It’s the holiday season, which means it's time to make some cookies! Below are my favorite recipes that are sure to impress anyone who gives them a try.
S’mores cookies
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (8 tablespoons), melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (any type you like- I prefer milk chocolate)
1-1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
2 (1.55 oz) Hershey chocolate bars
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 pan with oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs,sugar, and butter until combined. Press into the prepared baking dish.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and then just an egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the marshmallows.
Scoop dough on top of the graham cracker crust and gently press in an even layer.. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of marshmallows on top and slightly press in.
Bake for 18-25 minutes or until top begins to get slightly golden brown. Also, make sure you bake until the center is set. They will continue to firm up after cooling so be sure not to overbake.
After bars are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.Then, carefully place broken candy bar pieces on top. Let cool fully before cutting into squares.
Ginger Creams
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
frosting:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and both white and brown sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses and vanilla and mix well.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then gradually add to the creamed mixture.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove and let cool on wire racks.
In a large saucepan, bring the brown sugar, milk and butter to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt and mix well.
Frost warm cookies with a spoon.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gel food coloring optional
Additional candies and sprinkles for decorating optional
Instructions:
Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy and well-combined.
Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until completely combined.
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until dough is smooth and completely combined.
Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and transfer approximately half of the dough onto the wrap. Cover dough with wax paper and mold into a flat disk. Wrap tightly. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Transfer dough to the refrigerator and chill for 3 hours.
Once dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Generously dust a clean surface with flour and place one chilled cookie dough disk onto the surface. Lightly flour the dough and roll out to ¼ "
Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn lightly golden brown.
Allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet before decorating.
For icing:
Combine powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir until combined. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk. If you accidentally add too much milk, add powdered sugar until desired texture is reached.
If coloring the frosting, divide into bowls and color as desired at this point.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag with a piping tip or place in a Ziploc bag and snip a small piece of the corner off.
Pipe frosting on cookies and decorate with decorative candies, if desired.
Allow frosting to harden before eating.
I hope you all can find joy in your holidays and these cookies. Merry Christmas!!