Christmas Cookies!

Yesterday I had the afternoon to myself so I started baking! Both of these cookies were made from John Hadamuscin's Home for Christmas cookbook. If you have never seen one of his cookbooks, check them out! They not only have delicious recipes but the photography is beautiful. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

1 stick of butter, softened

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tea. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (his recipe says unbleached all purpose flour)

1/2 tea. baking soda

1/4 tea. baking powder

1/2 tea. salt

1/2 c. semisweet miniature chocolate chips. ( I used regular size and probably a cup of them!)

Preheat oven to 375. I covered my baking sheet with parchment. His recipe says lighly grease baking sheet. Which ever will work.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugars and peanut butter together until smooth. Then beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients except the chips. Add to the creamed mixutre, then stir in chocolate chips.

Now this is where the recipe is wierd. At the beginning of the recipe it says grease the baking sheets. At the end it says drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet. So, I guess either will work. Slightly flatten the cookies with a fork making a criss cross pattern. Then bake for 8 minutes. Leave on baking sheet a couple of minutes then remove to wire racks to cool.

Oh my! These cookies are the best of both worlds! Chocolate and peanut butter, how can you go wrong with those!

The next cookie I was a little skeptical about, but it turned out delicious.

Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies:

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tea vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour (I ran out and used some self rising)

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

confectioners sugar for dusting (I didn't do this)

Preheat oven to 300.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla. In a separte bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon and salt. Beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture to form a soft dough.

Ok, here is where I changes the recipe. This dough is very soft and tender and must be handled delicately. I rolled the dough onto a board covered with confectioners sugar, very thin and cut out the dough with my cookie cutter. I placed each cookie onto the parchment covered cookie sheet, then sprinkled with red or green sparkles. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Watch them closely! Remove from oven and leave on pan a couple of minutes then remove to wire racks to cool. The original recipe says make 2 8" circles cut into wedges.
Either way, these cookies are so buttery and crisp. YUM!

Hope everyone has a great week! Christmas is almost here!

Linda