I Hesitate to Do This...

... but I'm going to a cookie exchange party on Thursday and have no idea what to bake.  I figure with the vast cupcake knowledge you all have exhibited, maybe you could hook a girl up with your favorite recipe for Christmas cookies?

BTW, I love Royal icing (please include your formula because mine sucks) yet am terrible at creating complex cookie shapes with cutters.  Also, anything chocolate-y, nutty, or buttery is key.

Many thanks! 

(P.S.  Put your recipes in the comments if you don't mind.  If you have something great, let's share it with the whole class!)

Comments

[Tracey]

Is it sad that your mentioning my name in this post was the most exciting thing to happen to me in ages? I had to send emails to my besty in Jersey, my husband and call all my co-workers over.

Thanks for the shout out (and it's true about the dogs vs. kids thing)!

[Teri]

Hi Jen,

I'm a HUGE fan and check your site all the time, but I'm always so frickin' busy at work that I can't get the time to post comments. Anyhow, I can see that you're bombarded with cookie recipes... but anyone who knows me would tell you that making cookies is just my thing. (It's my favorite way to deal with stress, which I seem to have plenty of lately!) So this is my easiest recipe with the least amount of ingredients, and everyone who tries it loves it:

White Chocolate-Cereal Cookies
1 lb. white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand are best, or use the Nestle Premier chips)
2 C. Peanut Butter Captain Crunch
2 C. Rice Krispies
1 1/2 C. Dry Roasted Peanuts

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt chocolate at 50% power in the microwave until smooth (make sure you don't get any water or moisture in the chocolate or it will clump). Stir chocolate into cereal mixture and quickly (before it gets cold) spoon tablespoon-sized clumps onto wax paper. The cookies should harden within 1/2 hour or so.

Quick... easy... yummy!
Enjoy and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

BTW - good luck with the rat - er, mouse - issue! It happens to the best of us and we all know you're not dirty! ;)

[LJ]

I'm sure I am late to the party, but just in case (cause these are yummmmmmmmy!) ...

Graham Cracker Balls

2/3 box graham crackers, crushed
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts best, but pecans are good too)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
8 oz. shredded coconut
2 sticks butter, melted
1 lb. confectioners sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix above ingredients together and form into walnut-sized balls. If the mix is too dry, add more peanut butter.

Paraffin wax (in canning section)
1 package semi sweet chocolate morsels

When the balls are all rolled, melt 1/2 cake of paraffin wax with the chocolate chips. Dip balls in the chocolate with a toothpick and place on wax paper to cool.

[Melissa]

Let me preface - I DO NOT COOK!
This, however, rocks:
1) buy (ok, or make) peanut butter cookie dough
2) bake according to directions
3) IMMEDIATELY after taking cookies out of oven, place a HERSHEY KISS in the center of the cookie

much love & you're welcome!!

[Julia]

4 Choices

"PWT" Cookies- named because of the indegrients
Chocolate Bark
Peanut Butter
Saltines

Make sandwiches with the crackers and PB. Dip in Chocolate. I haven't tried with Ritz but they are kick ass with Saltines. Also we prefer them with chocolate instead of white chocolate bark. If that is worth anything.

The tollhouse cookies recipe. Only use a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of vanilla. This recipe is totally stolen from the book Grrrl Genius. Which is a totally genius book and I highly recommend it.

Rice krispie treats- add peanut butter. amazing.

Paula Deen has a recipe for white chocolate cherry macademia nut cookies that are awesome.

Good luck! Have at least 10 cookies for me. Hope to see you in Atlanta soon.

[jodi]

Whatever cookie and a big glass of milk...please!
I don't bake...but I do buy homemade! My friends Italian grandmother charges $5.75/dozen for lady locks and they are worth every penny. If you want, I can hook you up with Nano's number. She also makes a mean lemon bar! WOOT!

[Sara]

Lemon Whippersnappers

1 pkg. lemon cake mix (any brand)
2 cups Cool Whip (an 8oz container)
1 egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Oven at 350. Grease cookie sheets. Mix cake mix, cool whip and egg. Drop by teaspoons into powdered sugar. Roll to coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 4 dozen

Hey - I live in Illinois! About 20 minutes from St. Louis, so come to St. Louis!!

[robin]

ahhh. you clever, clever woman! i am now indebted to you for bringing me the means of a good xmas gift for a bunch of people....easy and cheap (cheap is the new tasteful this season) cookies!! swing by the grocery, stop by the dollar store for some cheap (tasteful) tins, come home, toss around a few ingredients, throw in oven, cool and viola! done.

they all sound wonderful and delicious but i'm leaning toward the new and really easy ones.

but you know, i got visuals on all of them!

[trice]

Jen-

these are easy, the official cookie of Ohio and taste like Reese's.

Buckeyes

Mix (1) cup of crushed Vanilla wafers with (1) cup of peanut butter, (1) stick of melted butter and (3) cups of confectionary sugar. Roll into 1" balls and dip in melted milk chocolate chips. Refrigerate for ~ 30 minutes.

[Vanessa]

I had one of these recently and I made chocolate-covered pretzels. Super easy- get some almond bark from Dominicks and large package of chocolate chips, melt them in the micro or a crock pot, dip and lay out on wax paper. They went really quickly and were easy!

[Nicole]

BOOZE BALLS

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
20 chocolate wafer cookies (about half a 9-ounce box)
1/2 cup finely chopped pitted prunes (about 15 prunes)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup bourbon or 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar, or colored decorating sugars, for garnish

Instructions
Put chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium power for a minute. Stir and repeat until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes total depending on the power of your microwave. Next, put the melted chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with one inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan (without touching the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.

Process the wafer cookies in a food processor until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/2 cups ground cookies). Alternatively, put cookies inside a heavy re-sealable plastic bag and crush by moving a rolling pin over the cookies.

Stir the cookie crumbs, pitted prunes, confectioners' sugar, bourbon or brandy, and condensed milk into the chocolate until evenly combined.

Cover and refrigerate the mixture until firm enough to roll into balls, about 45 minutes. Scoop a tablespoon or so of the mixture with a cookie or small ice cream scoop, roll each portion by hand into a smooth ball, and set onto a baking sheet or large plate.

Store booze balls in an air tight container at room temperature for a day to allow the flavors to come together. Store balls in the refrigerator for a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve, put the sugar on a plate and roll the balls in it to coat. Serve at room temperature

[Aimee]

Jen...I don't have a recipe for you (unless you have an Easy Bake Oven) but thanks for doing this because I have gotten LOTS of great ideas for baking here. I usually just do plain old sugar cookies cut into Christmas shapes with colored sugar sprinkled on them. Oh and Toll House chocolate chip cookies. But I might be brave and adventerous and try some of the recipes here this year!

[Hallie]

Take a package of double-stuffed Oreos, crush them with a rolling pin or in a food processor. Add a block of cream cheese and mix really well ("work it!!"). Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper...freeze to harden. Melt chocolate, suggest using an almond bar mixed with chocolate chips. Roll frozen balls in chocolate or dip or spoon chocolate over balls. Put back in freezer to harden. Viola!!

[Janet]

I know it's not cookies, but good:
Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in microwave. Spread over fudge and let dry.

[Velvet]

Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries

2/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5.5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1.) Place nuts in a food processor, and process until smooth (about 2
minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Combine macadamia butter, 1/2 cup
granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at
medium speed. Ad vanilla and egg; beat well.

2.) Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, stirring with a whisk. Add
flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined
(mixture will be thick). Stir in cranberries. Chill 10 minutes.

3.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4.) Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portions; roll each portion into
a ball. Place 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly
place each ball, sugar side up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment
paper. Place 15 cookies on each of 2 baking sheets.

5.) Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork. Dip the fork in
water; gently press the top of each cookie again to form a crisscross
pattern.

6.) Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, at 375 degrees for 9 minutes
or until golden. Remove cookies from pan; cool on a wire rack. Repeat
procedure with remaining cookies. Yield: 30 servings. Serving size: 1
cookie.

The good part...if you don't eat the entire batch at one time:

Calories: 76 (30% from fat)
Fat: 2.5 g ( sat 0.4; mono 1.8, poly .1)
Protein: 1 g
Carbs: 13.2 g
Fiber: .6 g
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Iron: .5 mg
Sodium: 44 mg
Calcium: 7 mg

[nor-cal lady]

just a quick note for the competitive:

i have provided ya'll with these suggestions so you will have THE BEST cookies at a cookie swap party. it *is* enough to arrive with cookies...but so much better when yours is the BEST cookie.

(and even if you give someone the recipe, dont tell them about the almond extract...."I followed your recipe but they just don't taste as good as yours..." )

bwaahaha--hahaha....

[nor-cal lady]

some general baking suggestions that will enhance any one of the recipes these ladies have provided you with...

