Stepping Out

In the holiday kitchen

Host a festive cookie exchange

Posted

Nothing says “love” like fresh baked cookies and treats. The gift of homemade goodness is always welcome during the holiday season.
Take it a step further by inviting friends and family over partake of some tasty holiday treats. Everyone can get in on the act and share their creations all around.

Refresh Holiday Favorites
Chocolate chip and gingerbread cookies are classics, but find inspiration in trying something new, such as Chocolate Mint Squares, which might become a fast new favorite.

Gather in the kitchen
Get the whole family together and create a makeshift holiday workshop. Have one person measure all of the ingredients, another can mix everything together, and everyone can have fun decorating to favorite holiday tunes. It’s a great way to relax and spend some special family time together.

Chocolate Mint Squares
Dough:
1/3 cup baking chocolate or unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans, optional
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract or peppermint oil

Frosting:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar or glazing sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted butter
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract or peppermint oil
2 tablespoons milk

Glaze:
3 tablespoons baking chocolate or unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9 pan.
To make the dough: In a double boiler, or in a microwave, melt together the chocolate and butter.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, salt and eggs.
Add the chocolate mixture, stirring to combine, then the flour, nuts and peppermint, mixing until well-blended.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the squares for 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and cool to room temperature.
Remove them from the oven, and cool to room temperature. While cooling make the frosting and glaze.
To make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter or margarine, peppermint and milk. Spread the frosting over the cooled squares in a thin layer.
To make the glaze: In a double boiler, or in a microwave, melt together the chocolate and butter or margarine. Drizzle this over the frosted squares, and sprinkle with the crushed peppermint candy.
Refrigerate the squares until they’re well-chilled. To serve, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
44 candy-coated chocolate pieces
88 semi-sweet chocolate chips
44 pretzels, broken into 1-inch pieces

Heat oven to 350° F.
Beat peanut butter, butter and sugars in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Add combined flour and baking soda; mix well.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Bake 7 to 9 min. or until cookies are just set.
Place 1 chocolate piece immediately in center of each cookie for a nose (press down slightly if cookies aren’t flat enough), 2 chocolate chips for eyes, and 2 pretzel pieces at top of cookie for antlers. Carefully remove cookies to wire rack; cool completely.

Hanukkah Sugar Cookies
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
Colored sugar or decorating icings

Beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add flour; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch-thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with 2-inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with colored sugar. Or, leave plain to frost later with decorating icing (after cookies are baked and cooled). Place on baking sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Chocolate Chip Blondies
Put a twist on classic blondie bars by adding chocolate morsels and baking them in muffin tins.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Mist a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to combine.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Let cool slightly, then stir in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture, then chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
Portion out a little less than 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup and smooth tops with a small spatula. Bake until just set, 15 to 17 minutes. Let blondies cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan.