Cookie Exchange!

Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup raspberry jam**

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon almond extract

1. Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (2 to 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add flour. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes). Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb (edges may crack slightly). Fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon jam.

3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, stir together all glaze ingredients in small bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Makes 3 ½ dozen cookies.

**Substitute 1/2 cup of your favorite flavor jam.

By Camille

Maple Sugar Cookies

½ cup butter (room temp)

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 egg (room temp)

3 TBS pure maple syrup (don’t substitute maple-flavored syrup)

½ tsp vanilla

1 ¾ cups flour

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add baking powder and salt and mix well. Beat in egg, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Gently mix in flour. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters. Baked on parchment paper lined cookies sheets, top rack at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on wire racks. Frost and decorate as desired.

By Kathy

White-Capped Ginger Snaps

cookies-

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• granulated sugar

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet, about 3" apart. Bake 9-12 minutes, or just until set. Remove to wire rack to cool.

icing-

• 1 (6-oz) package white (vanilla) baking chips
• 1 Tbsp shortening
• crystallized ginger, chopped

Place chips and shortening in microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered, on medium-high heat for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds, until smooth.

Dip half of each cooled cookie into melted mixture; sprinkle tops with crystallized ginger. Place on waxed paper; let stand until coating is firm.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

By Lindsay

Candy Cane Cookies

½ cup butter, softened ½ cup shortening

1 cup powdered sugar 1 egg

1 1/3 tsp almond extract 1 tsp vanilla

2 ½ cup flour 1 tsp salt

½ tsp red food coloring ½ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint (opt)

½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Mix butter, shortening, sugar, egg and almond extract thoroughly. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Blend in red food coloring into 1half of the dough. Chill dough for 2 hours. Take about a tsp of each dough (red and white) and roll into 4 inch pieces of rope. Place ropes parallel to one another and pinch the bottom. Twist the two ropes to form a candy cane striped appearance. Complete cookies one at a time, and place on greased cookie sheet. Curve the top of the cookie to from a handle. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set or very light brown. Cookies are fragile and will break easily. Let set for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cookie rack.

Option: Sprinkle each cookie with powdered sugar, peppermint, or both while cookies are still warm. Do this before removing them from the baking sheet. Enjoy!!!

Snowballs (butterballs)

1 cup butter

2 T honey

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 1/4 cup sifted flour

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, sugar abd honey. Add vanilla and mix. Mix flour and salt together, then add to mixer about a cup at a time. Finally, add nuts and mix well. Form into balls. Chill well to keep ball in form (about 1-2 hours). Bake at 375 for 14-17 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on a cookie rack. After cooled,roll again in powdered sugar covering completely. Should look like perfect snowballs and taste better than snow. makes 4 dozen.

By Hilary and Sue


Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup chopped pecans
40 rolo caramel candies

Topping:
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. sugar

In a large bowl cream butter. Beat in both kinds of sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Stir in pecans. Scoot out 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and shape around one rolo candy, covering it completely.

In another bowl, combine the two topping ingredients. Press one side of each ball of dough into the topping mixture and place topping-side up on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 40 cookies.

By Clara