Gooey Lemon Peppermint Chip Cookies

I think the best part of Christmas is Christmas Clearance.  I stock up on a lot of baking supplies right after Christmas due to the oh so very low prices.  I usually end up buying seasonal flavors like pumpkin, peppermint, cocoa, etc.  I like to stock up on my favorite seasonal candies too, especially my all time favorite Terry's Chocolate Oranges.

Not pictured: 1 egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint chips

This year I didn't find any chocolate oranges on clearance.  Bummer!  Someone must have beat me to 'em! I did invest in a few packages of Andes Peppermint Chips though.  This year was the first year I have ever seen them and only at the Walmart.  I can usually find the Andes Creme de Menthe chips year round though.

I was inspired by this pin on Pinterest that has been making the rounds:

Source: alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com via Heather on Pinterest

I figured if sucking on a lemon through a peppermint straw is tasty then lemon cookies with peppermint chips have to be mighty tasty too!  Glad I was right.  These cookies are so yummy!

I used a gooey butter cookie recipe as the cookie base by swapping out yellow cake mix with lemon cake mix.  Gooey butter cookies and cake are my favorite and lemon my all time favorite cake flavor.  Peppermint is not usually my thing but they added a cooling effect to these cookies that reminded me of lemon cooler cookies.

The cookie dough does need to chill out in the fridge for a bit before dishing out and rolling in the powdered sugar.  As the name implies they are very gooey to work with.  Other than that these cookies are easy to make and addictive.  Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Peppermint Chip Cookies

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened  

1 egg, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix  
5 oz. (half a bag) Andes Peppermint Baking Chips
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add cake mix, and stir until well blended. Stir in Peppermint Chips. Refridgerate dough in covered container for one hour.

After chilling dough, Roll dough into 1inch balls and roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar. Place 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Starry Surprise Cookies {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

I think I've saved the bast for last.  Or at least the cutest.  Not sure which!  Anyways, I was inspired by the pinata cookies that have been seen around pinterest lately.  You know, the cookies with the mini m&ms inside?

I love star shaped anything so my cookies had to be Christmas stars.  I was very tempted to draw black eyes a la Super Mario on these though.  Don't they look like the  invincibility stars from the game? or maybe the warp stars in Kirby?

They'd definitely be cute at a video game themed party.  All they need are the eyes drawn on with a black icing pen!

This filled cookie technique can be applied to practically any shape.  Maybe a Christmas stocking or a square present shape?  Or how about 'confetti' filled cookies for a New Year's Eve  party?  Use sprinkles for confetti et Voila!  Instant party!

I added a lot of yellow gel food coloring to my dough but it still came out very pale so I ended up using a fondant type flow icing after they were assembled.  I liked the flavor and think it kept the cookies soft.

I rolled my dough out on the thick side.  I didn't want a fragile cookie and it needed some depth to hold the M&Ms.

Assembling the cookies is easy, but only if you made sure that your sugar cookie recipe isn't one that spread much!  I suggest this one by Sweet Sugarbelle.  It always turns out for me and is a sturdy base for any decorated cookie.  It's yummy too!  If you've never checked out her blog before, be warned, it's addictive!  Her cookies are so pretty!  I also used her royal icing recipe to glue my layers together.  You don't need a lot!  So maybe halve the recipe?  I was assembling a Gingerbread Home at the time so I made a big batch and saved a little for these cookies.

A totally optional step:  make Quick Pour Fondant to add additional color and flavor to your cookies.  Bonus:  it seals in moisture!  It is a bit of a pain to use but only because it takes some time to set up and dry.  I loved the flavor of this icing though and plan on using it in the future.

I can't believe I made so many sweet treats this holiday season!  I wish Christmas would last a little bit longer.  My neighbors have already begun to dismantle their light displays and trees.  Mine will be up until the weekend after New Years I think.  I want to look at my ornament laden tree a little longer and burn my balsam scented candle until I just can't take it any more.  What was your favorite thing about Christmas this year?  The lights, the smells?  Being with family?

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas everyone!  I really hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas holiday full of good food and good times.  My Christmas is a bit lame because all my family lives up north and I'm stuck down south.  I try to keep myself very occupied every Christmas season so I don't dwell on that too much.

I try to make a gingerbread house every year.  Last year I couldn't because I was in the middle of a move.  I am so happy not to be in the same place I was last year.  Moving sucks!  We may be moving again but that isn't set in stone yet so we'll see.