*vanilla beans
LOVE them! put a couple (break em up a bit) in your sugar; after a few days, you will have lovely vanilla infused sugar. (this also works nicely with coffee, but you'll need more vanilla bean bits)

add the scrapings of one bean to any cookie/cake recipe (in addition to the vanilla already called for in the recipe). especially lovely in a white batter...the tiny dots of black vanilla are decadent and wonderful.

*madagascar bourbon vailla paste
get it at whole foods. works just like extract, only better. plus, you will consider eating tiny jar like a custard after you lick the extra off your fingers. it's that f'n good.

*ginger root
again, adding some juice from real grated ginger root to any recipe that already calls for ginger is super delic, esp. ginger cookies (duh). but be conservative, ginger is, uh, gingery (spicy and pungent)

*almond extract
the smallest little dibble dabble added to any cookie recipe (amazing in chocolate chip) is another little baker's secret (of course, dont tell anyone you added it). it enhances the flavor of vanilla with a little sparkle.

*coconut oil
can be used in place of butter. consider swapping out a portion of the butter called for in a recipe with coconut oil. it has same fat & binding properties, but is much lighter in flavor then butter if you want to achieve something really sophisticated...(also, it's a "good" fat= heart healthy)

happy baking :)

[DGs World By Big D]

Girl. You just opened up Pandora's Cookie Box of Hell. Good luck making all of these. How goes the Botox? Talked to my dermatologist last week about it - I'm 37, no real wrinkles yet - but the Doc says now is the time to 'Tox it, so the wrinkles don't have a chance to get deep.

Agree or disagree?

[Amy]

Ok...SO easy pumpkin cookies.......get a box of Spice Cake Mix, mix in one 16 oz can of pumpkin (This doesn't mix easily so I use the mixer) add 1 cup of chocolate chips and bake for about 10-15 minutes (Depending on the color of your pan, and how strong your oven is) at the temperature on the cake mix box. Not only are they easy, but everyone who has had them loves them and they're only 20 calories a piece!

[Janet]

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER DROP
COOKIES

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/4 lb. butter
4 tbsp. cocoa
3 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. peanut butter, creamy or chunky

Combine sugar, milk, butter and cocoa and bring to a full boil and remove from heat immediately. Then pour over oatmeal and peanut butter. Beat until just well mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper. Cool completely.

Easy, simple and effin' good. Omit cocoa for peanut butter delight!

[Karina in T.O]

I went an entire 18 hours without pounding back some sort of chocolate/cookie/buttery item...and now this?! Damn it, I'm heading out of my office and downstairs right now and hitting the bakery!

And needless to say, I'll be back to this post next week when I'm at home trying to bake up something yummy.

You gals rock!

[J]

Easy 'cheater' cookies, but no one can tell.

Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Drizzles
1 log of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough
1 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 cup coursely chopped roasted, salted pistachios

with your hands, smoosh the ingrediants together like meatloaf. divide into 24 round balls & bake on parchment lined sheets at 350 for about 12 mins. cool on wire rack. When cooled, drizzle with melted chocolate (either white or dark or both)so easy, so good

[Holly B]

Seriously, just follow the recipe on the back of Nestle's chocolate chips package. Spread the shit in a pan instead of lumps. Use a cookie cutter to cut out Xmas shapes. Slap some red and green frosting on them.

Christmas Cookies.....done and done.

[J]

Check w/ your host's 'rules' as some don't allow candies, everyday cookies (like plain choc. chip) non-baked items etc. I usually make these for my cookie exchange. If you love the candy, you'll love the cookie. Will also send you a pic.
from Better Homes & Gardens Jan '97
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweet cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter or marg
1 cup sugar
1/4 salt
1/4 tsp baking pow
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
48 undrained maraschino cherries (about one 10 oz jar)
1 6oz pkg of semisweet choc pieces
1/2 cup sweet. cond. milk

combine flour & cocoa, set aside
beat butter, then add sugar, salt, baking pow, baking soda. beat. add egg & vanilla, beat. grdually add flour mixture.

shape dough into 1 inch ball, place on ungreased sheet. press down into center of each ball, add cherry. in a small saucepan combine choc and milk, heat until metled. sir in 4 tsps of reserved cherry juice

spoon about 1 tsp of frosting over each cherry, until cherry is covered. can thin the sauce with more cherry juice if needed.

bake 350 about 10 mins or until done. move to wire rack. makes 48 cookies.

[Jenni]

Hey Jenn
These are my all time favorite treat! Have fun at the party!

