Northwest Pecan Treats

Adapted from: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 cup cold butter
4 slightly beaten eggs
1 ¼ cups dark-color corn syrup
1 ¼ cups sugar
3 TB butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups chopped pecans
1/3 cups dried cherries or cranberries, snipped (I bump this up to about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 15x10x1 inch baking sheet with foil, extending foil over sides of pan. Grease foil. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine flour, ½ c. sugar, and salt. Using pastry blender, cut 1 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mix evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, 1 ¼ cups sugar, 3 TB butter, and vanilla until combined.

Sprinkle pecans and dried cherries over hot crust. Slowly pour egg mixture over all. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift baked mixture from pan using foil. Remove foil. Cut into bars.

The trick to these is having the right size pan.

Pink Cookies

Source: Nana Keyes
Yield: 4 dozen

1 1/2 c. margarine
1 tsp. salt
8 Tb. cream
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
3 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp baking powder
red food coloring

1. Grease and flour cookie sheets.
2. Beat margarine with an electric mixer on high for 30 seconds. Add vanilla, salt, and eggs. Mix until combined. Add cream and lemon extract. Slowly add confectioners sugar and baking powder.
3. Slowly add flour. When batter is mixed, add red food coloring to tint dough pink.
4. Drop batter by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom.
5. Remove from cookie sheet and place upside down on cooling racks. Frost the bottoms while still warm.

Frosting:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 Tb cream
1 tsp almond extract
red food coloring (to tint pink)

These are really delicious, like a lemonade cookie. The picture doesn't do them justice. The batter is very similar to cake batter, so don't be surprised when it's very soft.

Disappearing Peanutbutter Bars

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: About 4 dozen1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
2 c. peanut butter
3 c. crisp rice cereal
3 c. cornflakes

3/4 c. butter
4 c. powder sugar
2 4-serving boxes of vanilla pudding mix
1/4 c. milk

12 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 . butter

1. Line a 15x10 bake pan with foil, extending it over the edge.
2. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat and stir until just boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in peanutbutter until melted. Stir in cereals until coated. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
3. For next layer, melt 3/4 c. butter in saucepan. Stir in powdered sugar, dry vanilla pudding mix, and milk. Spread over cereal layer in the pan.
4. For topping, combine chocolate pieces and 1/2 c. butter in saucepan. Heat and stir over low heat until melted. Spread over pudding layer.
5. Cover and chill 1 hour

Note: These are probably hands down the most amazing sweet treat I've ever made. People beg for them. Sara K. named them "disappearing" because they don't last long.

Spritz

Source: Old Swedish Family Recipe
Yield: about four pans past when you're sick of using the cookie press (aka, a lot)

2 c. butter
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
1 c. sugar (scant)
1/2 ts. vanilla
4 1/2 c. flour (scant)

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix until well combined, then add sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until thoroughly blended.

Using a cookie press, arrange on ungreased cookie sheets. Decorate with sprinkled colored sugar or small colored balls of sugar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Half this. Seriously. It makes a gazillion cookies. Also, cookie presses are fun even though mom always wants wreaths and trees and we never get to make fun shapes like camels. The traditional cookies were pretzel shaped.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Source: Mom
Yield: 5 1/2 dozen

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 Tb. cream
3 c. flour
maraschino cherries

1. Snip cherries in half.
2. Sour cream by adding a drop or two of lemon juice.
3. Cream margarine in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and salt.
4. Add eggs, vanilla, almond, and cream. Beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add flour at low speed. Chill dough for 1 hour or more.
6. Roll into balls. Using a drinking glass bottom dripped in sugar, slightly flatten cookies. Place 1/2 a cherry on each cookie.
7. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.


I've never had a sugar cookie this good. Soft, flavorful, and just overall wonderful. 

Snickerdoodle Variation:

Roll dough into balls, and then roll into cinnamon sugar.  Place on cookie sheet and slightly flatten.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. 

Caramel Chew Bars

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: no where near enough!