This year's gingerbread house is a bit of a cheater house.  I used the gingerbread from a Halloween gingerbread haunted house kit I bought when all the Halloween stuff was red tagged.  I got this super cheap!  I just bought some Christmas themed candy and made my own royal icing.  I really love the pink and brown.  

My husband keeps asking when we get to destroy the house.  Our tradition is to blow up our gingerbread houses at the end of the holiday season.  Mostly because it's so easy to buy fireworks this time of year to celebrate the New Year and what's the point of keeping a house made of cookie and candies?  Sounds like an ant/bug attractor to me! I'm not a pyro so I let Peter handle the detonation.

Is this a weird tradition? 

Coconut Macaroons {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

I have never in my life made a coconut macaroon.  I had no idea how simple they were to make!    A bit messy, but simple.  

These cookies are so sweet that they're best scooped out into small portions then baked.  If baked up bigger they are a bit mushier and lack all that crunchiness of well baked coconut.

Crispy coconut is so delicious.  These cookies are already decadent but they can certainly use some gussying up.

They sure are plain looking even if they are very flavorful.

If your crazy like me, you hit up the after Christmas clearance and stock up on Terry's chocolate oranges.  I buy a ton of them and store them in the freezer to eat all year.  This one is the last one from my freezer.  Time to stock up again!

I figured a little chocolate orange would taste yummy drizzled on these macaroons.

What a mess of chocolate!  So worth it though.  Just be sure to store in an airtight container.  They can get sticky if left in the humidity.

Coconut Macaroons

adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 large egg white

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 bag shredded sweetened coconut (14 oz)

For chocolate drizzle:

4 slices Terry's Chocolate Ornage finely chopped

3-4 discs Wilton milk chocolate  Candy Melts

1 tsp butter flavored Crisco

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt until combined. Stir in the coconut with rubber spatula until well blended.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the cookie sheets. Form the cookies into loose haystacks with your fingertips, moistening your hands with water as necessary to prevent sticking.  

Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.  Let sit for about 2 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once the cookies are cooled to room temperature (about 30 minutes), place cookies on some parchment paper. 

Melt the chocolates and Crisco in heatproof bowl in microwave set to 50% power for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn the chocolate!

Using a fork, drizzle the melted chocolate on your macaroons. Let chocolate set before storing in an airtight container.

Molasses Crinkles {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

I really hate the smell of molasses.  It's just gross.  But it taste so wonderful in these cookies and in gingerbread.  Peter's Mom makes these for Christmas every year and they are very addictive.

So here are some more of my Christmas memories.  I'm sure your soooo excited!  It's a little like looking at someone's vacation slideshow I suppose.  I think it's important to remember and write down any memory.  I love to scrapbook and look genealogy.  Our family has so many stories, some funny, some not, but I'd be sad if they all disappeared.

This is the Christmas after the very spectacular Christmas from last blog post.  You know, the one with the play kitchen?  It may have snowed too.  Which is weird because we lived in New Mexico and it's desert like but we lived below some mountains so I suppose that helped drop some really wet snow.  Just enough to make a snowman that Dad covered in food coloring to make a punk snowman.

Speaking of punks...I think a was a little one because I cried and complained about not getting as much as the last year.  What a spoiled brat!

One Christmas was spent living with my Grandma and Grandpa in Texas.  It snowed quite a bit too!  We also got to be in the Christmas program at church and I got to wear a very beautiful and poofy red polk a dot dress.  I loved that dress!  I remember we sang Joy to the World at the top of our lungs.

This is the last photo of child hood Christmases that I own.  I don't recall this Christmas at all.  I believe this was taken at my Grandma and Grandpa's in Illinois. I think we have a few from when I was older, like middle school aged, but it just seems like we always forgot to take pictures.  Some Christmases made it on video when my parents got a camcorder.  I much prefer photos!  All of that video is on VHS.  I don't even own a VHS player anymore.  Wonder who'll get the privilege of transferring that over?

Okay.  That's it.  I promise not to share anymore family photos...for now.  *evil laughter*

Let's make some cookies instead!

This dough does require some chill time  It's ready to use after hanging out in the fridge for about an hour.  The colder dough makes it easier to scoop out perfect portions and to roll in sugar.

These cookies get their crinkly appearance after rolling them in some sugar and baking them up.  Don't bake them for too long unless you want gingersnaps instead!

Under baked is your goal.  They'll finish baking on the baking sheet.

These taste so good dipped in some cold milk.  They're a very sturdy cookie too so if your wanting to ship these out to friends and family.

Molasses Crinkles

from recipe given to me by Peter's Mom

3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 large egg

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

sugar for rolling cookie dough in

Cream together the shortening, sugar and molasses.  Add egg.  Stir in remaining ingredients except the sugar for rolling dough in.  Chill dough for one hour in the refridgerator.

Pre heat oven to 375F.  Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Scoop dough out by tablespoon-full and roll into  round ball.  Dip dough ball into sugar to coat.  Place dough onto baking sheets 3 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes till set but not hard.

Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

 

 

Santa's Whiskers Cookies {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

Raise your hand if you hate fruitcake...I know you can't see me but if you could my hand would be way up.  I'm told by those who do like it, it's more about the texture rather than the taste.  Weird.

When my step-mom made these for us kids for the first time I refused to eat any.  Those sticky sweet candied cherries yelled,  "Fruit cake!" and I yelled back, "Heck no!".

 

Somehow I was finally convinced to give them a try.  They did smell good baking after all.  Also, there was nothing else sweet to be had in the whole house.  I was desperate.

I'm so glad I gave these a try.  They are now my favorite Christmas cookie.  I love slice and bake cookies.  They're so convenient!  This dough also freezes well.  Just wrap it up tight and you can have Christmas cookies all year long.

This is one of two recipes that my step-mom makes that I absolutely love.  The other is one she calls Peek-a-boo cookies.  I wanted to share this recipe too, unfortunately it's MIA.  I can't find it, she can't find it and I have googled and googled with no luck.  I'm sad.  Those Peek-a-boos are my brother's favorite!

Have you ever lost a cherished family recipe?  I know we also have recipes that are not written down or they are considered top secret.  I hate it when I ask my Mom for a recipe and she tells me that because she has made it so many times she doesn't have a written copy anymore.  She knows it by heart.  Amazing!

Anyways, give these cookies a try.  Don't let the candied cherries scare you.  They're delicious and absolutely gorgeous in these cookies.  Just hold them up to the light and you'll see what I mean!

Linking up at these lovely blogs!

Santa's Whisker Cookies

from my Step-Mommy Mychele

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons rum or rum flavoring 
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups red and green candied cherries 

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

3 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

In large bowl of electric mixer beat together butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, and vanilla and rum and beat until smooth. Beat in flour gradually, beating dough until just combined well. Stir in candied cherries and pecans. 

Divide dough into three equal portions.  Shape each portion into a log on plastic wrap.  Roll each log in 1 cup of coconut.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  refridgerate until firm, about one hour or overnight.  Dough can also be stored in the freezer until ready to bake.  Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Using a knife, cut dough into 1/4 inch slices.  Place on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Jamprint Cookies {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

Today's sweet treat are Jam filled Thumbprint cookies.  My great grandma always seemed to have these in her cookie jar (along with those really hard iced oatmeal cookies!) so they remind me of her a little bit.

Of all the cookies I have made this holiday season these ones disappeared the fastest!  I managed to get a few in my greedy little mouth before they went missing and I have to say that they taste nothing like the little cookies my grandmother bought.  They're better!  I think it's all the butter.  Butter makes everything better.

I also created some wall art.  If your like me around this time of year you probably have some favorite holiday shows and movies on your must watch list.  It used to be that all you had to do was turn on the local channels and get to watch Charlie Brown and Rudolph.  Now they always seem to be on cable only (if your lucky).  I don't have cable=(

So this year I missed out on torturing my husband by watching Elf multiple times.  He hates Will Farrell (because he's weird like that).  That's okay, I still get my Elf in by answering my phone with, "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?".   So much fun!

I actually caught the Charlie Brown Christmas special on good ole antenna TV.  I was overcome with glee.  

I have yet to see the Grinch this season.  Not the animated version or the live action one with Jim Carey.  I like both but the animated one is my favorite.  I love the song about the Grinch.  My husband actually likes that one too and will sing me the song when I request it.  He claims to be unable to sing but he sure sounds fine to me=)

So whats your favorite Christmas movie?

Jamprint Cookies

adapted from Simply Recipes

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

3/4 cup of your favorite seedless jam 

1 egg white beaten with 2 tsps water

Directions

In large bowl of electric mixer beat together butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour gradually, beating dough until just combined well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Form level teaspoons of dough into balls.  Dip ball in egg white mixture, then into pecans, if using. Arrange dough balls about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. With your thumb make an indentation in center of each ball of dough and fill with about 1/4 teaspoon jam. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 2 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely.