Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

A festive cookie featuring candied fruit and almonds.

1/2 cup butter, softened

Cookies

3/4 cup sugar

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup each candied cherries and pineapple, chopped

3/4 cup Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

3/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in the egg; mix well.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the fruits and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chips Galore Cookies

These cookies are stuffed with a variety of yummy chips - a real treat.

1 cup butter flavored shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup peanut butter chips

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup vanilla or white chips

1/3 cup milk chocolate M&Ms

1/3 cup Reese's pieces candy

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips and candy pieces.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin cookies with a burst of chocolate chips.

4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 (16 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in the pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.

Makes 84 cookies.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candied Fruit Cookies

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Homemade Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe

Old fashioned ginger snaps have a chewy center and are full of spicy ginger flavor that goes perfectly with a glass of raw goats or cows milk. The spices fill your kitchen and home with the smell of Christmas while the cookies are baking. Ginger has antioxidants and is an herbal aid for the digestion. What better way to help your digestive system than eating ginger snap cookies?

Homemade Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe

Cookies

1 cup packed raw dark brown sugar
¾ cup lard from pastured pigs
¼ cup blackstrap molasses
1 egg from pastured hens
2 ¼ cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon up to 1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon up to 1 teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Dehydrated cane sugar

Homemade Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix together the brown sugar, lard, molasses and egg until creamy.

Step 2: In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and sea salt. Stir a little at a time into the sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or more.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 375°.

Step 4: Using a teaspoon, scoop up dough into rounded balls and dip into the dehydrated cane sugar. Place the balls of dough, sugar side up, onto a greased (with lard) cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes just until set. Remove from the cookie sheet onto a platter and let cool.

These cookies are chewy and delicious. And they contain the natural sugars and molasses that still have the minerals and vitamins intact, and a healthy fat that nourishes our bodies. The spices not only promote health, they are delicious and make your house smell better than using candles.

©2009 Shanna Ohmes

Homemade Ginger Snap Cookies Recipe

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Need Valentine-Themed Wedding Shower Ideas?

What better time to have a Valentine-theme bridal shower than the early spring and Valentine's Day? So here are some ideas to help you plan this very special day for your friend's bridal party.

Let's start with an inviting and pretty color scheme which should be carried on from the invitations, to table decor, food, drinks and guest favors. So here we go.

\"Decorated Cookies\"

Color Scheme Suggestions

Need Valentine-Themed Wedding Shower Ideas?

Try shades of pink from the softest powder to a lovely fushia and use hints of lilac, baby blue or soft yellow for a stunning color theme.

Shower Invitations

In introducing the Valentine theme to your guests invitations are the perfect way to do it.

1. Envelopes and invitations mixing and matching the shower's color theme
2. Heart-shaped confetti sprinkled inside the envelope.
3. Punch a heart-shaped hole in the envelope alongside the guest's name showing the contrasting color of the card placed inside.

Guest Favors

1. For a scented favor use heart-shaped silk or satin sachets
2. Heart-shaped votive candles wrapped in organza or tulle and tied with a satin ribbon
3. Chocolates in heart shapes or just nicely boxed is always perfect for a Valentine shower
4. A heart-shaped cookie cutter with a favorite recipe of the bride's and again tied in tulle

These are a few very appropriate favors for this shower theme.

Table Decor

A tablecloth of pink or red with an overlay of a lace cloth is gorgeous, or a red cloth and a table runner in a soft pink looks stunning.

Your napkins should match your tablecloth or decor and the plates and flatware should also match the Valentine theme.

Table Centerpiece Ideas

Find a not to tall vase around your house and fill it with red and pink carnations, or tulips or splurge on roses and drape lovely satin and lace ribbon down the sides to cover the vase.

Buy clear votive holders and candles in the colors you are using. Get red and white sprinkles and pour some in each votive holder. place the candle on top and make an attractive arrangement in the center of the table. Light the candles when it is time to serve the food.

Either of these are really lovely and rather inexpensive.

