the pans with a little spray oil or use some butter then put the parchment paper in the pan (this keeps the paper from moving around when you are spreading the dough
==those having trouble with the spreading: use 3 aluminum pans (usually 3 for 99 cents at the 99 cent store)and spray with A LOT of pam.
MAKING ALMOND PASTE..
Ingredients
1 pound blanched almonds 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
1. Grind almonds in a blender. Thoroughly mix in confectioners sugar. Beat egg whites slightly, then stir into the almond mixture. Add almond extract, using your hands to blend the heavy mixture.

PINWHEELS AND CHECKERBOARDS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Red and green gel food coloring
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
DIRECTIONS
===In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
===Divide dough into four portions. Tint one portion red and one portion green. Stir chocolate into another portion. Wrap chocolate and plain portions in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle.
===For pinwheel cookies, divide red and green portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 9x6-in. rectangle. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
===Remove waxed paper. Place one green rectangle over a red rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
===For checkerboard cookies, divide plain and chocolate portions in half. Roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 6-in. x 4-in. rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into eight 1/2-in. strips.
===Stack the strips in groups of four, alternating plain and chocolate strips and forming eight separate stacks. Form a four-stack block by alternating chocolate-topped and plain-topped stacks. Repeat. Press together gently. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
===Preheat oven to 375Â°. Unwrap and cut pinwheel and checkerboard dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 6 dozen pinwheel and 4 dozen checkerboard cookies.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
Servings: 40
INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan
â€¦..Options/hints:
a. **Freeze PB Cups, unwrap, then pop back into freezer--until cookies are out of oven.**Allow middles to "sink" a bit before adding the pb cup(should happen when removed from the oven after 8 minutes) the "sink" will prevent the sides of the cookie from cracking.**ABSOLUTELY refrigerate the pan before removing cookies for cooling rack... BUT**Decorate with sprinkles BEFORE refrigerating pan--place decor quickly, as the chocolate will start to melt. Shifting placement of the decorations will be tricky!
b. they dont look like they're done cooking after 8 minutes, but they are. Dont make the mistake of overbaking them

CHRISTMAS WREATHS

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 18
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 teaspoons green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of almond extract OR peppermint extract
3 cups cornflakes OR frosted flakes cereal
AND can fill in with 1 cup Rice Krispies
2 tablespoons cinnamon red hot candies
Options: --also used springles and coconut to decorate
--melted white chocolate and drizzled it on top for a "snow" effect
--white decorating crystals
--added a red licorice bow
DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows, and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes.
2. Quickly drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto waxed paper, and form into a wreath shape with lightly greased fingers (spoon a glob onto the waxed paper and use your fingers form a wreath by pulling from the middle out). Immediately decorate with red hot candies. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from waxed paper, and storing in an airtight container
â€¦..Hints:
a. shortcut for molding the wreaths is to drop a ball of the mixture onto wax paper and take the end of a plastic spoon, stick it in the middle to make a hole, then spin it around to make the wreath.
b. put a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and it won't stick to you (or the bag)
c. you can also keep the mixture warm in a slow cooker while you're shaping the wreaths.

BANANA CRUMB MUFFINS

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 10 â€¦.MANY MORE IF MADE AS MINI--MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted OR 1/3 cup canola oil
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 TBSP chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla, cinnamon and melted butter OR oil. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
â€¦â€¦OPTIONS/TIPS: ==be sure to not overmix.
==the advice of other bakers and added 1 tsp of cinnamon to the banana bread mix and then used 1/3 cup oil instead of butter.
â€¢ added 2 TBSP chopped walnuts to the crumb topping

