2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator (mixture will keep for up to 8 weeks). Bring to room temperature before using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Rolled Christmas Sugar Cookies:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine ingredients; at low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough into thirds.
Working with one third at a time, on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thick; cut out with 3" cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool; if desired, decorate with icing, candies and colored sugars.
Makes 3 dozen.
Candy Cane Christmas Cookies:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Red paste food color
1/2 cup (2-1/2 ounces) crushed peppermint candy
Red edible glitter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. In large bowl of electric mixer, comibine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove one half from bowl. With food paste, tint dough in bowl red; add candy. Mix well.
On work surface, divide each half dough into 20 equal pieces; working with one piece at a time, roll dough into 8" rope.
Place a plain and red rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place twist on prepared baking sheet; curve top to form cane. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with glitter; transfer to wire rack to cool.
Checkerboard Christmas Squares:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 large Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate icing and white icing
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove one half from bowl. To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder; knead to mix well.
On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of dough to 9" x 6" rectangle. Using paper to lift dough, invert plain dough onto top of chocolate dough. Remove paper from plain dough. Using long chef's knife, cut doughs lentghwise into 2" wide strips. Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors. Cut stack lengthwise into three equal strips. Stack strips so colors alternate; gently press stack so dough layers stick together. Wrap stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4" slices. Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8 minutes or until golden.
Transfer to wire rack to cool. With pastry bag and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and white icing.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Christmas Gingerbread People:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 tablespoon water
White icing
Red cinnamon candies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie ingredients; at low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8" thick; cut out with 3" cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
Bake 8 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Decorate with icing and candies.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Chocolate-Dipped Peanut-Brittle Fingers:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
2 large Egg yolks
1 tablespoon Water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1" jelly-roll pan; line bottom and sides with sheet of aluminum foil. Grease foil. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the water. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough.
Pat mixture over foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.
Topping:
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cup unsalted finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
12 ounces smisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
In heavy med saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts. Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan; bake 15 minutes or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly.
Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from pan; cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips; remove cookies from aluminum foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on rack.
Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth. Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway; place cookie on prepared rack to dry.
Makes 42 cookies.
Lemon Linzer Christmas Cookies:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 laarge egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (colored part of peel)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half.
Working one half at a time, on lightly floured surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8" thick; cut out with 3" round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies. If desired, re-roll dough centers for additional cookies. Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until cookies are golden; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
With 1 teaspoon jam each, cover flat sides of rounds. Place a cookie ring, flat side down, on top of each filling-topped round. Dust tops of cookies with confectioners' sugar.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.