Cranberry Orange Pinwheels

If you've been following me for a while, you know I love swirled cookies.  I've got so many different flavors and am always looking for more--mint and fudge, almond and sugar, cinnamon and cranberry, peanut butter and chocolate.  I just love these cookies because they are so much fun to make.  It might seem like a lot of steps, but I still think they are easier than regular roll out sugar cookies, and there's the bonus of tons of flavor.  These cranberry and orange swirls are stuffed with fresh cranberries and pecans, sweetened with brown sugar.  It's a lovely combination and I'm really glad I picked up this recipe for my swirls this year.  Sweet and nutty with a nice sugar cookie base.  Cranberry and orange are one of my favorite holiday flavor combinations, and the addition of pecans works so well.  These are officially on the holiday cookie list.

Homemade Animal Crackers

Yes, you can make these at home, from scratch and still have them taste like the store bought cookies that come in the circus box.  Animal crackers are one of those treats that you don't realize how much you like them until you haven't had them in a while.  At my old job, they used to put out jars of candy, pretzels, nuts and animal crackers for an afternoon snack.  I couldn't resist grabbing a few of those little cookies when I had a chance.  Something about that almost but not quite vanilla flavor in a crisp cookie that just melts away.  And of course, the fun animal shapes don't hurt their appeal.  The great debate is how do you eat your animal crackers?  Do you bite off their feet so they can't run away, or bite the head so they can't talk back? However you eat them, this simple recipe will remind you how much you love this children's treat.

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

Twas the day before Christmas and all through the kitchen,
There was nothing to be stirred and the baker was itchin'.
The cookies were shipped to friends and family in tins,
But what to do now with leftover ingredients?
Cookies were nestled snug in the jar,
But what about something special for those near and not far?
With cocoa and sugar waiting for some mixing,
And chocolate with sprinkles ready for the fixin's.
A sweet shortbread cookie, a red velvet munchy,
Dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles and a little bit crunchy.

Funfetti Cut-Out Cookies

Now how fun and festive are these?  And besides being awesome due to sprinkles, they taste like cake.  Because they are made with a cake mix.  Hey, if you're going to make as many cookies as I do, sometimes you need to praise small favors that come in the form of a prepackaged mix.  The cookies are soft and full of cakey flavor, speckled with fun holiday sprinkles.  Rolled out into whatever shapes you like, these cookies are perfect for the holidays or can be customized for any celebration.

Polish Kolache

Growing up, my Mom wasn't a big holiday cookie baker (yeah, I'm still trying to figure out where I got the bug) since she spent so much time making chocolate into a variety of treats.  But one cookie she always made time to prepare were these kolache.  I would sit across from her at the kitchen table while she worked this dough by hand and then rolled out dozen upon dozen of these fruit-filled gems.  About ten years ago I decided to try my hand at these and failed miserable.  My dough wasn't the flaky, pastry-like dough Mom created but more, unfortunately, of a tough, overworked shortbread.  I gave up, determined to try again later but over the years never felt confident enough to try or altogether forgot about them.  Of course, I have to make them if my family is going to enjoy them now, so I pulled out the recipe and got to it.  The simplicity of this dough, flaky and just a touch of sweetness, allows you to pair it with whatever pastry filling makes your heart sing.  My family is traditionally used to raspberry and apricot, and I used both here, but Mom also used to make a nut filling and lukvar or prune filling, which only she, my grandfather and my brother liked.  My brother tried to get me on board with the prune fulling for that this year, but I took a pass.  I was already taking a risk with trying this recipe unguided.

Marbled Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

This week I'm bringing you a weeks worth of cookie recipes to help you prepare for any cookie swaps, holiday parties, or just getting geared up for Santa's midnight snack.  And I'm starting off with one of my favorite new recipes for this year.  I will never tire of finding a new way to enjoy this flavor combination.  And I particularly like this version because they are so pretty.  Swirled up and loaded with peanut butter and chocolate flavor, these cookies are a new take on one of my favorite cookies to make--the slice and bake.  Whip up two cookie doughs, roll them up together and slice into discs to make and interesting cookie.  I love to make swirled cookies and they always make it onto my Christmas cookie list, and these did not disappoint me by taking one of the coveted spots on this year's list.

