Christmas Baking Recipes

So, I thought you might want some of these recipes!:) I did not make the chocolate peanut butter surprise cookies, because I just ran out of steam! And I still have chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge, but that's ok, I can make them over the weekend!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Double Batch)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 c margarine
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
4 1/2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 package milk chocolate chips

Mix sugars, vanilla, margarine, and eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. I chill the dough and roll them into balls and then bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c smooth peanut butter
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 T milk
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
Hershey Kisses or Hershey baking kisses

Beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add and beat the egg, vanilla, and milk. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to peanut butter mix. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Roll into 1" balls. Roll each ball into granulated sugar. Place on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Place a kiss(or 3 if using the baking kisses) in center of each cookie, pressing down.

Buckeye's

2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 t salt
1/2 t vanilla
2-2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Heat peanut butter, butter and salt in microwave until melted. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar (don't make the mistake of turning the Kitchenaid on high... powdered sugar explosion!! lol). Roll into balls, chill for 1 hour.

Chocolate coating:
9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2T shortening

Melt this. I didn't do this, I cheated and bought dipping chocolate.

Dip balls in chocolate. I used toothpicks to do this, and I left a little undipped to look like a buckeye. Place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until set.

Peanut Butter Balls, ala My Mom

2 c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1 lb powdered sugar
3 c rice crispies cereal
Dipping chocolate

Combine peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar. Chill in fridge for a while. Make into balls. Dip in chocolate. (I cheated again, and used Chocolate Coating, and this worked out really well. DH liked them even better than my mom's and that is saying A LOT!!).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies (did not make them yet, but have made them in the past and they are sooooo good!)

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
peanut butter, 1/4 c + 1/2 c for filling
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 c powdered sugar

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda. Set aside. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, 1/4 c peanut butter. Add in egg and vanilla, and stir in flour mixture. Shape into 1 1/4" balls and flatten. Make filling: 1/2 c peanut butter and 3/4 c powdered sugar. Make into 3/4" balls. Put a peanut butter ball in the center of the flatten chocolate ball. Wrap chocolate dough around the peanut butter ball and flatten again. I use the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to flatten. Bake 8-10 minutes.

And the best recipe I made:

Pfeffernuse Cookies
(Back story, I never liked the store bought ones that taste like black licorice. DH loved them, but apparently Archway no longer makes them, because we cannot find them anywhere! I started making them last year and omitted the anise, and DH still loves them, and the boys and I now like them too! Win win!:) )

1/2 c molasses
1/4 c honey
1/4 c shortening
1/4 c margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t ground black pepper(I used 1 1/2 t)
1/2 t salt
1 c powdered sugar
4 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 t cardamom (I did not have this and could not find it at the store, I subbed 1 t all spice)
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cloves
1 t ground ginger
2 t anise extract(I did NOT use this!!)
2 t ground cinnamon

Stir molasses, honey, shortening, margarine over low heat in saucepan. Allow to cool. Stir in eggs. Combine dry ingredients. Add molasses mixture and stir. Refrigerate 2 hours. Roll into balls. Bake 10-15 minutes. Cool and dust with powdered sugar. YUM!