SCOTCHER - ROOS

3 c. Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal
1 (6 oz.) Nestle's chocolate flavored morsels
1/2 c. peanut butter

Put cereal in large mixing bowl. Set aside. In double boiler melt morsels and peanut butter, stir constantly until smooth. Pour over cereal and mix until well coated. Press mixture into 9"x9"x2" pan. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

I even like adding an extra thick layer of chocolate on top of the rice crispys.mmmmmmm

[kiki]

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS (*YUM*)

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
3/4 cup of peanut butter (regular creamy works best)
1 cup of icing sugar
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup of dates, finely chopped
1 and 1/4 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 inch square of paraffin wax.

Put dates in cuisinart and add about 1/3 cup of the icing sugar to them and chop finely. Add nuts, the rest of the icing sugar, and peanut butter and process until well mixed. Form into balls and let cool in fridge for a little while. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove. If you have some paraffin wax, add a small piece to melt with the chips. If you have none, don’t worry, It just keeps the pb balls shiny! (I have sometimes taken a regular old candle and shaved off the outside color and then used a little of the wax underneath. Seems to work well.) When the balls are cooled, dip them in the melted chocolate, put back in fridge (on a tray with waxed paper) and wait until hardened. They should probably be stored in the fridge for best results.

[Lindsay]

Here is my recipe (well, my mom's actually) for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever - I have never gotten anything but rave reviews!

Beat Together:
1 cup butter (salted)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
2 cups flour
2 – 2 ½ cups ground oats (grind in a food processor)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Stir In:
1 bag chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or M&M’s

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (remove from the oven when the cookies look slightly under-cooked)

These are also quick and easy to make and are always a huge hit:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=41019

[Jenna]

Ok, I am embarassed about how easy this was. I went to a party and made frosted sugar cookies...sort of. I just made the sugar cookes from the roll and let them cool, then frosted them with canned frosting and put sprinkles on them...people were raving about them and I didn't tell them they were pre-made!

[Shanda]

Hey KD...would you care to send me that cookie e-mail too! Thanks so much girl!! My address is Shanda2629@comcast.net. You are great!!

[Suzy]

I've got to give Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, a shout-out here for her general greatness in foodosity. Every single recipe of hers that I've tried not only works perfectly, it makes you look like a culinary genius. These cookies are my new favorites. I tried them for the first time this year and people thought I was freakin' Betty Crocker. And really, isn't that it's all about?

Ina's Jam Thumbprints

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups sifted flour--sift the flour first, then measure (slight pain but makes a huge difference)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Seedless raspberry jam
1 bag of coconut
1 egg with 1 T. water for egg wash

Cream butter and sugar. Add the vanilla. Combine salt with flour, then add slowly into butter mixture until dough just comes together. Roll into a flat disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll dough into small meatball sized balls, approx 1 oz each. Dip each into egg wash, then roll in coconut. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and indent each cookie with your thumb. Spoon 1/4 tsp of raspberry jam into each indent. Back at 350 degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

[KD]

I have a great email that apparently has "every cookie imaginable" but I don't think I can post it here and have the links come through. I'm forwarding to your jenwritesbooks email. Have fun at the party!

[Morgan]

These are may favorite- and they are No-Bake and you can't mess them up!

No-Bake Choclate Oatmeal Cookies:

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
2 cups sugar
a dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal

Boil the sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter on medium high for one minute. Add the coconut, peanut butter, salt, vanilla, and the oatmeal immediately after they are done boiling. Then stir. Drop the cookies on wax paper, using a Tablespoon. Then wait an hour for the cookies to cool and harden up.

[Colleen]

Buy a bag of Tollhouse semisweet chocolate chips... on the back is a kick ass receipe for chocolate chocolate chip cookies...

[Kelli]

Quick and Easy Frosting:

Place cookies to be frosted on cooling rack inside cookie sheet or place wax paper under cooling rack for easy clean up. Remove plastic cap and foil cover from one can pre-made spread able vanilla frosting and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, pour into large zip lock bag, seal bag, and snip a SMALL hole in one corner. Pipe liquid frosting onto cookies, sprinkle quickly with colored sugar and let frosting harden for about 1 hour. This mimics royal icing and is soooo much easier to work with!

[Elizabeth]

Ghiradelli Peanutbutter Chocolates

1 lb Melting Ghiradelli chocolate (i use milk choco - but you can use your fav)
1 cup crunchy/smooth peanut butter(whatever your preference)
12 oz Chocolate Chips (I use dark choco)
1 lb Cocktail Peanuts
___
Melt chocolate and chocolate chips in microwave (best to melt in 1 min increments, if you burn the chocolate they aren't very tastey)
Add peanut butter and nuts
Mix well, while still warm drop spoonfuls of mix on foil/wax paper on a cookie sheet
Place in a cool place to freeze and keep cold.

Prep Time - 5 minutes, ready in about 15
ENJOY~

[Hollie]

For those of us who are overwhelmed trying to juggle everything - the Nestle Toll House Break & Bake brownie bites are to die for. I promised my coworkers, who adore them, to bring them for our office snack party tomorrow. Almost as incredible are their cranberry walnut cookies that my mother bakes, but my store doesn't carry them. Both are great in a pinch! Happy holidays!

[Arwen]

Try these...

Skor Squares:
1 pkg Ritz crackers
1 pkg Skor bits
1 can condensed milk
1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Beat crackers to a pulp (Put small hole in bag - to avoid bursting - and pound with fists...very satisfying).

2. In a large shallow dish, mix cracker bits with condensed milk and skor bits. Flatten.

3. Melt chocolate chips on stove and pour melted chocolate over cracker/condensed milk/skor bit mixture. Spread evenly.

4. Place in freezer until chocolate hardens. Cut and serve.

Fast and easy and a huge hit every time!

[Beth Holston]

My sister and I make cookie every year, here's one its easy and good.

Ritz crackers
JIF peanut butter
melting chocolate

make sandwich cracker with peanut butter and melt the chocolate and dip the crackers in the chocolate and place on wax paper. easy simple and good

[Veronica]

Hi Jen--here is my recipe suggestion for your cookie exchange. Enjoy.

White Chocolate Cranberry-Orange Coookies

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Servings: 24

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brandy
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 small orange

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

2. Clean and zest 1/2 to 3/4 of the orange peel into a bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips, cranberries and orange zest. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

[Dawn]

This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe and a family tradition. They're delicious and very fun to make!

Chocolate Mint Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 boxes Andes mints

Melt first butter, brown sugar, and water in large saucepan. Add chips to pot; stir until
melted; let cool.
Beat in beaten eggs one at a time. Combine flour, baking soda and
salt, then stir chocolate mixture into dry ingredients. Chill 1 hour.
Roll into 1" balls and place on foil lined cookie sheets, 2" apart.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

Unwrap mints. Leave cookies on sheet and immediately place one mint on
each. Allow to soften, then swirl with finger. Let cookies dry completely before storing in airtight
container.

[Baltimore Hon]

Easiest, butteriest, no fail cookie ever. Even I can make them.

My Grandmother's Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbls vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts.

Blend the butter and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in the powdered sugar, then mis in the the flour, then the nuts. (It may seem dry but when you press it together it will form a nice ball.) Make balls by measuring out 1 tablespoon and rolling in your hand.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Don't over bake or they will be dry.

Let cool for a couple of minutes and roll in powdered sugar.

The trick is for the cookies to still be warm so the powdered sugar melts a bit and makes an icing.

[nina]

These are actually bars, but one of my friends from grad school calls them decadent bars. They aren't the healthiest, but what cookie is?

Hello Dolly Bars

1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
1 cup of coconut
1/2 bag of chocolate chips
1/2 bag of butterscotch chips
1 bag of pecans
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Melt the stick of butter in a 9x13 pan in a pre-heated 325 degree oven. When melted, remove from the oven and put the graham cracker crumbs across the bottom of the pan. Spread the coconut, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips, and pecans (in that order) in the pan. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over all of it. Bake in the 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Run a knife along the edges when taken out of the oven to keep from sticking. Let cool completely and then cut into bars.

Enjoy!
Nina

[Maggie]

Hey Jen!

This is quick and delicious. It's been a hit at cookie exchanges too.

Insideout Oreos

1 pkg. oreos
1 pkg. almond bark or 4 pkgs. white chocolate
1 pkg. cream cheese at room temp.
Holiday sprinkles

Crush oreos to crumbs (best way is to put them in a bag and pound them with a rolling pin or something similar). Put oreo crumbs in a large bowl and mix in the cream cheese. Roll into small balls and place on baking sheet. Melt white chocolate. Dip oreo balls into white chocolate and place on cookie sheet. Shake on red and green sprinkles. Put in freezer (or outside) for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

[Alexandra Townsend]

Chocolate Bark is the best and so easy.

