Last week I was nearly swept off my feet by the sudden desire to bake Christmas cookies. But because I was was so crazy-hardly-had-time-to-blink busy, I had to control the urge to go wild in the kitchen until this week when I was less dizzy. Which ended up working out fantastically because more time to plan = the ability to cook with good company. Emily and Elizabeth came over and together (well, technically only Emily...Elizabeth snoozed the afternoon away) we baked and decorated sugar cookies. There were gingerbread cookies involved as well, but those were made beforehand (there's only so much cookie-creating room in my little kitchen).
In case you, too, are overwhelmed by the holiday itch to bake sweet things, here are the recipes we used. (I'm no Disco Mom, whose month-long virtual goody plate is absolutely mouth-watering, but it's a start anyway.) The gingerbread is the Nauvoo recipe which the sweet sisters serving in the Scovil bakery give out like fliers on a NYC street corner. It is delicious and, were it not so freely given to me, I'd want to keep it secretly to myself. The sugar cookies, on the other hand, are nothing special. Don't get me wrong -- they turned out delicious. But it doesn't boast any exotic ingredients that make it better than all others. I just found it in a ward cookbook I was given once upon a time as a wedding gift. The icing recipe was courtesy of the box of powdered sugar.
Nauvoo Gingerbread Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
3/4 cup oil or lard
1/2 cup hot water
Combine, rinse molasses from cup with hot water. Then add:
2 eggs
Mix together the following and add to wet ingredients:
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp ginger (or 2 tsp)
2 tsp cinnamon
6 or 7 cups white flour (may use 1/3 whole wheat)
Use more flour if necessary. Refrigerate dough (preferably overnight). Roll out and cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. (Apparently these cookies freeze well and are softer and more flavorful after freezing. I've never tried it myself, but I have no reason to doubt the missionaries at the Scovil Bakery.)
Sugar Cookies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Cream margarine and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add sifted dry ingredients. Roll out and cut. Bake at 350 for 11-12 minutes. Frost and decorate.
Domino Buttercream Frosting
1 1-lb pkg Domino confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Combine in large bowl, with mixer at low speed, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed 1-2 minutes until creamy. If desired, add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency.
(I couldn't resist, seeing as Texas will be "home for the holidays" this year.)What Christmas treats will you be baking this year? (Gold stars for you if you, too, share recipes.)
10 comments:
do you still need a tree?
I love the cookies, P.S.
We have not yet been able to find a tree. Whether or not we need one is, I suppose, open for debate. :)
We make the Nauvoo Gingerbread Cookies as well! I have the cute little boy and girl cookie cutters and I make them every year!
I love to bake my Mother-in-law's regrigerator rolls to hand out instead of cookies.
2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
6-8 c. flour (I only use 6- 3 whole wheat)
2 eggs beaten
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 yeast cakes (2 1/2 tsp. yeast)
Mix boiling water, sugar, salt and shortening. Cool, add eggs, yeast, and stir in 3 c. of the flour and beat thoroughly. Stir remaining flour in, no kneading required. Brush the top with butter or oil. You can cover tightly and put in the fridge. If you want to bake shape and let raise 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15- 20 minutes or so.
I am baking seven layer cookies for tradition, gingerbread cookies to honor my German heritage (I might just try your recipe because it is far less complicated than the one that I have), and for fun, cookie dough truffles! I saw them on the Food Network and they looked easy enough:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paulas-best-dishes/cookie-dough-truffles-recipe/index.html
Do I get a gold star?
That was very ambitious, Lindsay. Way to go!
Oh -- these look good. I'm sure Blake is in heaven. And I love the Texas cookie! We haven't even begun baking yet. Hopefully Brittany will help me when she comes home. We can't wait to see all of you!
Carrie, YES, you get a gold star. Those cookie dough truffles look divine!
And Lynz, I'll be trying out your roll recipe one of these days. Thanks for sharing!
Joyce, if you want to save any of that holiday baking until after we get there, I just might still be in the baking mood. :)
Thanks for sharing the gingerbread recipe! I am up to my ears in gingerbread recipes, thanks to Omaha's great gingerbread tradition, but I have yet to find one that actually tastes good. I guess no one was really concerned about that, so long as they could make a sturdy gingerbread house out of it. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! Your cookies look GREAT! Here's our favorite recipe for the holidays:
Chocolate Mint Snaps
4 (1oz) pkgs liquid baking chocolate
1 ¼ c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. corn syrup
½ t. salt
2 ½ T water
2 t. peppermint extract
1 t. vanilla
4 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
Cream shortening and sugar. Add chocolate, eggs, corn syrup, water, flavorings, and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Beat until just blended.
Shape dough into 1” balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes. Makes 10 ½ dozen.
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