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

Hopefully I won't get in trouble for not making Gingerbread Cookies this year.  It wasn't that I didn't want to make them, I just thought the space in the cookie tins (and freezer) would be better utilized by these guys.  Cause they are really yummy.  Just like the name says, they taste like a brownie.  Tempted to frost them, I resisted and opted instead for just a sprinkling of sanding sugar.  Definitely the right thing to do.  They are chocolatey without being overly sweet, so any type of frosting would have been overkill.  Even though he's not the biggest chocolate fan, Dave likes flavor of these cookies and thought they were a good addition to the cookie rotation.  I like the soft texture and they aren't just another crisp roll-out cookie, but have their own simple spot in the cookie world.

My memory is lapsing as to exactly how I stumbled upon this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, but regardless it's a perfect recipe.  You can alter the depth of your chocolate by choosing a different brand or type of cocoa powder--I used plain old Hershey's, but you could try dark cocoa or a mix or regular and dark, or go for one of the fancy pants brands.  Whatever makes you happy. 

Linzer Tarts

In 2005 Dave and I tackled the long distance relationship, him living in Massachusetts while I still lived in central Pennsylvania.  Dave bought his house the year before and for Thanksgiving in 2005 I visited him and his family for the holiday with the caveat that he allow me to complete several of my cookie recipes for my holiday baking.  Living the bachelor life, Dave didn't particularly care what I did with his oven so long as he got some of the treats. 

So on during Thanksgiving week when so many people spend their time in the kitchen making real food, I stumbled into the kitchen and prepared to make many batches of cookies.  Busying myself in the kitchen, Dave was in the living room watching TV or playing video games. I had several cooling racks full of cookies, having just completed a batch of Classic Peanut Butter Cookies, and just starting on a recipe of Oatmeal Cranberry. My first two sheets of oatmeal cookies were in the oven when the timer went off and I opened the oven door.

There was a flame.

Cranberry Apple Walnut Pie

While my friends (well, Cindy) are more concerned about my lack of "applying" myself to cupcakes, I am determined to tackle a different baking challenge: pie.  I've never made a pie, let alone a pie crust, but with the season of pie upon us, it seemed the opportune moment.  The pie filling didn't concern me so much as the making of a crust.  So after my appeal to you, dear readers, I received a few comments and emails suggesting a few options for pie crust recipes.  I narrowed it down to three from very respectable bloggers and I appreciate the depth to which each of these bloggers explained the nuances and differences between various crust methods.

The Brown Eyed Baker had a good recipe and description, including specific instructions for using a food processor or mixing by hand.  The recipe uses all butter, but there was no sugar and the rest of the ingredients seemed a little on the light side and since I know I have an issue rolling dough, I wanted something using a little more in the quantity department, just in case.

Gingerbread

Is this the ultimate holiday cookie?  If it isn't flavorwise, it's at least the epitome of the holidays.  Smelling all those spices bake up into a yummy cookie that you get to make into your favorite shapes and even decorate really puts me in the mood for Christmas.  Or in this case, Thanksgiving too.

This recipe came from a director at work who participated in my cookie exchange a few years ago.  I struggled with gingerbread cookies for a while and then I tried her recipe.  It's awesome.  They are crisp, yet still slightly soft. I don't decorate them nearly as beautifully as she does (I just don't have that patience), but the royal icing really pops on these guys.  It's a great mix of spices--I was skeptical of the pepper at first, but it's such a great combination of flavors.  I also wasn't sure about mixing the spices into the wet ingredients, but I did and the cookie speaks for itself.  Maybe that's why I've always had a hard time with other recipes.

