Posted on 11/28/2017 3:26:23 PM PST by Jamestown1630
Now that Thanksgiving has passed, the bustle of preparing for Christmas begins. This weekend my husband put up our lights (every year he adds a little something, and by now I suspect our balcony and windows can be seen from space) and we've got most of the gift shopping done. Now I'm thinking about food.
I have never made Christmas cookies as much as I’d like because I felt they had to be done close to the holiday, when I'm usually very busy; and many recipes lose a lot if you freeze the baked product.
For some reason I didn’t think to make at least the dough ahead and freeze that, though I’ve done it with savory pastries. Here from All Recipes is a guide to freezing and then baking your cookie dough, and even your cookies:
http://dish.allrecipes.com/freezing-cookies-and-cookie-dough/
I recently obtained a copy of the first Food52 cookbook, " the first-ever online community cookbook", which has a lot of very interesting recipes, including a good recipe for Eggplant Parmigiana, and a roasted beet/citrus salad that I want to try.
It's a very nice book, the Kindle version of which is currently available on Amazon for $.99; and it includes ‘Secret Cookies’ - which apparently got their name because they were passed down in confidence by an elderly woman who said, “After I’m gone, you may give out the recipe.”:
https://food52.com/recipes/165-secret-cookies
-JT
I think I recall that you’re in Maryland? Try Safeway. They don’t stock a lot, so don’t always have them; but they usually do.
(I mainly know this because I give them crumbled up to the birds outside my workplace. Those and Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies are the sparrows’ favorites ;-)
Rum / bourbon balls
Ingredients
1 package (9 oz) thin chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
2 cups finely chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder n
1/2 cup light rum/bourbon
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
In a large bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafers, 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum.
Shape into 1 inch balls, and roll in additional confectioners’ sugar. Store in an airtight container for several days to develop the flavor. Roll again in confectioners’ sugar before serving.
I made a lot of sunken kisses. Fun for our granddaughter to help with.
I’m not much into cookies; they’re too sweet for me, but Finnish Christmas cookies are delicious! I have a Finnish friend who’s been giving me her cookies for Christmas almost every year. This year I plan to make them myself. Here are some recipes. Yum!
http://cakecrumbsbeachsand.com/2011/08/joulutorttu-finnish-christmas-jam-tarts/
https://www.yummly.com/recipes/finnish-cookies
The Yummly site is very nice. And I love those pinwheel ones - I have a cutter for those; makes it easier for those of us with less hand-eye coordination ;-)
Just a small ball about 1" or less, covered in powdered sugar. Would just melt in your mouth in a fine burst of dough.
Very light, but full of calories. for sure.
They sound like they may have been Mexican Wedding cookies - did they have ground nuts in them?
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/traditional-mexican-wedding-cookies-162213
Sound familiar?
Your link sounds about right. her husband is from new Mexico, so no shock that she would have picked it up.
Yes, the pinwheel cookies are my favorites!
Those are really nice cookies, and quick and easy to make if you use the food processor to grind the nuts.
Likely try and use macadamia nuts.
That might be good. You don’t want the nuts ground too fine, but finely chopped. When you get it right, the cookie has a slightly ‘sandy’ texture.
COSTCO has a Holiday French butter cookie product in a special tall rectangular tin and they are scrumptious! They have a sprinkle of sea salt on them which makes them not too sweet - buttery and crisp. I’ve bought four tins so far including one for my Mom. I was standing in line a few weeks back with them in my cart and started talking to the couple ahead of me telling them how good they were. Her husband went back and got one and then the couple behind me decided to do so as well. I shoulda got a commission!
I’ll have to look for that!
They’re in the section with the other Holiday cookies and candies displays. Be careful, they’re addicting!
I make these every year. Also a hit!
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/334/LauraBushsCowboyCookies65123.shtml
Christmas Cookies..yum....
A friend sent a batch of these-they were really good and disappeared very quickly. I am going to make another batch of them.
CONGO BARS
Melt 2/3 c butter, stir in lb br/sugar; beat/dissolve. Offheat add three eggs singly.
Stir in (in three portions) combined 2/3 c flour, 1//2 tsp salt, 2/1/2 tsp b/powder.
Fold in cup chp nuts, 8 oz choc/chips. Stir in tsp vanilla.
Bake in greased sheetpan 350 deg about 25 min...do not overbake.
SERVE cut in squares.
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