Christmas Cookies Redux

[cakewalk]

47 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Just a quick note:

 

The lime melt aways are really good eaten right out of the freezer while trying to unearth something for dinner.

 That's my biggest hesitation about baking the cookies in advance! 

 

I'm currently baking some Neiman Marcus cookies. I got to wondering where/how this urban legend started. It's older than I thought:

https://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/cookie.asp

 

But the biggest question is: who created this wonderful recipe? It's really a very good cookie. I'm not even sure they'll make it to the freezer at all! I just gave some away to two little boys who were playing in the hallway outside my door. I know I'll bring some downstairs to the doormen when I take my dog out. I've already had some with a cup of coffee. It's a good thing this recipe makes a ton of cookies.

[Porthos]

4 hours ago, Shelby said:

Just a quick note:

 

The lime melt aways are really good eaten right out of the freezer while trying to unearth something for dinner.

 

I can keep out of the Christmas cookies because I have an open package of Keebler Grasshoppers in the freezer also.

[David Ross]

My Christmas cookie baking is limited this year by a broken upper right arm. For some reason the metal plate and 14 screws the surgeon implanted are impacting my cookery and bakery skills!  So I'm keeping things simple and was able to do a simple cookie that was one of my Mother's favorites, jam thumbprints.  Filled with apricot, strawberry and raspberry. 

Taste delicious in spite of the fuzzy photo--

[cakewalk]

I hope you heal quickly and completely @David Ross! We are missing you on these baking threads. Those cookies look delicious.

[cakewalk]

It is happening again ... 

 

So far: lemon ginger cookies with lemon buttercream; Maida Heatter's spicy ginger biscotti, the biggest PITA to make I've come across in a long time, but they really are very good. 

[Porthos]

I announced Friday that this is the last year I am making bourbon balls with pecans. I don't eat them (for the most part I don't care for alcohol in sweets) and they are a PITA to make. I still think my favorite cookie to make for our tins is white chocolate & Craisin using our chocolate chip cookie recipe, substituting white chocolate chips for regular and adding Craisons.

[Shelby]

Bumping this up.  Some great recipes/ideas here.

[Darienne]

16 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Bumping this up.  Some great recipes/ideas here.

You are flying, my dear.

 

I am in my very first Christmas cookie exchange next Saturday.  I'm making Fanny Farmer's Viennese Crescents with added chocolate squiggles. my favorite cookie.  So here I am, Christmassy after all. Hard to believe....I have no photos of them in my albums.
 

[Tri2Cook]

For the first time in over 15 years, I have no plans to make Christmas cookies this year. There's an outside chance I'll use my Mr. Hankey cutter to do some gingerbread poos... err... "men"... but nothing beyond that is in the plans or desires. I'm trying to steer myself entirely towards chocolate-related stuff instead this year. Might even do chocolate Mr. Hankey's instead of gingerbread if I can get it to work like I want it to. I have to confess, admitting this didn't sting near as much as I thought it would. 

[Shelby]

I've found a couple of new cookie recipes in this months bon appetit.  Sigh.  I need to make cookies...I just wish I enjoyed it more.  I enjoy them when they are done lol.

 

I'll probably make raspberry filled thumbprints again, along with the chewy ginger cookies from @Kim Shook (Kim, have you ever frozen those?) that I haven't attempted yet.  That would be a total of four different kinds.  

[Darienne]

22 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I've found a couple of new cookie recipes in this months bon appetit.  Sigh.  I need to make cookies...I just wish I enjoyed it more.  I enjoy them when they are done lol.

I'm not much of a cookie maker either.  Funny how so many of us can really make some or many different kinds of dishes...I'm a whiz at ice cream.  Cookies?  Not so much. 

[heidih]

52 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I've found a couple of new cookie recipes in this months bon appetit.  Sigh.  I need to make cookies...I just wish I enjoyed it more.  I enjoy them when they are done lol.

 

 

You cook so well and alot. What is it about cookies that puts you off?

Edited December 4, 2018 by heidih (log)

[Kim Shook]

55 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I've found a couple of new cookie recipes in this months bon appetit.  Sigh.  I need to make cookies...I just wish I enjoyed it more.  I enjoy them when they are done lol.

 

I'll probably make raspberry filled thumbprints again, along with the chewy ginger cookies from @Kim Shook (Kim, have you ever frozen those?) that I haven't attempted yet.  That would be a total of four different kinds.  

Absolutely, I have.  They freeze beautifully.

[Porthos]

We (last year mostly me) typically do around 16 types of cookies. My DW has been very focused on completing a Victorian-era cartridge-pleated skirt to wear this weekend as part of a Victorian costume. As such I've left her alone about other things until she is done, so we only have 6 of our must-dos on the list so far. I will be making the White Chocolate Craisin Cookies this evening, and if I have any oomph left I'll get the Cherry Icebox Cookies mixed up and into the fridge.

 

Last year I set a a computer monitor on the kitchen counter and hooked it up to my laptop to display whatever recipe I was working on. This year I get to use my newish Samsung Tablet.  I've been using it for other recipes and really like it.

 

So far:

Springerle
Oatmeal Raisin
Wadleigh’s Chocolate Chip
Shortbread
Cherry icebox
White Chocolate Chip Craisin

 

 

[Shelby]

8 minutes ago, heidih said:

 

You cook so well and alot. What is it about cookies that puts you off?

 

Aw, thank you.  But you as well as others are light years ahead of me!

 

They feel.....tedious....or maybe monotonous is a better word.

 

But in the end, when I have several varieties, I'm always happy I did it.

 

I'm just a Grinch lol.

[FauxPas]

I find it hard to motivate myself to make cookies also, even though my husband loves it when I do - and I usually enjoy the results also!  🙂

Still, it's VERY rare that I make cookies these days. I really liked the idea of these simple Xmas light cookies at Christina Lane's Dessert for Two blog, but not sure if I will get it together and actually make them. Even if I don't make them, I enjoyed the read. She's pretty funny when she's describing how this recipe should work for very young assistants who will be helping with the decorating:

 

If you want to make these with your kids, first grab a glass of wine. Okay, I’m kidding. But not really.

 

I suggest baking the cookies ahead of time and letting them cool completely before you tell your kid(s) that cookies are in the house. If I’ve learned anything about having a kid in the last 2.5 years, it’s that you don’t tell a kid something exciting is happening until it is actually happening that very second. Or, you spend 3 (or 30 hours) telling them why they have to wait.

 

 

[FauxPas]

NY Times has a fun article on slightly obsessed cookie-makers, Cookiers. Also a couple of photos of decorated cookies and a recipe for chocolate sugar cookie dough and Royal Icing. The links at the end of the article connect to other articles on making and decorating cookies. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/dining/sugar-cookiers.html?action=click&module=Editors Picks&pgtype=Homepage

 

[kayb]

I always enjoy making cookies once I get started. They're a tough one for me to get started on, though, for some reason.

 

Today, hopefully, the molasses spice cookies, spiced Pickapeppa pecans (since I burnt a pound up yesterday! 🤔), rice krispy treats, and we'll see what else we get up to. Made M&M Dream Bars yesterday, and a gallon and a half of chex mix.

 

[heidih]

On the cookie hesitation I am HUGE with anticipatory anxiety as I rarely bake other than gifting for Holidays. I keep it super simple as previously noted with baklava (Chefcrash easy method) , Linzer Torte but in easy bar form, pumpkin quick bread, and maybe a TollHouse Style chocolate chip with added  spices. Nothing rolled out or needing much attention or artistic work. I am routinely certained that my baklava will turn into a mush or a brick (sugar syrup variables) but I have never had a negative review.  In the end. people appreciate the gesture and most likley the taste is pretty good

 

I typed the aobve previously. Just ordered my supplies and contacted a potential baking buddy to keep me on track. Will report.

[lemniscate]

I rarely bake cookies, and the cookies I make are ones that I can put away for a while if I lose my mojo during the process.  Like shortbread, mix it up, chill it; if the desire to bake leaves me during the chill stage, no problem, leave them chillin'.

Palmiers too, can be started and stopped without much drama and they bake quickly once started.   I also can't seem to like baking in the evening, I seem to prefer the 0-dark-thirty times to fire up the oven and get to baking.  I guess if I did a marathon day of multiple batches I would go nuts from the tedium of it too.

[Darienne]

4 hours ago, kayb said:

I always enjoy making cookies once I get started. They're a tough one for me to get started on, though, for some reason.

 

Today, hopefully, the molasses spice cookies, spiced Pickapeppa pecans (since I burnt a pound up yesterday! 🤔), rice krispy treats, and we'll see what else we get up to. Made M&M Dream Bars yesterday, and a gallon and a half of chex mix.

 

The sad face is for the pecans.  

[Porthos]

@kayb Your post about pecans reminded me to comment on one self-imposed restriction on our list. We will make up individual plates of cookies for my DW's office co-workers, 2 platters for the warehouse workers,  and plates for various family and friends.  The possibility of nut allergies puts the brakes on cookies with nuts. I'd love to include some cookies with nuts but would feel more than terrible if I caused an allergic reaction. 

 

[heidih]

My cookie buddy just bailed cuz she says house too cold (she has

Reynaud's Syndrome) so I am out loud saying see ya Friday with results (last day of school semester tomorrow) Plan is just baklava, Linzer bars and pumpkin bread

Edited December 6, 2018 by heidih (log)

[chromedome]

I intend to at least do cinnamon stars and shortbreads. If time and ambition hold up, I'll add decorated sugar cookies (the grandkids are young enough to find those super-cool) and perhaps some kind of stuffed cookies with date or quince filling.

 

A very small batch of mince tarts, just for me, because nobody else eats them and I don't get through a lot of sweets.

[Darienne]

On 12/4/2018 at 2:31 PM, Darienne said:

 

I am in my very first Christmas cookie exchange next Saturday.  I'm making Fanny Farmer's Viennese Crescents with added chocolate squiggles. my favorite cookie.  So here I am, Christmassy after all. Hard to believe....I have no photos of them in my albums.
 

And here they are...and no, I am not much at the decorating part.  Much better at the eating part.

Hmmm...sorry the photo is a bit fuzzy.  I'm not much of a photographer either.  Much better at ice cream and toffee.