 You don't want to roll the dough too thin--give the cookies some heartiness and roll to between 1/8 of an inch and 1/4 of an inch and you'll be fine.  The hard part is picking your cutters.

I have a problem. It's about 18 inches wide, 30 inches long and 12 inches deep and full of cookie cutters:

I had a hard time deciding, but I narrowed it down to two holiday's worth, since the recipe makes so many cookies, although I forgot to include the tree in this photo.

I love these Gingerbread guys from Fred.  They have some of the coolest stuff.

Gingerbread

Ingredients (for cookies):

6 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and add brown sugar, beating until fluffy and scraping the sides of bowl as necessary.  Mix in spices and salt.  Beat in eggs and molasses until thoroughly combined.  Add the flour mixture slowly and mix on low speed until completely incorporated.  Divide dough into thirds and wrap in plastic (I like to make mine into discs.  This helps create the shape I want when I roll the dough out).  Chill at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

Cut into desired shaped.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet (or a parchment or silicon lined sheet) and chill until firm, about 15 minutes.  Don't skip this step--it will keep the integrity of your shapes and ensure the baking time is accurate.  And yes, I'm embarrassed that I didn't take one photo of the rolled out dough.

Bake for 12-13 minutes.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.  The cookies should be firm in the center, but not darker at the edges.

Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to complete cooling on rack.  Make sure cookies are completely cooled before decorating.

Royal Icing

Ingredients (for icing):

3 Tablespoons meringue powder (I used Wilton's)
4 cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons water

Using an electric mixer, place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until icing forms peaks, anywhere from 7-12 minutes.

Transfer icing to a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip (or tip of your choosing).  You can also put it in a zip top bag and cut off on corner.  Arrange cookies on a wire rack placed on top of waxed paper or your silicon mats.  Royal icing is sturdy, so it shouldn't drip, but better safe than messy.

Decorate with designs of your choosing.  You could also add food coloring to the icing if you want different colors on your finished cookies.

Makes approximately 4 dozen 4 inch cookies or 9 dozen 2-3 inch cookies, depending on the size and shape of your cutters.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

Almond Swirls

These are one of my absolute favorite cookies.  They are fun to make (even though it is a bit of a process), they are yummy, and they are pretty.  It's a cookie trifecta!  I actually have about 6 different swirl recipes incorporating different flavors, but the process is pretty much the same.  One year I made them all and I have to say, it made for a very pretty tin with all those swirled cookies nestled inside.  Plus, you can make them whatever color you like--I made them less red and more pink for my wedding and I've made them green for the holidays as well.

This particular recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens via MSN House and Home, presented as "Sugar Cookie Slices."  I picked it up in 2002 and have been making it every year since.  I have found that depending on the tools that I use, it is necessary to adapt the recipe.  I've noted those changes in the recipe, since I've made this recipe three ways: by hand, using a hand mixer and using a stand mixer.  I also swapped the extract from vanilla to almond to give a different depth of flavor.

Almond Swirls

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
red food coloring
sprinkling sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder and salt and cream together, scraping the sides of bowl as needed until combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer.  Use a wooden spoon to stir in any remaining flour.

If you are not using a stand mixer, don't even bother trying to beat in the flour.  It will just turn to a crumbly mess if you use a hand mixer to beat in some of the flour.  Stir it all in by hand, in batches.  If you do use a stand mixer, swap out your beater before adding the flour.  Instead of using the wire beater attachment, use the paddle attachment (or even the dough blade).  You want to get all the flour incorporated and create a cohesive dough that you can roll out.

Divide dough into 2 even balls.  I just take the whole dough ball and cut it in with a dough blade.  Now, take one of those halves and cut it in half again.  Form those two smaller pieces into flat discs and wrap, separately, in plastic wrap. Chill for about an hour.

Working on a cutting board or something else to protect your counter top, take the rest of your dough and flatten it a bit.  Place a few drops of food coloring into the center and start kneading the dough to distribute the color evenly throughout the dough.  This takes a while and red is a tough color, so keep adding coloring until you get the depth of color you want.

Hint: If you get food coloring on your counter top (yup, experience talking), roll the dough over the area (assuming your counter top was clean in the first place!) and it will pick up the excess color.  I'm not sure why, my scientist husband could probably tell you about the oils in the dough or something, but for whatever reason, it works.

Eventually, you will have a dough ball that looks like this:

And hands that look like this:

Hint: If you know you're going to want two batches, make one batch of dough all plain.  Then on your second batch, add the food coloring to the creamed mixture before adding flour.  The flour will lighten the intensity of the color, so add a little more than you think you need.  This will save you the step of kneading the the color and washing your hands like Lady MacBeth.

As you did with the uncolored dough, cut your dough in half, flatten into discs and wrap, separately, in plastic wrap. Chill for about an hour.

To make your spirals, after chilling, roll each disc into a "8 x8 inch square."   See I put that in quotes because I have never in my life been able to roll dough into a square, regardless of my frequency of turning it.  And never have I been able to get it to be exactly the same size in both directions.  So in my world, I roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Hint: I also roll the dough out between pieces of waxed paper. This is important because you can't add flour to the dough for easy rolling (you'll alter the color) and you need the waxed paper to build your swirls.

Using your waxed paper as a guide, roll each of your dough balls to 1/4 inch thickness in roughly the same size and shape. I tend to take mine right to the edge of the width of the waxed paper, and therefore try to keep the length about the same.  Make sure you constantly turn the dough and even flip it over.  The waxed paper may bunch underneath, so you'll want to smooth out any lines.

Once you have 4 roughly even rolled out pieces, take one white piece and while still covered in waxed paper, lay it on top of one red piece.  Shift it around until you have a reasonably good match in terms of shape.

Carefully remove the top piece of waxed paper from the red dough.  If some of the dough peels with the paper, gently tap it back into place and press together any seams.  Now, carefully remove the bottom piece of waxed paper from the white dough in the same process.  Carefully flip the white dough onto the red dough. You've pretty much only got one chance at this, so do it slowly and carefully.  But really, if you mess up, it's not the end of the world.  Peel the top piece of waxed paper off the white dough.

Smooth out any lines and if you have any over hang, you can "relocate" white dough to where there is none to even out your shape.

Starting at the bottom, gently and tightly roll the dough, jelly-roll style, removing the waxed paper from the bottom as you go.

For me, the middle of the dough tends to be thicker than the ends, so don't be surprised if your dough doesn't "seal" on the ends.  We'll address that later.  You may want to tap those ends in, so it doesn't fall apart, but just focus on rolling into a tight spiral.

 Wrap the whole roll in either waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.  I've left mine in the refrigerator (in a sealed bag) for up to a week without issue.  Or you could put in a sealed bag and freeze for up to a month (be sure to thaw overnight in refrigerator before slicing). Repeat with other pieces of dough.

Remove one roll from the refrigerator and using your sharpest knife, cut the dough crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.  I like to cut the whole roll in half, and then work from the inside out.  Wipe the knife occasionally to remove any excess dough.  When you get to the ends, keep cutting, even it the spiral is weak or it falls apart a bit.

Place on an ungreased or parchment/silicone lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar, sanding sugar, or crystals.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes.  You want to catch these cookies just before the edges turn brown because you don't want that to impact the pretty color.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.  Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to complete cooling on rack.

Now for those pesky ends.

This is still useful dough. You may notice in cutting that some of your spirals have a little hole in the middle.

Use your ends to fill them in!  Create swirls where there weren't any by gently tapping in dough.  During the baking process this dough will adhere.

And if you still have extra leftover, bake it up and feed it to your husband.  Because he knows you can't put the broken ones on a pretty holiday platter.

Makes 4 1/2 dozen

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess