Assemble a mix of cookies in a new or old tin to present as a gift this holiday season. Dedicate a day to baking cookies, or dip store-bought cookies into chocolate to give as gifts. Line store bought tins, metal paint cans, or even paint pails with parchment… fill with cookies and embellish with ribbon or twine. We spend a weekend morning hand delivering these cookie boxes to all the people on our list… and the reaction is always one of immense surprise and joy.
 



A simple no-bake cookie made decadent by dipping in melted chocolate… a perfect gift for someone who loves a double chocolate treat.

1 package Nabisco Chocolate wafer cookies
1 bag Giradelli dark chocolate chips, melted
1 cup white nonpareils
Zip-lock® bag
Cookie cooling rack
Icing spatula

Cover work surface with parchment paper. Place the cookies on the cooling rack leaving space between them. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. When melted spoon the chocolate into the Zip-lock® bag and seal. Press melted chocolate through bag to top each cookie. Spread over cookie with icing spatula. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Let cool until hardened. Makes 30 cookies.



Plain store-bought breadsticks are dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in chopped nuts, dehrmara sugar, praline crunch, and finely ground espresso to create a specialty cookie that pairs as well with ice cream as it does with cappuccino.

1 package plain breadsticks
6 oz. Dark chocolate chips, melted

TOPPINGS
Finely chopped nuts
Demerara sugar
Praline crunch
Chocolate vermicelli
Ground instant espresso
Drinking glass filled with sugar

Melt chocolate in microwave in tall drinking glass. Stir with spoon. Dip end of breadstick in chocolate and roll in topping. Place stick upright in sugar filled glass and let cool until hardened. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
 


A bit more intense in baking and preparing, but well worth the effort. Enlist the help of family members and create this cookie "assembly line" style.

1 1/2 cup Butter; softened
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
1 teaspoon Grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
3 1/3 cup Very finely ground Hazelnuts or almonds
3 1/3 cup Unsifted cake flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
12 oz Raspberry jam
Confectioners' sugar
 
Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg, egg yolk, lemon rind and vanilla; stir in nuts. Stir in flour, baking powder, and cinnamon, blending well to make a stiff dough; wrap in wax paper; chill several hours or overnight.

Cut dough in half. (Refrigerate other half.) Roll out dough between sheets of wax paper to slightly less than a 1/4 inch thickness. Remove top sheet of wax paper. With a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles from the dough as you can.

Carefully remove circles from bottom sheet of wax paper; place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Refrigerate scraps of dough for second rolling. Repeat with other half of dough, cutting out an equal number of 2-inch circles as from the first batch.

Place on ungreased cookie sheets, cut out center of each of the second batch of cookies. Use any scraps of dough for second rolling.

Roll scraps of dough out for second rolling; cut out equal number of solid circles and circles with open centers. Bake in a 350~ oven for 12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are golden.

Remove cookie sheets from oven; let stand 1 minute. Remove cookies with wide spatula to wire racks. Cool. Heat raspberry jam in a small saucepan. Spread each of the solid cookies completely with a thick layer of hot preserves. Top each with a cut-out cookie; press gently together to make a "sandwich." Place on wire rack. Sprinkle tops of cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spoon dab of preserves in opening of each cookie; let preserves set slightly.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.


So easy to make that you probably have everything in
your pantry right now. No one can resist this traditional butter cookie with tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Shortbread
8 ounces butter (2 stick's), softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; knead with hands to combine.
Roll out to about 1/2-inch on a floured board and cut into circles with a juice glass rim dipped in flour. Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack… makes 2 1/2 dozen
 


Serve these fragrant spice cookies fresh from the oven.

This recipe makes about 24 3-inch ginger cookies.

2 1/4 cup Flour
2 teaspoon Ginger
1 teaspoon Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Salt (optional)
3/4 cup Organic shortening
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 cup Molasses
2 tablespoon Sugar for rolling dough

Combine flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 1 cup sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add egg and molasses; beat well. Stir dry ingredients into beater mixture.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (1 heaping tablespoon). Roll in the 2 tablespoons sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and still puffed. (Do Not Over Bake) Let stand 2 minutes; transfer to rack to cool.