~ Speculaas ~

3 cups flour
a pinch of baking powder
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
some milk to soften the dough
2 teaspoons of speculaaskruiden*
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup almonds: blanched and slivered.
Keep some almond halves for decorating

Knead all ingredients into a soft ball, except the almonds for decorating.
Roll out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thickness and stamp out shapes with
different butterprints or make a 'gingerbread doll' or cookie.
Bake about 25 minutes in a moderate oven (350º F / 180ºC)
or until an even dark brown.

*Speculaaskruiden:
You can buy them ready-mixed in the Netherlands
or you can try making your own. They consist of:
cinnamon
powdered cloves
nutmeg
powdered coriander
allspice
aniseed
powdered ginger
powdered cardamon
mace

The proportions are a matter of taste, as are the spices you use,
and each baker has his own "secret" blend.
The trick is to be careful with the very strong spices,
and leave out the ones you don't like.

~ Corina's Medley of Moments ~

~ Coconut Macaroons ~

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 cups shredded coconut
1/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat over to 350º.
Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper, and spray with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites with salt until frothy.
Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
Fold in coconut, flour, vanilla and almond extracts.
Drop by tablespoons full one inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake macaroons until lightly brown, usually about 20 minutes per batch.
Cool completely before eating. Makes 30 cookies.
These are yummy and my family's favorites!

~ Paula's Scrappin' Mama ~

~ Cornmeal Cookies (with Lime or Lemon Frosting) ~

1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp lime extract
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp fresh grated lime zest
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
1 tablespoon lime juice

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190 ºC). Lightly grease your baking sheets.
Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
Mix in the egg and lemon or lime extract. Blend well.
In a separate bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and flour.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
Press the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cookie bottoms are lightly browned.
To make icing:
Combine the lime peel, some confectioners' sugar and enough lime juice to make a "spreadable" glaze.
Spread over the tops of cooled cookies.

~ Wynne's Warbles ~

~ Nutmeg Sugar Crisps ~

1 cup butter (no substitutes) softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground
nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.
Beat in egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour
baking soda, cream of tartar, nutmeg and salt;
add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 3/4 in. balls;
place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350º
for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned
Yield: about 6 dozen

~ Laura's Country Times ~

~ Lussekatter (Lucia Buns) ~

50 g yeast(or the equivalent amount of dry yeast),
1-2 g saffron
500 mL milk
150 g margarine or butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 cups flour (15 dl)
+ additional flour for kneading

Glaze:
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk

Set the oven to 225ºCelcius (430ºF).
Finely crush the saffron with a mortar andpestle.
Melt the butter and mix with the milk and saffron.
Put the yeast in a bowl and pour over the butter-milk-saffron (make sure it's 37º C (98º F)
Stir gently. Add salt, sugar,flour and the beaten egg.
Leave the dough for 30- 40 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for 5 to 10 minutes,
adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
Divide the dough into small pieces and, using your hands,
roll the dough bits into an S or other traditional Lucia shape,
and put a raisin in each end.

Place the buns on a cookie sheet that has been
buttered or covered in parchment paper.
Cover with a clean cloth and let rise again until double in size, about 30 minutes.
Make the glaze by beating one egg with 3 Tablespoons milk.
Brush the tops of the buns with the glaze just prior to baking.
Put them in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool on a rack.

Click here to listen to the music of the Lucia song.

~ Annette's Country Blog ~

~ Forgotten Cookies ~

2 egg whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350º.
Beat egg whites until thick.
Gradually add sugar and beat to a peak.
Add chocolate chips and nuts.
You can add a couple of drops of food coloring to the egg whites, use red or green.
Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place in oven.
Turn off oven and leave cookies in oven overnight.

As much as I love to cook, I never bake cookies.
This is the only recipe that I ever made.
I'm sure that you will get quite a few of "Forgotten Cookies" recipes....
but I wanted to be a part of the cookie exchange and dawlin' this is all I got!
Sheesh! What's a grandmother to do!

~ Joan's Gumbo Ya Ya ~

~ Chocolate-Filled Holiday Balls ~

1 cup walnut pieces
2/3 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, divided
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Filling
1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons salted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar

Preheat the oven to 350º. In a food processor, process the walnuts
with 2 tablespoons of the confectioners sugar until finely ground.
In a medium-size bowl, with a whisk, combine the flour and 3/4 cup
of the ground-walnut mixture until thoroughly mixed.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed,
beat together the butter, the remaining confectioners sugar,
and vanilla until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually add the flour mixture,
beating just until blended. Scoop heaping measuring teaspoonfuls of the dough
out of the bowl and roll them into 1-inch balls between the palms of your hands.
Arrange the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for about 11 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
Immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. In a medium-size saucepan
set over low heat, melt together the chocolate, butter and cream,
stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Stir in the vanilla until blended. Gradually add the confectioners sugar,
beating until smooth. Sprinkle the remaining walnut mixture on a sheet of
waxed paper. When the cookies have cooled, spread the bottom side of
half the cookies with a generous teaspoon of the filling.
Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down on the filling.
Roll the chocolate edges of the cookies into the walnut mixture.
Store in a tightly covered container, separating the layers with sheets of waxed paper.
Makes 18 sandwich cookies

~ Michelle's Chit, Chat & All That ~

~ Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle ~

1 cup sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 cup roasted salted peanuts
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Line a 9 x 13 pan with greased wax paper. Set aside.
Stir sugar and corn syrup together, mixing well, in a large microwave safe glass bowl.
Microwave on high 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts and microwave 3-5 minutes -until light brown.
Add butter and vanilla. Microwave one more minute. Stir in baking soda, mixing well.
Pour immediately into greased-wax paper lined 9 x 13 pan. Let cool, break into pieces.
For easier clean up, be sure to fill glass bowl with hot water as soon as you have emptied it.
*Do not fill with cold water, bowl will break! Store in air-tight container.

~ Karol, Home Sweet HomePage Graphics ~

~ Potato Chip Cookies ~

5 cups crushed Lay's brand Potato Chips (measured after crushing)
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine the first six ingredients and mix well.
Sift together the flour and baking powder.
Add to the potato chip mixture and mix well.
Stir in the pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet,
allowing space for the cookies to spread. Bake at 375º
for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

~ Autumn's Vanilla Sky ~

~ Russian Teacakes ~

Mix thoroughly: 1 cup margarine 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift & stir in: 2 1/4 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix in: 3/4 cup chopped nuts. Chill dough. Roll into 1" balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until set but not brown
for 10 to 12 minutes at 400º. Roll cookies in powdered sugar while warm.
Let cookies cool, then again roll in powdered sugar.

~Sindee's Syllables ~

~ Spritz Cookies ~

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine (Shed's Spread is the best!)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond or amaretto extract (optional)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high.
Add sugar and baking powder.
When combined, beat in sugar, eggs and extracts.
When combined, beat in as much flour as you can; stir in remaining flour.
If colored cookies are desired, separate dough and color.
If extremely sticky, chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Then force dough through cookie press on an ungreased cookie sheet.
If using decorative sugars or sprinkles, add now.
I like to add chocolate chips in the centers of some of the cookies.
Bake at 375º for 8-10 minutess until edges are firm, but not brown.
Transfer to cooling racks and cool.
Once cool, I decorate them with gel icing.

