CHRISTMAS TEA COOKIES

 

Bake Cookies Day is for EVERYONE and serves as a reminder to take time in the busy days of the season to stop and bake cookies with family, especially grandkids and friends!  I love making some that include herbs or spices of course, but I also like ones including  Deluxe Sugar Cookies and Puddin’ Head Gingerbread Men, that use my collection of cookie cutters.

 

Add a few of these herb and spice cookies to your favorites:

CRAN-ROSEMARY NUT BARS:  Combine 10Tbs butter, 1 1/4c flour, 2/3c brown sugar and 3/4tsp salt until crumbly.  Pat into a lightly buttered 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12 mins.  Cool slightly then sprinkle with 1c slivered almonds and 1c dried cranberries.  Beat 3 eggs with 1c brown sugar then blend in 1tsp vanilla extract, 1/2tsp almond extract, the zest of one orange, 4Tbs minced fresh ROSEMARY, 1/2tsp salt, 1 1/2tsp baking powder and 1/4c flour.  Top the bars with the batter and bake for 20 mins.  Cool and cut.

MINT MERINGUES: Combine 2 egg whites, 1/4tsp cream of tartar and a dash of salt and beat until soft peaks form.  Add 2/3c sugar gradually and beat until stiff.  Add 1Tbs dried SPEARMINT, green food coloring and a 6oz pkg of chocolate chips.  Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Drop cookies onto greased sheet, place in oven and turn off.  Leave light on overnight.

CHAI SPICED SHORTBREAD:  Combine 1/4c sugar, 1 ½ tsp CHAI SPICE, 1/2c butter, 1tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp salt.  Beat at high speed until well blended.  Add 1c flour and 1/2c finely chopped walnuts then beat until smooth dough forms.  Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.  Roll out the dough, cut into diamonds, place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 15 mins.  Cool on wire rack.  Melt 6oz semisweet chocolate, cool slightly then dip fork into it and wave back and forth over cookies in a zigzag pattern.  Refrigerate until chocolate is set then store in an airtight container. 

CARDAMOM-WALNUT COOKIES:  Combine 1c butter, 1/2c sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp grated lemon peel, ¼ tsp salt and 1 ½ tsp ground CARDAMOM and beat until well blended.  Add 2c flour and 1 1/2c chopped toasted walnuts and beat until dough forms.  Chill 1 hour.  Roll into ¾” balls, place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 mins or until golden.  Let cool on cookie sheet and then dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate.  Store in airtight container.

PFEFFERNUSSE: Beat together 1/2c butter, 3/4c brown sugar and 1/4c light molasses and then add 1 egg.  Combine 2 1/4c flour, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp of freshly ground pepper, ½ tsp aniseed and 1 ½ tsp SWEET SPICE.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture, cover and refrigerate several hours.  Roll into 1 ½” balls, place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 14 mins. or until golden brown.  Cool on rack and then roll in confectioner’s sugar.

HARVEST SPICE JUMBLES: Cream 1/2c butter, 1c sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, then add 1 egg and beat until light.  Stir together 1 3/4c flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt and 1 ½ tsp HARVEST SPICE, and then add to creamed mixture alternately with 1/3c milk.  Blend in 1/2c raisins, 1/2c nuts and 1/2c coconut.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 mins. or until brown around the edges.  Ice with Harvest Spice Spread when cooled. 
Harvest Spice Spread: Blend together 8oz cream cheese, 2/3c powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla and 1Tbs HARVEST SPICE until smooth.  Chill 2 hours.

 

Don’t forget to sample some cookies after baking with a nice cup of tea.  Enjoy!

 

 

"So whether you eat or drink,

or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31