Valentine Shower Food Suggestions

Shower food should be light and attractive. You might have finger sandwiches cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter for a special touch.

Crab filled mushroom or cherry tomatoes is also very nice and good finger food.

A light salad of romaine lettuce mixed with mandarin oranges and candied walnuts and a splash of raspberry vinaigrette is very refreshing.

Your dessert may be a heart-shaped decorated cake, Red velvet and pink iced cupcakes, heart-shaped decorated cookies, or anything that might be a favorite of the bride's.

A champagne or non alcoholic punch, freshly brewed coffee, and assorted teas can be served for the beverage.

Here's a Simple Party Game

Sure your guests may not want to play involved games, but who doesn't love a present? As your guests enter, have them write down their birthdays or wedding anniversaries, which ever they wish and just the month and day.

The guest whose date is closest to the wedding date wins a prize. The hostess can then copy down the birthdays and anniversaries in a nice birthday book for the bride, so she'll always know when to send a thoughtful card.

Prize Ideas for Game Winners

-Spa Gift Basket
-Bottles of Wine
-Fine Chocolates
-Mini Photo Frames
-Aromatic Candles
-Photo Albums

Since a Valentine Shower is romantic and personal you might want to have it a lingerie and/or personal gift shower.

Another idea is to have the guests bring things that the couple can enjoy as they start their life together such as gift cards for a favorite CD or video of a favorite movie or music they like.

Tickets to a place you know they both like and want to go.

Just remember this is the bride's most important time with her closest friends and family as they celebrate her coming wedding and their special bond with each other. Make it just that.

Need Valentine-Themed Wedding Shower Ideas?

For more about weddings and Wedding Bridal Shower check out Tiffany's blog.

Tiffany Cole has a huge passion for weddings and in particular likes to come up with creative ideas to create dream weddings without breaking the bank. If you'd like to see more of Tiffany's ideas, tips and tricks then you can go to her blog at http://InexpensiveWeddingIdeasGuide.com.

New Mexican Christmas Cookies - Biscochitos Recipe

Biscochitos are the official state cookie of New Mexico. Served traditionally at Christmas, at weddings, and any other celebration, biscochitos are a type of shortbread. Unlike traditional shortbread, however, this recipe can be a little tricky to make. After awhile, you learn to have a feel for the dough and it gets easier. It is worth the effort to learn to make these delicious little cookies.

Biscochitos have a long history that stretches all the way back to Spain. Known as Mantecosos across the Atlantic (that means buttery in Spanish), these little cookies are sometimes called Mexican Wedding cookies. In fact, the name of this delicious little cookie has caused quite a debate. In northern New Mexico, they are known as biscochitos and biscochos in the southern part of New Mexico. When this cookie was made the official state cookie in 1989, the state legislature had to debate on how to spell the name. The Senate finally decided on bizcochito, though you still see it with multiple spellings.

Cookies

Recipe for Biscochitos

New Mexican Christmas Cookies - Biscochitos Recipe

This delightful little cookie is perfect with coffee, tea or even a glass of wine.

What You Need

• 1 pound lard
• 1 heaping cup granulated sugar
• 2 to 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 teaspoons anise seed
• 6 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 cup red wine
• 1/8 cup orange juice concentrate, partially thawed
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

How You Make It

Whip the lard with a mixer set on medium-high. The lard should become silky in texture; this will take up to 10 minutes. Add sugar and mix well with lard, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly each time. Add salt and mix. Add the following ingredients in this order: anise, flour, baking powder. Continue to mix well. Add wine and orange juice concentrate. Beat the mixture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

Moisten your fingers and work surface. Roll out the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap. (Hint: It helps to lightly flour the bottom piece of plastic wrap.) Try to touch the dough as little as possible while you shape it into a rectangle and pat it until it is even. A marble rolling pin works best due to its weight and temperature for rolling. You want the dough to be about half an inch thick. Cut the dough into quarters. Dip each quarter into cinnamon sugar and set gently on a greased cookie sheet.

