Christmas Cookies
Christmas Shortbread Wreaths
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- Red and green sprinkles
In bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and sugar. Blend in butter with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth. Form into 2 balls. Chill 20 minutes or until firm. On floured surface, roll one ball into a 9-inch circle; transfer to greased baking sheet. Cut out center with small round cookie cutter. If desired, scallop outer and inner edges of wreath with edge of a cookie cutter or a knife.
Cut wreath into 12 wedges. Separate wedges, leaving 1/8 inch between. Decorate outer and inner edges with sprinkles. Repeat for remaining dough. Bake at 300 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Carefully remove wedges to wire rack to cool completely. To serve, arrange as a wreath on large flat serving plate. Repeat with second ball of dough. Makes 2 wreaths, 2 dozen cookies.
Chocolate Oatmeal Fancies
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups quick oats, uncooked
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red candied cherries
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread almonds on baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes or until almonds are golden brown. Cool completely. Reserve. Grease baking sheets with shortening. Combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, cherries and reserved almonds. Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Don't overbake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Note: Larger cookies can be made out of dough, but increase baking time.
Tropical Lime Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 stick vegetable shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons grated lime peel, about 2 limes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- Confectioners' sugar
Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl and beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, syrup, vanilla, lime juice and peel. Beat until well blended and fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed and mix until well blended. Stir in coconut. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time at 375 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes. Don't overbake, Cool 2 minutes on sheet. Remove cookies to foil. Dust with confectioners' sugar and cool completely. Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.
Chewy Brownie Bonbons
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips
Icing:
- 6 ounces white baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup red and green candy sprinkles
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine brown sugar, shortening, water and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat eggs into creamed mixture. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Don't overbake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to foil to cool completely.
For icing, chop white chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces. Put pieces in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute at high. Stir. Repeat at 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted. Dip top of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate. Put sprinkles in shallow dish. Dip top of cookies into sprinkles. Set aside to dry completely. Makes 3 to 4 dozen bonbons.
Toffee Bits Triangles
- 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups Skor English toffee bits or Heath Bits O' Brickle, divided
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat margarine in large bowl on medium speed until creamy. Beat in brown sugar, vanilla and egg yolk until well mixed. Stir in flour and 1 cup of toffee bits. Press in ungreased jelly roll 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-by-1-inch pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let stand until softened; spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits over top. Cut into 3-inch squares; cut each square into 4 triangles. Makes 60 triangles.
Cranberry-Chip Cookies
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter softened
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups coarsely chopped cranberries
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Mix sugars and margarine in large bowl. Stir in milk, orange juice and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in cranberries, nuts and chocolate morsels. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet. cool on wire rack. Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.
Thumbprint Cookies
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 1 cups flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup jelly
Place 1 1/2 cups of morsels in bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Cover. Chill for 45 minutes or just until firm.
Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls. Press thumb into tops to make about inch deep depressions. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until sides are set but centers are still slightly soft. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Fill each depression with jelly. Place remaining morsels over jelly centers. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, combine flour, cake flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside. In large mixer bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well-mixed. Reduce speed to low and continue beating, gradually adding flour mixture until well-mixed, 2 to 3 minutes.
By hand, stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough onto cookie sheets in desired sizes. For 2 1/2-inch cookies, drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto sheets. For jumbo cookies, measure 1/4 cup of batter and place 2 inches apart. Bake jumbo cookies for 10 to 14 minutes and smaller cookies for 10 to 12 mknutes. Yields 26 jumbo and 4 dozen small cookies.
Mocha Chip Bars
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup nuts, chopped
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and coffee together and add to egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour batter into greased 9-by-15-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Serves 10.
Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspooon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten slightly
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup seedless raisins
Melt butter and cool to room temperature. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder together. Add sugars to butter and stir well. Add eggs, sifted dry ingredients, oats and raisins. Drop by spoonfuls onto well-greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Peanut Butter Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Cream butter and peanut butter together. Gradually beat in sugars. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll dough, 1 teaspoonful at a time, into balls. Place 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheets and flatten with a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 60 cookies.
Chocolate Meringue Drops
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease several cookie sheets with butter. Sprinkle flour over the sheets and shake to distribute the flour. Then turn the sheets upside down over the sink to knock off any excess flour.
Using the electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the egg whites with the salt in a mediumsize mixing bowl until frothy, about 40 seconds. Gradually add the sugar, then raise the mixer speed to high and add the vanilla. Beat the mixture for 50 seconds, stop to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then continue beating until the mixture forms very stiff peaks, 60 to 75 seconds longer. Then gently fold in the chocolate chips with the rubber spatula.