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY COOKIES

Recipe Yield 36 cookies
INGREDIENTS (DOUBLED):
1 cup butter
1 cups white sugar ; I cup brown sugar
2 egg (maybe dry) OR 3 for more chewy/soft cookie
1 tablespoon vanilla extract OR cherry extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 (10 ounce) jars maraschino cherries
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
This recipe's Ingredients were scaled (doubled) to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 18 cookies.
1. ---Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. ---Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and stir until smooth. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press center of each ball with thumb.
3. ---Drain cherries and reserve juice. Place a cherry in indentation of each cookie ball.
4. ---** In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.) Or pipe frosting (zig-zag) over cherry/cookie
5. ---Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
OPTIONS/TIPS:
1) doubled the batter but not the chocolate sauce,
2) used a half cup of white sugar and a half cup of brown sugar,
3) placed the cherry in the center of the cookie immediately after I took them out of the oven,
4) drizzled the chocolate on after the cookie cooled. I also cut the cherries in half before inserting them into the center just to stretch the jar of cherries.
I use cherry extract instead of vanilla, so you will have more of the cherry taste. It really does make a difference. In the icing I use the whole can of condensed milk, add more cherry extract and extra cherry juice from the can. I mean about 1/4 cup or more. The more you use the more cherry and chocolate taste you will get.. I think they taste better the second day!
did use 2 T (6 tsp) cherry juice in the frosting, and ** it still needed more. Next time I will also add some cherry juice to the cookie. I think those changes will make it amazing
** halved the icing recipe and still had a bit leftover.
â€¢ The glaze is excellent and should be drizzled on before being baked. Do not add on any additional baking time or they will dry out. The moisture of the cherries makes them perfectly soft by the next day.

FROSTED NUTMEG LOGS

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Yields: 27 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon half-and-half cream
Sprinkle nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Combine the flour, nutmeg and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
2. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into 1/2-in.-wide logs. Cut into 2-in. pieces. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 11-14 minutes or until center is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
3. For frosting, in a mixing bowl, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, extracts and enough cream to achieve a spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. Rake the frosting with fork tines..for bark â€˜lookâ€™
(hint) Sprinkle some nutmeg on the frosting while it's still wet for a really festive look

SPICY OATMEAL CRAISIN COOKIE

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 36
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
eggs
1 Â½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
** Â½ tsp baking powder (OPT)
Â½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Â½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
cups rolled oats
cup raisins (OR Craisins (soaked in warm water))
1/2 cup chocolate chips (white)
1/2 cup walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
OPTIONS / TIPS:
==Used all butter
==soaked the raisins/CRAISINS in just-boiled water for 5 minutes (this plumps them and prevents them from getting hard/dried out in the oven).
==only used about Â¼ tsp of the cloves but also added some powdered ginger, freshly grated nutmeg & allspice
==noticed one pust the nuts in them they don't spread out as much. So press them down gently and they will made a perfect cookie
==to use cool cookie sheets and to keep the batter cold. The cookies will be fluffier instead of flattening out during baking
==added nutmeg, dried orange peel, ginger, allspice and extra cinnamon. Baking time was best around 8-10 minutes for especially moist cookies.
==**added 1/4 tsp. baking powder to avoid any flattening or spreading
will admit, just used pumpkin pie spice in place of the other spices, them much better.

SUGARED BLACK RASPBERRY TEA COOKIE

Petite, crunchy, black raspberry filled thumbprints, dipped in granulated sugar, and studded with miniature chocolate chips. These cookies freeze well
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 36
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons white sugar
(10 ounce) jar black raspberry jam
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter with brown sugar and 1/3 cup white sugar. Blend in the vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour and corn starch. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
3. Form the dough into 1 inch balls, and roll in the remaining white sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Use your finger or thumb to press straight down into the center of each ball, making a well for the jam. Neatly fill each cookie with a small amount of jam.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to turn golden around the edges. Let cookies cool before eating.
â€¦â€¦OPTIONS / TIPS:
â€¢ used raspberry and apricot jams and drizzled the finished cookies with some melted chocolate chips and oil, which made for a very attractive presentation
â€¢ Thirteen minutes was almost too long. Watch these carefully. Overbaking dries eggless cookies quickly