Using a small, sharp knife, cut each quarter into strips about 1-1/2 inches wide. Turn the tray and cut in the other direction so you end up with little squares. Make four tiny cuts toward the center of each piece. Using your thumb and forefinger, raise the edges towards the center, making a rosette.

Bake the cookies about 13 minutes or until the edges are browned. Your time may vary depending on the temperature of your oven. The finished cookies should be crisp.

New Mexican Christmas Cookies - Biscochitos Recipe

Mexican recipes like posole are wonderful holiday meals, but you certainly do not have to wait for a holiday to enjoy Mexican cuisine. Try some Mexican dessert recipes for a twist on the same old desserts you're used to. They're wonderful!

MexicanDessertRecipes.net The Sweet Side of Mexican Food

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies can be soft, crunchy, or whatever you like, but a favorite of many is soft chocolate chip cookies. Making soft chocolate chip cookies is not hard if you just follow these tips that I will give you.

First you'll need to make the chocolate chip cookie dough. If you're looking for a good recipe, search around or use the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. This is usually a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Cookies

Mix together the sugars and butter thoroughly. Use an electric mixer to do it fast and well. Don't be until it's really fluffy, just combine to remove all lumps of butter and/or sugar. Then add in the eggs and vanilla.

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

This step is important to get soft chocolate chip cookies. Do not beat the batter with the eggs so that it becomes fluffy and airy. You are not trying to make a cake or a meringue. Just stir until combined and that is it.

Next, in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir it with a spoon and sift according to the instructions. If it says sifted flour sift it and then measure it. If is says flour sifted, measure it and then sifted it. This makes sure that you get the right amount of flour.

Now you can gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Add a little bit out of time and mix in thoroughly. Again, there is no need to be just mix it completely. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours or preferably overnight. Preheat the oven to make sure it is completely heated before you put the cookies in. Roll the cookie dough into 2 inch balls and place then about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Make sure the cookie she is not warm especially between batches. Put the cookie sheet in a refrigerator beforehand to make a cold to ensure that it's not warm.

Bake according to the instructions until very lightly golden brown across the whole cookie. You do not want dark brown or it will be hard and crunchy. Still, make sure you cook all the way or else it will just be gooey dough instead of soft cookie and gooey chocolate.

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Learn how to make soft chocolate chip cookies and find more information about how to make chocolate chip cookies in general. You will find lots of helpful tips and tricks to make soft cookies and tasty cookies.

Decorating Cut Out Cookies For Kids

What kid doesn't love a decorated cookie? All kids, all ages love decorated cookies. These days you can go just about anywhere and find cookie cutters. Cookie cutters range in price and style from about 60 cents for a small aluminum cookie cutter to well over 5 dollars for a large copper cookie cutter. You can walk into your local grocery store and get several plastic, easy to handle, easy to use and clean, cookie cutters. Let's just start there. While you're there swing over to the section where the refrigerated cookie dough is kept. This is the easiest dough to use when decorating cut out cookies for kids. Add about 1/4 cup all purpose flour to the dough, roll it into a ball and chill if for about 1 hour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out onto a floured surface and use the cookie cutters to cut the cookies out. The cookies should be about 1/2 inch thick. Bake the cookies according to package directions and let them cool completely. Meanwhile here's a quick frosting that can be made and colored to decorate the cookies:

1 cup confectioner's sugar

\"Decorated Cookies\"

2 teaspoons milk

Decorating Cut Out Cookies For Kids

2 teaspoons corn syrup

(recipe can be doubled)

