Baking Christmas cookies to share with family and friends during the holidays has been a tradition for decades. Everyone has a favorite they love to eat with a cup of hot cocoa or coffee.
But, it’s nice to try a new recipe now and then. Here are two you might want to try – Snow Covered Almond Crescents and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies. Both are so tasty and easy to make they might become new favorites, too. Merry Christmas!
SNOW-COVERED ALMOND CRESCENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract if you prefer)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup rolled oats (quick or old fashioned) uncooked
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
Additional powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat margarine, 3/4-cup powdered sugar and almond extract (or vanilla, if used) until fluffy.
Add flour and salt; mix until well blended. Stir in oats and almonds.
Shape level measuring tablespoonfuls of dough into crescent shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake 14 to 17 minutes, or until bottoms are light golden brown. Remove to wire racks.
Sift additional powdered sugar generously over warm cookies. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES
1 1/4 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut butter chips
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake. Cookies will be soft, and they will puff during baking and flatten upon cooling.)
Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute, remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.
Brotherton offers website readers one or more stellar recipes a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email her at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and she’ll see if she has it.
