Christmas Cookies

I went a little nuts while making a list of Christmas cookies to make. I fully intended to make these nine recipes:

The Ultimate Ginger Cookie

Chewy Sugar Cookies

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

Peanut Blossoms

Coconut Macaroons

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Outrageous Brownies

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Snickerdoodles


After making four of the recipes (while watching Julie & Julia three times on my laptop), I decided that I didn't really need to make all nine recipes. I was very happy with how all of these treats turned out, especially the brownies.

Recipe #98: Outrageous Brownies
from Ina Garten

* 1 pound unsalted butter
* 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
* 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
* 6 extra-large eggs
* 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
* 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3 cups diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.


Recipe #99: Snickerdoodles
from Gale Gand

For the topping:

* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cookie dough:

* 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
* 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

To make the cookie dough, stir together the dry ingredients.

In a bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the sugar and continue to mix, then add the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough 1 hour if it's sticky or difficult to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on an un-greased sheet pan 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed up and the surface is slightly cracked. Let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.


Recipe #100: Chewy Sugar Cookies
from Gale Gand

* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 cup softened butter
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
* Sprinkles or colored sugar, for decorating


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Add enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet.

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on a ungreased cookie sheet. With a brush or fingers, moisten the top of each cookie with the remaining buttermilk and slightly flatten the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with raw sugar or colored sprinkles.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.


Recipe #101: Toasted Coconut Marshmallows
from Ina Garten

* 7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
* 1 recipe Homemade Marshmallow batter, recipe follows
* Confectioners' sugar


Sprinkle half the toasted coconut in an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal pan. Pour in the marshmallow batter and smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands. Sprinkle on the remaining toasted coconut. Allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight.

Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares. Roll the sides of each piece carefully in confectioners' sugar. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Homemade Marshmallows:

* 3 packages unflavored gelatin
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Note: the marshmallows were surprisingly easy to make, but a huge pain to clean up after. I don't recommend multi-tasking while making the marshmallows-- they require full attention.