Christmas cookie post!

My goofy picture beckons you in...

We got a little carried away this year. And in the confusion we forgot to take pictures of everything in each stage. Hopefully you can forgive me. At least I remembered what recipes i used this year.

Grandma Frances's Spritz Cookies

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
1 egg
2 tbsp vanilla (1 tbsp of almond and 1 tbsp vanilla is also very nice)
2 1/4 cup flour.
Food coloring is optional (add a tiny bit more flour as the food coloring makes the dough stickier)

Combine everything except flour until light and fluffy. Add the flour and beat on low until mixed. It will start forming a ball. If it's too soft, chill. These work best in a cookie press but I've also cut them into shapes. Bake for 6-10min at 400 degrees.

Lemon Sparkle Cookies

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon peel
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking poweder
1/8 tsp salt
dash of nutmeg
sprinkles optional

Mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and peel. In a separate bowl add the dry ingredient. Gradually add the dry to the wet on low speed. Shape into two logs and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut in into 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 mins.

ChocoRasberry Snowflake Buttons

Use grandma frances's spritz cookie's recipe but replace 1/4 cup flour with cocoa powder.
For the frosting I used Alton Brown's royal icing recipe. Except I replaced a half tsp of vanilla with rasberry extract.

Uh Oh Perskettios! Someone At My... Gingerbread Man

1/2 cup shortening (i used butter flavored crisco)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 dark molasses
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet and mix well. Cover and chill for 8 hrs (or overnight). Roll and cut out shapes. Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 mins.

A Trio of Brittles

As any Top Chef fan can tell you, you NEVER want to do a duo. But Tom C.'s never said anything about a trio. I tried the traditional peanuts, as well as almonds and pecans. In my opinion all three were a success.

1 cup sugar
1/2 light karo syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup nuts
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp baking soda

Grease a cookie sheet (I just used my silpat).  Mix sugar, karo syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar is dissolved stir the nuts in. Bring the mixture to 300 degrees (using a candy thermometer). Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the butter and baking soda. Spread on the cookie sheet and wait for it to completely cool before breaking into pieces.

Me sampling the buttons while cutting out stickers for the packaging

The cookies in their individuals bags.