Butterballs (Russian Teacakes)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup softened butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ tablespoon finely chopped nuts
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Mix butter, sugar & vanilla. Work in flour, salt & nuts until dough holds together.
3. Shape dough into 1” balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes; then cool on wire rack.
5. Roll in confectioners’ sugar.
Eggnog Cookies
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup butter
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup eggnog
DIRECTIONS
1. Cream butter, sugar, egg & vanilla until light & fluffy.
2. Re-sift flour with salt & baking powder.
3. Blend butter mixture & eggnog with dry ingredients. Form into a dough; cover and chill.
4. Split chilled dough into 4 parts. Roll each part to about 1/8" thickness on lightly floured surface.
5. Use festive cookie cutters and place each shape on cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool completely before decorating.
Chocolatey Christmas Cookies
INGREDIENTS
• 1½ cups plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed, make sure it's fresh and soft
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups M&Ms (green & red) and chocolate chips, divided
• ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
3. In second bowl, beat butter and both sugars, until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture until just combined.
4. Gently stir in M&Ms and chocolate chips, reserving some M&Ms. Place the sprinkles in a shallow bowl.
5. Scoop balls of cookie dough (about 2 tablespoons each). Press a few M&Ms and sprinkles on top of each ball. Chill in fridge 15+ minutes.
6. Space dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets about an inch apart.
7. Bake for 8-11 minutes until edges set and center is slightly underdone. Cool on wire rack.
Ginger Snaps
INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cup Crisco (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons light molasses
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix cinnamon/sugar in small bowl.
3. With a mixer, cream Crisco, egg and sugar. In a separate bowl, stir molasses and baking soda. Then add the molasses mixture to the Crisco, egg, and sugar mixture. Mix well.
4. In separate bowl mix dry ingredients together. Stir the dry ingredients with the Crisco/molasses mixture until well blended.
5. Roll dough into 1” balls and roll each in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
6. Generously space the cinnamon/sugar covered balls on baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.
7. Let cookies sit on pan for a minute and then place on cooling rack. Cookies will come out of the oven soft and then firm up with still-soft centers.