1 cup butter, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour
1 cup crushed Saltine crackers (about 23)
1 14-oz package of caramels, unwrapped
1 cup. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 baking fan with foil, and grease.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla.
3. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in cracker crumbs.
4. Spread mixture in pan and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
5. Meanwhile, in a heavy medium saucepan, combine caramels and evaporated milk. Heat and stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Pour hot caramel over hot baked crust. Bake about 8 minutes more or until top is bubbly.
6. In a medium bowl, melt chocolate pieces and shortening. Pour melted chocolate over caramel. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using edges of foil, lift out of pan uncut.

These are delicious, but a word of advice: if you forget the evaporated milk like I did, you'll have a seriously difficult time pouring the caramel. Still good, but a royal pain. Don't forget the milk!

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Source: Grammie
Yield: 4 doz

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt shortening. Remove from heat and cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well.
3. Add spices and flour. Mix well and chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
4. Roll in 1 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully so bottoms don't burn. Cookies are best if taken from oven while still very soft. Store airtight to keep cookies soft.

These are my favorites. I look forward to them every year. They're the only one of the few family recipes that I don't wait to bake with my mom. I make a second batch with her.

Coconut Macaroons

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: Still not sure, depends on size

4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 14-oz. package flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).
3. Gradually add sugar, 1 TB at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (note: mine never got there. It looked more like marshmallow fluff, but still came out OK)
4. Gradually stir in coconut, half at a time.
5. Use an ice-cream scoop to drop mixture into mounds on a prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 1 inch between mounds. Place cookie sheets on separate oven racks. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn off oven; let cookies dry in oven for 30 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool.

While typing this, I realized that the recipe has instructions for smaller cookies. Doh! I winged it on the last cookie sheet and cut the size. They came out fine- just turn the oven off when they start to brown. I've tried to make macaroons for YEARS and this is the first recipe that actually worked.

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Source: Mom (possibly from internet)
Yield: 5 doz.

1 c. margarine
1 c. light brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. quick oats
12 oz. craisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together margarine and sugars. Add eggs, then vanilla, and beat well.
3. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to butter and sugar mixture. Blend well. Stir in oats and craisins.
4. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes until light brown and not squishy,

Pepparkakor

Source: Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Norwood
Yield: "A Million Little Men"

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 TB dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp. warm water
1 egg, beaten
1 TB vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. flour
pinch salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together butter, sugar, corn syrup, water, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Add salt, baking soda, and spices. Slowly add in flour until dough is thoroughly mixed. It will be sticky.
3. Flour counter surface and rolling pin. Roll dough thin. Cut with cookie cutters.
4. Bake on ungreased sheets until set and lightly brown (5-6 minutes). Transfer to wire racks to cool.
5. If desired, frost with vanilla icing or serve with cinnamon-vanilla glaze for dunking.

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: about 50

1 c. soft butter
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. maraschino cherry liquid
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, chopped
50 Hershey Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar and salt. Add cherry liquid and almond extract. Add flour, cherries, and mix well until all are incorporated.
2. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/2" thickness with a glass dipped in sugar.
3. Bake about 14 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly brown. Remove from the oven. Add a kiss to the center of each cookie, pressing VERY lightly. Transfer to cooling sheet. Let sit until chocolate is solid again.

The pink color is from the cherries- no food coloring is involved. It's also a great recipe for people who can't have eggs. I put the tin's lid on a little too soon, though, resulting in some squished kisses.

Honey Nut Oatmeal Drops

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: 60 (or more)

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. quick-cooking rolled oats.
3/4 c. honey roasted peanuts
granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and mix. Add honey, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Slowly add flour mixture. Add oats and peanuts.
5. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top of cookies with sugar.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cool 2 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

Note: I don't use parchment paper. A simple nonstick cookie sheet works well enough for me.

Mocha Toffee Truffle Cookies

Source: Christmas Cookie Magazine
Yield: About 48

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 TB instant coffee
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla (or Bailey's Irish Creme)
2 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 1/2 oz. toffee bits
4 oz. milk chocolate, melted

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate chips together. Stir in coffee, and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla (Baileys) to butter and chocolate. Stir until dissolved.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to coffee mixture. Add toffee chips.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on the baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks.
5. If desired, drizzle with melted milk chocolate when cool.

The Bailey's substitute was a desperate move when I ran out of vanilla the first time I made these, but it's an excellent swap. They give the cookies an 'after dinner coffee' flavor.