3D Christmas Tree Cookies

Your friends and family will be amazed by this 3D Gingerbread Cookies Christmas Tree! It’s made from layers of Gingerbread Cookies, Gum Drops and Candy.


Ingredients:

Wilton's 3-D Cake Kit from Michal's

Directions:

	Prepare and roll out dough following recipe directions. Use cutters from set to cut two shapes of each cutter size. Bake and cool cookies.
	Prepare *royal icing following mix package directions. Tint a large portion green; reserve some white. Cut approximately ¼ in. off tops of spice drops. Cut ½ in. off rounded top of large gum drop. Place cut sides down on parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. *Royal icing takes at least 8 hours to set, so you will want to start your project at least one day in advance of serving.
	Use tip 16, a cut disposable decorating bag and white icing to pipe swirl on top of candy. Let set, about 45 to 60 minutes.
	Use round tip from set, a cut disposable decorating bag and green icing to assemble tree on foil-wrapped cake circle according to kit instructions.
	Use round tip from set, a cut disposable decorating bag and green icing to pipe zigzags on each cookie tip, working with one whole side of tree at a time.
	Immediately attach confetti sprinkles, icing decorations, mini jawbreakers and small cupcake decorations.
Repeat decorating all sides of the tree. Use icing to attach large gum drop to top of tree. Let set overnight.

Gingerbread House Preservation Tips:

• Let your gingerbread house dry in a warm room for 24 hours.
• Place the dry house in a well-ventilated room and spray well with varnish.
• Warning: A brush might knock off candy.
• Make sure to cover the house completely with varnish – inside door frames and windows included. Spray the inside first, and then circle the outside.

You can use these tips to preserve your gingerbread Christmas tree, gingerbread houses and cookies. You can cut holes in gingerbread cookies and loop ribbon through to make homemade Christmas ornaments. What a lovely memory to hang on the tree year after year!

Click Here to check out the tutorial of  this recipe and to view their website for other great recipes.

Source:  michaels.com

Roly-Poly Santa Cookies

These little Santa cookies are so adorable it's hard to eat their arms and legs, but once you bite into one, the sweet, buttery flavor will have you wanting more!

Ingredients:

1        cup butter

1/2     cup sugar

1        tablespoon milk

1        teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4  cups flour

10     drops red food coloring

1       bag mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons

1       bag of small cinnamon hard candies for Santa's nose

1/2    cup shortening

1/2    teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup powder sugar

1       teaspoon milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the butter at room temperature on high for about 30 seconds or until light and fluffy.
• Add in the sugar and beat until combined. Then add in the milk and vanilla while the blender is still going.
• Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour.
• Remove one cup of the dough and set aside. With the remaining dough, add in the red food coloring.
• To create a Santa, make one 1-inch ball and five 1/2-inch balls from the red dough. From the plain dough, make a 3/4-inch ball and five 1/4 inch balls. You will have a body, head, hat, four red arms and four hands and a white ball for the top of the hat
• On a non-stick cookie sheet, attach the Santas by pushing the dough parts together. Add the chocolate chips for eyes and three buttons.
• Bake the Santas for 12-15 minutes and then let them cool for about 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon candy nose to Santa's face.
• To make the frosting for Santa's beard, beat the shortening and vanilla for about 30 seconds. Gradually add the powder sugar and enough milk to make the frosting piping consistency.
• Spoon the frosting into a decorating pastry bag with a fun tip to create Santa's beard. Use the pastry bag to go around Santa's face, arms and legs. 

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Servings: 15

Source: tablespoon.com

Christmas Lollipop Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1    roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
2. 2    tablespoons all-purpose flour
3. Green and red paste food coloring
4. 12  craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends)
5. Assorted decorating decor sprinkles or other small candies

Directions:

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; stir in flour until well mixed. In medium bowl, place half of the dough; add desired amount of green food coloring, working it into dough until well blended, Wrap dough in plastic wrap; freeze 10 minutes. In separate medium bowl, place remaining dough; add desired amount of red food coloring, working it into dough until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; freeze 10 minutes.
2. 2 For each color, shape dough into 12 (1-inch) balls. On work surface, roll each ball into 5-inch rope, using hands. For each cookie, overlap ends of 1 green rope and 1 red rope 1/4 inch. Working counterclockwise, wrap ropes around overlapped ends, creating a circle shape with a spiral pattern (see photo); gently press outside ends of ropes into dough for a smooth edge.
3. 3 Gently pick up circles using hands and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. For each circle, carefully lift up edge to slide craft stick about 1 1/2 inches under circle, overlapping sticks as necessary. Decorate circles with sprinkles.
4. 4 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; carefully remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Store in airtight container or large resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Notes:

1. If dough gets too warm and sticky to work with, simply place in freezer for a few minutes. Chilled dough makes for less mess and easier rope rolling.
2. When coloring dough, use a large resealable food-storage plastic bag to keep your fingers from turning colors and, if necessary, to easily move dough back and forth from freezer.