In a bowl, mix all 3 ingredients together thoroughly. It should be like the consistency of Elmer's glue. The frosting will be a little thick, in which case you can can add more milk and corn syrup each, 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Divide the frosting into bowls and use food coloring to color. Pour the frosting into pastry bags or strong sandwich bags. Snip the tip of the bag with a pair of scissors to allow a little bit to come out. Now you are ready to start decorating cut out cookies for kids. The possibilities here are endless and the kids will love them. You can even add a little flavoring to the frosting. Try a teaspoon of almond or lemon extract before coloring the frosting. This is a frosting that dries with a nice shine. The thing to remember when you are decorating cut out cookies for kids is that this frosting should dry for about 8 hours, so it may be best to let them dry on a cooling rack overnight. The kids can eat the cookies before the frosting dries. It just gets a little messy, but that's all in the fun of making the cookies! Check kitchen and housewares stores for more of a diverse selections of cookie cutters. Of course there is always the internet. Now that you have mastered the art of decorating cookies for kids you can have cookies for all of the holidays. Just make sure to get the appropriate cookie cutters and there is no stopping you!

Decorating Cut Out Cookies For Kids

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Hand Decorated Cookies Supplies

Though you can certainly find cookies decorated for any occasion in any store or through a web site on the Internet, you can also work on hand decorated cookies on your own. This can be fun as you can make fun creations with each season or holiday and have a lot of fun doing it. All you have to do is to get the right supplies, learn how to use them, and then practice. It should not take you long to make some yummy and unique cookies for any occasion that pops up in your life. All supplies and even instructions can easily be found online.

One of the first things that you need for awesome hand decorated cookies is a great cookie recipe. Some like to use sugar cookies for this, though you can go with gingerbread in the winter months if you prefer. You can actually decorate any type of cook that you want, that is up to you. In order to make sure you have a great tasting as well as good looking cookie, find some great cookie recipes and cookbooks. You can buy the dough already made in the store, but cookies from scratch using a recipe always taste a bit better and give you a more satisfied feeling when you are done.

\"Decorated Cookies\"

Next, you need to have a way to apply the icing. You can certainly just use a small butter knife, but that is really only good to make simple hand decorated cookies. You do not get lines, definition, or even a smooth finish this way in most cases. Instead, you want to pick up a cake decorating set that includes icing bags and icing tips. You can learn to use these to make lines, stars, leaves, and just about anything else you can imagine. You can use butter cream icing for this and your cookies are going to be amazing once you get the hang of it.

Hand Decorated Cookies Supplies

You also want to think about getting some tools to work with fondant icing for some truly memorable cookie creations. This is an icing that can be rolled out and feels like modeling clay in your hands. It is big in cake design. You can use this with special tools to make realistic looking leaves and other decorations for your hand decorated cookies. There are all types of great tools that you can get to work with fondant, so see what you think is interesting and go to town with what you can design on your own, or what you learn from a decorating lesson or two.

Lastly, don't forget to find the best way to pass out or display your hand decorated cookies. You are not going to want to keep these to yourself. You can make them for school occasions, holidays, birthdays, or just because you feel like it. Find some great ways to transport your cookies, and great disposable boxes and other items that you can use when you want to give your cookies away for the holidays or as a gift to thank someone for helping you out. Cookies are almost always welcome, and as long as you got the right recipe, they will disappear in no time.

Hand Decorated Cookies Supplies

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Decorated Easter Cookies

For those of you looking forward to Easter time, the one thing that makes Easter incredibly special are decorated Easter cookies. Just like Christmas cookies have become a staple of Christmas time, so have Easter cookies become a part of Easter tradition. There are many great ways to adorn the Easter season and decorated Easter cookies are just one of them. Here are some tips on putting smiles on the faces of your children or friends this Easter season.

Decorated Easter Cookies Come in Many Shapes and Sizes

\"Decorated Cookies\"

Decorated Easter cookies can come in many shapes and sizes and if you can conceptualize it you can truly prepare it. For most people Easter is associated with bunnies, rabbits, chicks, lambs and Easter eggs. For the most part you can usually find most of these shapes and more in the form of cookie cutters.

Decorated Easter Cookies

Cookie cutters are usually easy to purchase at all discount shops, supermarkets, and craft shops. Or you can generally make them yourself- you just need some pliable metal and an idea. If you don't have a cookie cutter, no big deal. In fact a lot of people that are artistically gifted choose to cut their own shapes out of cookie dough by hand, without using any cookie cutter.