1c. butter
1c. brown sugar
unsalted saltines
chocolate chips

preheat oven to 400 degrees. lined rimmed baking sheet with saltines. combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan and boil for 1 min on stove. pour mixture over saltines and bake in oven for 7-8 min. remove tray and top with chocolate chips,spreading them with back of spoon. put in fridge to harden. then break into pieces.

It comes out tasting like toffee and it is freakin amazing! enjoy!

[Denise]

These are chocolately AND festive (since they have crushed candy canes on top):

Peppermint BonBon Cookies

Ingredients
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate,chopped
1/2 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies
6 Tbs granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Additional coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional)
2 1/2 tsp milk (optional)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted (optional)



Preparation
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; cook over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup crushed peppermint and 6 Tbsp. sugar. Let cool 30 minutes.

2. Add eggs to melted chocolate, 1 at a time, stirring well. Stir in extracts.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chocolate morsels. Cover and chill dough 2 hours or until firm enough to shape.

4. Shape dough into 1 1/2" balls; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and cracked on top. Sprinkle coarsely crushed peppermints onto cookies; press candy lightly into cookies. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

5. Whisk together powdered sugar and milk; drizzle over cooled cookies, if desired. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Sprinkle cookies again with chopped peppermint, if desired. Let cookies stand until glaze and chocolate are firm.


Yield: 2 1/2 dozen
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 13 minutes

[Lynda]

http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/cat0001.html
This link will take you to more cookies than you could even dream of!

But if you wanted more 'proven' recipes I figured I would share a couple of family favorites as well:

---Tea Cakes---
1/2 cup butter (or 1 stick oleo)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

-Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Beat until creamy, then add vanilla. To this, add dry ingredients that have been mixed together.
-Put a little bit of flower on your hands and shape into 1" balls. In small bowl mix a little sugar and cinnamon together.
-Dampen bottom of a glass, dip it into the cinnamon/sugar mixture (repeat often), then flatten tea cakes with the bottom of the glass.
-Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

---Mrs. Fields' Cookies---
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups flour
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
5 cups oatmeal (ground)
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
24oz chocolate chips
1 (8oz) grated Hershey bar
3 cups chopped pecans

-Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Then add eggs and vanilla. Mix together, then add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
-Mix all ingredients together. Shape dough into golf ball sized cookies, flatten slightly. Put 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
-Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until done.

---Butter Pecan Cookies---
1 box white cake mix
1 (3oz) instant butter-pecan pudding mix
1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil (prefer Canola)
1 cup freshly chopped pecans

-Combine cake mix, pudding mix, and egg. Mix well. Add chopped pecans.
-Roll into small balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet.
-Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes.

[Court]

Rocky Road Bars

1 stick butter
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 bag butterscotch chips

melt those together, remove from heat
then add
1 cup peanut butter and stir till melted

pour over:
6 cups of rice crispies
4 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups nuts (we like walnuts here but any will do)

stir it all up and put in a 9 x 13 pan lined with wax paper. then stick it in the fridge to set up. cut into squares.

if you do this right you only dirty 2 pans and maybe one measuring cup. all together it takes maybe 15 minutes and that is mostly waiting for the chocolate to melt.

[jasmine sohaey grassi]

martha stewart basic sugar cookies + her royal icing recipe. good and pretty simple. i had to add an extra stick of butter to Lady Martha's recipe to keep my cookies from turning into bricks, though.

THIS YEAR, i even bought PRE-MADE sugar cookie dough from the little girl down the street (fundraiser) and i'm going to roll it into simple circles and maybe...if i can get it together...do the royal icing thing but use those edible silver balls to dress them up.

add a litle bit of extra lemon to your royal icing and it is SOOOO good, makes you want to drink it!

hate baking. love cookies.

[freeda]

Hun, check out Home Ec 101. They've been doing cookie of the day all month.

http://www.home-ec101.com/

[Shelli]

I just made Linzer cookies which are two shortbread-type cookies and filled them with Nutella instead of jam. To die for!

1 cup almonds, toasted and ground (hazelnuts, or pecans can also be used)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Nutella for filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Toast the almonds (or pecans) on a baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). Once the nuts have cooled, place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract,& egg yolks. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour mixture beating just until incorporated. Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap the two rectangles of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour and up to several days).

Remove one rectangle of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2 to 3 inch cookie cutter cut out the dough. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch) to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small 'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the Nutella underneath.)

Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Assemble and enjoy! You can also dust these with powdered sugar for a lovely effect.