Drop the mixture by slightly rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until they turn a very light beige, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet.
Hollyberry Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, no substitutes
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
Glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red hot candies
- Green food coloring
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, beat egg and milk. Add to crumb mixture just until moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.
Spread jam on half of the cookies; top each with another cookie. In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; spread over cookies. Decorate with red hots before glaze is set. Let dry. Using a small new paintbrush and green food coloring, paint holly leaves on cookies. Yields 2 dozen.
Holiday Treasure Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 can, 14 ounces, Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 3/4 cups Hershey's mini-kisses, milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate baking pieces
- 1 cup Hershey's Holiday Bits
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth. Add reserved crumb mixture, mixing well. Stir in coconut, chocolate pieces and holiday bits. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store covered at room temperature.
Rudolph Treats
- 1 1/2-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 5 cups crisp rice cereal or chocolate crisp rice cereal
- 36 pretzel twists, broken
- 36 red cinnamon candies
- 72 mini-chocolate chips or candies
Melt marshmallows, butter and cocoa in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cereal and gently stir until well-coated. Drop by buttered tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Use buttered hands to shape into heads. Quickly push pretzel pieces into top for antlers. Press in cinnamon candy for red nose and chocolate chips for eyes. Cool completely. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers. Makes 36 cookies.
Orange Chocolate Meltaways
- 1 package, 11 1/2 ounces, milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup, 6 ounces, semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 2 1/2 teaspoons orange extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans
Coating
- 1 cup, 6 ounces, milk chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons shortening
Place chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, bring cream and orange peel to a gentle boil, immediately pour over chips. Let stand for 1 minute and whisk until smooth. Add the extract. Cover and chill for 35 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Beat for 10 to 15 seconds or just until mixture lightens in color, do not overbeat. Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover and chill for 5 minutes. Gently shape into balls and roll half in pecans. In a microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate and shortening and stir until smooth. Dip remaining balls in chocolate. Place on waxed paper to harden. Store in the refrigerator. Yields 6 dozen.
Peppermint Pretzel Canes
- 6 ounces almond bark or vanillaflavored candy coating, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candies, 24 candies
- 12 8 1/2-inch pretzel rods, from 11-ounce package
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt almond bark and shortening in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour into 11-by-7-inch baking dish or other shallow dish; Set baking dish in hot water to keep almond bark soft. Do not get any water into almond bark. Sprinkle candy over separate sheet of waxed paper. Roll pretzels in almond bark; allow excess to drip off. Roll in crushed candy. Place on lined cookie sheet and let stand until set. Makes 12 pretzels. Microwave directions: Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place almond bark and shortening in 4 cup microwave-safe measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through melting. Stir until almond bark is melted. Continue as directed above. Note: To crush candies: Place in double thickness of heavy-duty resealable plastic bags and seal. Hit with hammer.
 Merry Santa Cupcakes
- 1 package white cake mix
- 1 16-ounce container vanilla frosting
- Red sugar crystals, mini candy coated plain chocolate candies, mini marshmallows for decoration
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin cup holders in muffin pans. Set aside. Prepare cake mix following package directions for 24 cupcakes. Spoon batter into bake cups and bake as directed. Cool.
Frost cupcakes and decorate each to look like Santa. For hat, sprinkle top third and halfway down one side of cupcake with red sugar crystals. Place chocolate candies on frosting for eyes and nose. Cut two marshmallows in half lengthwise and place at edge of red sugar for hat brim. Place a marshmallow at end of red sugar on side for the hat tassel. For beard, place about 10 marshmallows over bottom third of frosting. Makes 24 cupcakes.
Apricot Layer Bars
- 1 package Betty Crocker Easy Layer Supreme Dessert Bar Mix
- 1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 package, 3 ounces, cream cheese, softened
- 1 package, 6 ounces, dried apricots, chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9 by 2 inch pan. Stir Crust Mix and margarine or butter in medium bowl, using fork, until crumbly. Press firmly on bottom of pan. Stir Filling Mix, half of the milk and the cream cheese thoroughly in medium bowl. Mixture will be slightly lumpy. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup milk. Pour evenly over crust.
Stir together apricots and Topping Mix. Sprinkle over filling, Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until center is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool completely for best results. Run knife around edges to loosen. Cut into 2 1/2 by 2 1/4 inch bars. Store covered. For longer than overnight storage, refrigerate. Makes 20 bars.
 Holiday Oatmeal Cookie Mix For Gift Jars
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups solid vegetable shortening
- 6 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
- 4 1-quart each, clear, unbreakable plastic jars
- 4 cups additional add-ins such as chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts
For cookie mix, stir together flour, salt and baking soda in a very large bowl. Add sugars; mix well. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in oats. In 1-quart, clear, unbreakable plastic jar with lid.
Layer as following, 1 1/3 cups cookie mix, 1/2 cup add-ins, 1 cup cookie mix, 1/2 cup add-ins, 1 cup cookie mix. Place lid on jar and seal tightly. Repeat Step 2, using remaining mix and add-ins to fill three more jars. Add gift tags with preparation instructions.
Baking Instructions For Cookie Mix
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 jar Holiday Oatmeal Cookie Mix
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In large bowl, combine egg, water and vanilla and mix well. Add entire contents of one jar of Holiday Oatmeal Cookie Mix. Stir with fork until all dry ingredients are moistened and a stiff dough forms. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool one minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire cooling racks and cool completely.
Note: For variations using addins: Confetti Cookies use 1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces; for Cherry-Berry Cookies, use 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup dried cranberries; for Chocolate Cherry Cookies, use 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup chocolate chips; for Nutty Chocolate Chippers use 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds.
Butter Toffee Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup English toffee bits or chips
- Sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy, one to two minutes. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Reduce speed to low. Beat until well mixed, one to two minutes.
Stir in toffee bits by hand. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each with bottom of glass to 1 1/2 inch circle. If glass sticks to dough, dip in sugar. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Do not over bake. Sprinkle with sugar while warm. Cool completely. Makes 5 dozen.
Note: Cookie may also be flattened with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
Caramel Nut Logs
Filling:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups powdered sugar
Coating:
- 1 14-ounce, package caramels, unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 2 cups chopped salted peanuts, cashews or pecans
Microwave 1/2 cup butter and marshmallow creme in large bowl on high, stirring once, until melted,1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Stir until well mixed. Stir in 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar and mix well. Knead in up to 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar with hands until mixture is firm and no longer shiny. Divide mixture into six equal parts. shape each part into a 5 by 1 inch log. Wrap each log in plastic food wrap. Place logs onto ungreased small cookie sheet. Freeze until firm, at least two hours. Line another cookie sheet with waxed paper. Set aside. Place chopped nuts on separate sheet of waxed paper. Set aside.
Place caramels, 2 tablespoons butter and half and half in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until caramels are melted and smooth. Reduce heat to low to keep caramel mixture warm. Remove logs from freezer and unwrap. Dip one frozen log into warm caramel mixture using tongs or two-pronged meat fork. Turn to coat
Remove log, allow excess caramel mixture to drip back into pan. Place log on nutcovered waxed paper. Lifting the waxed paper, roll the logs to coat with nuts. If needed, use hands to press nuts into caramel log. Set log on cookie sheet to cool. Repeat with remaining logs. Refrigerate one hour. Wrap each log in plastic food wrap and store refrigerated. To serve, cut each log into 12 slices. Makes 6 dozen candies.
Note: Logs can be decorated by mixing 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening in small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and continue microwaving until mixture is smooth. Drizzle over logs.
Chocolate Velvet Sauce in a Jar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 12 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate bars, chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and corn syrup in heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil, 15 to 20 minutes. Boil three minutes and remove from heat. Immediately add chocolate pieces. Beat with wire whisk or electric mixer until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 3 8-ounce jars while warm. Cool 15 minutes. Cover and store refrigerated.
To serve, remove cover and microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds until hot, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Note: Subsitute 2 cups semi-sweet real chocolate chips for chocolate bars, if desired. For gift-giving, tie ribbon on jars and attach gift tags with serving directions.
Raspberry Swirl Bars
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate chips and butter in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in flour and salt and mix just until flour is moistened.
Spread batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan. Drop spoonfuls of preserves on batter in the corners and around edge of pan. Gently pull knife through batter and preserves toward center for swirled effect. Do not over swirl. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until brownies just begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely. Cut into 20 bars. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Crunchy Cocoa Balls
- 4 cups Cocoa Pebbles Cereal
- 6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Place cereal in large bowl. Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 2 1/2 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking time. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal. Mix lightly. With hands slightly moistened with cold water, shape into 1-inch balls. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Cool completely. Store in cool dry place. Makes 3 dozen.
Cinnamon Spice Cookies
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg, separated, reserving egg white
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- Colored sugar
In large bowl, combine brown sugar, margarine, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt, cream cheese and egg yolk. Beat until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Add flour to margarine mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 to 1 1/2 hours for easier handling. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On well-floured surface, roll out 1/3 dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Keep remaining dough refrigerated. Cut out cookies using desired cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Lightly beat egg white in small bowl, brush over cookies. Sprinkle with color sugar, as desired. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute and remove from sheets. Cool completely.
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