usvi-on-line
Any killer recipes for Christmas cookies out there?
Oooooooo P-600 - Could you post the recipe for the Bailey's truffles again? Or at least tell me where to find the other thread?
Minde - Did you try making and freezing your cookies? How did that work out for you?
CG - Did you ever try that recipe for the Coffee Toffee Bars? I curious whether that was the right one.
Tomorrow I start my first marathon baking session. I have biscotti to do, then part of the frozen peanut butter cookies, Starlight mint surprise, molasses, thumbprints, raspberry/blueberry treasures, Sicilian cookies, maple logs and I know I'm forgetting something. Then I need to make some salted nut bars and cran-crackle bars. Got the first Christmas party already this Saturday and need to make a box off to my brother-in-law. I'd mail a box to my son in Iraq but he's due to head for home Dec. 28th so they may not make it there before he has to pack things up. I'll save him some pretzels dipped in white chocolate since those are his favorite. He may not get them until the middle of January though. The Army moves so S-L-O-W!!!
Minde - Did you try making and freezing your cookies? How did that work out for you?
CG - Did you ever try that recipe for the Coffee Toffee Bars? I curious whether that was the right one.
Tomorrow I start my first marathon baking session. I have biscotti to do, then part of the frozen peanut butter cookies, Starlight mint surprise, molasses, thumbprints, raspberry/blueberry treasures, Sicilian cookies, maple logs and I know I'm forgetting something. Then I need to make some salted nut bars and cran-crackle bars. Got the first Christmas party already this Saturday and need to make a box off to my brother-in-law. I'd mail a box to my son in Iraq but he's due to head for home Dec. 28th so they may not make it there before he has to pack things up. I'll save him some pretzels dipped in white chocolate since those are his favorite. He may not get them until the middle of January though. The Army moves so S-L-O-W!!!
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California Girl
I bought all the ingredients for the Coffee Toffee Bars, Salted Nut Bars, Starlight Mint Cookies, Connie's Oatmeal Toffee Cookies, and cocosmom's Oreo Cookie Goodies.
Then I offered to help a friend move her 81 yr old mother out of a 3-story house with a 3-car garage, into a 2 bdrm. active seniors community. I'm hoping to start baking this weekend, and freezing dough. Freezing dough - that's brilliant!
Then I offered to help a friend move her 81 yr old mother out of a 3-story house with a 3-car garage, into a 2 bdrm. active seniors community. I'm hoping to start baking this weekend, and freezing dough. Freezing dough - that's brilliant!
I'm going to make these too. also a batch with Cruzan rum cream if I ever get around to it!canucknyc wrote:I just started the process for the Bailey's Truffles last night. The Bailey's/chocolate mixture? SO good... might prove difficult to form the truffles todayP-600 wrote:Cocosmom....Those are definitely on my to do list along with the Baileys truffles in an earlier thread..YUMMMMMM
I wish I was a cookie person!
My MIL gave me all her recipes when we got married. I remember one year taking the day off just to bake cookies. OMG - it was so exhausting! I had two ovens at the time and still didn't get out as many cookies as I thought.
Now I show up at my friends cookie swaps with wine and beer and come home with some nice goodies
I am going to try the truffles though. I think I can handle those; not sure about my waistline though.
My MIL gave me all her recipes when we got married. I remember one year taking the day off just to bake cookies. OMG - it was so exhausting! I had two ovens at the time and still didn't get out as many cookies as I thought.
Now I show up at my friends cookie swaps with wine and beer and come home with some nice goodies
I am going to try the truffles though. I think I can handle those; not sure about my waistline though.
janet
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
Lindy, last weekend was shop weekend. This weekend is mix weekend, and next weekend is bake weekend. Then, hopefully, I'll have a very happy family. Gosh I hope this works!
I'll probably end up pulling some dough out after it's been frozen a few hours, and baking it as a test. I'd be scalped if I didn't provide the holiday cookies as expected!
I'll probably end up pulling some dough out after it's been frozen a few hours, and baking it as a test. I'd be scalped if I didn't provide the holiday cookies as expected!
Minde - I baked up my first round of frozen doughs and everything turned out great. I had people at the Christmas party waiting to pounce on the Salted Nut bars. I made a new recipe this year that has the same sort of sweet/salty flavor with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips on a pretzel crust. It was yummy!
Here's the recipe:
Cran-crackle Bars
Ingredients
6 cups tiny pretzel twists
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
1-1/2 cups lightly salted mixed nuts
1 cup white baking pieces or semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup light-color corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside.
Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter in a food processor container. Cover and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs, scraping sides of container occasionally. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cranberries, nuts, and baking pieces evenly over crust.
Combine granulated sugar, 1/3 cup butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly (this will take about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour syrup mixture evenly over cranberry-nut layer.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until syrup mixture is bubbly over entire surface. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 24 cookies.
To store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw bars, if frozen, before serving.
Here's the recipe:
Cran-crackle Bars
Ingredients
6 cups tiny pretzel twists
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
1-1/2 cups lightly salted mixed nuts
1 cup white baking pieces or semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup light-color corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside.
Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter in a food processor container. Cover and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs, scraping sides of container occasionally. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cranberries, nuts, and baking pieces evenly over crust.
Combine granulated sugar, 1/3 cup butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly (this will take about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour syrup mixture evenly over cranberry-nut layer.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until syrup mixture is bubbly over entire surface. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 24 cookies.
To store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw bars, if frozen, before serving.
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
I couldn't do it. -
mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
Minde - Oh well, there's always next year. It does work out extremely well for me to freeze the cookie doughs ahead of time. Maybe CG will give it a try and report on her success.
The cracker-toffee cookies that you make....are those the ones with the Karo syrup mixture and grape nuts on top? Or some versions of the recipe call for chopped nuts. I know my mother used to make a version with saltines, but I think the recipe I had used graham crackers. Whatever it was, I always loved them.
My husband and I went out for pizza tonight and I snagged a few of the cran-crackles when we got home. They are really good and if your daughter likes the jello thing with the pretzel crust she'll like these too. I made them with white choc chips but threw a handfull of the semi-sweet choc chips on top too. I thought that all semi-sweet choc might be a little too overpowering for the cranberries. I want to be able to taste the nuts and the cranberries, not just the chocolate. That salty/sweet mix is SO good!
The cracker-toffee cookies that you make....are those the ones with the Karo syrup mixture and grape nuts on top? Or some versions of the recipe call for chopped nuts. I know my mother used to make a version with saltines, but I think the recipe I had used graham crackers. Whatever it was, I always loved them.
My husband and I went out for pizza tonight and I snagged a few of the cran-crackles when we got home. They are really good and if your daughter likes the jello thing with the pretzel crust she'll like these too. I made them with white choc chips but threw a handfull of the semi-sweet choc chips on top too. I thought that all semi-sweet choc might be a little too overpowering for the cranberries. I want to be able to taste the nuts and the cranberries, not just the chocolate. That salty/sweet mix is SO good!
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
Hmmm...no Karo syrup. This is close: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crunch-Bar/Detail.aspx
I use club crackers, not Saltines. Tastes like Skor bars
I use club crackers, not Saltines. Tastes like Skor bars
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
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California Girl
Ok, so now I'm done helping my friend move her mother, yesterday & today I'm cleaning MY OWN house, and tomorrow the big cookie marathon begins! I've decided to give cookies from the recipes on this thread as my gifts to family & friends this year. I bought tins at Michael's and Big Lots and I've printed out Lindy's post about freezing dough. If I get real brave I might try the Bailey's truffles, since I just happen to have a little unopened bottle of Bailey's sitting all lonely on a shelf!
Minde - You can do without the walnut halves. I don't do them either. The recipe originated in the 50's so that was probably what was popular at the time. The nut flavor goes just fine with mint, but I think it makes the cookies taste too much like chocolate chip. I usually decorate with chocolate jimmies, although I might try something different with the next batch....a smear of melted semi-sweet chocolate or white chocolate with some crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top. This should be done AFTER the cookies are baked though. If you don't decorate these cookies they tend to be very plain looking and the last ones on the plate to be picked until someone figures out that they're chocolate mint. Then they go like crazy!