Saturday, December 19, 2009

Christmas Cookies Galore!

The Christmas presents have been bought and wrapped....


the Christmas cards have been put on the mantel...



...and the cookies have been baked! Now it's time to share the recipes and surprise they are all from Cooking Light!


Molasses Cookies


Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup molasses

1 large egg

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cooking spray


Preparation

Combine brown sugar and shortening in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Cover and freeze 1 hour (can be frozen much longer if needed).


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.



Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll dough balls in sugar. Place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray (smoosh flat with back of spoon). Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Yield: 4 dozen




Cocoa Fudge Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used black-cherry)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees


Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Drop level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray (smoosh flat with the back of a spoon).



Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.


Yield: 2 dozen




Pecan Tassies in Cream Cheese Pastry


Ingredients

Pastry:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Dash of salt

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

Cooking spray


Filling:

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup light-colored corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 large egg white


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


To prepare pastry, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and dash of salt in a small bowl. Combine cream cheese, butter, and milk in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until blended (mixture will be crumbly). Press flour mixture into a ball.


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 3 to 4 times. Divide dough into 24 portions. Place 1 dough portion into each of 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Press dough into bottom and up sides of cups, using lightly floured fingers.


To prepare filling, divide pecans evenly among muffin cups. Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients; spoon about 2 teaspoons filling over pecans in each muffin cup.


Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned and filling is puffy. Cook in cups for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around outside edge of each tassie; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.


Yield: 2 dozen

4 comments :

  1. Well, it looks like you are all ready for the holdiays! We are just now getting around to putting up our tree! I know, pathetic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. this is such a bad post for me as i am trying to be really good about sweets. i am drooling and i want those yummy cookies.... : ) xo

    ReplyDelete

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