Source: pillsbury.com

Snowman Marshmallow Magic Hats

Ingredients:

1. Fudge Coved Cookies
2. Large Marshmallow
3. Chocolate Almond Bark
4. Cinnamon Nonpareils
5. Green Holly Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate almond bark according to the directions on the package. Lightly dip just the very bottom of a large marshmallow into the melted almond bark and place the marshmallow on top of a fudge-covered cookie. Allow to set.
2. Dip the top of the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, leaving a white band in between the cookie and the chocolate.
3. While the chocolate is setting apply holly sprinkles and nonpareils to embellish. Allow to set.

Source:  freefunchristmas.com/

Christmas Ball Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/4   cups butter, softened
2. 1 1/2   cups powdered sugar
3. 1/8      teaspoon salt
4. 1/2      teaspoon almond extract
5. 2         cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
6. Red, green and white sanding sugar
7. 1        tablespoon milk

Directions:

1. 1 In large bowl, beat 1 cup of the butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the salt with electric mixer on medium speed about2 minutes or until creamy. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour just until combined. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. 2 Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Shape dough into 48 (3/4-inch) balls. Roll 16 balls in each color of sanding sugar, coating completely. On cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
3. 3 Bake 15 minutes or until set and bottoms are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In small bowl, beat remaining 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. For each sandwich cookie, spread about 1/2 teaspoon filling on bottom of 1 cookie; top with second cookie, bottom side down, to form ball.

Notes:

1. You'll want to use butter rather than a substitute for this recipe. Carefully measure flour and powdered sugar by lightly spooning into a measuring cup and leveling off. Scooping flour can cause dry, tough dough.
2. You may omit the filling for these sandwich cookies and simply serve them as colorful sugar cookies.

Source: Betty Crocker.com

Holiday Cookie Packages

Ingredients:

1. 1         cup butter, softened
2. 1/2      cup packed brown sugar
3. 1/4      teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. 1         teaspoon vanilla
5. 2 1/4   cups all-purpose flour
6. Frosting
7. 2         cups powdered sugar
8. 1/3      cup butter, softened
9. 1/2      teaspoon vanilla
10. 1 to 2  tablespoons half-and-half or milk
11. Food color

Directions:

1. 1 Line 8-inch square pan with plastic wrap. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat all cookie ingredients except flour at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour, scraping bowl occasionally, until mixture forms a dough. Press dough firmly and evenly in pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. 2 Heat oven to 350°F. Using edges of plastic wrap, lift dough from pan. With sharp knife, cut into 8 rows in each direction to make 64 squares; carefully place squares 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. 3 Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
4. 4 In medium bowl, mix all frosting ingredients except food color until smooth, adding enough half-and-half for desired spreading consistency. In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup of the frosting and enough food color until desired color and well blended; place in small resealable food storage plastic bag and partially seal.
5. 5 Spread uncolored frosting over cooled cookies. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag of colored frosting. Squeeze bag to pipe frosting onto each cookie to resemble bows.

Notes:

1. Bring these buttery, delicious cookies to a cookie exchange or give as a gift.

Source: Pillsbury.com

Snowman Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1 package (16 ounces) Nutter Butter cookies
2. 1-1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted
3. Miniature chocolate chips
4. M&M's minis
5. Pretzel sticks, halved
6. Orange and red decorating gel or frostin

Directions:

1. Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Place two chocolate chips on one end of cookies for eyes. Place M&M's down middle for buttons.
2. For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side. Let stand until set. Pipe nose and scarf with gel or frosting. Yield: 32 cookies.

Source: Taste of Homes

Candy Cane Fudge Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:

• 6 oz (168 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped)
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) room temperature butter
    
• 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
• 2 eggs
    
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 1/4 cup (150 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
    
• 1 cup peppermint baking bites
• 1 bag Hershey's candy cane kisses 

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl place the chocolate and heat it until it's completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Leave it cool.
2. In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy, Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl sides after each addition. Add the peppermint extract as well.
3. In another bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
4. Add them to the butter mixture alternately with the cooled melted chocolate.
5. In the end add the peppermint bites and stir with a spatula until combined.
6. Line two cookie baking sheets with parchment paper and with an ice-cream scoop, place spoonfuls of cookie dough.
7. Place the cookie sheets in the fridge for 15 minutes.
8. In the meantime heat the oven to 300F.
9. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the top slightly cracks.
10. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
11. Unwrap the candy cane kisses and melt them in a microwave safe bowl. Frost each cookie with the melted chocolate and enjoy! 

Source:  roxanashomebaking.com

Pistachio Cherry Meltaways

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
     
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• (optional) green food coloring
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped finely

Yield: 24 Cookies

Directions:

1. With a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and flour. Mix until combined. The mixture may seem dry at first but will come together after beating.
2. Add the almond extract and green food coloring if you want the cookies with a brighter green color.
3. Finely chop the maraschino cherries. Using a paper towel pat the cherries removing all of the juice and excess liquid. You want to make sure you dry all of the red juice or you may turn your cookies a not so pretty color. Gently mix in the chopped cherries.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until firm.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Take a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place cookie on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Once completely cooled sprinkle cookies with additional powdered sugar. 

Source: thegirlwhoateeverything.com  iheartnaptime.net 

tand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and flour. Mix until combined. The mixture may seem dry at first but will come together after beating.

Add the almond extract and green food coloring if you want the cookies with a brighter green color.

Finely chop the maraschino cherries. Using a paper towel pat the cherries removing all of the juice and excess liquid. You want to make sure you dry all of the red juice or you may turn your cookies a not so pretty color. Gently mix in the chopped cherries.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Take a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place cookie on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Once completely cooled sprinkle cookies with additional powdered sugar.

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2013/11/pistachio-cherry-meltaways.html#RZWOv5hPjSsgkEpM.99

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and flour. Mix until combined. The mixture may seem dry at first but will come together after beating.

Add the almond extract and green food coloring if you want the cookies with a brighter green color.

Finely chop the maraschino cherries. Using a paper towel pat the cherries removing all of the juice and excess liquid. You want to make sure you dry all of the red juice or you may turn your cookies a not so pretty color. Gently mix in the chopped cherries.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Take a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place cookie on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Once completely cooled sprinkle cookies with additional powdered sugar.

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2013/11/pistachio-cherry-meltaways.html#RZWOv5hPjSsgkEpM.99

Melting Snowmen Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2. 1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
3. 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
4. 1/2 cup baking cocoa
5. 1 pound white candy coating, chopped, divided
6. 7 to 8 Starburst candies (orange for noses and colors of your choice for earmuffs)
7. 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine milk and extract. Stir in 2 cups confectioners' sugar and cocoa to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a surface lightly sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Knead in enough remaining confectioners' sugar to form a very stiff dough (dough should not be sticky).
2. Divide into thirds. Shape one portion into twenty-four 1/2-in. balls. Shape remaining dough into twenty-four 1-in. balls. On waxed paper-lined baking sheets, flatten each 1-in. ball into an irregular 1-1/2-in. circle.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 oz. white candy coating. Using melted coating, attach a 1/2-in. balls near an edge of each circle. Let dry for 1 hour.
4. Using Starburst candies, cut out noses and earmuffs as desired. Melt remaining white candy coating; cool slightly. Working in batches of six, spoon candy coating over snowmen, allowing coating to drape over each until completely covered. Immediately attach noses and earmuffs. Let stand at room temperature until dry to the touch, about 1 hour.
5. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Using a toothpick and melted chocolate, form mouths, buttons and earmuffs. Yield: 2 dozen.

Source: Taste of Homes

Snowmen Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1 package (16 ounces) Nutter Butter cookies
2. 1-1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted
3. Miniature chocolate chips
4. M&M's minis
5. Pretzel sticks, halved
6. Orange and red decorating gel or frostin

Directions:

1. Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Place two chocolate chips on one end of cookies for eyes. Place M&M's down middle for buttons.
2. For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side. Let stand until set. Pipe nose and scarf with gel or frosting. Yield: 32 cookies.

Source: Taste of Homes

Spiral Snowmen Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1     roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
2. 1/4  cup all-purpose flour
3. Large gumdrops
4. Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits
5. Miniature chocolate chips
6. Coarse white sparkling sugar

Directions:

1. 1 In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour until well blended. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Freeze 10 minutes.
2. 2 Heat oven to 350ºF. Shape half of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. With fingers, roll each ball into 10-inch rope, about 1/4 inch wide; carefully place on ungreased cookie sheets. With each rope, starting at top, make small spiral for head, continuing to make larger spiral for body. (See photo.)
3. 3 Cut hat shapes from gumdrops; place on heads. Use baking bits for buttons; use miniature chocolate chips for eyes and noses. Cut small pieces from red gumdrop for mouths. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
4. 4 Bake 9 to 13 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks

Source: pillsbury.com

Cranberry Snow Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

To Give As A Gift:

If you want to give these as a dry-cookie-mix gift, layer the ingredients in a 1 quart jar in the order listed above. (If the jar is not full enough, you can always add more white chocolate chips or cranberries. It looks prettier that way). Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Snow Cookies 

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease a cookie sheet. 3. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

Source: My favorite recipe's

Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies

Yield: About 4 dozen (2-inch) cookies

Prep Time: 2 hours (includes chilling)

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the coconut topping:

3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
15 ounces store-bought or homemade soft caramels
3 Tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces dark chocolate (See Kelly's Notes)

Directions:

Make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In three increments, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the milk and vanilla extract, blending until combined and the dough begins to come together in large pieces.

Use your hands to divide the dough in half, pressing it together to compact it into two disks. Wrap the disks securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until firm, about 1 hour.

Once the dough has chilled, roll each disk out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible with a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter. (See Kelly's Notes for cookie cutter alternatives.) Place the cut-out cookies on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half-way through, until the cookies are pale golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire wrack to cool completely.

Make the coconut topping:

Spread the coconut flakes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the coconut for about 10 minutes in a 350ºF oven until toasted, stirring frequently to ensure even browning and so that it does not burn. (See Kelly's Notes.) Remove the toasted coconut from the oven and set it aside.

Melt the caramels, milk and salt in a double-boiler by placing the caramels in a medium saucepan set over a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring, until the caramels are fully melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and combine 3/4 of the caramel with the toasted coconut in a large bowl.

Carefully spread the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel atop the cooled cookies then press on a portion of the coconut mixture. Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes. If the caramel-coconut mixture thickens too much at any point while pressing it onto the cookies, return it to the double-boiler and warm it until it's spreadable again.

Melt the dark chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave. Dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to drizzle the tops with chocolate. Let the cookies sit until the chocolate hardens fully.

Kelly's Notes:

If you don't have a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter, you can use two cookies cutters (such as a circular 2-inch and a circular 1-inch) to form the ring shape. Alternately, you can use the caps to any dry spices to serve as cookie cutters.

If the dough is too firm to roll out after being refrigerated, let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling and cutting out the cookies.

The shortbread should be very pale golden in color. When in doubt, under bake it!

If using dark chocolate chips, 8 ounces is equal to about 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips.

Coconut burns very quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir often!

Spreading the cookies with the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel gives the coconut mixture a stickier base to adhere to.

Source: Instructables 

Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions: 

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl.
With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.
Whisk egg white(s) in another bowl until frothy.
Place pecans in another bowl.
One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans.
Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball.
Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Source: CooksCountry.com

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
1 (18 ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 stick of butter, room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. 

Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. 

Beat in the cake mix. 

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. 

Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. 

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. 

Bake 12 minutes. 

The cookies will remain soft and gooey. Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Source: PaulaDeen.com

Oma’s German Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix
1 egg
1 tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy coconut pecan frosting
1 oz sweet baking chocolate, grated

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F.

In large bowl, stir cookie mix, egg, cocoa and 3/4 cup of the frosting until soft dough forms.

Shape dough into 24 (1 1/4-inch) balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until set. Cool 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spread remaining frosting evenly over cookies. Sprinkle with chocolate.

Source: bettycrocker.com

Sweet & Salty NESTLÉ® Toll House® Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 cups coarsely broken rippled potato chips
1 cup small pretzel twists, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts (optional)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels, potato chips, pretzel pieces and peanuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Source: allrecipes.com

Almond Icebox Rounds

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 3 ounce packagecream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
2/3 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and the 3/4 cup toasted almonds.
2. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 7- to 8-inch roll. Roll each roll of dough in 2/3 cup almonds. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill about 6 hours or until dough is firm enough to slice.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 60 cookies.
from the test kitchen
Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Source: bhg.com