Recipe: Let's make Christmas cookies!

December 15, 2014

Every year Adam's family has a christmas cookie cookoff. We all bake our favorite cookies, come together and eat way too many cookies. It's such a fun tradition we've started and I look forward to it every year. This year I made one traditional cookie recipe and one new recipe from Pioneer Woman.

I know these recipes aren't paleo, but hey, it's Christmas and calories don't count right? Okay, so they do, but I can tell you a few cookies every now and then isn't going to completely sabotage your diet. Back to paleo tomorrow :)

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients: 
  • 2 sticks salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces almond bark or white baking chocolate (i used white chocolate) 
  • 8 candy canes, I used four traditional candy canes and 4 peppermint
How to Make: 
  1. Cream softened butter with powdered sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Add dry ingredients and mix together until the dough comes together. Place plastic wrap on surface of dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. 
  2. In the meantime, unwrap the candy canes and place them in a plastic bag. Break them up! 
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
  4. Roll cookie dough in walnut-sized pieces and place on a cookie sheet. Gently press balls flat with a plain, smooth surface. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, being careful not to burn. Cookies will remain the same general size and shape after they bake. Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.
  5. Place crushed candies in bowl. Melt almond bark in the microwave. Dip cooled cookies into almond bark, coating half the cookie. Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermints over both sides of the almond bark. Gently set on parchment paper or other nonstick surface and allow to cool before serving.
 Pioneer Woman used peppermint candies, I used candy canes. 
 I also used White Chocolate, not almond bark, and it was delicious. 
Oh man, these cookies might be a new tradition of mine. 

Peanut Butter Blossoms 
Ingredients: 
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • granulated sugar, for rolling 
  • 48 Hershey's kisses, unwrapped
How to make: 
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. 
  3. With an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and shortening on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. 
  4. Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract, and beat well. 
  5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat the flour into peanut butter mixture until combined. 
  6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. 
  7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 
  8. Remove from the oven and immediately press a hershey kiss into the center of each cookie. Bake for another minute. 
  9. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes then remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool. 
  10. Enjoy!! 
 Yummm. 

2 comments

  1. Look so good, I can almost smell them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. They look delicious! Might have to try the chocolate peppermint ones!!

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from all of you and greatly appreciate all your feedback and comments! xx Kristen