Christmas Rocks

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour, unsifted
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lb. dates
1/2 lb. candied cherries
1 c. Brazil nuts
2 c. shelled walnuts
1 c. blanched almonds
4 slices candied pineapple

DIRECTIONS:

Cream butter and add brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Sift together 2 cups flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir into butter mixture. Roll fruit in remaining 1/2 cup flour and stir into cookie dough. Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, or until light brown.

Christmas Spritzes

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 c. soft butter
3/4 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
Green food coloring
Multicolor sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Use different shaped cookie cutters and cut out cookies from 1-inch rolled dough. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until just set.

Christmas Ornament Cutouts

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. butter flavor Crisco
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

GLAZE:

1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Candies or decors

DIRECTIONS:

For cookies: Beat first 3 ingredients until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Mix in combined remaining 4 ingredients. Cover; chill 4 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll 1/4 of dough at a time, 1/8 inch thick on floured surface. Cut as desired using cookie cutters or glass.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. (For ornament hole, cut hole in cookie with drinking straw before baking, repeat immediately after baking if hole closes.) Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.

For glaze: Combine first 3 ingredients. Tint with food color, if desired. Brush on cookies with pastry brush; decorate immediately. About 6 dozen (depending on size).

Christmas Rocks

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. butter
3 c. brown sugar
8 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. cinnamon
6 c. flour (Gold Medal)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 lbs. chopped dates
3 c. chopped walnuts
2 lbs. raisins

DIRECTIONS:

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, flour, baking soda, salt. Mix well. Add walnuts, dates and raisins. Mix well.

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet by teaspoon full. Bake in slow oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on bottom rack and 10 minutes on top before removing from oven.

After moving pan to top rack, you may start another pan on bottom rack, if you wish. These cookies should be baked at low heat to dry them out, too high will burn. This recipe easily makes approximately 280-300 cookies. This recipe may be reduced by dividing portions in half

Christmas Spritzes

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract or vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Decorations: (Canned fruit slices or peels, colored sugars, currants, finely chopped nuts, nonpareils, raisins.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter and sugar. Mix in remaining ingredients except decorations.

Place dough in cookie press, form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Top with decorations. Bake until cookies are set but not brown. 6-9 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. About 5 dozen. Then can also be rolled out and use a cookie cutter.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped nuts
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugars, butter, shortening, egg and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Yield: Approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 c. flour
2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 c. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 lg. eggs
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

Choose one or 1/2 cup of two. 1 c. flaked coconut 1 c. wheat germ 1 c. nonfat dry milk

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly measure flour into large bowl, saving out 1 cup. Add remaining ingredients, except nuts, chips and oats. If adding optional ingredients (peanut butter, dry milk or wheat germ) do so at this point. Beat at medium speed until well blended, about 1-2 minutes. By hand stir in the cup of flour, oats, chips, and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.