Cookies Everywhere: Party Time Cookies Recipes (Part 2)

WHOOPEE PIES.

INGREDIENTS:

Cookies – 1 cup granulated sugar.

½ cup butter softened.

¼ cup butter milk.

2 teaspoon vanilla.

1 egg.

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, and cooled.

1 ¾ cups all – purpose flour.

½ teaspoon baking soda.

½ tablespoon.

Creamy marshmallow filling.

3 cups powdered sugar.

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème.

¾ cup butter, softened.

6 o 7 teaspoons milk.

METHOD:

 Heat oven to 400 degree F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

 In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, 1/2 cup butter, the buttermilk, vanilla, egg and chocolate with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. On cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonful’s about 2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients on medium speed about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Place flat sides of 2 cookies together with slightly less than 3 tablespoons filling, sandwich-style. Store in tightly covered container.

CHOCOLATE CHIP WHOPIE PIES: fold ½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips into the filling.

PINK PEPPERMINT WHOOPIE PIES: add 6 drops red food color to filling ingredients. Once cookies are assembled, sprinkle edges of filling with crushed peppermint candies or candy canes.

BABY POLAR BEAR SHORTBREAD COOKIES.

INGREDIENTS

Cookies – 1 cup butter softened.

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

2 ¼ cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour

ICING

1 cup powdered sugar

3 to 5 teaspoons milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Decorations –

¾ cup grated white chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz. from 4-oz package)

76 white vanilla baking chips, tips cut off (about 1/4 cup)

76 mini semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 teaspoons)

19 small round chocolate-covered creamy mints, cut in half

1 pouch (7 oz.) Betty Crocker Cookie Icing chocolate icing

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350 degree F. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt; beat until blended. Beat in flour gradually on low speed until soft dough forms. Shape dough into ball.

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 38 circles, gently pressing together and rerolling scraps as necessary. On ungreased cookie sheets, place circles 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are just beginning to brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely before decorating.

In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons milk and the vanilla until blended. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and desired consistency.

To Decorate Cookies: Using knife, spread icing over cookies in thin layer. For each cookie, immediately sprinkle about 3/4 teaspoon white chocolate evenly over icing. Press into icing 2 vanilla baking chips, cut side down, for ears, 2 chocolate chips for eyes and 1 mint, cut side down, for nose. Using chocolate icing, pipe mouth.

LIME CHRISTMAS WREATHS.

INGREDIENTS:

Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes.

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup sour cream

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons grated lime peel

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice

METHOD: 

In large bowl, beat butter, sour cream and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add egg, lime peel, lime juice and vanilla; beat until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt until dough forms. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 Degree F. Place pastry cloth on work surface; sprinkle with flour. With floured cloth-covered rolling pin, roll 1 round of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with floured 3-inch fluted cutter. With 1-inch scalloped or fluted canapé cutter, cut out center of each circle. On ungreased cookie sheet, place wreath cutouts 1 inch apart. Cut each small cutout in half; brush backs of small cutouts with water and place on wreaths for bows. Repeat with second disk of dough.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool completely.

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice with whisk. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is thin. Working with a few cookies at a time, brush glaze over cookies and immediately decorate with sugars and sprinkles as desired. Let stand until set. Store in layers with waxed paper between in tightly covered container.

SPICED HAZELNUTS THUMBPRINT.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

½ cup hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, skins removed and nuts ground (6 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degree F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg yolk until blended. On low speed beat in flour, hazelnuts, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 minutes. Using end of handle of wooden spoon, press a well into center of each cookie. Fill each well with 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until edges are light golden. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

HAPPY BAKING!

BY SANGITA MAITY