So many things can go wrong with Gingerbread Cookies. The dough can be overspiced, underspiced or dry with very little effort on the baker's part. I found the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe from Food Network. The cookies came out perfectly moist and chewy and had a wonderful ginger flavor without being overpowering. Alex Guarnascelli, the baker behind this recipe also offers a recipe for an orange frosting to use with this recipe, but I didn't make that. I instead just used standard white cookie icing on some and left some plain; both tasted great. Just as a general cookie baking suggestion - if you are baking several cookies in one day, don't leave this until the last recipe. Gingerbread cookies by nature are a very labor intensive cookie to make, so make it your first or only cookie when baking.
Gingerbread Cookies
1 1/2 Sticks Lightly Salted Butter, Softened
1 2/3 Cups Sugar
1 Orange, Zested
4 Cups All Purpose Flour (plus extra for rolling)
1 1/2 tspn Baking Powder
1/2 tspn Baking Soda
1 Tbspn Ground Ginger
1/2 tspn Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tspn Ground Allspice
2 tspns Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tspn Ground Cloves
1/2 tspn Kosher Salt
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Dark Molasses
1 Lemon, Juiced
1) In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter, sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth - 5 to 8 minutes
2) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses and lemon juice.
3) Preheat Oven to 350
4) When the butter and sugar are integrated, lower the speed of the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and when blended, remove the bowl from the machine. Divide the cookie dough in half.
5) Press the first half of the dough in between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Repeat with the second half. This step will make it easier to finish rolling out the dough when it has chilled. It will also mean you only have half of the dough getting warm as you roll it.
6) Lightly flour a flat surface. Use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the first half of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly flour the cookie cutter(s) and cut the shapes, making as few scraps as possible. Use a metal spatula to gently transfer them, cookie by cookie, (the cookies should be similar size) to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough and transfer them to another baking sheet.
7) Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
The holidays don't start for me until I have polished off my first glass of egg nog while admiring the shining lights of my Christmas tree. When I decided to have a holiday party, I decided that an extra special touch would be to serve homemade eggnog. I scoured my various recipe websites for a winning recipe and I found Amazingly Good Eggnog by Nataliesmom on AllRecipes. This recipe as an astounding 307 5 star recipes, so I figured that I couldn't go wrong with this one - and boy was I right. The eggnog was the first thing to go at my party and I got rave reviews about it.
Amazingly Good Eggnog
Makes about 1/2 gallon
4 Cups Milk
5 Whole Cloves
1/2 tspn Vanilla Extract
1 tspn Ground Cinnamon
12 Egg Yolks
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 1/2 Cups Light Rum
4 Cups Light Cream
2 tspn Vanilla Extract
1/2 tspn Ground Nutmeg
1) Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 tspn vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil
2) In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves and let cool for an hour.
3) Stir in rum, cream, 2 tspn vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
I wanted to try an new cookie recipe for my annual cookie exchange and this one seemed to be one of the more popular cookies. It has a really unique flavor that is just like hot chocolate - perfect with a glass of milk. I got this recipe from Betty Crocker, and though I wasn't looking for a "shortcut cookie recipe" this one is, so it is perfect if you need a quick recipe or if you are making several cookies because this one saves you time by using a mix as the base.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Makes: 48
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Butter
1 19oz Package of Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink Mix
1 Pouch (1lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 Egg
1 Cup Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1) Heat oven to 375
2) In a small bowl mix: sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter and hot chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.
3) Place cookie mix into a large bowl. Stir in melted butter mixture and egg until soft dough forms (you may need to add a little water). Stir in chocolate chips.
4) Shape into balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes
December is the month for Christmas cookies and I love trying new recipes. Unfortunately, some of them don't always work out as planned - but this is one that I modified from the original. The recipe is for dough to be used in a cookie press, but when my Pampered Chef cookie press failed me I made this into a ball cookie instead and it worked perfectly. The next time I make these, I will also increase the amount of the almond extract too - they didn't have as strong of as almond flavor as I had hoped for.
Almond Cream Spritz
Makes: 60
1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 (3 oz) Package Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
Finely Chopped Almonds
1) Preheat oven to 375
2) Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugar, almond extract and vanilla. Beat until combined.
3) Stir in flour. Cover and chill dough for about 30 minutes or until easily worked but not too stiff. Pack dough into cookie press.
4) Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with almonds
5) Bake 8-10 minutes or until endes of cookies are firm but not brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet one minute and them move to wire racks to cool completely.
This recipe is a take on the traditional cocktail meatballs that are made with grape jelly. These are good for the holidays because they are instead made with cranberry sauce. They are very easy to make and taste great.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
1 Can (16oz) Whole Berry or Jellied Cranberry Sauce
3/4 Cup Chili Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
2 Pounds Frozen, Fully Cooked Meatballs, Completely Thawed
1) Put the cranberry sauce, chili sauce and water in slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the meatballs and stir to coat them with the sauce
2) Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours, until bubbly and meatballs are heated through.
If you are looking for a smiple, easy appetizer that everyone will like I have found the perfect recipe for you. I found this recipe on Allrecipes by Rose Starkowicz and everyone loved it. The best part about this dip is that it can be quickly thrown together in a couple of minutes and most of the ingredients are ones that I have on hand. You could also customize this recipe and add other things to it that you prefer in your taco dip.
Taco Dip
1 8oz Package Cream Cheese Softened
1 16oz Container Sour Cream
1 Package Taco Seasoning
Shredded Lettuce
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3 Chopped Tomatoes
1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1 Can Black Olives, Drained and Sliced
1) Combine Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Taco Seasoning in a medium bowl. Spread this mixture into a 9 inch dish (I use a glass pie pan)
2) Top the mixture with the lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives
I recently made a birthday cake for my daughter's 3rd birthday party. I really wanted something that both kids and adults would like - and I got numerous compliments about this one. It has a hint of espresso flavor, which I loved and it is a great creamy and light consistency. This frosting does best when you make it the day that you are going to use it and don't have to refrigerate it. This recipe comes from Recipezaar from Courtley.
Chocolate Frosting
1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (good quality)
6 1/2oz unsalted butter
1 tsp espresso powder dissolved in
1 Tbsp hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 sifted powdered sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
5 oz unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 C heavy cream
1) Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a stainless steel bowl with 6 1/2 oz butter. Place over pan of simmering water
2) Whisk together as soon as chocolate and butter soften. Keep whisking until just melted and combined
3) Remove from heat and stir in espresso and vanilla
4) Cool to room temperature
5) Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Place 5 oz of unsalted butter and 1/2 of powdered sugar in a food processor. Process scraping down the sides
6) Add the rest of the powdered sugar mixture, start processor and slowly add in cream
7) Process for about 10 seconds
8) Whisk butter/cocoa mixture together with room temperature chocolate/espresso mixture in a large bowl until it becomes shiny and smooth
9) Bring to room temperature before using
