You have finally made it! Fall quarter is officially over so you’ve packed your bags and have made it home sweet home! But no doubt after a week of lounging and catching up on all your favorite TV shows, that always dreaded feeling of pure boredom will begin to creep in after you realize there is absolutely nothing going on back home. However, you my friend are in luck because I have come up with three very amazing cookie recipes that will cure your boredom and help you bake the afternoon away! It’s time to let that inner-Martha Stewart out and experiment in the kitchen! Not only is baking fun within itself, it can also double as a nice holiday present for those of us who are on a budget. So turn on some music, start baking, and try not to burn anything!
Snowball Cookies– look like snowball minus the freezing temperature!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter,softened
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar for rolling
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Cream butter or margarine in a bowl, gradually add confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add almonds and vanilla. Blend in flour gradually and mix well.
3. Shape into balls using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, and bake for 15-20 min. Do not brown. Cool slightly, then roll in the extra confectioners’ sugar.
Peppermint Kiss– your holiday honey is guaranteed to love these ones!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg?
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
candy canes, completely crushed (put in a baggie and smash with a spoon or kitchen tool)
24 peppermint kisses
Directions:
1. Cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg and the extract.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
3. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 325F.
5. Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the candy cane “powder.” Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and place a kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool completely.
Apple Cider Cookies– Literally tastes like Fall in a cookie!
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 oz) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix (10 packets – found next to hot chocolate mix) ((**use 8 packets for a lot of spice/6 packets for a little- if you use 10 your eyebrows might burn off, this is coming from experience**))
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (14 ounce) bag chewy caramels
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (you need this so that the caramel doesn’t stick to the bottom of your cookie sheet).
2. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
3. Cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 8 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Add vanilla and mix well.
6. Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
7. Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut (about 2 tablespoons).
8. Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely.
9. Shape the dough into a ball, and place on parchment covered cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.
10. Bake 11-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. They may not look quite done in the center but that is OK.
11. Once the cookies are done, carefully slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter.
***Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down on the parchment or on a cookie rack. If they are not upside down while they cool they may drizzle caramel out the bottom. ***
TIPS:
- To cream together ingredients means to mix together in the same bowl
- Butter needs to be soft when baking cookies otherwise they come out flat L
I wish I could take credit for these amazing recipes, but sadly I can’t so here is where I got them:
Snowballs- http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/italian-wedding-cookies-iii/detail.aspx
Peppermint Kiss- http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2010/12/peppermint-kiss-cookies-2-ways/
Apple Cider- http://www.livelovepasta.com/2011/11/caramel-apple-cider-cookies/
Thanks for reading!