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Santa’s Christmas Cookies

Santa’s Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Gel-paste food coloring, optional
  • Royal Icing, recipe follows
  • Edible decorations, such as sprinkles or candy balls, optional

Royal Icing:

  • 1/4 cup meringue powder
  • 8 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Santa's Christmas Cookies

Watch how to make this recipe.

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, salt and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until completely combined.
  2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time until finished, mixing until just combined. Form the dough into 2 disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 1 hour, or up to overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.
  4. Roll the dough out onto a floured work surface and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about a 2-inch space between each cookie.
  5. Chill the cut-out cookies on the baking sheets for about 15 minutes before baking for a more precise shape. Bake until just starting to become crisp and golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the cookies to a rack and let cool completely.
  6. Use food coloring to tint Royal Icing into different colors. To decorate, cover the cookies with the Royal Icing, then sprinkle on decorations while the icing is still wet. Let the icing set completely.

Royal Icing (Yields 4 Cups)

  1. Add the meringue powder to 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip for about 30 seconds. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, and continue to beat until medium peaks form. If the icing is too stiff, add water a tablespoon at a time. Keep covered until ready to use. Transfer to a squeeze bottle for easier decorating.

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Christmas Magic Bars

Christmas Magic Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts 
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup butter

Instructions

  • Crust:
  • Melt butter and mix in the crumbs.
  • Pat in a 9×9 pan.
  • Sprinkle chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut on top.
  • Pour milk over entire top.
  • Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

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Holiday Mince Squares

Holiday Mince Squares

Ingredients

  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • 2 cups sifted flour
  • 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 16 ounce jar of mincemeat

Instructions

  • Combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  • Add butter and cut in until mixture is in fine crumbs.
  • Pat 2/3 of crumb mixture into greased 13x9x2 pan.
  • Spoon mincemeat evenly over the top.
  • Mix nuts into remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle over mincemeat.
  • Bake at 350° for 60 minutes.
  • Cool in pan and cut into squares.

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Peanut Butter Chewy Bars

Peanut Butter Chewy Bars

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups Rice Krispies
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • In a frying pan, melt sugar and syrup over low heat.
  • Stir in peanut butter until melted.
  • Add Rice Krispies and salt and stir well.
  • Pour into 8″ square pan.
  • Cool and cut into squares.
  • Can be frozen.

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Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Ingredients

  • Oatmeal Layer:
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups oats
  • Fudge Layer:
  • 1- 12 ounce bag chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  • Beat sugar and butter.
  • Beat in eggs and vanilla.
  • Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, then nuts and oats.
  • Remove 2 cups for topping.
  • Press the rest with wet hands onto greased cookie sheet.
  • Make fudge layer:
  • In sauce pan, combine chocolate chips, butter, milk and salt.
  • Cook, stirring over low heat, until chocolate and butter melt.
  • Remove from heat, stir in nuts and vanilla.
  • Spread over oatmeal layer.
  • Drop and spread reserved oatmeal mixture.
  • Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
  • Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

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Cherry Marble Squares

Cherry Marble Squares

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks softened butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 can cherry pie filling

Instructions

  • Cream butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs, one at a time beating well each time.
  • Add flavorings; add flour.
  • Spread 3/4 of batter in 9×13 greased pan.
  • Spread filling completely over batter.
  • Drop remaining batter by teaspoonful over pie filling.
  • Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Cut into 1″ squares.
  • Store lightly covered.

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Gully Bars

Gully Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup grated coconut
  • 1 small package chocolate chips
  • 1 small package butterscotch chips
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a 14×11 pan.
  • Add graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, coconut, butterscotch chips in separate layers.
  • Drizzle condensed milk over top.
  • Add nuts.
  • Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
  • Cut into squares while warm.

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Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 1- 13 ounce can salted peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

  • Butter 2 cookie sheets.
  • Cook sugar, corn syrup, and 1 1/3 cups water together in a 3 quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  • Simmer over low heat until candy thermometer reads 270°.
  • Add peanuts and butter and continue cooking until thermometer reads 300°.
  • Remove from heat, add baking soda dissolved in the teaspoon of water.
  • When foaming has almost stopped, pour out onto the cookie sheets.
  • Spread thin and let cool.
  • Break into pieces and wipe bottom of piece to remove excess butter.
  • Store in airtight container.

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Toffee

Toffee

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole pecans
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip

Instructions

  •  Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter evenly onto a 9x9x2 baking pan.
  • Spread pecans in pan.
  • Heat sugar and butter to boiling, stirring constantly for 7 minutes.
  • Immediately spread mixture evenly over nuts in pan.
  • Sprinkle chocolate pieces over hot mixture: place baking sheet over pan so contained heat will melt chocolate.
  • Spread melted chocolate over candy.
  • While hot, cut into 1 1/2″ squares.
  • Chill until firm.
  • Makes 3 dozen candies.

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Pecan Meringues

Pecan Meringues

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 drops vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Beat egg whites until peaks form.
  • Gradually add remaining ingredients.
  • Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper.
  • Bake at 300° for 40 minutes. 

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