MOLASSES SUGAR COOKIE

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours 40 Minutes
Yields: 36 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups white sugar OR green & red
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground cloves
teaspoon ground ginger
teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt the shortening in a large pan on the stove, and cool.
2. Add sugar, eggs, and molasses, beat well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add to the pan. Mix well and chill 3 hours or overnight.
4. Form into walnut-size balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes.
6. Store in an airtight container to keep from getting overly crisp. If they do lose their softness, an easy way to restore it is to place one slice of fresh bread in the container with the cookies for a couple of hours or overnight and they will be soft again!
â€¦..(VARIOUS hints 1) 1) Instead of 2c. granulated sugar as written in the recipe, used 1c. granulated sugar and 1c. brown sugar;
2) used butter-flavored shortening; 3) I baked the cookies right away without refrigerating the dough;
4) I only used 1/2t. salt;
5) used a baking stone, baked the cookies for 10 minutes, took them out of the oven, let them sit for one minute on the baking stone, then removed the cookies and placed them on a cooling rack.
(hint 2 Definitely watch cooking time...if you like a chewy cookie, stick to the approx. 10min bake time-they may look too undercooked but that is fine. If you like a crispy cookie, let them go 2 mins longer. They definitely go from being chewy to being crispy QUICK so watch the time!!
(hint 3))â€¦drizzle with a buttercream frosting

SPRING LIME TEA COOKIE

are light, buttery tea cookies bursting with citrus flavor
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 24
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons lime zest
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1,2- drops green food coloring
2 tablespoons lime juice (bit of zest)
1/4 cup white sugar (OR powdered sugar)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the 2 teaspoons of lime juice with the milk, let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the lime zest and milk mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, food coloring, blend into the creamed mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (or longer) in the preheated oven, until the edges are light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the glaze, stir together the remaining lime juice (bit of zest) and sugar (OR powered sugar) TOUCH OF GREEN food coloring.... . Brush onto cooled cookies.
â€¦..OPTIONS / TIPS:
==Not quite "limey"enough. add more lime zest and juice!
==substitutes (orange zest, and powdered sugar in the glaze
==add more lime juice/zest, and will use powdered sugar for the glaze.
==made a thicker glaze with 1/2 a cup of sugar powder and about 3 tbsp of lime juice.

STAINED GLASS COOKIE
Melted candies surrounded by dough to resemble stained glass windows

serving: 60
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup HONEY
1/3 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
5 3/4 ounces â€˜Jolly Rancherâ€ or similar hard candies
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter or margarine, brown sugar and honey until smooth. Blend in water. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture; blend well.
2. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
3. Cut out paper stars, bells, or other christmas motifs. Trace onto a sheet of aluminum foil.
4. Roll pieces of dough into ropes about 1/4-inch wide. Outline the designs with ropes of dough. Press ends lightly together.
5. Separate candies by color. In a blender or food processor, coarsely crush candies. Fill in dough outlines with the candies.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 4 to 5 minutes or until cookie is set and candy melts. Cool on baking sheet
â€¦â€¦Options/hints:
line panâ€¦used tin foil covered with nonstick spray

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

used other nuts instead of pistachios with success. If your pistachios are salted, omit the 1/4 teaspoon salt from the recipe
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Servings: 36
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp orange zest OR UP TO 1 TBP (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cups pistachio nuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; orange zest, gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.
3. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily
4. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
5. Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; coolâ€¦
.drizzle some frosting over add the combination of almond extract and orange juice into the frosting drizzle
â€¦.Options/hints:
WET YOUR HANDS while working with the very sticky dough
1 tsp. of orange zest and added it right into the batter
slivered almonds instead of the pistachio nuts
melted white chocolate in the microwave and dipped on end in, then sprinkled with red and green colored sugars
substituted dried cherries and whole almonds, pulsed together in a food processor, for the cranberries and pistachios

CRANBERRY ORANGE COOKIES

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 14 Minutes
Ready In: 34 Minutes
Servings: 48
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugarc
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
icing
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F *
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set
Options/Hints:
==****add 1/4 teaspoon of almond flavoring
==added 1 1/2 teaspoons of orange zest, cut fresh cranberries in half, added 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts.
The first tray flatted out too much unless you like really, really, thin cookies.
had the next batch ready to go in the oven and threw them back in the bowl and added about a half cup more of flour.
---- *baking at 350 instead of 375. If you don't want dark brown edges!