More Cookies...

So here its been a week since I hosted my annual baking day and I'm just now sharing some of my recipes.  Anyone else out there need another week until Christmas???  Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't have all my shopping done the day after Thanksgiving.  I don't like to rush the holidays and to be honest, my time management skills seemed to have disappeared when I became a parent.  I do make my annual baking day a priority though no matter how frazzled I feel in December.  I've been hosting it ever since college.  I've kept it primarily with the same group of gals but the process has definitely evolved over the years.  Currently, everyone makes 2-3 cookies/candies at home and then brings 1-2 recipes (and the ingredients) to make with the group.  We enjoy baking together so we didn't want to eliminate the baking fun but it takes TOO long to bake everything together.  Please feel free to share in the comments how your cookie exchange works!

This year, I was excited to try the Mint Oreo Truffle recipe I found in the magical land of Pinterest.  You can find that recipe here.  Oh my word were those babies good.  I'll save that recipe to make any time I'm in the doghouse with Studmuffin.

Next little goodie I've seen using Nutter Butters but my youngest has a peanut sensitivity so I had to find something else for the base.  I think these Rudolph Mallows turned out pretty cute and were yummy.  There's no formal recipe - I melted chocolate almond bark, dipped marshmallows in it and placed halved pretzels and red M&Ms to make the antlers and noses.

Ok, these are one of my favorites from my childhood.  My aunt introduced Cream Wafers one year at a holiday gathering and I was hooked.  Just a heads up, the dough is very pesky but they are so worth the hassle.

Cream Wafers

Cookie

1 c. butter at room temp

1/3 c. whipping cream

2 c. flour

small bowl of approx. 1/2 c. sugar

Mix well, cover & chill.  Roll about 1/3 of the dough on floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut into 1 1/2 inch circles and set both sides into sugar bowl to lightly cover. After placing on baking sheet, prick each cookie a few times with a fork.  Cook 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees - do not brown.  Immediately remove from pan to cool.

Filling - cream 1/4 c. butter, 3/4 c. powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla, few drops of desired food coloring, few drops of water.  Spread light layer of filling between 2 wafers to make a little sandwich.  The cookies are very fragile so you'll learn quickly to handle with care! 

 

Next up is my Grandma Taylor's sour cream cookie recipe.  This is a treasured family recipe that I may catch some flack for sharing on the interwebs but since there are plenty of sour cream cookies to be found out there, I'm going to share since I think this one is the best.  This comes from my English heritage and some would know them as a tea biscuit.  The traditional frosting uses grated orange peel but my mom and some of her siblings didn't like that so regular frosting was used or just butter.  Definitely another childhood favorite. 

Grandma Taylor's Sour Cream Cookies

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. sour cream - room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
6 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, vanilla. Stir sour cream and baking soda just until it starts to puff up. Add to butter mix. Add remaining ingredients. Roll out on floured space 1/2 in thick. Bake at 350 degrees on lower shelf of oven until they "puff up" then move to top shelf and finish baking (total of 8-10 min). Cool and frost with your frosting of choice. 

Here's my final baking day stash this year which doesn't really do it justice.  I love the variety that I get from baking day but most of all, getting to spend time with some fabulous women, including my best friend, Mel.  Happy Christmas baking, everyone!