For chocolate spritz cookies,
use only 3 1/4 cups of flour and add 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder

~ Kiki's Multifaceted Mama ~

~ Christmas Ornament Cookies ~

115 g butter
145 g packed brown sugar
1 egg
80 ml molasses
345 g all-purpose flour
5 g baking soda
5 g ground cinnamon
2 g ground ginger
2 g ground nutmeg
75 g butter
250 g sifted confectioners' sugar
15 ml milk
3 ml vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375º F (190ºs C)
Cream 1/2 cup of butter or margarine. Add brown sugar and beat. Beat in egg and molasses.
In a separate bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of flour, soda and spices. Add to butter mixture. Blend well.
Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on floured surface. Cut into shapes. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
To Make Frosting:
Cream 1/3 cup butter. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar,
1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Put in a pastry bag with small tip and decorate cookies. Makes 2 dozen

~ Jude's Ramblings ~

~ Cranberry Shortbread ~

1 1/4 c. softened butter
1 c. icing sugar
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. chopped Craisins (dried cranberries from Ocean Spray)

Preheat oven to 325º.Cream butter & sugar until light. Mix in flour, a little at a time.
Stir in Craisins. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten balls into 2-inch rounds
with the bottom of a glass dipped into granulated sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Cool

~ Paulette's Diary Nook ~

~ Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar ~

1 large roll of chocolate chip cookie dough
(I use 2 rolls, one for the bottom and one for the top)
2 – 8oz. packages of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
Press a little more than half of the dough into the bottom of the pan.
Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and eggs and spread over the cookie dough.
Crumble the remaining cookie dough over the top.
Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

(You can always use your homemade cookie dough – but this is much easier)

~ Nancy's Primitive Thymes ~

~ Cornflake Wreath Cookies ~

1/2 cup butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp green food color
4 cups corn flakes
red hot candies
silver dragées

Melt butter, add marshmallows, stirring until all marshmallows are melted.
Add extracts and food coloring; stir until it is a uniform green color.
When mixture is smooth, add corn flakes; mix well but gently so as not to crush the cornflakes.
Form into wreath shapes on sheets of waxed paper, decorate with red cinnamon candies and silver dragées.
Let cool. For more flavoring, add a little more vanilla, or some cinnamon and leave out the almond.

~ Kay's Chatter ~

~ Pecan Sandies ~

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375º.
Grease baking sheet. In large bowl, cream shortening, sugar and eggs.
In medium bowl mix together flour, soda, and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.
Add dry mixture to creamed mixture, blend well.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased baking sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

~ Katherine's Sunflower Songs ~

~ Kransekake - a Norwegian, tree-shaped cake ~

250g (2 1/2 cups) finely ground blanched almonds
250g (2 1/2 cups) finely ground unblanched almonds
500g (4 1/3 cups) sifted icing sugar (sift before measuring)
3 egg whites

ICING:
1 cup of sifted icing sugar
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 200ºC or 400º F.
Combine almonds and icing sugar in a large pan.
Add the unbeaten egg white and mix to a firm dough.
Place the pan over a low heat and knead until dough
is so hot that it is too hot to handle.
Grease ring mold/cake pan. Each form has 3 rings,
for a total of 18 rings of different sizes,
so they can be stacked on top of each other to form
this marvelous cake. Spoon the dough into a pastry tube
with a wide round tip and press the dough into the ring,
blending the ends together. Bake for 12-15 minutes until
dry and firm outside, soft inside. Take out and leave to cool.
For the icing sift the sugar and mix with egg white until nice and thick.
Put in a piping bag and pipe on garlands of icing on top of each other
and decorate with flags, bonbons or candy or for weddings and holidays

In Norway the tradition is to make at least 7 different cake/cookies for Christmas.
Kransekake - a Norwegian, tree-shaped cake are made on special celebration days.
Even if it is made exactly the same each time, the result may vary from absolute perfection to complete failure.

~ Nina's Notes ~

~Peanut Butter Fingers~

1 cup Golden Brown Sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick oats (uncooked)
1 package (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Combine brown sugar, flour, soda and salt. Cut in butter and peanut butter.
Stir in egg, vanilla and oats. Press mixture into a 8 x 13-inch pan.
Bake at 350ºF 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle immediately with chocolate pieces.
After 6 minutes, spread chocolate evenly over baked dough. Drizzle topping over chocolate. Cut into small bars.

~ Kat's Wings of Grace ~

Email me your favorite Christmas Cookie recipe

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Music by Yuko Ohigashi