Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
By: Betty Crocker Holiday Baking

5 Stars
Simple to make

1 pouch (1lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix OR 15.5oz Krusteaz Bakery Style sugar cookie mix
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup Nestle Premier White Morsels (white vanilla baking chips)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until soft dough forms (best if this step is done by hand and not with an electric mixer).

Shape dough into ¾ inch (teaspoon size) balls. On parchment lined baking sheets place balls 2 inches apart. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb or end of wooden spoon handle. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon jam into each indentation.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

In small resealable freezer Ziploc bag, place white baking chips; seal bag. Microwave about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with red colored sugars if desired.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Holiday White Chocolate Macaroon Cookies

Holiday White Chocolate Macaroon Cookies
By: Betty Crocker Holiday Baking
5 Stars
Simple to make
One of Rosanna’s new favorites!!!

1 pouch (1lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix OR 15.5oz Krusteaz Bakery Style sugar cookie mix
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup flakes coconut
1 2/3 cups Nestle Premier White Morsels (white vanilla baking chips)
½ teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon Crisco shortening
Red, white and green sugars (sprinkles)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg, coconut, 1 cup of white baking chips, and extract until soft dough forms (best if this step is done by hand and not with an electric mixer).

Onto parchment lined baking pans, drop dough by rounded tablespoon size balls, 2 inches apart.

Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool completely, about 20 minutes.

In small resealable freezer Ziploc bag, place remaining 2/3 cup white baking chips and Crisco shortening; seal bag. Microwave about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugars as desired.

Makes 2 ½ dozen cookies

Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

2 cubes butter (1 cup)
½ cup sifted powdered sugar (plus extra for rolling)
2 cups flour
2 cups ground nuts (I prefer 1 cup almonds and 1 cup cashews; unsalted)
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
1 teaspoon water
¼ teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer; add other ingredients.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into balls. Cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely, then roll in powdered sugar.

Yields about 30 cookies

Hidden Oatmeal Confetti Monster Cookies

Hidden Oatmeal Confetti Monster Cookies
By: Rosanna Thomas

2 ½ cups Quaker oats (not instant)/oatmeal, blended to a fine powder in a food processor
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain M&M’s
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup toffee chips

Preheat oven to 375 convection

Process oatmeal in a food processor until it resembles a powder.

In a large electric mixer blend butter and sugars until mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and oatmeal. Remove bowl from mixer stand and stir in (by hand) M&M’s, chocolate chips and toffee chips.

Place parchment paper on baking sheets. Roll about 2 Tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on baking sheets (about 6-8 cookies per sheet). Press ball lightly with finger to flatten out a bit. Bake for 10 minutes only. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Best in the first 4 days.

Yields: 45 cookies (about 4 dozen)

Toffee Chunk Brownie Cookies

Toffee Chunk Brownie Cookies
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped toffee bars (such as Heath. You can even buy pre-packed crushed toffee bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate in large saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Stir sugar into chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour and salt just until mixed. Fold in toffee.

Drop heaping Tablespoons of dough 1 ½ inches apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake 12 minutes or until just set. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Makes 36 cookies

White Chip Apricot Oatmeal Cookies

White Chip Apricot Oatmeal Cookies
By: Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ cups rolled oats
1 2/3 cup (10oz) Hershey’s Premier White Chips
¾ cup chopped dried apricots

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Add flour and baking soda; beat until well blended. Stir in oats, white chips and apricots. Loosely form rounded teaspoonfuls dough into balls; place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake 7-9 minutes or just until lightly browned; do not overbake. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Chocolate Crackletops

Chocolate Crackletops
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter
4 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ¾ cup “M&M’s” Chocolate Mini Baking Bits
Additional granulated sugar

Combine flour and baking powder; set aside. In 2 quart saucepan over medium heat combine 2 cup sugar, butter and chocolate, stirring until butter and chocolate are melted; remove from heat. Gradually stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Chill mixture 1 hour. Stir in “M&M’s”; chill mixture an additional 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. With sugar-dusted hands, roll dough into 1 inch balls; roll balls in additional granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

4 squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
½ cup (1 stick) butter, slightly softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 squares Baker’s Semi-sweet chocolate

Melt 1 square chocolate; set aside. Cut 3 squares chocolate into large (1/2 inch) chunks; set aside.

Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 square melted chocolate. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drop dough by heaping Tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove and finish cooling on wire racks.

Melt 4 squares chocolate. Dip ½ of each cookie into melted chocolate. Let stand on waxed paper until chocolate is firm.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Merry Berry Wreath Cookies

Merry Berry Wreath Cookies
By: Pillsbury Holiday Baking

1 roll (16.5oz) Pillsbury Create ‘n Bake refrigerated sugar cookies
1 container (1lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
4-5 drops green food coloring
2 tubes (0.68oz each) red decorating gel
About 2 Tablespoons holiday red and green candy decors

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Cut dough into 12 slices, ¼ inch thick. On floured work surface, roll each into 6 inch long rope. On parchment paper lined baking sheets form into wreath shapes 2 inches apart, pint ends of each wreath together.

Bake 9-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining half of cookie dough.

In medium bowl, mix frosting and food coloring until well blended. Frost tops of cookies. With decorating gel, form bow at top of each wreath. Sprinkle with candy decors.

24 cookies

Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes

Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes
By: Pillsbury Holiday Baking

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts
48 (14oz) chocolate stars (or peppermint mini patties or chocolate kisses)

Sugar coating:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon red sugar (sprinkles)
1 Tablespoon green sugar (sprinkles)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and the vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed beat in flour, salt and nuts.

For each cookies, shape scant measuring Tablespoonful dough around chocolate stars to make 1 inch ball; place 2 inches apart on parchment paper covered pans.

Bake 12 minutes or until set and bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl mix sugar coating ingredients.

Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; roll in sugar coating. Cool completely on cooling racks, about 30 minutes. Roll in sugar coating again.

About 3 dozen cookies

Candy bar Cookies

Candy bar Cookies
By: Rosanna

1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick) softened (leave at room temperature for 45 minutes to soften; It should be soft, yet still firm. Using butter that is too soft will cause cookies to spread.)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (any type will work)
1 cup Sees semisweet chocolate chips or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks of another brand
1 candy bar, broken into chunks the size of the chocolate chip chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In an electric mixer beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add in flour mixture.

Stir in 2/3 cup of the nuts and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips into the dough.

Using a large scoop drop 6 level scoops of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you will need 2 sheets). Cookies will spread slightly while baking. Flatten each scoop slightly with the palm of your hand. Lightly press the remaining nuts, chocolate chips and crushed candy bar into tops of cookies.

Bake for 14 minutes. Cool 7 minutes on the baking pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 1 dozen cookies (12)

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints
By: Kraft Philadelphia Holiday Desserts

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup red raspberry jam

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on High 2 minutes; stir until chocolate is completely melted. In large mixer mix cream cheese. Add 1 cup sugar, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Roll dough into 1” balls; coat with remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Press your thumb into center of each ball; fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.

Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies

Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies
By: Pam Cheney

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
4-5 teaspoons water
Sliced almonds

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping down sides often, until creamy (1-2 minutes). Reduce speed to low, add all remaining Cookie ingredients. Beat until well mixed (1-2 minutes).

Roll dough into 1” balls. Place 2” apart on parchment covered baking sheets. Flatten balls to ¼” thickness with the bottom of buttered glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minutes; remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire racks.

Stir together glaze ingredients in small bowl, with a wire whisk. Decorate cookies with glaze and sliced almonds. Glaze sets up quickly, so frost and decorate a few at a time.

Makes 3 dozen cookies