Crazy for cookies: Readers’ Choice

What would the holidays be without cookies? These tempting treats appear in all shapes and flavours this season. Many of us have fond memories of baking with our families — and testing the results, of course! And, if we’re honest, we’ll confess to robbing the cookie jar and mercilessly snapping head off gingerbread people.

Homemade cookies make a great gift or tea time treat, and cookie swaps have become a staple in many circles. Whatever you’re planning, here are some our readers’ choices from the 50PLUS.com archives to get you baking:

Almond Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter (no substitutes)
3/4 sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
additional sugar

Glaze:

1 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2-3 teaspoons water
green food coloring (optional)
sliced almonds, toasted

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in almond extract, then the rest of ingredients.

Roll in 1 inch balls. Place 2″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Coat bottom of a glass with
PAM spray. Dip in sugar. Flatten cookies with sugared glass.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 7-9 minutes until edges turn brown. Cool on a rack.

Make the glaze, drizzle over each cookie and sprinkle with almonds. (I doubled the cookie batch and just made a single glaze. It was plenty.)

Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

Submitted by LadyDi50

Caramel Cream Sandwich Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 to 5 teaspoons milk

In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter/margarine until light and fluffy.

Add egg, vanilla and blend well. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to 1 1/2 inch circle with a fork dipped in flour.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes.

Remove and cool. Spread 1 teaspoon frosting on half of the cookies, and cover each with another cookie. (Editor’s note: spread the frosting on the bottom of the cookies.)

Yield 2 dozens cookies, depending on how big they are.

Very, very good; make a double recipe! Enjoy!

Submitted by memine

Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely crushed candy cane mixed with 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Split dough into equal portions. Color one portion of the dough red.

Refrigerate the dough long enough to be able to easily work with it.

Break off one piece (approx. one teaspoon of each color) and roll by hand into four to five inch long tubes.

Twist the two pieces together and bend to form a candy cane. Sprinkle the top with the candy
cane/sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes.

Be careful when removing from the cookie sheet, they will break easily!

Submitted by O’Doud

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Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp.
1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulfered molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoon boiling water
7 oz semisweet chocolate chunks
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa. In a separate bowl, beat butter and ginger on medium speed for about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn onto plastic wrap. Pat out dough to a 1 inch thickness; seal with wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 and 1/2 inch balls; place cookies on baking
sheets 2 inches apart. Chill 20 minutes. Roll cookies in granulated sugar. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies and allow to cool.

Makes 2 dozen.

Submitted by Toni G

Gluten Free Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup solid Crisco or lard
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 gluten free molasses
1 3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup chick pea flour
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon each ground ginger & ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
White sugar to coat cookie dough balls

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses. Mix thoroughly.

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir together to mix well. Stir into creamed mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls; roll in white sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 12 – 15 minutes.

Makes approximately 5 dozen small cookies. Delicious!!!

Submitted by kdwood

What’s your favourite holiday cookie? Tell us in the comments!

Photo ©iStockphoto.com/ Lauri Patterson

More sweet ideas:
Almond Orange Cookies
Gigantic turtle candies
Walrus Bars
Snowflake Chocolate and Pecan Pie
Gingered Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake