christmas cookies – The Funky Oven

Chocolate thumbprint cookies

These are a copycat version of the cookies found in our local Tom Thumb and Albertsons. They are buttery and rich with a creamy truffle-type center of chocolate ganache.

Cookie:

2 sticks butter (1 cup), room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Ganache:

8 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine the flour, baking powder, and all-purpose flour in a bowl. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugars using a mixer. Add in the Vanilla extract and egg yolks. Slowing mix in the dry ingredients. Stir just to combine. Do not over-mix. Roll into 1-2 tablespoon size balls and place on parchment paper. Gently press the center to make an indent. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 9-11 minutes. Do not let them brown. Cool fully on a wire rack.

Once fully cooled, make the ganache. Heat the heavy cream in a double boiler. Stir constantly and bring it to a gentle simmer but not a full boil. Pour this over the chocolate chips in a bowl. Let this mixture sit for 3 minutes and then whisk vigorously until all the chocolate is melted and has a creamy consistency. Place a teaspoon amount into the center of each cookie. Cool on the counter fully. The ganache will harden.

Snickerdoodles

Dessert

These are the best snickerdoodles ever. This recipe makes about 12-15 cookies depending on the size balls you make.

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

sugar mixture –

2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar.

Add the egg, salt, baking soda and tartar. Mix fully.

Slowly mix in the flour. Roll into tablespoon size balls.

Roll each ball into the cinnamon and sugar mix. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. All them to cool before removing them from the pan.

Sugar cookies

Dessert

These cookies are soft with a chewy center. They might be the easiest sugar cookies ever. They will NOT make good cookies for icing. They are too soft in the center.

Do not melt the butter for this. Instead, let it set on the counter until very soft. I set mine out for 1-2 hours before baking. Melted butter will make flat cookies. The soft chewy center forms when the butter is the perfect temperature.

1/2 cup butter, very soft

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg. Mix thoroughly. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour and mix fully. Roll into tablespoon size balls. Bake on silicone mat for 8-10 minutes. Do not let them brown.

Pecan snowballs

Dessert

These have been some of my favorite cookies since I was little. My mom and I made them every Christmas. There are 2 ways that these can go wrong. The first is not having the butter room temperature or trying to melt it. It just will not work. The second is over-cooking them. They become dry very fast.

I did not create these myself. I have no idea who to give credit for the original recipes. This is a half batch from the original recipe and makes 21-23 cookies.

1 cup crushed/ground pecans

1 stick salted butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all pourpose flour

powdered sugar for dusting – 1-2 cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Roll into tablespoon size balls. These can be placed close together because they do not imcrease in size. Bake 20 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Immediately remove them from the oven and roll them in a bowl to powdered sugar to coat. The sugar will turn wet. This is expected. Allow them to cool fully. You can roll them in sugar more than once to keep them white in appearance.

Honey cookies

Dessert

Think of a delicious butter cookie flavored with honey and cinnamon. Maybe having it with a warm cup of tea. These are really unique. This recipe was in the very first cook book I ever owned when I was about 10. I did change the amount of honey because I wanted less sweetness. I also use less cinnamon.

There are some recipes where salted or unsalted butter really changes the flavor. This is one. I highly recommend unsalted butter.

Many cookies I mix by hand. This one never. The butter really needs to be just slightly colder than room temperature. Whipping the butter/sugar/honey/egg in a food processor is the best way to go. If the butter is melted or too soft, these will be flat.

Also, the orginal recipe is a drop cooking. Rolling it into balls just makes it prettier.

Drop version:

Rolled into balls:

Makes 36 cookies.

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend the butter, honey, and brown sugar in a food processor. Add the egg and pulse as little as possible until mixed. Remove the contents of the food processor and add dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Portion 1-2 teaspoon size balls. Roll between hands for smooth edges. Place the cookies on and ungreased sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: