Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe!

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Procedures

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Using a standing mixer or hand beaters, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in the flour and salt, just until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and give it a quick stir with a spoon to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
   
   
2. Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie (they will spread a little). Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Do not over-bake, or the cookies won't be chewy! Cool slight on the cookie sheet, and then remove the cookies with a spatula and let them finish cooling on a rack.
   
   Source:  http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/cream-cheese-cookies.html?ref=holidays

Nutella Dream Cookies Recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus one tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped hazlenuts
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup Nutella

Procedures

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
   
   
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Add cocoa powder and beat until fully incorporated.
   
   
4. Mix in flour mixture until well combined. Stir in hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
   
   
5. Take two tablespoons of dough and form into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
   
   
6. Press a large indent into center of ball and fill with about 1/2 tablespoon of Nutella. Crimp dough on top to seal in Nutella then roll dough gently in your hands to recreate the ball shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
   
   
7. Cover cookies and chill in refrigerator for one hour.
   
   
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies until beginning to look dry and cracked on top (Nutella will be viscous in the center), 15 minutes.
   
   Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/07/nutella-dream-cookies-nutella-filled-chocolate-hazelnut-cookies-recipe.html

Chocolate Peppermint Bar Cookies Recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
• 1 cup coarsely crushed peppermint hard candies (1/4 pound)

Procedures

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with 1 sheet of foil, allowing 2 inches of foil to hang over each end of pan, and butter foil (except overhang).
   
   
   
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and candy. Spread dough evenly in pan and bake until puffed and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, about 20 minutes.
   
   
3. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then, lifting with foil, transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars and lift off foil with a spatula.
   
   Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/12/chocolate-peppermint-bar-cookies-recipe.html?ref=holidays

Mocha Toffee Bars Recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup salted roasted cashews, chopped

Procedures

1. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, add the brown sugar, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk, add the vanilla and the espresso mixture, a little at a time, beating, and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Add the salt and the flour, beating, and beat the mixture until is combined well. Spread the batter evenly in a jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch, and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it pulls away slightly from the edge of the pan.
   
   
2. Spread the chocolate, melted, evenly over the baked layer and sprinkle the
   cashews over it. Let the mixture cool in the pan on a rack, cut it into 48 bars, and chill it for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm.
   
   Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/12/cook-the-book-mocha-toffee-bars-christmas-cookie-recipes-gourmet.html?ref=holidays

Bourbon Balls Recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped raisins
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Procedures

In a small bowl, let 1/2 cup chopped raisins macerate in 1/4 cup bourbon for 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine well 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs,1/2 cup each of firmly packed dark brown sugar and finely chopped pecans, the raisin mixture, 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses, 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll the balls in finely chopped pecans. Store the bourbon balls in an airtight container in a cool dark place for at least 1 week before serving.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/12/bourbon-balls-recipe-holiday-cookies.html?ref=holidays

Stained Glass Cookies Recipe!

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
• 4 ounces (half an 8-once package) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups (17 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For the candy centers:
• 2 cups (14 ounces) sugar
• 1 cup (11 ounces) light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) water
• Food coloring
• A few drops of strong flavoring of your choice (optional)

Procedures

1. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the cream cheese, vanilla, and egg and beat well.
   
   
2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating until well combined. The dough will be soft; cover and refrigerate it overnight.
   
   
3. The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into quarters. Refrigerate three of the pieces until needed. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two or three baking sheets.
   
   
4. Roll each piece of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface.
   
   
5. Use a 3 1/2- to 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut the dough, and immediately transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between them. Use another shape cutter if you like; just make sure it leaves enough space in the middle to cut out the space for the candy filling. Use a smaller (1 inch or so) cutter in the shape of a circle, heart, star, diamond, or what-have-you to cut out the centers. A bagel or doughnut cutter works well here-it cuts out the cookie and its center hole at the same time. If the dough isn't cold enough, refrigerate the sheets and cut out the centers when the dough is a bit easier to work with. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
   
   
6. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, or until they're barely firm and still somewhat pale; they'll be just lightly browned around the outer edges. Let them cool on the baking sheets.
   
   
7. Place two or three 1-cup ovenproof glass measuring cups in a 375°F oven to warm. In a medium-sized pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water, and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Next, without stirring, cook the syrup until it reaches 300°F to 310°F (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Remove the syrup from the heat and take one measuring cup from the oven. Pour one half (or one third) of the syrup into the measuring cup, depending on how many colors of filling you want to make, and stir in the food coloring and flavor of your choice. Leave the remaining syrup in the pan, set over low heat.
   
   
8. When the syrup in the cup stops bubbling, hold the cup with a very thick potholder and pour the syrup in a then, gentle stream to fill the cookie centers. Stop pouring just as the syrup comes to the top level of the cookie. Be careful; this is an extremely hot process and you may need to take a break halfway through to give your hand a rest. Alternatively, you can use a small (teaspoon) cookie scoop to dip syrup out of the cup and deposit it in the cookie centers; fill the scoop about halfway. This prevents the mild discomfort of holding onto a hot glass for a long time.
   
   
9. Use the second and/or third cup and the rest of the syrup, colored and flavored differently, to fill the centers of the remaining cookies. (If you have any leftover syrup, pour it into small rounds on a piece of parchment or aluminum foil to make hard candies.)
   
   Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/12/stained-glass-cookies-recipe.html?ref=holidays