Decorated Easter Cookies Start Out with Delectable Cookie Dough

The most essential thing about the embellished Easter cookies that you create is that must taste just as great as they look. No one likes a nasty tasting cookie. For many chefs, a great cookie begins with delicious cookie dough. Yes, you can purchase the dough already pre-made and ready to cut, but for the purists out there, start with a family recipe that is either chocolate chip or of the sugar cookie variety.

Decorate Your Cookie Using the Tools of the Trade

It's easy to adorn your Easter cookies, just make sure you have all the accessories of the trade. They usually include, food coloring, colored icing, sprinkles, delicious candies such as licorice, M& M's, nuts, marshmallows, etc. Once you have gotten the cookie shape, let yourself or your kids use their creative magic to make cutely decorated Easter cookies. You can find food coloring and many cool decorating accessories at your local grocery store. You can even purchase pre-made Easter embellishments to add to your cookies, cakes or Easter eggs.

Presentation is Key

Once your newly designed Easter cookies are finished, make sure to show them off to the rest of the family and even give them away to your coworkers and friends. Savor the Easter spirit by showcasing your delicious and beautiful decorated Easter cookies.

One creative idea is to take some photographs of your adorned Easter cookies and include them in your annual Easter scrapbook, so you can always look back at the delicious and beautifully adorned Easter cookies that you have made.

You can also print the cookie recipe on an attractive recipe card and include a photo of your Easter cookies to give to family and friends. Most everyone appreciates handmade gifts, especially when it's a beloved family recipe.

If you are looking to magnify your gratification of Easter this year, take part in creating wonderfully decorated Easter cookies.

Decorated Easter Cookies

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Fun Jello Cookies

If you are looking for an easy dessert recipe, try some Jello cookies. They are quick to make. The cookies turn out light and fluffy, but have the fun colors from your selection of Jello. Make cherry and lime for red and green cookies for the holidays. Use orange, lemon, and lime for spring colors. You are limited only by your imagination and the choices of Jello on your store shelves.

These cookies are great favorites with the kids because of their fun colors. You can always brighten up the colors slightly with a drop or two of food coloring if you wish; the Jello makes a nice pastel color on its own. Make them when you want to cheer someone up; the colorful cookies will bring a smile to their face.

Cookies

This dough holds a shape pretty well. You can roll out the dough and cut the cookies out in shapes using cookie cutters. You can also press them flat with a glass or with a mold that has a pattern. You could also make a pattern on them like you would a peanut butter cookie and use a fork dipped in sugar to make criss cross marks. This recipe also works well in a cookie press. You can make all sorts of fun shapes with a cookie press. The Jello provides the color and a bit of flavor to the dough. You can even choose the colors of Jello to match a theme party if you want. Let your imagination run wild; make pink and blue for a baby shower or match colors with wedding colors for a bridal shower. Green would be perfect for St. Patrick's Day, of course, and orange would work well for Halloween.

Fun Jello Cookies

Some people like to sprinkle the freshly baked cookies with a little sugar; it sticks better when they are warm. Otherwise, you could sprinkle a little on before you bake them, but you need to watch so the sugar does not burn. You can also frost them when they are cool. Cream cheese frosting works well with most Jello cookies. Garnish with an appropriate fruit or put some colored sprinkles on top.

Recipe for Jello Cookies

Kids love these colorful cookies.

What You Need

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 3-ounce package of Jello, any flavor
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

How to Make It

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter, and then gradually add the sugar and Jello. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture, making sure it is well incorporated into the batter.

Chill the dough for at least an hour.

Fill a cookie press with the dough and press out cookies onto a baking sheet. Alternatively, you can roll the dough into balls and press them flat with the bottom of a glass.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 13 to 14 minutes.

Makes 60 cookies.

Fun Jello Cookies

Everyone loves jello. You can make salads, desserts and even a simple cheesecake recipe by using Jello in your recipes. They make quick and easy desserts that bring lots of color to the table. Make some for your family.

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