Christmas Cravings
Classic Treats to Share
Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
PREP: 15 MIN. + CHILLING • BAKE: 10 MIN. MAKES: ABOUT 2 DOZEN
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 pkg. (31⁄2 oz. each) cook-andserve butterscotch pudding mix 3 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, pudding mixes, ginger, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired.
Red Velvet Spritz Cookies
PREP: 20 MIN. • BAKE: 10 MIN. MAKES: ABOUT 8 DOZEN
1 cup butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. paste food coloring,
optional
1⁄2 tsp. peppermint extract,
optional
21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1 Tbsp. water
Sprinkles
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and, if desired, food coloring and extract. In another bowl, whisk the flour and cocoa; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
2. Using a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. In a small bowl, mix egg white and water; brush over cookies. Decorate as desired with sprinkles. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
FREEZE OPTION Transfer dough to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, thaw dough in the refrigerator overnight or until soft enough to press. Prepare and bake cookies as directed.
Santa Claus Cookies
PREP: 40 MIN. • COOK: 5 MIN. MAKES: 32 COOKIES
12 oz. white baking chocolate,
chopped
1 pkg. (1 lb.) Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
Red colored sugar 32 vanilla or white chips 64 miniature semisweet
chocolate chips 32 REDHOTS
1. In a microwave, melt the white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until chocolate is smooth.
2. Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on wire racks. For Santa’s hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate. Press one vanilla chip off-center on hat for pompom; let stand until set.
3. Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered.
Place on wire racks. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for eyes and a
Red Hot for nose.
Place on waxed paper until set.