home for the holidays IV
ENTRY XVI · XI.XXIX.MMXXIII
Cookie Boxes
As we close out our Home for the Holidays MMXXIII, we are so grateful for what the season has brought us. These Holiday cookie boxes will keep you warm all winter long, & sharing these lovely sweets with those you love makes the season of giving all the more enticing. Cuddle up by the fireplace with one (or all) of our favorite winter treats.
COCOA CRINKLE COOKIES
One cup of Sugar
One cup of Flour
One teaspoon of Baking Powder
One fourth cup of Olive Oil
Two Eggs
One fourth teaspoon of Salt
One half cup of Powdered Sugar
One half cup of Cocoa Powder
I .. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
II .. In a separate bowl, combine flour together, baking powder and salt.
III .. Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and stir to combine.
IV .. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
V .. Preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop dough with a mini ice cream scoop for even portioning into 20 cookies then roll cookie dough into even-sized balls (it's easier to roll with wet hands) and generously roll each into powdered sugar.
VI .. Place cookies on a baking sheet, being sure to leave space between each of the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Cookies will come out soft but will harden as they cool down.
VII .. Allow cookies to slightly cool. Then, move them to a wire rack to fully cool down.
CREAM CHEESE PEPPERMINTS
Eight ounces of Cream Cheese
Two tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
One half teaspoon of Peppermint Extract
Eight cups of Powdered Sugar
I .. To a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, butter, & peppermint extract. Mix together.
II .. Add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and mix until you get a dough-like consistency that isn’t sticky.
III .. Roll the dough into ½-inch balls and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
IV .. Press each mint down with a fork or into mold.
V .. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
GINGERBREAD COOKIES W. MAPLE GLAZE
COOKIES
Three fourths cup of Unsalted Butter
One cup of Sugar (& more for rolling)
One Egg
One third cup of Molasses
Two & one fourth cups of Flour
Two teaspoons of Baking Soda
Three fourths teaspoons of Salt
One & one half teaspoons of Ground Ginger
GLAZE
One tablespoon of Melted Unsalted Butter
One tablespoon of Maple Syrup
One & one half cups of Powdered Sugar
Two tablespoons of Milk
One pinch of Salt
Festive Sprinkles
COOKIES
I .. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
II .. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses; mix until incorporated.
III .. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Mix until a soft dough forms.
IV .. Scoop into small balls (a little smaller than the size of a golf ball) and roll in sugar.
V .. Bake for 9-11 minutes; remove from pan so the cookies can sink / flatten slightly as they cool.
GLAZE
I .. Whisk maple glaze ingredients together until smooth (it will be very thick – if it’s too thick, just add a teaspoon more milk at a time until it becomes dippable, but we want this to be very thick so it sets nicely).
II .. Dip one side of the cooled cookies into the maple glaze, run the edge of the cookie along the side of the bowl to remove excess drips, set on a piece of wax paper, & add a few festive sprinkles before the glaze sets!
CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Three fourths cup of Unsalted Butter
One half cup of Brown Sugar
One half cup of Sugar
One tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
One Egg
One Egg Yolk
Two cups of Flour
Two teaspoons Cornstarch
One teaspoon of Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
One cup of Dried Cranberries
One cup of White Chocolate Chips
I .. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar & white sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg to combine. Lastly, beat in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and pinch of salt until a soft dough has formed. Stir in the cranberries and white chips by hand.
II .. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour. You can chill it overnight if you'd like, but one hour chill time is mandatory to prevent cookies from spreading and to create that light, soft and chewy texture.
III .. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with silicone liners or mist lightly with cooking spray. Remove chilled dough from fridge and roll into Tablespoon-sized balls. Place onto the cookie sheets about 1-2" apart from one another.
IV .. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure an even cook. Cookies may appear slightly undone, but do not over-bake them! They will continue to set up more as they cool. Allow cookies to set on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes or so before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you'd like to make them prettier, garnish cookies with additional white chips on top of still-warm cookies before serving.
IN OUR KITCHEN
