Indulge in some irresistible freshly baked homemade Christmas cookies. These cookie recipes are guaranteed to earn you praises from friends and family, and make your Christmas 2016 more memorable. We bet you have never had tasted these delectable cookies before.
Christmas Cookie Recipes
Mini Linzer Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup good raspberry preserve
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a mixer blend together the butter and sugar until they are just combined, then add vanilla. In another bowl sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter and sugar mixture.
Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Remove the mixture and place on a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut two 3/4-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. Take half of the rounds and cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart or spade shaped cutter. Place all the cookies on an non-greased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and after they cool, spread raspberry preserve on the flat side of each solid cookie. Press the flat sides together of the cut out cookies after putting the raspberry preserves in the middle and dust the confectioners’ sugar on the top of the cut out cookies.
Fruitcake Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces candied chopped cherries
- 2 ounces dried apricots, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 extra large egg
- 1/2 pound (two sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 1/2 pound dried figs
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 ounces chopped pecans
- kosher salt
Recipe:
In a medium bowl combine the figs, sherry, lemon juice, raisins, cherries, apricots, honey pecans, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight at room temperature. Cream the butter, superfine sugar, cloves, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth for about three minutes.
Add the egg and blend on low speed. Gradually add the flour and one-fourth teaspoon salt and blend until just combined. Add the fruits and nuts, including any liquid in the bowl.
Divide the dough in half and place each half on the parchment or waxed paper. Roll each half into a log, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch thick, making an 18-inch-long roll. Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or until firm. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the dough and cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices 1/2-inch apart on ungreased sheet pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
Candy Cane Cookies
In a mixer, add one (16.5 oz) tube refrigerated cookie dough, one teaspoon of peppermint extract, and one-third of a cup flour and beat with paddle attachment until mixed.
Divide the dough in half, and dye one half with red food coloring. Roll the dough into six-inch ropes and twist them together using one red and one white for each cookie. Make them in candy cane shapes and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush with syrup made from one cup of sugar dissolved in one cup water. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes while warm.
Sources:
Garten, I., “Mini Linzer Cookies,” Food Network web site;
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mini-linzer-cookies-recipe.html, last accessed December 22, 2016
Garten, I., ”Fruitcake Cookies,” Food Network web site;
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fruitcake-cookies-recipe.html, last accessed December 22, 2016
Spence, S., “3 Super Easy Holiday Cookies Made with Store-Bought Dough,” People web site, December 20, 2016;
http://people.com/food/easy-christmas-cookie-recipes-candy-cane-cookies-thumprint-cookies/, last accessed December 22, 2016